(1837) Copper Token HT-66A, May 10th

Coin Details

Auction Record

$336 MS64BN 08-22-2021 Heritage Auctions

Description

This copper die variety of the 1837 Bentonian Currency / May Tenth token shares the phoenix rising from flames motif with HT-66 but is distinguished by specific die characteristics. The differences between HT-66 and HT-66A involve details of the phoenix design, the arrangement of flames, and the positioning of inscriptions that allow numismatic researchers to identify specific die pairings. The phoenix rising from flames on these tokens was a powerful symbol drawn from classical mythology and widely used in American symbolism. The image conveyed the message that the nation's economy, though currently consumed by the fires of financial crisis, would eventually rise renewed and restored. This optimistic note counterbalanced the critical political messaging of other Hard Times Token designs, offering hope alongside protest. The "SUBSTITUTE FOR SHIN PLASTERS" inscription on these tokens was a remarkably direct statement of purpose. Rather than disguising the token's function behind political symbolism, this inscription explicitly declared what the token was for: a metallic alternative to the worthless paper currency that had become the bane of daily commerce. The bluntness of this declaration reflects the desperate economic conditions that made such frank language both necessary and commercially effective.

Rarity Notes

Common. Die variety with availability comparable to HT-66.

Cross References

Low 47; Rulau HT-66A