(1837) Copper Token HT-304, Phalon's Hair Cutting NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,760 MS67BN 08-10-2016 Heritage Auctions

Description

This 1837 copper token from Phalon's Hair Cutting establishment in New York City represents one of the more unusual commercial enterprises documented in the merchant Hard Times Token series. Edward Phalon operated a fashionable barber shop and hair salon that catered to the grooming needs of New York's business community, and his token brought the personal services sector into the typically goods-oriented world of merchant token advertising. Phalon's business was located in Lower Manhattan's commercial district, where proximity to offices, banks, and exchanges ensured a steady clientele of businessmen seeking haircuts, shaves, and grooming services. The barber shop served as both a place of business and a social gathering point where merchants, clerks, and professionals exchanged news, gossip, and commercial intelligence while waiting for service. Edward Phalon later became famous as a perfumer and chemist, establishing Phalon & Son as one of the leading American perfumery firms of the mid-nineteenth century. His progression from barber to perfumer was a natural extension of the grooming and personal care services that defined his early career, and the Hard Times Token bearing his name documents the earliest phase of what would become a prominent American business.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Single-variety merchant token from a distinctive NYC business. Rarity R-2 to R-3.

Cross References

Low 122; Rulau HT-304