(1834) Silver Token HT-14C, 27mm Whig Victory

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,600 XF45 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This silver Whig Victory token from 1834 is struck on a 27mm planchet, representing yet another size variant in the Whig Victory subseries. The 27mm diameter falls between the smaller 25mm (HT-14) and the larger 28mm (HT-14A) versions, suggesting the use of a different planchet source or a third die pair cut to intermediate dimensions. The existence of multiple sizes within a single design type is characteristic of the decentralized and entrepreneurial nature of Hard Times Token production. Unlike the standardized output of the United States Mint, where dies, planchets, and striking procedures were carefully controlled, private token makers operated with considerable latitude in their choice of materials and specifications. The silver composition of HT-14C indicates this intermediate-sized version was produced as a premium or presentation piece. The Whig Victory tokens collectively document a crucial episode in the development of the American party system. The censure of Jackson and the subsequent expunging of that censure in 1837 established precedents about the relationship between the legislative and executive branches that continued to shape American governance. These tokens are primary-source artifacts of the political debates that transformed the structure of American democracy.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. A silver striking at the intermediate 27mm size is among the scarcest variants in the Whig Victory subseries.

Cross References

Low 14; Rulau HT-14C