(1837) Copper Token HT-243, H. Crossman

Coin Details

Auction Record

$312 MS64BN 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1837 copper token from H. Crossman depicts a distinctive umbrella on the reverse, advertising his umbrella manufacturing business at No. 92½ Chatham Street in New York City. The obverse features a bust of Liberty facing left with "E PLURIBUS UNUM" and the date 1837, closely imitating contemporary large cent designs. Chatham Street (now Park Row) was a bustling commercial thoroughfare in Lower Manhattan, connecting City Hall to the Bowery. H. Crossman's umbrella manufactory produced both umbrellas and parasols for the New York market, operating in a neighborhood known for its concentration of small manufacturers and retailers. The umbrella, prominently displayed on the token's reverse, served as an instantly recognizable visual advertisement — even illiterate passersby would understand what Crossman's shop sold. The choice of a pictorial device rather than text alone made this token one of the more visually interesting merchant issues. Umbrella making was a skilled craft in the 1830s, requiring the assembly of whalebone or steel ribs, wooden handles, and silk or cotton covers into a functional and attractive product. American umbrella manufacturers competed with imported European products, and merchants like Crossman used the Panic of 1837 coin shortage as an opportunity to distribute advertising tokens that would remind customers of their services with every transaction.

Rarity Notes

Common. The umbrella design makes this a popular and recognizable piece. Rarity R-1.

Cross References

Low 112; Rulau HT-243