Hard Times Token - Van Buren / Webster Ship token

Reverse

3 masted ship sailing on smooth seas.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
WEBSTER
CREDIT 1841 CURRENCY
CONSTITUTION

Edge

Plain

Comment

The specimen pictured is unique for two reasons, it has medal alignment ↑↑ instead of the normal coin alignment ↑↓
And it received a counter-stamp from J. P. S. & Co.

This token was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1837 or 1838 in anticipation of the election of 1840 in which it was presumed Webster would win and become president. It turned out that W. H. Harrison opposed Van Buren and became president in 1841.
This “hard times token” was made after the United States’ economic depression, panic of 1837, and related to Van Buren's projects for reforming the banking system. Van Buren was the 8th US president.

HT-18 and HT-19 (which is the rarest of the five Van Buren / Webster ship tokens) both have CURRENCY on the obverse and CURRENT on the reverse. On HT-19 the lightning bolt on the far left touches the right side of the rock but does not for HT-18. Also, the tops of all four lightning bolts come close to, but do not touch the EN in BUREN.
HT-20 is distinguished from the other Van Buren / Webster ship tokens by having CURRENT on both the obverse and reverse. Also on the reverse, HT-20 has the ocean touching IT of CREDIT and the pennant ends below the center of the R in WEBSTER.
HT-21 & 22 have no lightning above the wrecked ship.

Also referenced as Low# 60 (from Lyman Low's catalog Hard Times Tokens that predates his publishing with Rulau)