(c.1838) Copper Token GW-152, Atwood's Railroad Hotel

Coin Details

Auction Record

$6,600 MS64BN 11-18-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

Copper token issued circa 1838 for Atwood's Railroad Hotel, located at 243 Bowery in New York City. The obverse depicts George Washington on horseback, while the reverse advertises the hotel. This piece was manufactured by Bale & Smith, a New York die-sinker firm active in the 1830s-1840s. Atwood's Railroad Hotel was one of numerous establishments along the bustling Bowery corridor that served travelers arriving by the early railroads connecting New York to surrounding communities. The token served both as an advertising piece and as a trade token redeemable at the hotel. Research into Washington medals continues to uncover new varieties and previously undocumented pieces, as the extensive production over more than two centuries has left a body of material that defies complete cataloging. This piece predates the Civil War by more than two decades and belongs to the broader category of Hard Times era merchant tokens.

Rarity Notes

GW-152 is a scarce piece in the George Washington token series. Also cataloged as HT-221 in the Hard Times token reference. Copper strikings from this period survive in modest numbers, with most known examples in circulated condition reflecting actual use in trade.

Cross References

GW-152; HT-221; Baker; Bale & Smith (die-sinker)