A Silver Merchant Token I have wanted for 12 years now joins my collection.

coinsarefun

I have wanted this piece ever since it was auctioned at Stacks 2008. It was part of a special display highlight in the Dice-Hicks auction. I missed the auction for health reasons but a year or so later a member here posted this token.
I reached out to him on several occasions but he wasn’t ready to let it go. A month ago I decided I just can’t wait any longer to add this to my collection so I emailed him and a few emails later I am happy to be the latest owner/custodian of this 1860 Token Miller NY-426 Levick Merchant silver token.
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I was going to do a short write up but almost everyone knows or is familiar with the Smoker obverse of Levick.
This one is advertising his business in New York, dies by Lovett. It is in the “100 Greatest American Tokens and Medals” book. Very few are known to exist in silver. I would say less than 6 probably more like 4.
As far as eye appeal goes the toning is deep and spectacular, with the reverse exhibiting prooflike fields.
I thank Phil @PCGSPhoto for an amazing job at the images.
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I also want to thank forum member W. David Perkins of David Perkins Rare Coins for deciding to sell it to me.
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This link has the best bio.
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‘Joseph N.T. Levick was originally from Philadelphia and a member of that city's and the nation's first numismatic club — the Philadelphia Numismatic Society. Levick served briefly in the U.S. Army during the Civil War, eventually rising to the rank of captain. By 1864, Levick had moved to New York City, where he worked as a banker. That same year, Levick helped to form the New York Numismatic Society. Within a year, however, that organization merged with the American Numismatic Society to form the American Numismatic and Archeological Society. Levick continued as a member of the combined organization. In March 1866 he proposed the first numismatic journal in the United States — the American Journal of Numismatics — and served as its first editor. Publication of the AJN began in May 1866. In addition, Levick also served the ANS as its treasurer, a position he held from 1867 to 1875. Levick sold his collection of tokens, which included more than 20,000 pieces, in 1884. “
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BryceM

Gorgeous example! Persistence pays off sometimes. Congrats.

pursuitofliberty

Great write up ... and congratulations on the acquisition! Sounds like a little old fashioned perseverance and persuasion paid off handsomely.

Mr_Spud

That’s awesome, I always admired the other one with the same obverse that I saw you post before. I want one of those too someday, but I never see any for sale anywhere

johnny9434

That a beautiful token congrats

Zoins

That's huge Stef! Congrats for picking it up and being patient for 12 years! It gives me hope for things I've been waiting patiently for

I see the following provenance chain. Is anything else known about who owned such a great token?

• Julian Leidman
• James E. Dice and M. Lamar Hicks
• W. David Perkins @WDP
• Stef @coinsarefun !

ricko

@coinsarefun.... Congratulations on such a great piece Stef....Thanks for the history and pictures. Cheers, RickO

DCW

Whoa, that is a fantastic example! Put me on the list of buyers when you tire of that beauty.
I remember this piece in the Dice-Hicks auction. Such awesome toning and eye appeal.
Definitely a "coinsarefun" showpiece.
A big congrats to you, Stef!

Boosibri

Wowza! Great looking piece!

2dueces

“No pleasure can exceed the smoking of the weed.”
True statement in 1860 and a whole different meaning in the 1960’s. 😉

Zoins

@2dueces said:
“No pleasure can exceed the smoking of the weed.”
True statement in 1860 and a whole different meaning in the 1960’s. 😉

What did it mean in the 1860s?

DCW

@Zoins said:

@2dueces said:
“No pleasure can exceed the smoking of the weed.”
True statement in 1860 and a whole different meaning in the 1960’s. 😉

What did it mean in the 1860s?

Tobacco

Zoins

@DCW said:

@Zoins said:

@2dueces said:
“No pleasure can exceed the smoking of the weed.”
True statement in 1860 and a whole different meaning in the 1960’s. 😉

What did it mean in the 1860s?

Tobacco

It looks like cigars.

When and why did the meaning change? Did it mean tobacco up to the 1960s?

ECHOES

Congrats!

Zoins

@coinsarefun said:
‘Joseph N.T. Levick was originally from Philadelphia and a member of that city's and the nation's first numismatic club — the Philadelphia Numismatic Society. Levick served briefly in the U.S. Army during the Civil War, eventually rising to the rank of captain. By 1864, Levick had moved to New York City, where he worked as a banker. That same year, Levick helped to form the New York Numismatic Society. Within a year, however, that organization merged with the American Numismatic Society to form the American Numismatic and Archeological Society. Levick continued as a member of the combined organization. In March 1866 he proposed the first numismatic journal in the United States — the American Journal of Numismatics — and served as its first editor. Publication of the AJN began in May 1866. In addition, Levick also served the ANS as its treasurer, a position he held from 1867 to 1875. Levick sold his collection of tokens, which included more than 20,000 pieces, in 1884. “

The ANS bio says he was a Captain in the Civil War and a banker.

Given that this is a store card, is it safe to assume he was also the proprietor of tobacco selling / weed smoking establishment?

DCW

@Zoins said:

@DCW said:

@Zoins said:

@2dueces said:
“No pleasure can exceed the smoking of the weed.”
True statement in 1860 and a whole different meaning in the 1960’s. 😉

What did it mean in the 1860s?

Tobacco

It looks like cigars.

When and why did the meaning change? Did it mean tobacco up to the 1960s?

I dont know. I wasn't around for either😆 But, I'm assuming just like the "gay" '90s, the meaning took less than a hundred years to change connotation

Zoins

@JesseKraft

Given Joseph N.T. Levick was a member of the ANS, I was wondering if any ANS records showed meetings held at his establishment at 904 Broadway in NYC

MedalCollector

Spectacular!

coinsarefun

Levick was iducted in to ANA hall of fame

And, another great link on Levick, his life and plate coins

scubafuel

@WDP Persistence is vital in the coin game

What did it grade? It’s a beautiful piece.

Zoins

@coinsarefun said:
Levick was iducted in to ANA hall of fame

And, another great link on Levick, his life and plate coins

This is pretty nice:

He found it difficult to describe the pieces adequately, which led him to present in the April 1869 ­issue the first photographic plate of coins known in American numismatics. The image showed obverse and reverse die varieties, with lines connecting die pairs. Although just 100 original copies of the well-known “Levick Plate” were produced, it has been reprinted several times.

Also, he sold a collection of over 20,000 tokens! I wonder how many people can get to that level? I have a few from Michael Parkoff's collection of 3000+ slabbed tokens and Tim Gabriele's collection of just less than 350 tokens sold by Stack's.

I wonder how many tokens can be traced to his provenance today?

coinsarefun

@Zoins said:

@coinsarefun said:
‘Joseph N.T. Levick was originally from Philadelphia and a member of that city's and the nation's first

The ANS bio says he was a Captain in the Civil War and a banker.

Given that this is a store card, is it safe to assume he was also the proprietor of tobacco selling / weed smoking establishment?

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Yes, he was. This guy was a very busy dude!. He did so many things for numismatics. I only wish
I had a quarter of his drive and strength he had. Yes, he is probably best known for his “weed” slogan
but, I think he knew what he was doing when he did this one. Although it meant tobacco back then
marijuana has been around forever.
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This particular token is rare in all metals but during my research over the past years I have found
several that had his address and sometimes his slogan scratched out. I can only assume during the
Temperance movement many of the collectors wives did this. I’ve owned a silver version that was scratched out this way. Seen one copper one damaged this way and a few white metal also.
So, high grade examples are even more scarce .

Zoins

@coinsarefun said:

@Zoins said:

@coinsarefun said:
‘Joseph N.T. Levick was originally from Philadelphia and a member of that city's and the nation's first

The ANS bio says he was a Captain in the Civil War and a banker.

Given that this is a store card, is it safe to assume he was also the proprietor of tobacco selling / weed smoking establishment?

.
.
Yes, he was. This guy was a very busy dude!. He did so many things for numismatics. I only wish
I had a quarter of his drive and strength he had. Yes, he is probably best known for his “weed” slogan
but, I think he knew what he was doing when he did this one. Although it meant tobacco back then
marijuana has been around forever.
.
This particular token is rare in all metals but during my research over the past years I have found
several that had his address and sometimes his slogan scratched out. I can only assume during the
Temperance movement many of the collectors wives did this. I’ve owned a silver version that was scratched out this way. Seen one copper one damaged this way and a few white metal also.
So, high grade examples are even more scarce .

Do you know if there is any information on his 904 Broadway establishment other than these tokens? Photographs of the store, newspaper articles, ANS records, etc.?

I did a quick search but couldn't find any. I like period photos the best which I've found for a Civil War Token merchant, but newspaper ads are great too.

bolivarshagnasty

One of the nicest examples of this I have seen Stef. Big congrats!

coinsarefun

@Zoins said:

@coinsarefun said:

@Zoins said:

@coinsarefun said:

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Do you know if there is any information on his 904 Broadway establishment other than these tokens? Photographs of the store, newspaper articles, ANS records, etc.?

I did a quick search but couldn't find any. I like period photos the best which I've found for a Civil War Token merchant, but newspaper ads are great too.

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I haven’t found any yet. Been looking for a few years. There must be something out there
but, must not be searching correctly.

Zoins

@coinsarefun said:

@Zoins said:

@coinsarefun said:

@Zoins said:

@coinsarefun said:

Do you know if there is any information on his 904 Broadway establishment other than these tokens? Photographs of the store, newspaper articles, ANS records, etc.?

I did a quick search but couldn't find any. I like period photos the best which I've found for a Civil War Token merchant, but newspaper ads are great too.

I haven’t found any yet. Been looking for a few years. There must be something out there
but, must not be searching correctly.

John N. Lupia, III has a lot of great info on Levick but also no additional information on the tobacco business, which is interesting given how much other information he's assembled.

http://www.numismaticmall.com/numismaticmall-com/levick-joseph-napoleon-tricot

coinsarefun

Here is a link showing correspondence with Alfred S. Robinson. Showing he was a broker at Freeman & Simpson, Whiskey Distillers at 96 Wall Street, New York.
Link here
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Here is a silver Merchant token of Robison. Can you imagine how cool it must have been to be around all these dealers and die cutters such as Lovett.....etc.....?
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Zoins

@coinsarefun said:
Can you imagine how cool it must have been to be around all these dealers and die cutters such as Lovett.....etc.....?

I can and I bet you can too! Just hang out with Dan Carr and Ron Landis

trueblood

Stunning to say the least

ScarsdaleCoin

Such a nice addition. Some of these older tokens always make me smile. My wife was born on Halloween so I picked this one up for her.

asheland

Awesome find! Congratulations.