(1833-5) Token HT-287A, New York NY

Coin Details

Description

This copper token with plain edge identifies Leverett & Thomas of New York City. Cataloged as Low-262 with a Rarity R-5 designation, this token is quite scarce. The firm's specific business type has not been documented in available references, but the token was struck by Bale & Smith, the prominent New York die-cutting firm at 68 Nassau Street that produced tokens for numerous merchants. The partnership name "Leverett & Thomas" indicates a two-person commercial operation typical of the small businesses that dominated New York's retail and wholesale landscape in the 1830s. Two-name partnerships were the standard business structure of the era, combining the capital and skills of two individuals in a formal agreement to share profits, losses, and management responsibilities. The R-5 rarity classification indicates approximately 13 to 30 specimens survive, making this a challenging but achievable acquisition for the advanced Hard Times token collector. The plain-edge copper construction is standard for merchant tokens of the period, and the Bale & Smith die work—if confirmed—would place this piece within the largest and most prolific die-cutting operation in the Hard Times token manufacturing industry.

Rarity Notes

Quite scarce. Rarity R-5 (13-30 known). Copper, plain edge. Low-262.

Cross References

Rulau HT-287A, Low-262