(1848-58) Token HT-215B, Chittenang NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$552 AU58BN 11-09-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This token from Chittenango, New York dates to the 1848–58 period, well after the traditional Hard Times era. Chittenango is a village in Madison County, central New York, located along the Erie Canal route. The late dating and rural location make this an unusual piece in the Hard Times catalog, documenting small-town commercial activity during the antebellum period. Chittenango's economy in the mid-nineteenth century was tied to the Erie Canal, which passed through or near the village and provided access to the broader commercial network connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic seaboard. Local merchants served the farming community of Madison County and the canal traffic that passed through the area, offering the goods and services needed by both settled residents and transient travelers. Small-town tokens from the Hard Times era are considerably rarer than those from major cities, as rural merchants had less access to die-cutting firms and less economic incentive to produce tokens for their limited customer bases. The Chittenango piece provides a rare glimpse into commercial life outside the metropolitan centers that dominate the Hard Times token catalog.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Small-town token from Chittenango, central New York.

Cross References

Rulau HT-215B