(1837) Copper Token HT-283, George A. Jarvis NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$336 MS63BN 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1837 copper token from George A. Jarvis features a Matron Head Liberty bust on the obverse resembling a contemporary large cent, with "E PLURIBUS UNUM" and the date 1837. The reverse reads "GEORGE A JARVIS WINE & TEA DEALER" around the rim, with "142 / GRAND / CORNER OF / ELM STREET / NEW YORK" at center, flanked by stars at 3 and 9 o'clock positions — distinguishing HT-283 from HT-284 which has leaves instead of stars. George Atwater Jarvis (1806-1893) operated his wine and tea dealership at 142 Grand Street, corner of Elm Street, in Lower Manhattan. The wine and tea trade occupied a prestigious position in New York's retail hierarchy, as both products were luxury imports that required specialized knowledge of sourcing, quality assessment, and proper storage. Jarvis's Grand Street location placed him in a fashionable neighborhood that attracted the middle-class and wealthy customers who constituted the primary market for fine wines and imported teas. Jarvis went on to become a successful businessman, banker, and philanthropist. His later career included involvement in insurance, banking, and various civic enterprises. The Hard Times Token bearing his name documents the earliest phase of a business career that would span more than half a century and encompass multiple industries beyond the wine and tea trade that first established his commercial reputation.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Star variant, somewhat scarcer than the leaf variety HT-284. Rarity R-2.

Cross References

Low 85; Rulau HT-283