1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

[Beefcake]

1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

Me and a friend found an old house site on an old Topo map at a farm his brother works on. We hiked into the woods and found a few of the sandstone foundations of the barn. We searched for about an hour or so and I had a nice signal showing 8 iches deep. I dug down and came across an old bolt, but before I covered the hole back up I hit the hole again and still gave me a signal. I pulled the quarter sized coin out directly under the iron bolt. I couldn't make out anything I just new it was a coin and figured it was an old quarter. Got it home and cleaned it off with a toothbrush and I could make out the distinct characteristics of the Matron head large cent...I was very happy , so I posted it on another forum. I noticed that on the back, where it said "ONE CENT" there appeared to be writing above the ONE that said "NOT". I couldn't find anything of the sort online, but one very astute member had my answer by morning. Turns out it is a Andrew Jackson "Hard Times" Token. It states on the back, instead of United States of America, it says "Millions for Defense" and continues "NOT ONE CENT FOR..." Now I really got excited Looks like the date would be 1837 and I think this token is of the rare variety. So here are the pics, it's a little rough, but I'm taking suggestions on how to preserve it, and if I should have a pro clean it up or not? Let me know what you think...

 

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[Michiganne]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

Neat find nonetheless. Keep digging!

 

[mercenary]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

Beautiful piece of history. I'd take it to a coin dealer and get his opinion

 

[Beefcake]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

I'm in college right now to be a science/social studies teacher. I am most excited about having this as an artifact to share with students. That was an important time in our history that was one of many scares in the economy that eventually led up to the great depression. I remember studying the time period in US history and now I have a piece of it. Pretty neat to think that this was one of the earliest forms of protest. Sorry about the size of the last couple of pics, they didn't come out that way when I posted them elswhere.

 

[ringfinder]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

Wow, neat find. I found one just like yours last year. Mine is a little cleaner. I really didn't do anything to it.

HH, Ringfinder

 

[Beefcake]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

That's a great specimen. Yours has the E. Pluribus Unum... mine is the variety that doesn't have that... only stars across the top of mine. Have you ever priced yours? it is in great condition.

 

[ringfinder]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

No I have not priced it. Sorry can't help you out there. By the way I found mine with my
ACE 250.

HH, Ringfinder

 

[KenPa]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

Thats a neat find

 

[EARTHWORKS]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

WOW I just found one Thursday!!!
Earthworks....

 

[twister]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

wow very nice find

hh twister

 

[ringfinder]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

WOW I just found one Thursday!!!
Earthworks....

Great find Earthworks. This coin is always fun to find. I wonder how many of them they made?

HH, Ringfinder

 

[EARTHWORKS]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

I think like 600,000.

Tokens of the period 1833 - 1844 are known as Hard Times Tokens, a name given them by Lyman H. Low in 1886 in his book of that title. "Hard Times" certainly resulted from the Panic of 1837, when specie payments were suspended, and many of these tokens have reference - often satirical - to the events of this period. But the term has now grown to encompass any token minted during this period, even if it is merely a store card, and is now simply a convenience for collectors. The majority of these tokens actually circulated as cents (and, in one instance, as a half cent), including the store cards. The pieces attacking President Jackson (portrayed as a wild boar or a jackass) are quite common in worn condition. The tokens of this period have been the subject of several books (the current standard reference is Hard Times Tokens by Russell Rulau, Second Edition) and bring the highest prices of any American tokens after the Colonial period; $6,000 was paid for a single token at the March 26-27, 1980 Garrett Sale, and many other tokens brought four-figure prices.

http://www.chicagocoinclub.org/projects/PiN/cut.html

 

[ringfinder]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

I think like 600,000.

Tokens of the period 1833 - 1844 are known as Hard Times Tokens, a name given them by Lyman H. Low in 1886 in his book of that title. "Hard Times" certainly resulted from the Panic of 1837, when specie payments were suspended, and many of these tokens have reference - often satirical - to the events of this period. But the term has now grown to encompass any token minted during this period, even if it is merely a store card, and is now simply a convenience for collectors. The majority of these tokens actually circulated as cents (and, in one instance, as a half cent), including the store cards. The pieces attacking President Jackson (portrayed as a wild boar or a jackass) are quite common in worn condition. The tokens of this period have been the subject of several books (the current standard reference is Hard Times Tokens by Russell Rulau, Second Edition) and bring the highest prices of any American tokens after the Colonial period; $6,000 was paid for a single token at the March 26-27, 1980 Garrett Sale, and many other tokens brought four-figure prices.

http://www.chicagocoinclub.org/projects/PiN/cut.html

Thanks for the reply Earthworks, You Are The Man!, that web page is great, I think I'll use it in my club newsletter. They will enjoy it. Thanks Again

Ringfinder

 

[lucky1777]

Re: 1837 Hard Times Matron Large Cent "NOT"

Congratulation on a very nice find....