This mornings find: Slave Auction Token

[Ed (Upstate NY)]

This morning's find: Slave Auction Token

Got in a quick hunt this morning before the rain moved in. In an area close to where I dug a 1857 half dime earlier this week I got a deep hit that sounded worth digging. Down nearly 10 inches I pulled out what I thought was a large cent. After rubbing off some dirt I could see it was probably a hard times token. Turns out it was a token for a slave auctioneer in Charleston, South Carolina. W.W. Wilbur Auctions and Commission Merchant dated 1846. Nice early token. Wonder how it ended up here in NY? I checked eBay and there is one going for $111.00 with a couple hours left in the auction. That was the only good coin I dug. Been pounding that park pretty hard and the finds are getting scarcer.

 

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[DFX DAVE in M.D.]

Hey Ed you made a nice rare find for sure.

 

[alwayssearching]

Great save. Not many will be lucky enough to hold a token like that. Thanks for the pictures. HH

 

[coinsareawesome]

Definitely a rare find! An earlier date, too!

 

[park pirate]

Awesome find Ed..

 

[Mduece]

Very nice piece of history you found there. Congrats

 

[antique man]

Awesome token!!

 

[beez0404]

Spectacular find, Ed! A hearty congratulations on your rare find.

 

[beez0404]

Got in a quick hunt this morning before the rain moved in. In an area close to where I dug a 1857 half dime earlier this week I got a deep hit that sounded worth digging. Down nearly 10 inches I pulled out what I thought was a large cent. After rubbing off some dirt I could see it was probably a hard times token. Turns out it was a token for a slave auctioneer in Charleston, South Carolina. W.W. Wilbur Auctions and Commission Merchant dated 1846. Nice early token. Wonder how it ended up here in NY? I checked eBay and there is one going for $111.00 with a couple hours left in the auction. That was the only good coin I dug. Been pounding that park pretty hard and the finds are getting scarcer.

Saw this online and I got excited for ya!

Early American - Lot Description

 

[sscindercoop]

Cool token!!!! We both hunt in the same area. HH coop

 

[tyrocksalot]

Rare token with a dark history. HH

 

[Danwell]

Certainly not our proudest moment as a country, but great historical find!

 

[BurntBear]

Wow! Keep up the good work!

 

[mikeraydj]

For some of us that would make our whole year! Nice find!

 

[46Wheat]

Nice digs and thanks for those pictures

 

[BurntBear]

Ed

Don't sell that for a hundred bucks, lol. Please.

 

[dirtlooter]

history is history, we may not like what it represents but it is a very real historical piece and a very awesome find. history is full of the good and the bad and everything we dig up is a reminder of the past.

 

[Evolution]

Great find Ed. That's one of the coolest, if not THE coolest, tokens I've ever seen posted.

 

[SusanMN]

New York actually had a fairly large slave population until 1800, when slavery was banned.

 

[mirage83]

Never seen one of those before. Great find, definitely a keeper.