Hard Times Tokens - Post Your Images

[coinsarefun]

I'll take an educated guess and say the HT-150 and HT-297. The 150 had your name written all over it and will obviously photograph well. I'll be surprised if the other is the 297 as, while it is scarce in that grade, it just didn't look like your style. Either way, congrats...pickings are slim nowadays.

 

Bingo on the HT-150 as that's the nicest example I've ever seen of this issue, well struck, no spots, no stains, not plagued by micro chatter, or rim issues.

 

You know me well as I had no interest in the HT-297 as it looked dry and I didn't care for what was going on below the L in ROLLED on the reverse.

 

 

 

 

Actually I was really torn between the electrotype and the HT150

I was so tempted to go for it but I see it worked out for the best as I didn't raise your bid.

 

 

[BROADSTRUCK]

The life cycle of a Hard Times Token die

 

The striking of the 1834 Running Boar HT-11 / Low-10 satirical hard times token was short lived in copper due to rapid die failure. This design featured the boars snoot pointing at a space between the words Perish and Credit and featured broader shoulders and fancier lapels on the reverse bust of Andrew Jackson. Although just considered Rarity-3 today this montage below is 6 years in the making as a respectable example only surfaces every 2 years.

 

EDS - Early Die Stage

 

A prefect strike prior to any die deterioration.

 

 

MDS - Mid Die Stage

 

A slight die crack which has formed at the rim between C and R in CREDIT then traveling through the boar and terminating in the grass.

 

 

LDS - Late Die Stage

 

A continuation of the die crack now thicker and terminating at the lower rim between the 4 in the date and the E at the end of COMMERCE.

 

Along with a second die crack venturing off the top of the boar through T and O in Victory right into the Y in MY.

 

 

 

 

The Late Die Stage is the most commonly encountered on this variety and quite a musky strike. Therefore in order to respect it understanding the life cycle of the die aids in doing so.

 

The Running Boar series due to lack of records has never been fully confirmed to a certain die sinker. Robert J. Lindersmith in the some of his 1960's TAMS journal articles felt the dies were cut by Edward Hulseman even though his signature "H" is missing on the design. Struck by the button-maker Robinson's Jones & Co. of Attleboro, Massachusetts who was Hulseman's employers from 1833 to 1836. Robinson Jones just like Scovill manufacturing another major button and hard times token producer erected their plants or mills adjacent to a river to take advantage of water power and steam. Glancing at the likeness of Andrew Jackson on the obverse of the "H" signed 1833 "I Take The Responsibility" HT-70 / Low-51 and reverse military bust of Jackson on the Running Boars it's quite easy to see both had been cut by Hulseman.

 

 

[Hard Times]

A few months ago I won a couple HTT's from the Steve Hayden auctions. I have also been sending in all of my NGC tokens for reholdering into pronged scratch resistant holders. When going through the ones in older holders, I had a good look to see if any were what I felt to be undergraded. One of them, my HT-181, was in a 62 holder and seemed to fit for undergrading, at least with how NGC seems to grade these. So instead of sending it with the others for reholdering, I cracked it and gave it to NGC along with the two Newps for grading. The previous holder of the HT-181 was so scratched up it strongly detracted the images I had taken and posted here. Here it is in the new holder, and with the new grade.

 

If you scroll back to my previous images they are browner, but the white balance was off so more 'red' gave it that look. This is very dark chocolate in color and the new images are getting the color correctly. Nice flash under the light that does not show well in the images. Braodie's example is a little bit browner and has a wood grain pattern.

 

 

 

Best, HT

 

 

[Hard Times]

Here is the HT-66 I won many months ago in a Steve Hayden auction raw. Finally got it graded and imaged. It is much nicer than my other Phoenix rising HT-67. Bluish-white areas you see on the obverse are not really that color - the token is flashy and those are the regions exhibiting the relective luster for the light configuration used - many HTT's do not give the classic luster that show a cartwheel effect that look more like triangular-linear bands as you rotate under the light - sometimes those bands are more diffuse or expansive and irregular across the surface as in this case where the two lights are NW and NE and should produce luster bands NW-SE and NE-SW but instead you can see the bands cover irregular regions of the surface. I am thinking it is a function of either planchet preparation or how the dies were made but in either case I interpret this to be the result of the surface field unevenness across the coin. My HT 67 shows the same irregular luster bands under the light.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

"The Panic of 1837 was a financial crisis in the United States that touched off a major recession that lasted until the mid-1840s. Profits, prices and wages went down while unemployment went up. Pessimism abounded during the time. The panic had both domestic and foreign origins. Speculative lending practices in western states, a sharp decline in cotton prices, a collapsing land bubble, international specie flows, and restrictive lending policies in Great Britain were all to blame. On May 10, 1837, banks in New York City suspended specie payments, meaning that they would no longer redeem commercial paper in specie at full face value. Despite a brief recovery in 1838, the recession persisted for approximately seven years. Banks collapsed, businesses failed, prices declined, and thousands of workers lost their jobs. Unemployment may have been as high as 25% in some locales. The years 1837 to 1844 were, generally speaking, years of deflation in wages and prices."

 

From Broadstuck ATS:

 

"The name "Shin Plasters" was applied to bills of irresponsible banks and private parties. The device of the phoenix rising from flames seems to mean that the paper money was only fit to be burned, and that with its destruction new life would spring from its ashes, The date, November, 1837, is that of a convention held in New York on the 27th of that month, by representatives of leading banks in nineteen states to fix a date for resumption. They met again the 16th of April, 1838 and decided to resume specie payments the 10th of May following, which was successfully accomplished after a suspension of exactly one year. "

 

 

Best, HT

 

 

[Hard Times]

Here is an HT-33 I obtained that is raw. Below it is my HT-33 which is graded for comparison.

 

Best, HT

 

 

 

 

 

[coinsarefun]

Just came in now.......I bought it raw and for images I placed a CWT next to it

 

 

MS64RB???/ maybe red?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brg5658]

Just came in now.......I bought it raw and for images I placed a CWT next to it

 

 

MS64RB???/ maybe red?

 

Um...you really think we can offer insight as to the grade when 1) the pictures are very small, and 2) 95% of the picture is not the token but dead space?

 

I can grade your keyboard's "Control" key better than I can grade that token. But, it does look to have decent luster and lots of red left.

[coinsarefun]

Brandon, please try to be a little more diplomatic with the keyboard.

A little less sarcasm can make for a nicer atmosphere

 

 

 

I really do suck at images and so excited to see this in hand as I was not in any way shape or form expecting this beautiful of a coin from the auction images.

 

There is considerable mint luster and red on this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I added a few more to show color

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brg5658]

No sarcasm intended. I was being direct.

 

With regard to the token, I'm not sure if it's MS or AU. It appears to be some rub on the devices, but it's hard to tell that from a weak strike. Broadie will probably have better opinions. Regardless, I love the design, and a very nice newp!

[coinsarefun]

New and improved pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hard Times]

Broadie,

I have two blockbusters coming and will be posting them soon, possibly finest known or near finest known for each...

 

Here is something I got from Steve Hayden raw a few months ago. Took time to get it certified and imaged.

 

Best, HT

 

 

 

[Hard Times]

Broadie, not trying to be a DD, but Johnny come lately PEE CEE GEE ESS still does not do it for me, but glad your new 34 is a killer! You ought to send it to me for imaging, I will take oh I dunno, maybe a decade to get it right and keep it during that time!

 

Best, HT

 

Shot under diffused lighting and still not what it really looks like as only raw will truly display what a eye candy knockout it is in hand.

 

I only use 2 lamps and feel if I had 3 to 4 I might be able to make the full obverse pop in the slab?

 

 

As purdy as them images are, they still need someone, or say, how about me, to spend a few years studying it, housz 'bout sending to me for refining my images. What do you need with a BROADTSTRUCK HTT anyway?

 

(thumbs u

 

Best, HT

[BROADSTRUCK]

Broadie,I have two blockbusters coming and will be posting them soon, possibly finest known or near finest known for each...Here is something I got from Steve Hayden raw a few months ago. Took time to get it certified and imaged. Best, HT

 

Cool HT I look forward to seeing your images of them! (thumbs u

 

I also just picked up another 1837 Centre Market, New York, Low-111 / HT-240, R-2 hard times token which just came to market that was formally part of the June 3rd 1941 Max B. Mehl sale of William Forrester Dunham (then Donald Miller) collection. What appealed to me at first was the mint red as this variety unlike it's sibling the Low-110 / HT-239 is never seen with even trace red. I did notice the oil paint cataloging number in the field and with a loupe a very tiny D counter stamp above her hair just like the famed Dexter-Dunham 1804 $1 specimen which brought upon a smile. Mehl's 1941 Description: Lot# 2677 - L. No. 111 Centre Market, N.Y., Uncirculated with nearly full mint red.

 

 

Another newp which was the only token in the recent S/B sale that I really wanted. I've owned 4 other examples of this token in NGC AU58, MS63 (2), and MS64 and between strike and originality this betters them all and should finally fill a void in my collection along with matching my HT-244 Crossman. Ex: Mike Ringo collection.

 

1837 H. Crossman, New York, HT-243 / Low-112, R-3

 

 

 

[Hard Times]

Here is one of my newps. First, my HT-81 in AU58, reshot in its new holder without the scrapes and scruffed up areas on the original plastic that detracted from the images. For some reason the colors come out stronger with identical shooting conditions when compared to shooting in the older holders. No idea why. Second up is my new HT-81. Lots O-Luster, lots of red.

 

Best, HT

 

 

[BROADSTRUCK]

Here is one of my newps. First, my HT-81 in AU58, reshot in its new holder without the scrapes and scruffed up areas on the original plastic that detracted from the images. For some reason the colors come out stronger with identical shooting conditions when compared to shooting in the older holders. No idea why. Second up is my new HT-81. Lots O-Luster, lots of red.

 

HT, Same camera settings really? So did you have your AU58 slab covered in beauty cream since you last imaged it... As it sure got a lot prettier!

 

I was asked to bring some of my HTT's to a show 3-4 years ago and as I had them with me showed them to Steve Tanenbaum. He mentioned that all the Low-54's seen with green patina came from a small group owned by a family that surfaced in the 1950-60's which were stored in the same manner. So our duplicates aren't just Women but might also actually be Sisters!

 

[Hard Times]

Broadie, that is the nicest HT-81 I have ever seen, wow, let's hope my AU58 hung out with her for a few decades!

 

Best, HT

[BROADSTRUCK]

On thing Hard Times Era I've picked up since my last post and figured this thread needed a jolt of life....

 

1840 William Henry Harrison, Bunker Hill Jubilee Presidential Campaign Medal, DeWitt-WHH-1840-4 / Satterlee-71, 43mm Diameter, White Metal.

 

One of the original 1840 issued medals worn as a badge during the Bunker Hill dedication celebration. This was one of the first political medals struck by Boston medalists Francis N. Mitchell. All of the originals are seen holed for suspension directly on the rim above the N in Henry. Already considered scarce in 1862 by Alfred H. Satterlee and by W. Elliott Woodward who offered a so called original tin in poor condition in May of 1863. The dies of this Harrison medal just as the obverse Henry Clay DeWitt HC-1844-4/ Satterlee-126 cut by Mitchell were obtained by New York die-sinker George Hampton Lovett who issued proof re-strikes circa 1860 in copper, silver, and white metal medal types. The example below as far as strike, proof-like surface reflectivity, and tin pest oxidation betters the finest in the John J. Ford, Jr's sale earlier Wayte Raymond obtained through the purchase of Fredrick C. C. Boyd's collection.

 

[Curry]

Where do u even find these tokens? I never see any.

[Hard Times]

Very nice Broadie!

 

Best, HT

[BROADSTRUCK]

So what did the 5 bidders see in the HTT lot linked below that was worth $646.25... I'm just not seeing it?!?

 

1834 Andrew Jackson, The Constitution, AU55 NGC, Low-12, HT-25, DeWitt-CE-1838-14, copper; 1837 Illustrious Predecessor XF... (Total: 2 medals)

[felinfoel]

So what did the 5 bidders see in the HTT lot linked below that was worth $646.25... I'm just not seeing it?!?

 

1834 Andrew Jackson, The Constitution, AU55 NGC, Low-12, HT-25, DeWitt-CE-1838-14, copper; 1837 Illustrious Predecessor XF... (Total: 2 medals)

Great question: I was wondering the same thing.

[Hard Times]

All it takes is two bidders wanting the same token. HT-25's, not super rare, but not up for auction all that often..............

 

Best, HT

[BROADSTRUCK]

Sure but a nice AU58 HT-25 fetches around $200 retail and gosh that HT-34 is like $30-40 retail and wasn't even worth slabbing.

[Hard Times]

Finally got images of this one that I am not be embarrassed to show. This is a common HT-22 in an uncommon grade and an unusual very excellent strike - typically, the HT-22 have mushy strikes (I have no doubt Broadstruck has one or two HT-22s with excellent strike) - see my other one below which has a die crack at 2 O'clock on the obverse pointing to a later striking in the run. Not hoards of well struck ones out there. There is alot more red on the surfaces than the images show, hard to illustrate this because the untoned surfaces only come out in images fully when the lights are right on top of the token, which of course produces a very bad image with lots of glare.

 

Best HT

 

 

 

 

[EXOJUNKIE]

HT - That "65" is a beauty, and definitely worthy of its grade, as it makes my MS64 below look like a chump! Well done.

 

[Hard Times]

Exo,

That is a nice 64 much better than my 63. The die crack at 2 on the obverse for yours is less established than on my 63. Looks like we have 3 coins that show the die progression here.

 

Best, HT

[No+4Me]

Here's a raw example:

 

 

(I think my white balance was off. coin is NOT purple)

[Hard Times]

Nice one No4!

 

Best, HT

[Hard Times]

Wow 118,000 views of a thread on Hard Times Tokens. Who would have ever guessed it would go that far?

 

I know this is kind of a useless post, but I am very surprised and thank everyone for tuning in. And folks, we welcome all to keep posting HTT's on this thread.

 

Best, HT

[BROADSTRUCK]

Here's a raw example:

 

(I think my white balance was off. coin is NOT purple)

 

Nope that's a HT-21 which is missing the front sail and struck by a cracked obverse die... Far scarcer then a HT-22.

 

Here's a MS64BN HT-22 which is also FAR redder then the pics just doesn't photograph that way being trapped in a slab.

 

 

EXOJ this came from the same collection as your HT-33.