(1837) Token HT-88, Ship - Liberty

Coin Details

Description

This political token features a ship on one side symbolizing commerce and prosperity, paired with a Liberty design on the reverse. The ship-themed tokens were among the most common designs in the Hard Times political series, typically carrying the motto "NOT ONE CENT FOR TRIBUTE" or "MILLIONS FOR DEFENCE"—patriotic slogans repurposed as commentary on Jacksonian monetary policy. The ship design served multiple symbolic functions. A full-rigged ship under sail represented American commercial prosperity and the free-trade principles that Whig opponents of Jackson championed. Conversely, a wrecked or grounded ship symbolized the economic destruction wrought by Democratic monetary policies. The Liberty obverse, mimicking the design of official U.S. large cents, gave these tokens the appearance of government-issued currency while carrying a subversive political message. These dual-purpose tokens circulated simultaneously as emergency currency and political propaganda, reaching audiences far beyond the metropolitan areas where most political discourse occurred. A farmer in rural New York or Pennsylvania might encounter these tokens in daily commerce, receiving with each transaction an implicit political message about the causes of the economic hardship he was experiencing.

Rarity Notes

Common to scarce. Political token with ship and Liberty designs.

Cross References

Rulau HT-88