(1830s) Token HT-383A, Bushkill on 2 Reales PA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$9,400 MS66 08-10-2016 Heritage Auctions

Description

This counterstamp reading "BUSHKILL" was applied to a Spanish colonial 2 Reales silver coin, creating a Hard Times era advertising or identification piece connected to the Bushkill area of eastern Pennsylvania. Bushkill is located in Pike County along the Delaware River, and the counterstamp represents a merchant or business establishment in this rural community. The use of a Spanish 2 Reales as the host coin reflects the continued circulation of foreign silver in American commerce during the 1830s. Spanish colonial coins remained legal tender in the United States until 1857, and they were particularly common in areas near major waterways and trade routes. The Delaware River valley, where Bushkill is situated, served as a commercial corridor connecting northeastern Pennsylvania's timber and agricultural resources to the Philadelphia market. Pennsylvania counterstamps from rural communities are considerably rarer than those from Philadelphia or other major cities, as smaller towns had less commercial activity and fewer merchants with the resources or inclination to produce advertising tokens. The Bushkill counterstamp is a notable example of Hard Times era commercial activity extending beyond the urban centers into the Pennsylvania countryside.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Rural Pennsylvania counterstamp on Spanish colonial 2 Reales.

Cross References

Rulau HT-383A