(1836) Copper Token HT-322, Squire & Merritt NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,080 MS65BN 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1836 copper Squire & Merritt token variety is distinguished from other issues by specific die characteristics — variations in letter forms, punctuation, and decorative elements that are consistently reproducible across surviving specimens. These distinctions form the basis of the die variety classification used by Hard Times Token specialists. The eight distinct catalog numbers attributed to Squire & Merritt (HT-318A through HT-325) make this one of the most extensively documented merchant token series in the Low and Rulau references. This level of die variety analysis parallels the methodology used for early American copper cents, where specialists have identified hundreds of die combinations within single year-denomination groups. For ship chandlers like Squire & Merritt, multiple die varieties suggest high-volume production to supply a busy waterfront retail operation. The South Street seaport district where Squire & Merritt operated was uniquely suited to token circulation. The constant flow of sailors, dock workers, teamsters, and merchants through the area created a natural distribution network, and the transient nature of maritime workers meant that tokens traveled widely — some specimens voyaged to ports far from New York in the pockets of departing sailors.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Rulau HT-322