(1835) Token HT-366, N. Starbuck & Son NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$552 XF45BN 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1835 copper token from N. Starbuck & Son of Troy, New York advertises the machine shop operated by Nathaniel Starbuck (1777-1864) and his son Benjamin. The Starbucks specialized in turning, boring, and precision metalwork, manufacturing screws for paper mills, oil mills, and cider mills — the heavy-duty fasteners and threaded components that powered the region's agricultural processing and manufacturing industries. Their shop produced the specialized machinery parts that kept Troy's diverse industrial base running. The "& Son" designation reflects Nathaniel Starbuck's multigenerational family business, with Benjamin trained in the precision metalworking skills that defined their trade. Machine shops like Starbuck's occupied a critical position in the antebellum manufacturing ecosystem, producing custom parts and specialized equipment that factories could not source from catalog suppliers. Their ability to turn and bore large-diameter screws — the key components in presses used for paper, oil seed, and cider production — made them essential to agricultural processing throughout the upper Hudson Valley and Erie Canal corridor. N. Starbuck & Son produced multiple token varieties (HT-366 through HT-370), suggesting sustained commercial activity and investment in token advertising. Troy's concentration of foundries, machine shops, and manufacturing firms created a natural market for Starbuck's precision metalworking services.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Rulau HT-366