(1838) Token HT-81B, Am I Not a Woman

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,110 AU55 08-05-2020 Heritage Auctions

Description

This "Am I Not a Woman" token is a contemporary copy or period reproduction of the original HT-81 anti-slavery issue. While sharing the same basic design—a kneeling enslaved woman with the abolitionist inscription—this variant shows differences in die quality, metal, or striking characteristics that distinguish it from the authorized American Anti-Slavery Society issue. Contemporary copies of popular tokens were common during the Hard Times era. When a token design proved popular and circulated widely, entrepreneurial manufacturers sometimes produced unauthorized copies to meet demand or capitalize on the original's recognition. The existence of copies actually attests to the effectiveness of the "Am I Not a Woman" design as both a circulating medium and a political statement. The anti-slavery message these tokens carried was controversial in 1830s America. While abolitionists in the North increasingly organized against slavery, many northern merchants who traded with the South resisted the movement, and race riots erupted in several cities. These tokens circulated through a society deeply divided over slavery, making them not just monetary substitutes but instruments of political agitation that could provoke strong reactions from both supporters and opponents of abolition.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Contemporary copy/period reproduction of the anti-slavery token.

Cross References

Rulau HT-81B