(1841) Copper Token HT-21, Daniel Webster

Coin Details

Description

This 1841 copper Daniel Webster token features a 28.5mm diameter that places it slightly above the standard 28mm format, indicating a different die collar or planchet source. The minor size increase does not affect the token's suitability for circulation as a cent substitute but creates a diagnostic distinction that allows collectors to identify this specific die variety. Webster's political career reached its zenith and nadir in the 1840s. After serving as Secretary of State under Harrison and Tyler (1841-1843), he negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842), which settled the northeastern boundary dispute with Britain and established extradition protocols. He returned to the Senate in 1845, opposed the Mexican-American War, and delivered his famous Seventh of March speech in 1850 supporting the Compromise of 1850 — a position that earned him praise from moderates but condemnation from abolitionists. The tokens bearing Webster's image were products of an era when political celebrity was expressed and consumed through tangible artifacts. Supporters displayed Webster tokens alongside campaign ribbons, printed portraits, and party newspapers as visible declarations of political identity in a democratic culture that valued public participation and partisan engagement.

Rarity Notes

Common. Copper version with standard availability among Hard Times Token collectors.

Cross References

Low 21; Rulau HT-21