Hard Times Tokens - Post Your Images

[Hard Times]

I'd suggest we go full circle again rather than shut it down.......

 

Best, HT

[BROADSTRUCK]

ExoJunkie glad you managed to make it to the show as it was good seeing you again and I enjoyed seeing some of your tokens in hand. I was also glad to have had the opportunity to introduce you to Bob Schuman.

 

Exciting news for all HTT'rs as Bob has finished writing the preface and has had images of all the tokens taken for his second hardbound book which should hopefully hit the printers some time in early 2013. It will be titled something to the likes of "New England Hard Times Era Merchant Store Cards". Which will be followed with a third installment purely on the extensive New York Hard Times Era Merchant Store Cards.

 

Some ANA newps a trio of MS64's -

 

First is one of the reddest 1841 Daniel Webster HT-22 / Low-64's I've seen. I missed one by a few minutes about 3 years ago and will have to locate the old images on a external hard drive to see if it is the same one? (Which would be pretty cool) The other had the same small die crack and was in a wrongly attributed non pronged HT-21 holder.

 

Next a brass 1834 Gulian Verplanck HT-30 / Low-16. I owned a nice AU53 back around 2005 but it wasn't for me as I wanted a UNC. I've ever since been chasing after a eye appealing example although most of the MS61-63's fall short in the eye appeal department. The example below I had known about since 2008 and it became available for purchase in late 2009. I loved this token but couldn't justify the asking price as the spread between MS63 and the ask on this MS64 was huge. I figured it would just get stale and then be reduced yet about a year ago it sold prior to any reductions. I was bummed out and have thought about this token as that one that got away. Luckily the buyer sold it to another dealer and I was able to purchase it for a bit less then when it originally came to market.

 

Last is another duplicate purchase, but the 1837 Substitutes For Shinplasters Not One Cent's are one of my favorite designs. Although attributed as a HT-56 which is a common TPG mix-up it's a HT-57 / Low-46. Not something I needed but this example is well struck and had extensive mint red remaining on both sides which is tough to find and also has rotated dies which I'd never seen before on this variety.

 

[Hard Times]

Real stunners Broadie, good hunting at ANA!

 

Best, HT

[BROADSTRUCK]

Real stunners Broadie, good hunting at ANA!

 

Best, HT

 

Thanks HT, I actually stumbled upon HT-22 and HT-57 accidentally on Friday after searching since Tuesday.

[BROADSTRUCK]

Oops forgot about this ANA newp as I tucked in into one of the many useless lil pockets of my briefcase and just found it this morning

 

1833 Robinson's Jones & Co., Attleboro, Mass., HT-152 / Low-75, Rarity-2.

 

Ex: Donald Miller & Charles Litman collections.

 

 

 

 

 

[Hard Times]

Broadie,

Okay showing 3 NEWPS is great, but 4? Leave some for the rest of us especially the nice ones like these!

[BROADSTRUCK]

Broadie,

Okay showing 3 NEWPS is great, but 4? Leave some for the rest of us especially the nice ones like these!

 

Well how else are we gonna keep this thread going

 

I don't think a token a day is a bad thing while at a show for four days

[BROADSTRUCK]

HT, 5 as here's another... Since I forgot I made another sweep past a dealers table and tossed this in a box of 20

 

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

 

[Hard Times]

That be one fugly woman on a nice crisp copper!

 

Best, HT

[CyberspaceVoid]

Wow .... that obverse makes me look good on a really, really bad day. It is even uglier than a UK 1965 Churchill crown (and that is hard to beat)!

 

Broadstruck, you should have just kept walking when you saw that one.

 

[BROADSTRUCK]

Wow .... that obverse makes me look good on a really, really bad day. It is even uglier than a UK 1965 Churchill crown (and that is hard to beat)!

 

Broadstruck, you should have just kept walking when you saw that one.

 

 

Sean Penn's Great Grandmother posed for the obverse design

 

[Hard Times]

Where is Mr. Hand when you need him?

[BROADSTRUCK]

I think I need to check myself into the Betty Ford Center as I'm already itching for couple more HTT's so shortly after ANA

[EXOJUNKIE]

That's funny, I was too! So I just reached out to Steve H. a couple of days ago and bought the NGC MS63 HT-335 (ex-Ford) he had at Philly. I liked it then, but ran out of cashola. I was going to just pass altogether but I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I pulled the trigger. Now my itch is scratched!

 

Incidentally, this HT-335 (an R3) is currently the ONLY uncirculated example slabbed by NGC out of a total of only six certified. In contrast, thirteen HT-334s (an R4) have been certified, of which a whopping six have made the uncirculated ranks, including a MS66. Seems maybe the R-ratings should be reversed...?

 

And yes, I know the thread is nearly useless without pictures, but as I've said previously I'm not a photographer. And I'm still waiting for Todd to send me the pics he took in Philly. When I get them I'll post a few!

[BROADSTRUCK]

That's funny, I was too! So I just reached out to Steve H. a couple of days ago and bought the NGC MS63 HT-335 (ex-Ford) he had at Philly. I liked it then, but ran out of cashola. I was going to just pass altogether but I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I pulled the trigger. Now my itch is scratched!

 

Incidentally, this HT-335 (an R3) is currently the ONLY uncirculated example slabbed by NGC out of a total of only six certified. In contrast, thirteen HT-334s (an R4) have been certified, of which a whopping six have made the uncirculated ranks, including a MS66. Seems maybe the R-ratings should be reversed...?

 

And yes, I know the thread is nearly useless without pictures, but as I've said previously I'm not a photographer. And I'm still waiting for Todd to send me the pics he took in Philly. When I get them I'll post a few!

 

ExoJ, You kinda suck as I've been thinking of that HT-335 too since the show. I was considering contacting Steve in the morning as I'm expecting a sizable paypal fun money infusion in the next hour or so... Well at least it'd going to a good home as I knew it wouldn't last long!

 

I actually had the cashola on me towards the end of the show to buy it, but the soft strike on the hair bun kept me from pulling the trigger. I already checked as Miller also owned the ex: Tilden/Bird specimen, however this example is not in the Edgar Adams 1914 Plates. Yet thinking today that it took me 4 years to find another HT-334 after missing the last MS64BN, I was so leaning towards purchasing the 335.

 

Here's a pic of your now new HT-335 as I retained it from when it sold a couple years ago and looked at it in hand at a show then too.

 

 

The HT-335 on the thicker planchet has always been considered the scarcer to obtain, but the Rarity and Pricing is in favor of the HT-334. There's a couple raw 335's in AU with some of the EAC dealers so they are out there. I do now at least own the MS66BN HT-334 which is the ex: Charles Litman

[EXOJUNKIE]

C'mon Broadie, you gotta let me have one once in awhile!

 

And thanks for bailing me out with the pic!!!

 

I figured you owned the MS66BN, as I think I remember you posting a photo of it here awhile back. It seems I recall seeing it for sale a few years ago on someone's website but I certainly didn't have the cash to buy it then. It is quite a treasure with a luscious glossy chocolate planchet and flawless fields. It makes me hungry for more HTTs the more I think about it!

 

BTW, PM sent.

[BROADSTRUCK]

C'mon Broadie, you gotta let me have one once in awhile!

 

And thanks for bailing me out with the pic!!!

 

I figured you owned the MS66BN, as I think I remember you posting a photo of it here awhile back. It seems I recall seeing it for sale a few years ago on someone's website but I certainly didn't have the cash to buy it then. It is quite a treasure with a luscious glossy chocolate planchet and flawless fields. It makes me hungry for more HTTs the more I think about it!

 

BTW, PM sent.

 

It's all good ExoJ as I'm glad you picked it up as it is a smooth chocolaty copper morsel

 

Yet the HTT itch was so bad earlier today I almost had to chain myself to a cast iron radiator to distance myself from the keyboard and phones!

 

Here's the MS66BN HT-334 again...

 

[EXOJUNKIE]

Here's the MS66BN HT-334 again...

 

 

That HAMMERED HAIR BUN makes my eyes bulge out of my head!

 

[BROADSTRUCK]

 

That HAMMERED HAIR BUN makes my eyes bulge out of my head!

 

 

Thanks ExoJ... If you think you can handle it remind me to bring it with me to the next show for you to fondle

[BROADSTRUCK]

1837 Centre Market Accommodation, 14th Ward, New York, HT240 / Low-111, R-2

 

This is one of those lower rarity scale tokens which is extremely tough to locate in high grades. Although readily available in VG-VF it's hard to locate in EX-AU and above. Mostly half of the lower grade examples seen have some sort of issue from abuse. Far tougher then it's HT-239 / Low-110 variety counterpart especially with any trace red.

 

[EXOJUNKIE]

1837 Centre Market Accommodation, 14th Ward, New York, HT240 / Low-111, R-2

 

This is one of those lower rarity scale tokens which is extremely tough to locate in high grades. Although readily available in VG-VF it's hard to locate in EX-AU and above. Mostly half of the lower grade examples seen have some sort of issue from abuse. Far tougher then it's HT-239 / Low-110 variety counterpart especially with any trace red.

 

Looks like nice, smooth surfaces on that one Broadie!

 

If you trust the accuracy of the pop report, NGC has certified the same number of 239s and 240s in UNC (16), with the top pop being a MS64 for both, but the 239 does have the edge in RB examples (5 to 1).

 

I personally own a humble (but attractive) HT-240 NGC MS61 (which incidentally I thought should have been slabbed a 62). Sorry...no pics. I also have a pretty nice AU in my dups box which has strong detail but is probably a victim of an old cleaning....

 

And I know where a couple of HT-240 MS62s are for sale, but neither has good eye appeal IMO.

 

Just my to the discussion.

[EXOJUNKIE]

Okay...as I've said a couple of times I'm not a photographer, so as an experiment more than anything I took a few of my HTTs to Philly to be imaged (props to BluCC). Broadstruck got to take a look at them in hand at the show and I recall he commented positively on this one, so here it is. Weakly struck in a couple of areas but barely circulated if at all. Still quite a bit of red, and tough to find as such. Currently the finest of only three graded at NGC. Enjoy!

 

HT-346 / Low 318A, R4, 1835-38 Hiram Judson, Syracuse N.Y., Thick Planchet

 

[BROADSTRUCK]

Okay...as I've said a couple of times I'm not a photographer, so as an experiment more than anything I took a few of my HTTs to Philly to be imaged (props to BluCC). Broadstruck got to take a look at them in hand at the show and I recall he commented positively on this one, so here it is. Weakly struck in a couple of areas but barely circulated if at all. Still quite a bit of red, and tough to find as such. Currently the finest of only three graded at NGC. Enjoy!

 

I don't recall commenting positively on this one as remember thinking EXOJ should really sell this dog!

 

Seriously the images do not do it justice as in hand this token has superb eye appeal! IMHO since most TPG exonumia MS62's are like PQ AU58 tokens anyway this could have been placed in a higher graded holder and no one would complain.

 

Although I own a thin planchet HT-345 the opportunity to even purchase a decent HT-346 example has never even presented itself. It's a very tough Store Card to locate that surfaces far less thick or thin in any condition then other likewise R-4 rated tokens.

[BROADSTRUCK]

Looks like nice, smooth surfaces on that one Broadie!

 

If you trust the accuracy of the pop report, NGC has certified the same number of 239s and 240s in UNC (16), with the top pop being a MS64 for both, but the 239 does have the edge in RB examples (5 to 1).

 

I personally own a humble (but attractive) HT-240 NGC MS61 (which incidentally I thought should have been slabbed a 62). Sorry...no pics. I also have a pretty nice AU in my dups box which has strong detail but is probably a victim of an old cleaning....

 

And I know where a couple of HT-240 MS62s are for sale, but neither has good eye appeal IMO.

 

Just my to the discussion.

 

Thanks EXOJ... I've seen the other two MS62's in hand and ugh no they did not make my wallet wiggle.

 

The top pop is the ex: Ford and even that example isn't winning any trophies for great eye appeal.

[EXOJUNKIE]

Seriously the images do not do it justice as in hand this token has superb eye appeal! IMHO since most TPG exonumia MS62's are like PQ AU58 tokens anyway this could have been placed in a higher graded holder and no one would complain.

 

Thanks. Yeah, you're seeing a few slab scratches that are throwing off the photo. Darn slabs -- can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!

 

I always thought this one should have slabbed at 61 or 62. The weak centers must have held it back.

 

Although I own a thin planchet HT-345 the opportunity to even purchase a decent HT-346 example has never even presented itself. It's a very tough Store Card to locate that surfaces far less thick or thin in any condition then other likewise R-4 rated tokens.

 

My HT-345 is acceptable (EF45 but more like AU), but it is the only decent one I've ever had the opportunity to purchase. In contrast, I've owned 4 or 5 HT-346s. Thus, in my own experience, the HT-345 should probably be rated higher than R-4.

[BROADSTRUCK]

Here's my thin example -

 

1835 Hiram Judson, Syracuse, NY, HT-345 / Low-318 R-4.

 

[BROADSTRUCK]

Here's one of the tokens I saw at ANA however didn't pull the trigger on as I didn't what to purchase any more duplicates.

 

Yet even though I have 2 RB examples, this BN has the best reverse wreath strike I've seen on this variety which was struck using the HT-48 / Low-33 reverse die.

 

Most all seen have the full wreath leaves and center veining from the M in MILLIONS to the F in FOR completely obliterated.

 

As seen in the best example John Ford was able to locate over the course of 50 years.

 

 

As a bonus I discovered while glancing at Edgar Adam's 1914 15 page Plates of Lyman Low's Hard Times Tokens that this example based on marks and toning pattern is from Robert Bird's collection.

 

Bird loaned them to Adams in 1912 for his photography project which represented the finest Hard Times Tokens known at that time.

 

1837 Substitutes For Shin Plasters, HT-56 / Low-45

 

"Shin Plasters" was applied to bills of irresponsible banks and private parties.

 

The Phoenix rising from flames meant that the paper money was only fit to be burned and once destroyed new life would spring from its ashes.

 

 

Here's a some more info on the Robert Bird collection as when his collection was sold it made the pages of ANA's Numismatist in 1919.

 

 

Robert Bird, Frank Shumway, and George Tilden were all active members of the Boston Numismatic society.

 

Frank Shumway who also had a miraculous collection of HTT's sold them in 1915 giving George Tilden first shot and sold the remainder of his collection to Carl Wurtzbach.

 

[EXOJUNKIE]

BROADSTRUCK - All I can say is ... OUTSTANDING!!! Oh, and I'll add awesome, fascinating, and great detective work! And thanks for all the great background info. You are a true Hard Times geneologist. What a thrill to tag a pedigree to a HTT after nearly 100 years.

 

And it looks like this specimen has only gotten more beautiful with age.

 

Congrats on a great discovery!

[BROADSTRUCK]

EXOJ, Thanks as digging through a few huge piles of older auction catalogs and tracing the provenance is a lot of fun for me.

[BROADSTRUCK]

I think I recall reading somewhere that a HTT a day keeps the doctor away?

 

Anyhow here's another newp which is far tougher then the HT-293 / Low-97 variety to find nice.

 

1837 Merchants Exchange, New York, NY, HT-291 / Low-95.