1837 FEUCHTWANGER ONE CENT – HARD TIMES TOKEN
This is an 1837 Feuchtwanger One Cent, an important and historic American Hard Times Token from the period of the Panic of 1837.
The token was issued by Lewis Feuchtwanger, a German-American chemist and metallurgist who developed a special metal alloy intended to be used as an alternative to copper for small-denomination coinage.
During the financial crisis of 1837, there was a serious shortage of small coins in circulation. Feuchtwanger promoted his own alloy, known as Feuchtwanger's Composition, as a less expensive alternative to traditional copper coinage.
The United States government did not adopt his proposed composition for official coinage. However, Feuchtwanger's tokens circulated widely and became an important part of the Hard Times Token series.
TOKEN DETAILS
- Date: 1837
- Denomination: One Cent
- Type: Feuchtwanger Cent
- Category: Hard Times Token
- Diameter: 18.9 mm
- Weight: 2.25 grams
- Thickness: 1.22 mm
- Composition: Feuchtwanger's Composition
- Reference: HT-268 / Low-120
DESIGN
The obverse features an eagle holding a snake, with the date 1837 below.
The reverse features ONE CENT surrounded by a wreath and the inscription FEUCHTWANGER'S COMPOSITION.
PROVENANCE
This token comes with a provenance sticker identifying it as:
#00703 – The Scott Collection
June 5–7, 1975
American Auction Association
A Division of Bowsers & Ryddy Galleries, Inc.
The original collection sticker is an attractive additional piece of provenance and adds historical interest to the token.
A HISTORIC AMERICAN TOKEN
The 1837 Feuchtwanger Cent is an important example of America's early experimentation with alternative coinage during a period of economic crisis. It combines the history of the Panic of 1837, the Hard Times Token era, and the development of alternative metallic compositions for American coinage.
The documented Scott Collection provenance makes this particular example especially interesting for collectors of American tokens and early U.S. numismatic history.
The token and provenance sticker shown are the exact items offered for sale. Please examine all photographs carefully for condition, surfaces, color, and the preservation of the original sticker.
