(c.1860) Token Sage's Historical No. 13 Copper The Old Swamp Church

Coin Details

Description

Sage's Historical token number 13 in copper depicts the Old Swamp Church, a landmark house of worship in lower Manhattan that served the religious community of the area known as the Swamp, named for its marshy terrain near the Collect Pond. The neighborhood became associated with the leather trade and tanning industry, which required water access. The Old Swamp Church served the spiritual needs of the working-class community that grew up around these trades. Charles Sage's interest in documenting vanishing landmarks of old New York led him to include numerous churches, civic buildings, and historical structures that were being demolished or altered as the city modernized during the mid-nineteenth century. This token preserves the memory of a building that might otherwise have been forgotten.

Rarity Notes

Copper striking. Higher numbered tokens in the Sage series are generally scarcer than the lower numbers.

Cross References

PCGS #969781; Sage's Historical Token No. 13, Cu, The Old Swamp Church