1897 Alaska Gold Dollar Token - X-Tn9, Brass

Coin Details

Auction Record

$565 MS65 05-27-2023 eBay

Description

The 1897 Alaska Gold dollar in brass, cataloged as X-Tn9, is a dollar-denomination territorial token from the Alaska Gold Rush period. This piece belongs to the same series of brass Alaska tokens as the X-Tn8 quarter, representing the larger dollar denomination that was essential for more substantial transactions in the frontier economy of territorial Alaska. The dollar denomination was the workhorse of commerce in late nineteenth-century Alaska, where a dollar could purchase a meal at a roadhouse, a night's basic lodging, or a modest quantity of supplies. The brass composition made these tokens affordable to produce in quantity while maintaining sufficient durability for repeated handling in harsh conditions. Unlike gold-composition tokens that carried intrinsic value, brass pieces functioned purely as representative money, their value dependent on the acceptance and guarantee of the issuing authority. Alaska's 1897 economy was transforming rapidly from the relatively quiet fur-trading and fishing enterprises of the pre-rush period into the chaotic boom economy of the Klondike era. Towns like Skagway, Dyea, and Nome grew explosively, and the monetary needs of these instant communities far outstripped the supply of federal coinage reaching the territory. Brass tokens like the X-Tn9 dollar helped fill this gap, providing a tangible medium of exchange for the miners, merchants, and laborers who made up the gold rush population.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Dollar-denomination Alaska brass tokens from 1897 survive in small numbers. Approximately 15-30 examples extant. Circulated examples predominate, with uncirculated pieces being notably scarce.

Cross References

PCGS #896598; HK X-Tn9 (Alaska Territorial Token)