Undated Auctori Plebis - Uniface Obverse Token

Coin Details

Description

Struck only on the obverse face, this undated Auctori Plebis token preserves the design impression on one side while the reverse remains blank — a condition classified as uniface that strongly suggests this piece is a die trial, test striking, or production error from the manufacturing process. Uniface colonial tokens are very rare and provide direct insight into the striking procedures used at 18th-century private mints, where dies were individually installed in hand-operated screw presses and test impressions were taken to verify die alignment and depth before full production commenced. The Auctori Plebis ("By Authority of the People") tokens bear a Latin inscription that evokes republican ideals, and the series includes both dated and undated varieties struck in copper, typically attributed to British manufacturers producing tokens for American circulation. Unlisted in Whitman, this uniface specimen occupies a specialized niche in the colonial token market where off-metal strikes, die trials, and production anomalies command significant premiums because they document the manufacturing process rather than the finished commercial product. Whether this piece represents an intentional die trial to test a newly prepared obverse die or an accidental striking where the reverse die was absent or improperly seated, it preserves a moment in the production sequence that normally left no surviving physical evidence. This token belongs to the Post-1776 Private and Regional Issues (1778-1820) series.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Uniface die trial or error.

Cross References

Whitman unlisted