(1833) Copper Token HT-176, Francis L. Brigham MA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$360 AU58BN 11-09-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1833 copper Francis L. Brigham token is a second die variety distinct from HT-175, sharing the same merchant attribution but produced from different dies. The existence of two copper die varieties plus a silvered copper version (HT-176A) gives Brigham a three-variety token program — typical of the more active Massachusetts merchant token issuers who maintained production over an extended period. Die variety analysis of the Brigham tokens reveals the production characteristics of the firm or contractor that struck these pieces. Differences in letter punch selection, spacing, and placement provide clues about whether both dies were cut by the same engraver (indicating a single production campaign) or by different hands (indicating separate production events). These production details interest specialists who study the die-sinker networks that served New England's merchant token issuers. The Brigham tokens circulated primarily in the New Bedford area and surrounding Bristol County communities. Their preservation in quantity indicates they were produced in substantial numbers — sufficient to provide genuine advertising reach in the local commercial economy while also satisfying the growing demand for small change during the coin shortage that intensified after 1837.

Rarity Notes

Common. Standard copper die variety. Rarity R-1 to R-2.

Cross References

Rulau HT-176