(1837) Copper Token HT-67, May 10th

Coin Details

Auction Record

$180 MS61BN 08-21-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

This 1837 copper May Tenth token is another die variety in the Specie Payments Suspended subseries. The reverse records the date of May 10, 1837 — the day New York banks suspended specie payments — as the definitive moment when the Panic of 1837 became a reality for ordinary Americans. The political messaging connects this date to Democratic economic policies, implying that Jackson and Van Buren were directly responsible for the collapse. The May Tenth tokens served a historiographic function unusual for currency substitutes — they memorialized a specific date and event in the manner of a commemorative medal while also serving as everyday money. This dual function made them among the most information-rich artifacts of the Hard Times period, carrying both a specific historical claim and a practical economic purpose in a single 28mm copper disc. Die varieties within the May Tenth subseries are documented by differences in the arrangement of text on both obverse and reverse, the style and positioning of the Liberty head, and the treatment of the wreath and berries on the reverse. These diagnostic features allow researchers to trace the production history of the design and estimate the relative timing and volume of different production runs.

Rarity Notes

Common. Standard copper variety with good availability across most grades.

Cross References

Low 48; Rulau HT-67