(1837) Copper Token HT-48, Liberty-Not One Cent

Coin Details

Auction Record

$168 MS63BN 12-12-2018 Heritage Auctions

Description

This 1837 copper Liberty / Not One Cent token features the E PLURIBUS UNUM banner on a scroll above Liberty's head on the obverse, with the standard "MILLIONS FOR DEFENCE, NOT ONE CENT FOR TRIBUTE" reverse. The specific die combination produces diagnostic features that distinguish HT-48 from other varieties in the series. The E PLURIBUS UNUM motto, borrowed from the Great Seal of the United States and from federal coinage, was a bold addition to a private token. By including this official national motto, the token makers were simultaneously claiming patriotic authority for their products and blurring the line between private token and government coin. This appropriation of official symbolism was common in the Hard Times era, when private enterprise stepped into the vacuum left by the government's failure to maintain an adequate supply of small-denomination coinage. The persistence of these tokens in circulation beyond the immediate Hard Times period is documented by the variety of wear patterns found on surviving examples. Some show the heavy, even wear of pieces that circulated for years, while others display the minimal wear of tokens that were saved shortly after production — evidence of the diverse fates that awaited these pieces in the hands of their many owners.

Rarity Notes

Common. Standard copper version with strong survival rate.

Cross References

Low 33; Rulau HT-48