(c.1852) Brass Token Rulau NY-NY 19, P.T. Barnum-Tom Thumb

Coin Details

Auction Record

$139 MS63 03-13-2023 eBay

Description

Brass advertising or souvenir token featuring P.T. Barnum and General Tom Thumb (Charles Sherwood Stratton, 1838-1883), circa 1852. Barnum, America's greatest showman, discovered the diminutive Stratton in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1842 and renamed him General Tom Thumb, making him an international sensation. By 1852, Tom Thumb had already toured Europe, been received by Queen Victoria, and was one of the most famous people in the world. This token advertised appearances at Barnum's American Museum at the corner of Broadway and Ann Street in New York City, a combination curiosity collection and exhibition hall that claimed to hold half a million items. Barnum ordered "museum medals" and "Tom Thumb's new medals" in multiple metals to be sold as souvenirs at his venues. Brass, 25mm. Antebellum-era tokens from the 1840s and 1850s bridge the gap between the Hard Times period and the Civil War token explosion, documenting American commercial life during a period of rapid westward expansion.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Advertising token from America's greatest showman featuring his most famous performer. P.T. Barnum tokens and medals are avidly collected, and pieces specifically mentioning Tom Thumb are especially prized. Barnum's American Museum (1841-1865) tokens document one of New York's most colorful entertainment venues.

Cross References

Rulau NY-NY 19; PCGS #825300