(1860) Copper Token Rulau-Conn-185, Aaron White New Boston, CT

Coin Details

Description

Copper merchant or personal token issued by Aaron White of New Boston, Connecticut, 1860. New Boston was a village in the town of Canaan in the Litchfield Hills of northwestern Connecticut. Rural merchant tokens from small New England towns are considerably scarcer than those from major cities, as country storekeepers rarely had the volume of business to justify the expense of producing custom tokens. Aaron White's token provides a rare glimpse into commercial life in a small Connecticut village on the eve of the Civil War. Copper, 22mm. Tokens from the antebellum period circulated in an economy where small change shortages were a recurring problem, making merchant-issued pieces both advertisements and practical currency substitutes. Listed in the Rulau catalog, the standard reference work for pre-1900 American merchant tokens that has been continuously updated since its first edition. The scarcity of high-grade examples reflects the practical origin of these tokens, which circulated as everyday commercial instruments rather than collectible curiosities.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Rural Connecticut merchant token from a small village, making this significantly scarcer than urban merchant issues. New England small-town tokens from the pre-Civil War period are actively sought by Connecticut numismatists and rural Americana collectors.

Cross References

Rulau Conn-185; PCGS #931636