(1835) Copper Token HT-102, Fobes & Barlow CT

Coin Details

Auction Record

$432 MS63RB 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1835 copper token from Fobes & Barlow of New Haven, Connecticut advertises a mercantile or manufacturing firm that operated in one of Connecticut's most important commercial centers. New Haven, home to Yale College and a thriving manufacturing sector, produced several Hard Times Token varieties that document the city's commercial landscape during the 1830s. The token follows the standard cent-sized format with the firm's name and location. Connecticut's manufacturing tradition — particularly in the Naugatuck Valley brass industry and the clock-making centers of the Connecticut River Valley — provided the technical expertise needed for token production. While Fobes & Barlow may not have manufactured their own tokens, they had ready access to Connecticut firms with the die-cutting and striking capabilities needed to produce quality advertising pieces. The Fobes & Barlow token exists in multiple specimens of consistent quality, suggesting professional manufacture rather than amateur production. The firm's New Haven location placed them at a commercial crossroads — the Long Island Sound shipping trade, the inland river commerce of the Connecticut Valley, and the growing overland trade routes all converged near the city, providing both customers and distribution channels for their token advertising.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Low 53; Rulau HT-102