(1837) Token HT-74, Ship - Constitution

Coin Details

Description

This 1837 German silver token features a ship design with the word "CONSTITUTION," connecting maritime imagery to the political themes of the Hard Times era. The German silver (a copper-nickel-zinc alloy also known as nickel silver) composition is unusual in the Hard Times Token series and gives this piece a distinctive silvery-white appearance that sets it apart from the more common copper and brass tokens. The ship "Constitution" on the obverse has dual significance. It references both the U.S. Constitution — the foundational document that Whigs claimed Jackson had violated through his unilateral removal of Bank deposits — and the famous warship USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"), a symbol of American naval strength and national pride. The naval imagery connects the Whig political message to patriotic sentiment, indicating that Constitutional governance and national defense were intertwined. The smaller 26mm diameter makes this piece slightly smaller than the standard cent-sized Hard Times Token, closer to a half dime in size. Combined with the German silver composition, this indicates the token was intended more as a political medal or pocket piece than as a circulating cent substitute. The German silver alloy, pioneered in America by Dr. Lewis Feuchtwanger, was itself a politically significant material — Feuchtwanger had petitioned Congress to adopt it for official coinage, adding another layer of monetary policy commentary to this remarkable piece.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. German silver composition is unusual in the Hard Times Token series. Limited surviving population.

Cross References

Low 49; Rulau HT-74