(1833) Copper Token HT-344, Henderson & Lossing NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,520 MS64BN 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1833 copper token from Henderson & Lossing advertises a clock, watch, and jewellery establishment in Poughkeepsie, New York — not New York City as sometimes assumed. Henderson & Lossing dealt in watches, clocks, silver and plated ware, cutlery, and fancy goods, serving the prosperous Hudson Valley community from their Poughkeepsie storefront. The firm combined retail sales with watch and clock repair services, a standard business model for small-city jewellers in the antebellum era. The "Lossing" in the firm name was a relative of Benson John Lossing (1813-1891), who grew up in Poughkeepsie and became one of America's most celebrated historians and illustrators. Benson Lossing's "Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution" (1850-1852) was a landmark work of illustrated history, and his career began in Poughkeepsie's commercial and literary community during the very period when this token was produced. The Henderson & Lossing partnership thus connects numismatic history with one of the most important figures in American historical publishing. Poughkeepsie tokens are uncommon in the Hard Times Token series, which is dominated by issues from New York City, Troy, and Albany. The city's strategic position on the Hudson River made it a significant commercial center between New York City and Albany, serving both the river trade and the agricultural communities of Dutchess County.

Rarity Notes

Common. Standard copper variety from Poughkeepsie NY. Rarity R-1 to R-2.

Cross References

Low 136; Rulau HT-344