(1837) Copper Token HT-312, Uniface Smith's Clock Establishment NY

Coin Details

Description

This uniface copper token from Smith's Clock Establishment at 7½ Bowery, New York, is struck on only one side, making it one of the more unusual pieces in the Smith's Clock series. The uniface striking may represent a die trial, an error in production, or a deliberately produced variety for collectors or promotional purposes. Only the reverse die bearing the shop's address and name was used, omitting the iconic clock face design found on the standard two-sided issues. Uniface tokens from the Hard Times era are relatively uncommon and are classified separately from their normal two-sided counterparts. They provide insight into the production process at private token-making facilities, where quality control was less rigorous than at the United States Mint. Some uniface pieces were struck intentionally as samples or souvenirs, while others resulted from misfeeds or setup errors during production runs. The survival of this uniface variety alongside the standard Smith's Clock issues demonstrates the breadth of collectible material available within even a single merchant's token output. Die trials and production anomalies are valued by specialist collectors for the information they provide about nineteenth-century private minting techniques.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Uniface variety with limited surviving population. Specialist collector interest.

Cross References

Rulau HT-312