(1840-44) White Metal Token HT-C417, Snyder & Shankland PA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,020 AU58 04-26-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This white metal token from Snyder & Shankland, drapers and tailors at 102 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, is a metallic variant of the brass HT-417 series. The white metal composition—a tin-based alloy resembling silver—gives this piece a distinctive silvery appearance that contrasts with the yellow brass and reddish copper of most Philadelphia merchant tokens. Snyder & Shankland's tailoring business is documented on their tokens through detailed descriptions of their merchandise: fashionable cloths, cassimeres (fine twilled woolen fabrics), and vestings for custom-made garments. The firm's commitment to having materials "Constantly on Hand" and offering service "On Reasonable Terms" reflected the competitive pressures of Philadelphia's tailoring trade, where dozens of firms vied for the patronage of the city's fashion-conscious male consumers. The white metal composition and the lead classification in some references (33mm diameter) make this a particularly unusual piece among Philadelphia Hard Times tokens. The larger-than-standard diameter and non-standard metal suggest this was a special production— a pattern piece, a presentation token, or an experimental striking in a metal the manufacturer wanted to test.

Rarity Notes

Rare. White metal/lead, 33mm. Snyder & Shankland drapers and tailors.

Cross References

Rulau HT-C417