(1835-36) Token HT-413, Philadelphia PA

Coin Details

Description

This Feuchtwanger experimental token for the Corporation of Philadelphia bears a "50 CENTS" denomination within a small wreath on the reverse, with a Philadelphia coat of arms featuring two horses flanking a shield with eagle on the obverse. Struck in Feuchtwanger's proprietary German silver composition, this piece represents Dr. Lewis Feuchtwanger's ambitious attempt to supply Philadelphia's city government with locally-produced fractional currency. The fifty-cent denomination is remarkable among Hard Times tokens, which typically imitated the cent denomination. Feuchtwanger's willingness to produce higher-denomination pieces for the Philadelphia Corporation indicates he envisioned his alloy serving a broader monetary function than mere cent substitutes. The Philadelphia coat of arms on the obverse gave these tokens an official appearance that would have enhanced their acceptability in local commerce. Though slightly less rare than HT-412, this token remains one of the most significant pieces in the Hard Times series. It documents a little-known episode in American monetary history when a private chemist attempted to supply both federal and municipal governments with an alternative coinage metal—a concept that would eventually be vindicated when the U.S. Mint adopted a copper-nickel alloy for the Flying Eagle cent in 1857.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. One of the highest-denomination Hard Times tokens. Extremely desirable.

Cross References

Rulau HT-413