Token

Title:

Gen. Frank. Pierce, The Statesman Soldier

Object Name:

Token

Object ID:

2013.024.03

Creator:

Smith Hartmann

Place of Origin:

New York City, NY

Date:

1852

Description:

Presidential campaign token. Cast brass. Obverse: "GEN FRANK. PIERCE. / THE STATESMAN SOLDIER." around bust-length profile of Franklin Pierce. Reverse: "FOR / PRESIDENT / GEN. FRANK. PIERCE / OF / NEW HAMPSHIRE. / FOR / VICE PRESIDENT / WILLIAM R. KING / OF / ALABAMA." Small hole at top edge.

Material:

Brass

Dimensions:

D-0.08 Dia-1 inches

Provenance:

From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. Earlier ex: Wayte Raymond; F.C.C. Boyd estate. Collector and coin dealer John J. Ford, Jr. was born in 1924 in Hollywood, CA. He later moved to the Long Island, NY, area with his parents where he got his first job in numismatics working as a delivery boy for coin dealer Harvey Stack. Ford's impact on numismatics began in the 1950s when he began his coin dealing career by publishing catalogs that provided detailed descriptions of coins and their grades. Ford's famous coin collection included pioneer gold pieces, pattern coins, early American copper coins, Confederate currency, medals and several rare and unique numismatic books. Drawing upon his own deep knowledge, wide travels and connections in commercial and private numismatics from the 1940s until the cusp of the 21st century, the late John J. Ford, Jr. pursued tokens from the 1790s onward, Washingtoniana, Western Americana, Indian and post trader tokens, Hard Times tokens, counterstamps. Starting his collection of tokens in the 1940s, Ford had unique access to treasures in many other cabinets as they became available, including those of Wayte Raymond and F.C.C. Boyd. Many of the objects from these estates have not been seen in the marketplace for nearly a century.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase, with funds provided by Q. David Bowers

People:

Pierce, Franklin (1804-1869), King, William R. (1786-1853)

Subjects:

Pierce, Franklin