(1877) Copper Token Rulau NY-NY 395A, Isaac F. Wood-Grant

Coin Details

Auction Record

$156 MS63BN 03-31-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Copper die variety of Isaac F. Wood's Grant portrait token, 1877. The A suffix denotes a distinct die pair from the standard NY-NY 395 Grant copper striking, differing in minor obverse or reverse design elements. Wood frequently used multiple die pairs for popular subjects, creating varieties that are distinguishable under magnification. The Grant subject was one of Wood's most popular choices during 1877, when the former president's departure on his world tour generated intense public interest. Copper, 19mm. The late 1860s and 1870s saw merchant tokens issued in an economy transitioning from wartime disruption to peacetime growth, with centennial consciousness increasingly shaping commemorative designs. Manhattan's die-sinking community, anchored by firms like the Lovetts and engravers such as John Adams Bolen, made New York the unrivaled center of American token production. Collector interest in Rulau-cataloged tokens continues to grow as the series gains recognition beyond specialized exonumia circles.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Die variety of Wood's Grant portrait token in copper. Die variety specialists in the Isaac F. Wood series actively seek to identify and catalog all known die pair combinations. The A suffix variety is typically less available than the standard 395 Grant copper.

Cross References

Rulau NY-NY 395A; PCGS #819247