(ca. 1838-39) W.A. Thomson, Buffalo, New York Hard times token. HT-213, Low-unlisted. Rarity-4. Very Fine or better. Reeded edge. "Importers of Cutlery, Silver Plate, Hardware, Iron, Tin, & c." A scarce and historic token from the boom era of Buffalo, struck just over a decade after the Erie Canal made the region both prosperous and important on a global scale. Most examples of this scarce large size (38 mm) token show some kind of problem or other -- dents, corrosion, and severe scratches are commonplace. This one shows a few old spots on the left side of the obverse, after A of W.A. Thomson and to the left of the anvil. An area of minor pitting is seen at the lower reverse, but the surfaces are mostly hard and smooth. William Thomson was listed as a cutler at 9 Webster Block in the 1842 directory. This relic of downtown Buffalo's earliest development would make a distinctive and interesting addition to a Hard Times token collection...$145
J.J. SCHADT counterstamp on 1884 Morgan dollar. Brunk-unlisted. Choice About Uncirculated. A previously undocumented mark from Allentown, Pennsylvania, produced by John J. Schadt, a blacksmith and local politician. We could imagine this was stamped for advertising of the latter position, rather than the former. He was elected as the Treasurer of Lehigh County, most notably, serving from 1892 until at least 1894; his date of death is uncertain but likely soon thereafter. Schadt is traceable through U.S. patent records, including for a new design for a fire escape and an axle nut, patented in 1890, which one could imagine might require a small prepared stamp like seen here. The coin itself is lightly toned but chiefly brilliant, with minor lines and light wear. Strong cartwheel lustre and some light obvese reflectivity remain. Counterstamps on Morgan dollars are fairly scarce, and this previously undescribed mark should intrigue specialists...$350
EVERMAN counterstamp on 1853 Arrows dime. Brunk E-247. Very Good. A boldly impressed specimen of this scarce Gold Rush counterstamp. The dime itself tells the story of a developing region that had nearly no small change: California, where the need for change was so severe that pinches of gold dust and tiny fractional gold coins were used for change for a dollar. This dime obviously saw a lot of California pockets, making it an ideal tiny billboard for William Everman, a Kentuckian who mined on the Cosumnes River near Sacramento. Brunk located a listing for Everman in the 1850 Sacramento directory, though the occupation he took up that inspired his counterstamping is not known. His mark is known on gold coins nearly as often as silver ones, including an 1851 $50 slug that sold in the Stack's sale of June 1984. Rulau lists the mark as a California token, Rulau Calif-129. The coin itself is well worn, dusky gray, with a short old scratch at the base of the reverse but no other significant marks. If you collect private and territorial gold coins and were looking for a small change companion to the more majestic gold issues, this is an ideal candidate...$275
High Grade 1813 Cent with Early Philadelphia Counterstamp
1813 large cent counterstamped EBERLE. Sheldon-292. Choice Very Fine. Counterstamped twice, once on obverse at the crown of the head (not coincidentally, the point of highest relief on the coin) and on the reverse upside down across CENT. The coin itself is an anomaly in the Turban Head large cent series, with choice tan surfaces, perfect and smooth, a bit darker on reverse than obverse. The surface is almost entirely devoid of marks, just a tiny nick far above the last A of AMERICA and three closely placed cuts on the edge above stars 1 and 2, invisible from either side. Uncounterstamped, this would be a beautiful and desirable large cent. The counterstamp has been previously listed by Brunk, known solely on an 1811 large cent, but without any description as to its origin. It appears the mark is that of Charles Eberle, a Philadelphia cutler and scientific instrument marker who worked until his death in 1814 at age 52. Eberle emigrated to Philadelphia in 1794 and immediately went to work for Henry Shively, a cutler and instrument marker on 3rd Street while his brothers found work "at Mr. Eckfeldt's, on Fifth Street, a first class smith." By 1807, when he moved into the workshop he remained in until 1814, he hadn't strayed far, when he occupied a spot at 11 N. 6th Street across the block from the US Mint. This cent likely traveled a pretty short distance in its life. This Philadelphia countermark of interesting character, with a connection to Adam Eckfeldt, definitively attributable before 1814, would be an important addition to an advanced merchant counterstamp collection...Hold
1860 Stephen Douglas political medal. Dewitt SD 1860-1. Choice Extremely Fine. Holed for suspension. Nice even gray color, free of streaks or black spots, mixes melodiously with the remaining silvery lustre in protected areas. The tip of Douglas's nose (the obverse high point) is a bit worn, otherwise this piece shows limited use. The single most medallic entry into the Douglas token field, Dewitt recounts that it was struck by Henning and Eymann of New York at a price of 25 cents for this white metal composition. Douglas, of course, was Lincoln's opponent, both in the famed 1858 Senatorial debates and for the Presidency in 1860. This piece, struck at the height of his fame, remains a very popular collectible...$265
1848 large cent love token. Very Fine. Nice medium brown. A very curious engraved piece, with the planed-off reverse showing an oval inscribed within a circle accomplished with a geometric lathe, a tool used in 19th century banknote engraving. This was not a common implement -- needless to say, it wouldn't have been highly useful as a counterfeiting deterrent if it was -- and I don't recall ever seeing a coin engraved in this fashion. That the piece is a large cent, made from the same substance as most 19th century currency plates, makes it even more interesting...$175
A Collection of 1860 Campaign Ferrotypes
Abraham Lincoln, Steven Douglas, John Bell
Campaign of 1860 Ferrotypes: Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin. Dewitt AL 1860-106. Solid brass. ~ Stephen Douglas and Herschel Johnson. Dewitt SD 1860-39. Brass shell. ~ John Bell and Edward Everett. Dewitt JBELL 1860-29. Solid brass. Each is Extremely Fine or so, with bold photographs and very few flaws. The Hamlin photograph shows some light defects, Johnson is a little wrinkly, and Bell shows a minor bubbled area before his forehead. The Lincoln ferrotype, with its inscription THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS and UNION OF THE STATES is said by Dewitt to be "probably made for the Northern Democratic party candidates -- Douglas and Johnson," a rare variant. Each retains some lustre, particularly the Stephen Douglas piece, which retains some gilding. The Lincoln piece is especially nice quality, both of the brass shell and the early Lincoln portrait, Dewitt's portrait 1. The three together look nicely matched and would make a perfect little collection from this most important of American Presidential campaigns.
| Individually | Lincoln-Hamlin | $950 |
| Douglas-Johnson | $525 | |
| Bell-Everett | $450 | |
| As a collection | $1750 | |
"1789" (ca. 1825-30) Mott token. Breen-1020. Thick Planchet. Fine to Very Fine. A pleasing circulated example of this popular early American token. Not a colonial by any stretch, instead this was likely struck in the late 1820s, when the Mott clock firm was flourishing and using similar iconography in their advertising. For some reason, this issue is tough to find in nice circulated grades (though that may have something to do with the grading services calling every example of this issue that threatens the Very Fine level MS--62 BN or somesuch). The crummy quality of the dies and the advancement toward obliteration do make this a difficult type to grade, and pieces at every grade level seem to show more nicks and scratches and other assorted damage than other tokens of the era. This one shows some light scratches on the reverse and a shallow old scrape across the clock face on the obverse, but the color and surface quality are excellent. This isn't the latest die state, but it's past what I would term middle die state. Considering how ugly most Mint State examples are, a pleasing circulated example seems like a nice alternative...$465
(ca. 1860-1900?) Baseball Player die trial. Copper, 22 mm. Choice Mint State. Uniface. An unusual little piece, perhaps just a trial of a punch that someday made its way onto some token or medal, perhaps a trial strike from a button die. Full cartwheel lustre remains on frosty light brown surfaces, some traces of mint red around device. The reverse is blank, just a bit incuse opposite the die from the metal flow. The die is well-executed, showing a batsman ready for a pitch in a high-collared uniform with knee-length pants. It resembles Bolen's Pioneer Baseball Club piece a bit, but is obviously different. I wish I knew more about this charming little cent-sized piece...$175
1859 John Allan / The Antiquary token for John K. Curtis. Miller/Rulau NY-186. White metal, 37 mm. About Uncirculated. Bright lustre survives on most surfaces, a little handling and toning in central fields, very attractive overall. Issued by Curtis, a New York coin dealer, this token depicts John Allan, an early American numismatist who by the time this token was issued had been a coin dealer for almost forty years. The classic reverse design by George H. Lovett (who signs on the obverse) depicts "The Antiquary," peering into a magnifying glass while exclaiming "A real antique, but alas! It is indecipherable."...Sold
(1791) French Royalist jeton by Reich. Brass, 29 mm. Choice Very Fine or better. Lovely smooth glossy surfaces retain a bit of lustre, though the softly struck central reverse makes this look more worn than it is. A few little toning spots, but nice in hand. The reverse inscription DIGNISSIMO is Latin for "most worthy," appropriate to the image below of an angel crowing King Louis XVI. The obverse portrait bears the bold signature REICH, most likely for Johann Christian Reich, the father of Johann Matthaus Reich, the famed US Mint engraver. Forrer suggests that jetons like these were the product of father and son working together, but Stew Witham's Reich biography suggests that the evidence points to Reich the Elder working alone. An interesting and attractive item from the Continent...$150
Houck's Panacea, Baltimore, MD. Counterstamp on 1834 O-102 Bust half dollar. Brunk H-779. Choice Very Fine. Lightly cleaned ages ago, now showing pleasant deep gray toning over all surfaces and hints of more colorful highlights at the peripheries. This has to be the best struck Houck's I've ever handled, with the border complete and the placement ideal. A glass shows that there might have been a lighter, errant punch first, visible at star 2. This issue is endlessly popular, and well-struck ones like this are a small minority of those that turn up on the market...$825
England. 1687 halfcrown of William III. Engraved " S L / 17 79" on the reverse. Very Fine. A very nice looking piece, showing pleasant old original gray toning with rich pale blue and gold highlights on both sides. Handsomely engraved during the Revolutionary War, with cross-hatching on the SL and a light engraving scratch near the 9. This piece looks great for having circulated for a century, then engraved and carried a while longer. Clearly this was well taken care of...$265
1838 Hard Times token. NOT ONE CENT FOR TRIBUTE. Low-32, HT-47. Rarity-1. Choice Mint State. This would probably grade MS-63 RB, with a rich dark chocolate obverse with shows hints of mint color and good lustre. The reverse is mostly red, with the center toned down to light brown and bold frosty lustre throughout. There are a couple little marks in the obverse field, but the eye appeal is really superb. Not rare, but awfully pretty...$295
Rare Lancaster, PA Rohrer's Wild Cherry Tonic Shellcard
1868 Rohrer's Wild Cherry Tonic shellcard token. Brass shell and pink cardboard, 34 mm. Choice Extremely Fine. Standard obverse imitative of a Liberty $20 double eagle. Reverse is a printed ad for "The Great Destroyer of Dyspepsia ... for diseases of the Chest, Liver, Kidneys, Stomach, and Bowels, sold by all druggists." A small area of loss affects just TOR of EXPECTORAL above CHERRY, making this about as nice as any known -- shellcards like this generally come in pretty crummy shape. Lancaster, Pennsylvania is a popularly collected area (home to the world class Red Rose Coin Club) and patent medicines also have a following all their own. This came out of a Joe Levine sale last year at a hammer price of $380...$450
1840 (i.e. ca 1860) William Henry Harrison medalet. Dewitt WHH-H, reverse of Baker-272. White metal, 33 mm. About Uncirculated. Stuck by Joseph Davis in Birmingham, England, this well executed reverse is also used on a Washington piece (Baker-272) and a rarely seen "reward of merit" academic medalet. Bright and lustrous tin with no corrosion, minor marks in the fields, and some softness on the highest points of the design. For artistry, this is far and away the most professional of the Harrison medalets, likely struck during the token craze ca. 1860 specially for collectors. Also struck in silver and bronze, those metals are almost never seen. A bisecting crack on the reverse ensured the rarity of these pieces. A nice item, even as a stand in for the very rare Washington medal that shares this reverse...$275
1856 John Fremont election token. DeWitt JF 1856-4. White metal, 35 mm. Choice About Uncirculated. Plain edge. Holed as issued. A contemporary production for the Election of 1856, listed in both Satterlee (1862) and Bushnell (1858). This one shows some light handling, a minor planchet streak across the central reverse, and some horizontal hairlines in the same vicinity. The fields are bright, flashy, and untoned. Fremont, who gained his fame as a trailblazer into California at the beginning of the Mexican-American War, lost the election to Democrat James Buchanan of Pennsylvania. Fremont was the very first Republican Presidential candidate, running on a anti-slavery "free soil" platform. The reverse inscription reads "Free Soil, Free Speech, FREE LABOR, and Eternal Progression." Fremont lost his state of residence, California, and carried just New England, New York, and four Midwestern states...$275
1893 Columbian Exposition elongated three-cent silver piece (1854-73). Mint State, as rolled. An extremely rare denomination among the wide range of Columbian Exposition elongates. Coin nerds then were like coin nerds now, and they took all manner of coins to be rolled out: large cents, $3 gold pieces, foreign coins, and odd denominations. The surfaces are nice silver gray with some light toning and hints of lustre. Before elongating, the owner carefully scratched W above the central reverse device and A below it on the rolled but blank reverse. The obverse, under the elongate inscription, is pretty well obliterated. Cute, attractive, and unusual...Sold
England. (ca. 1826) Doncaster New Betting Rooms pass. Silver, 36 mm. Davis and Walters (Tickets and Passes of Great Britain and Ireland) 332/3. Extremely Fine. A beautiful pass to this Yorkshire betting parlor, sporting dusky gold and deep gray-blue toning. Attractive and original, some hints of lustre at peripheries, many scattered tiny marks that blend into the patina. Accomplished by Thomas Halliday, this early British ticket or pass is quite scarce today and is usually found worn. An example in a 2009 Dix, Noonan, and Webb sale brought 172 pounds, about $275 at the time. This one certainly looks sharper and prettier to me...$295
(ca. 1873-74) Great Eastern Menagerie shell card token. Mitchell-Rulau 256. Brass shells. Choice About Uncirculated. One of the most popular entries in the shell card series, a token depicting an elephant and a hot air balloon ("The Great Mammoth Baloon Air Ship") produced for a traveling circus of the era. Great condition for one of these, lustrous olive brassy surfaces showing only the most minor little ding or two and no serious damage or spotting. A little stripe of toning is present near 10:00 on the obverse. This is nicer than the example that brought $488 in a 2008 Stack's sale. Word has it than Dave Bowers is working on a shell card book, which might increase interest in this fascinating and fragile relics...$425
1837 Feutchwanger cent token. Low-120. Dies 5-G. Choice About Uncirculated. A nice dark gray specimen with golden lustre around devices and across the reverse. A bit woodgrained and very attractive, very sharp with just a hint of weakness at central reverse but fairly good detail at eagle's shoulder. Technically quite close to Uncirculated, a handsome specimen of this popular small cent-sized token from the Hard Times era...$325
South Carolina's Famous W.W. Wilbur Token
1846 W.W. Wilbur, Auction and Commission Merchant, Charleston, South Carolina storecard token. Miller SC-10. Brass, 27 mm. EF-40 (NGC). Nice deep golden brown, a bit darker at reverse periphery. Excellent eye appeal, bolder detail than usually found on this famous issue. Some minor old encrustation around legends only serve to underline the originality, though we note a tiny spot over the first M of COMMISSION. This particular variety has to be considered the most interesting, with the additional legend of GOING AT ONLY A PENNY surrounding the image of Wilbur auctioneering. Wilbur auctioned and wholesaled plenty of things, but he is best known for his involvement in the slave trade when Charleston was the center of such activity on the Eastern seaboard. He sold slaves at his storefront at 176 King Street. This large cent sized token must have been made in substantial numbers, as there are multiple die varieties and plenty of survivors around today. This one is nicer than most...$375
"May You Ever Enjoy the Blessings of Liberty"
1838 engraved and dated love token. On engrailed edge copper, perhaps a Canadian provincial penny token. Holed. Extremely Fine. Obverse engraved in a neat but crude stippled script "A Keepsake for E. MANNING given to her Aug 16 1838 by W. MANING." Poor guy didn't know how to spell his own last name. The reverse shows the evocative inscription "May You Ever Enjoy The Blessings of Liberty," an unusual sentiment considering that this is ostensibly romantic, not political. I haven't been able to track down where this couple was from, but I suspect there is enough information here for a careful researcher to track them down. A cute and unique memento of a married couple from long ago...$285
A and O Piscatorial Prize / July 4, 1890 engraved on a Seated Liberty Quarter. Emma Cannon engraved on the coin's obverse. Coin Good, engraved side finer. An unusual fishing prize love token, awarded to a young lady named Emma Cannon. I have not been able to puzzle out where the A and O Piscatorial Prize was awarded, but the census shows several Emma Cannon's born in the late 1870s and early 1880s, when this young fisherwoman probably would have been born. This piece reminds me of a July 4 fishing derby when the longest fish was also caught by a young woman -- namely my sister, who landed an enormous, fierce eel in a lakeside competition when we were about 10. Anything fishing related tends to be popular...$275
Attention Desperate Bald Guys: Try Miller's Hair Invigorator
(ca. 1861) USE MILLER'S HAIR INVIGORATOR on 1778 Mexico one real. Brunk M-694. Mark Very Fine, coin Good. Nice medium silver gray with a good bold date on the host coin. MILLER'S / HAIR / INVIGORATOR are seen punched with individual stamps; there's no room for USE or the usual N.Y. A very rare undertype for this well-known mark. Since a bottle of Miller's concoction "an effective, safe, and economical compound," was 25 cents, most known examples of this mark are on two reales. Miller seems to have consciously chosen obsolete Spanish-American coins, perhaps because their scarcity in circulation meant they stuck out, or perhaps because bullion dealers sold them at a discount when they were this worn. He also issued Civil War tokens. Miller's product was said to treat gray hair, baldness, dandruff, and pretty much anything else that could go wrong above the scalp. Something tells me Miller's target demographic looks like the crowd at a lot of coin shows. This is a neat countermark, and the undertype is a "one bit" that was provably in New York around the time of the Civil War...$365
R.H. WILKINS counterstamp on (1827?) Bust dime. Brunk-unlisted. Fair undercoin, Very Fine mark. The coin is pretty far gone, with just a whisper of the tops of the date remaining. The devices are light gray, contrasting with dark gray fields and the lighter rims. Some scattered circulation hairlines and marks are seen. An intriguing mark, one I've never seen before, that someone should be able to pin down. Of course, any mark on a Bust dime is quite scarce and marks on any Bust coinage is in high demand...$295
Hatch's Restaurant, Lacrosse, Wisconsin counterstamp on 1869 Shield nickel. Brunk H-349. Extremely Fine. A scarce and distinctively precise mark, typically found on nickels dated in the 1870s. Medium nickel gray with no significant problems, aside from the expected flattening on the reverse. The mark is strong but for the last letter of HATCH'S. The corner of Main and 3rd streets in Lacrosse still has a standing building from the era,
so it's easy to picture dining within Hatch's big picture window. This mark was not represented in the enormous collection of countermarks sold in the September Americana sale by StacksBowers, and Stack's had only sold one example in the previous several years. I've always liked marks that were this informative. Maybe a postcard exists that would make for an ideal future exhibit or article?...$325
Am I Not A Woman And A Sister Hard Times token. Low-54. Copper. Choice Extremely Fine. Choice even light brown with ideal gloss and surface quality. About as nice a specimens as could be hoped for without waiting for a Mint State example. Number 10 on the list of the 100 Greatest American Tokens and Medals and easily the most popular Hard Times token, this issue transcends the limits of a token collection or even an Americana collection...$595
England. (ca. mid 1790s) Am I Not a Man and Brother token. Middlesex D&H 237. White metal, hand-enameled. About Uncirculated. Lustrous and reflective brilliant silvery surfaces show some evidence of handling, with light marks and hairlines but nothing egregious. The central figure of the kneeling slave has been hand colored black in the era, now rubbed off the high points. This was apparently one way this issue was marketed; Baldwin's had a specimen similar to this on D&H 238 (different reverse die) last year. Scarce in any form, rare like this, an interesting manifestation of this iconic depiction...$495
Great Britain. Spence's farthing. Dalton & Hamer Middlesex 1089. Mint State. Rich chocolate patina reveals reflective lustre in the fields. A beautiful piece, with only two old spots at the reverse rim mentioned as minor defects. Unworn, though softly struck on the reverse as always seen. This popular type, with the anti-slavery themed Am I Not a Man and Brother obverse and Adam and Eve on the reverse under the legend "Man Over Man He Made Not Lord," is rated as scarce by D&H. Spence's pieces are very popular of late, with red and brown Uncs selling for four figure prices. The historic nature of these Conder tokens, inspired by Wedgwood's designs and serving as inspiration to later American abolitionists, makes them easy types to add to any cabinet. From Davisson's Sale #9, October 1997, Lot 357, with lot ticket...$675
Sage's Candy Coin on Seated Half, Ex. Brunk Collection
Sage's Candy Coin countermark on 1874 With Arrows half dollar. Brunk S-86. Mark Very Fine, coin Good or so. The mark is bold and complete on central obverse on a host that has been well worn and shows even medium silver gray patina. Some minor marks are seen, none serious. This mark was apparently used as advertising by R.V. Pierce (aka "Dr. Sage") of Buffalo, New York for one of his patent medicines, apparently issued about 1874, the date most commonly found on host coins. A popular mark, always found on silver coins, still a bit controversial. This one was depicted on the cover of Brunk's sale catalogue by World Exonumia (June 29, 1999) and included as Lot 554. The auction ticket accompanies this piece...$525
Rare 1861 Jefferson Davis "Death to Traitors" Medalet
1861 Jefferson Davis / Death To Traitors medal. Dewitt-C-1861-13. Brass, 24 mm. Very Fine, holed. Pale golden bronze with some deeper toning and spotting. Crudely holed at 12:00 on the obverse to be worn and displayed in the era, as testified by the level of wear. A scarce and popular medalet from the dawn of the Civil War, showing President Jefferson Davis hanging on the obverse, a scene that wins some sort of numismatic prize for lack of subtlety. In Mint State, this medalet has auction records close to $3000. While those examples are attractive, placed in a cabinet and saved by a savvy contemporary collector, a specimen like this must hide an interesting story of a vociferous Unionist, perhaps a soldier, who was so moved by this medalet that he wore it for what must have been most of the conflict...Sold
Guatemala. 1772 P two reales. Guatemala (G) mint. Marked H.C in crenulated rectangle at center of obverse. Very Good. Dark silver gray fields with light silver gray devices and flat spots where die swelling wore unevenly. Some light marks and evidence of handling, good eye appeal for the grade. The two reales was struck in the last year before the city of Guatemala was destroyed by an earthquake, marking the end of the G mintmark. H.C has not been identified, though it may be the mark of Henry Clark, the Philadelphia silversmith who flourished ca. 1813; it could also be a more provincial smith who's not listed in the main silversmith guides. An interesting early American silversmith mark on a scarce host coin...$185
(ca. 1850s?) "Hobo" two reales of Carlos III. Coin nearly slick, engraving Very Fine or better. Holed at 6:00. A charming little engraving, replacing the obliterated bust of Carlos III with a gentleman in a collared coat, with pipe and hat. The reverse shows a cleverly stylized rendering of the Pillars and Shields devices, with 2/ at the bottom periphery--this denomination was worth roughly two shillings, suggesting an English origin (though "shilling" was used as a synonym for a one real in some parts of the United States well into the 19th century). I've seen a lot of engraved coins, but I don't ever recall seeing another hobo-style two reales...$325
1874 Arrows half dollar, counterstamped PARISIAN VARIETIES / 16TH ST & B'WAY. N.Y. Very Fine. Light golden toning on pleasing light silver gray surfaces, the lovely color deepest at the rims. The countermark is firmly impressed. One of the cooler entries in the countermark series, this stamp was an advertisement for a theatre called some variation of "Parisian Varieties" or "The New York Parisian Varieties" between 1874 and 1876 (which are also the most commonly encountered dates among host coins). According to A History of the New York Stage from the First Performance in 1732 by Thomas Allston Brown, the theatre hosted all manner of shows: vaudeville, burlesque, puppet, psychic, et al. Teddy Roosevelt grew up four blocks away, on 20th Street - I'd bet dollars to donuts that he visited the theatre more than once. The building, at 18 E. 16th Street between 5th Avenue and Broadway, now houses a high end stereo store. This stamp is almost always found on half dollars, which was probably the theatre's admission fee, though a few are found on trade dollars. The Terranova Collection sale last year included two on half dollars: an 1875-CC (not a particularly rare date or anything) in EF that brought $1725 and an 1873 Arrows that was just about as nice that brought $218.50, one-eighth as much. So how is anyone sane supposed to price this thing? I'll go by what I paid for it, plus enough of a markup to go to a modern theatre in New York (now more than fifty cents)...$475
Vote Lincoln-Hamlin in '60!
1860 Abraham Lincoln - Hannibal Hamlin campaign ferrotype. Brass and ferrotype photograph, Dewitt AL 1860-98. Features Lincoln Portrait 1, the earliest of the ferrotype images of Lincoln, captured in the fall of 1859. Extremely Fine. The metal surfaces show nice color and preservation on both sides. The Lincoln portrait is of excellent quality, a bit light but showing no damage or crazing. The Hamlin side hasn't fared quite so well but, let's be honest, who buys a Lincoln-Hamiln ferrotype for Hamlin? Issued early in the 1860 campaign, this ferrotype is one of the first photographically based campaign tools. It might not seem like much, but this tiny technological innovation seriously changed the nature of our elective democracy. Lincoln might have been the last ugly guy elected President...$650