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A "REAL" nice addition to the Feuchtwanger Collection! Low 128 R.E. Russell 12 1/2 cent (
ambro51
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For the most part when a collector is first made aware of the Feuchtwanger Coin, it seems like its "one coin"...as the interest develops and the research takes place, the series opens up to about 25 coins.
One of the most interesting is the R.E. Russell 12 1/2 cent piece. This token shares the Obverse 6 of the Feuchtwanger cent, and also has many other hallmarks which indicate Feuchtwanger design and striking. One difference is that the obverse Eagle feathers are never as well struck on this variety as they are on the normal cent. Other features, such as the style of the lettering and dentils match Feuchtwanger issues as well. The large rosette on the reverse looks almost exactly like the rosette on the 3 cent New York issue, but has one of the petals more 'broken down'.
Cogan and Bushnell wrote on the HTT issues in 1858 and 1859 and curiously make no mention of this piece. That has led some to speculate it is more a Civil War Token than an HTT. Obverse 6 likewise is not mentioned in these works, but similarity to obverse 3 may have caused it to go unrecognized....just a thought. We cannot pin dates of issue on these tokens other than using data from old books and auctions, and they raise more questions than provide answers.
We do not know who R. E. Russell was, or why he had Feuchtwanger strike these tokens. The denomination was normal enough for Jacksonian era commerce, equaling One Bit, a common spanish coin in use during the period. Indeed, being slightly larger than a dime, silvery and reeded....one could more easily accept this token at a higher value than one cent! Of course, anyone attempting to spend one of these (and most are well circulated) would have to make sure it was NOT seen as a run of the mill Feuchtwanger silver penny. Perhaps R.E. Russell was physically located far from New York City, which was the center of Feuchtwanger issue circulation and recognition. The Baker Soda Water Token, another rare Feuchtwanger metal issue, shares hallmarks which in my opinion point to Feuchtwanger striking, including the odd 3 he used in the date, and the shape and number of dentils. That business was in South Carolina.....
Adding the Russell to the Collection is a benchmark of sorts. NOW, the real work begins. The remaining three varieties I need are known by a total of about seven coins or so.
I do believe this is the Very First time one of these has been posted on these learned forums!
1837 R. E. Russell 12 1/2 Cent Feuchtwanger Issue Low 128 HT 309 R6 13-30 known
One of the most interesting is the R.E. Russell 12 1/2 cent piece. This token shares the Obverse 6 of the Feuchtwanger cent, and also has many other hallmarks which indicate Feuchtwanger design and striking. One difference is that the obverse Eagle feathers are never as well struck on this variety as they are on the normal cent. Other features, such as the style of the lettering and dentils match Feuchtwanger issues as well. The large rosette on the reverse looks almost exactly like the rosette on the 3 cent New York issue, but has one of the petals more 'broken down'.
Cogan and Bushnell wrote on the HTT issues in 1858 and 1859 and curiously make no mention of this piece. That has led some to speculate it is more a Civil War Token than an HTT. Obverse 6 likewise is not mentioned in these works, but similarity to obverse 3 may have caused it to go unrecognized....just a thought. We cannot pin dates of issue on these tokens other than using data from old books and auctions, and they raise more questions than provide answers.
We do not know who R. E. Russell was, or why he had Feuchtwanger strike these tokens. The denomination was normal enough for Jacksonian era commerce, equaling One Bit, a common spanish coin in use during the period. Indeed, being slightly larger than a dime, silvery and reeded....one could more easily accept this token at a higher value than one cent! Of course, anyone attempting to spend one of these (and most are well circulated) would have to make sure it was NOT seen as a run of the mill Feuchtwanger silver penny. Perhaps R.E. Russell was physically located far from New York City, which was the center of Feuchtwanger issue circulation and recognition. The Baker Soda Water Token, another rare Feuchtwanger metal issue, shares hallmarks which in my opinion point to Feuchtwanger striking, including the odd 3 he used in the date, and the shape and number of dentils. That business was in South Carolina.....
Adding the Russell to the Collection is a benchmark of sorts. NOW, the real work begins. The remaining three varieties I need are known by a total of about seven coins or so.
I do believe this is the Very First time one of these has been posted on these learned forums!
1837 R. E. Russell 12 1/2 Cent Feuchtwanger Issue Low 128 HT 309 R6 13-30 known
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Did you miss the high grade example in the Bowers Stacks sale last night
the one at Stacks caught my eye but the bid went over what I wanted to spend for a scratched piece in a SEGS holder.
This one here was VeRy reasonable and will be a nice hole filler until a nicer example comes along
Nice NewP
Tin ships + 8 reale = you want and 7 give-a-ways!
So...despite the rarity of the piece, pretty much knew of five that weekend!
<< <i>No, you sure dont see them every day! Funny thing, in Baltimore, I was talking with two collectors, both owned one. Steve Hayden had one which was up for auction (currently over $1600 per tonite email) and StacksBowers had just auctioned one off...and I got mine a few days later.
So...despite the rarity of the piece, pretty much knew of five that weekend! >>
It's just a fluke as there's a R-2 HTT that I hadn't seen a single example of since 2008 and in the last month or so also 5 in VF to CH BU.