© ECapoe
© ECapoe
Hard Times Token - Van Buren / Webster Ship token
1841 year| Copper | 9.79 g | 28.5 mm |
| Location | United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Medals › Advertising medallions |
| Year | 1841 |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 9.79 g |
| Diameter | 28.5 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-11-13 |
| Numista | N#32614 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 73% |
Reverse
3 masted ship with "constitution" on the hull sailing on smooth seas.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
WEBSTER
CREDIT 1841 CURRENT
CONSTITUTION
Edge
Plain
Comment
This token was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut, anticipating 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-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.
