(1834) Copper Token HT-160, S.B. Schenck MA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$504 MS64BN 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1834 copper S.B. Schenck token variety is distinguished from HT-157 by die characteristics that indicate a separate production run. The multiple die varieties attributed to Schenck suggest either sustained demand for his tokens or the routine replacement of worn dies during ongoing production. For an Attleboro manufacturer producing tokens alongside regular commercial goods, cutting a replacement die was a minor expense relative to the total production cost. The proliferation of die varieties among Attleboro token issuers parallels the die variety analysis that numismatists apply to early U.S. large cents and other federal coinage. In both cases, each die pair was hand-engraved, introducing subtle but consistent differences that specialists use to identify and catalog individual die combinations. The study of Attleboro token die varieties illuminates the production methods and volumes of these early American manufacturers. S.B. Schenck's multiple token issues place him among the more active Attleboro manufacturers in terms of numismatic output, though his firm was modest in size compared to the larger Robinson operations. The tokens document a business that might otherwise be forgotten — a small Attleboro workshop whose products circulated briefly in local commerce before being preserved by collectors who recognized their historical significance.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Rulau HT-160