1800 Token Charleston, SC, Burzinski-1411 Communion MS(PCGS#913298)

Spring 2023 U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

1142

等级

AU55

价格

23,729

详细说明

Very Rare 1800 Charleston Communion Token (1800) First Presbyterian Church of Charleston, South Carolina Communion Token. Silver. Breen-1181, Rulau-E SC 8, Bason SC-392. AU-55 (PCGS). 75.8 grains. Engraved edge reads presbyterian church of CHARLESTON SC 1800. An important and rare early American communion token, issued by an ancient Presbyterian congregation in South Carolina. Dark silver gray with rose overtones. Perhaps exposed to heat or fire at some point in its existence, based upon the even, scattered pitting in the fields and the presence of drops of lead or pewter in a few spots; the largest of these drops of extraneous metal is seen in the right exergue below the communion table, right of 6 o'clock. Smaller drops are noted between ME of REMEMBRANCE, within the communion table design, on the exergual line, and on the reverse just below the left side of the exergual line. Aside from a couple of scratches beneath CON of CONSUMEBATUR on the reverse, this piece is otherwise problem free. The engraving is bold, the raised rims are crisply defined, and little wear is seen. These were created in a curious fashion, with silver planchets struck by blank dies to create the substantial raised rims, then hand engraved on both sides and the edge. Each of these is handcrafted and a bit different. Church records reflect that 300 of these were ordered from England in 1800. Autence Bason counted 14 known specimens in 1989; Breen termed this token "extremely rare." The two we offered in our Ford II sale appear to be the only two Ford encountered (one in 1975, the other in 1977), but they're also the last examples we've sold. That was 19 years ago. A later version, struck in pewter to be used by African-American parishioners, is rarer still. While these silver pieces were taken as souvenirs from invading Union troops during the Civil War, thus preserving them, the pewter ones were not valuable enough to steal - and save - at the time. Few objects are of such great interest to early American silver collectors and numismatists. These Charleston communion tokens occupy a very special place in the material culture of the Antebellum South. Provenance: From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex Del Parker, January 2002. To view supplemental information and all items from the Sydney F. Martin Collection, click here. PCGS# 913298. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.