(1840) Brass Token HT-A800, Martin Van Buren

Coin Details

Auction Record

$69 XF45 08-22-2021 Heritage Auctions

Description

This brass Martin Van Buren token from the 1840 presidential election represents the incumbent Democratic president's side of the campaign. Van Buren tokens from this period are considerably rarer than Harrison pieces, reflecting the organizational disparity between the two campaigns—the Whigs produced campaign merchandise on an unprecedented scale while Van Buren relied more on traditional party machinery and newspaper endorsements. Van Buren (1782–1862) served as Jackson's vice president before winning the presidency in 1836, only to see the Panic of 1837 devastate the economy within months of his inauguration. His term was dominated by the ensuing depression, and he was widely blamed for continuing Jackson's controversial monetary policies—particularly the Independent Treasury system, which removed government funds from private banks and further contracted the money supply. Many Van Buren tokens from 1840 were actually produced by his Whig opponents as satirical pieces, mocking his alleged aristocratic tastes and failed economic policies. Distinguishing genuine pro-Van Buren campaign tokens from anti-Van Buren satirical pieces requires careful attention to inscriptions and imagery. This brass piece may represent either a sincere campaign issue or a Whig-produced satire of the incumbent.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Brass, 26mm. Martin Van Buren 1840 presidential election token.

Cross References

Rulau HT-A800