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Images courtesy of Early
American History Auctions, Inc.
Varieties:
I. Thin Planchet
A. Copper
1. Engrailed edge
2. Plain edge
3. Lettered edge:
PAYABLE AT
LIVERPOOL... (untraced)
4. Overstrike
(possible forgery)
5. Multiple
strikes on a broad planchet
B. Pewter
II. Thick Planchet
A. Copper
1. Plain edge
Recent sales:
See individual varieties
Notes:
The Mott Token was once believed to be America's first native trade
token. However, much mystery also surrounded the pieces, such as who
made them and when. Previous authors have attributed them to various
members of the Mott family (including some who turned out to be
grocers!). The dating of the token has ranged from 1789 (the date on
the coin) to as late as the 1830s. In 2002, researcher Wesley S. Cox
and Russell Rulau presented evidence linking the Mott Tokens to
other private tokens issued by Robert S. Lovett, Jr., thus placing the Mott
Tokens somewhere in the period between 1832-1844. Efforts to place the
dating of the Mott Tokens in the late 1830's based on a unique example
allegedly overstruck on a Large Cent have been discounted because of the questionable
authenticity of the piece.
The eagle design on the
reverse of the Mott Tokens is very similar to the design by John Reich that
appears on U.S. gold coins beginning in 1807.
The finest Uncirculated examples graded by PCGS are
four MS-64's.
Sources and/or recommended
reading:
"The PCGS Population Report, April 2002" by The
Professional Coin Grading Service
"1789 Mott Token Likely
From 1830s" by Russell Rulau, NUMISMATIC NEWS, July 23, 2002, pages 1
and 40-43
"Standard Catalog of
United States Tokens 1700-1900" by Russell Rulau
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