(1860) Copper Token NY-NY-319, E. Hill

Coin Details

Description

Copper merchant token issued by E. Hill, coin dealer of New York City, 1860. Hill operated a numismatic business in Manhattan on the eve of the Civil War, dealing in coins, tokens, and medals. The NY-NY prefix in Rulau's catalog denotes a New York City attribution, and Hill's tokens are also cataloged under the Miller reference as M-NY-312 through M-NY-319. Merchant tokens from 1860 occupy a transitional period, as the financial pressures preceding the Civil War were already affecting commerce and would soon lead to the massive proliferation of Civil War tokens (1861-1864). This piece predates the Civil War token era by just one year. Copper, 22mm. The 1840s and 1850s saw merchant tokens evolve from simple trade pieces to more elaborate designs, as die sinkers like George H. Lovett and Robert Lovett Jr. elevated the craft. Collector interest in early American tokens has expanded as numismatists increasingly value these pieces for the commercial and social history they document.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Pre-Civil War New York merchant token from the transitional year of 1860. E. Hill's copper tokens are less frequently encountered than the silver variety (NY-NY 317). Collected by New York City exonumia specialists and Civil War era token collectors.

Cross References

Rulau NY-NY 319; PCGS #800200