United States (New York): 1837 nickel silver private pattern cent, Feuchtwanger's Composition

United States (New York): 1837 nickel silver private pattern cent, Feuchtwanger's Composition

PCGS MS64. Cert. #90027484.

Numista-40701, Rulau-HT-268.

Ex-Northeast Numismatics, 18 February 2022.

Dr. Lewis Feuchtwanger was a German immigrant physician, metallurgist, and chemist who ran a pharmacy in New York City. These tokens were produced as his private pattern proposal to replace the large cents of the time. His lobbying with Congress was not successful, but his tokens ended up being widely circulated anyway, in the wake of the Panic of 1837, which had caused a severe shortage of small change. They proved practical to the needs of commerce and were less cumbersome than the government-issued large cents.

Feuchtwanger cents are catalogued with the Hard Times Tokens, and many varieties of them exist. He also produced 3-cent tokens with two different designs in 1837 and 1864, all of which are rare today. Feuchtwanger was 20 years ahead of the government in producing a small cent. His "German silver" alloy (which contained no actual silver but rather a mixture of nickel, copper, and tin) stood the test of time well. Most pieces retain a pleasingly mellowed silver color today, nearly 190 years after they were struck. And the design is appealing, too.

This particular example is the nicest Feuchtwanger cent I have personally seen, though as of this typing I note there are 19 graded higher in the PCGS population. I traded up to this piece from my previous AU53 example. The old one was nice, but this present one is a whole level above that. I love the subtle hints of color on it.



073900

 

I am not aware of any surviving mintage figures.

Browsing eBay can give you a rough idea of price range. I think some low-end circulated examples (usually rough, and/or holed) can occasionally still be had for less than a hundred bucks, but most problem-free examples will be in the low- to mid-three-figure range.

Mint State examples like mine will run into the high three-figure range. NEN originally had my MS64 coin above priced at $800, but I got it for a bit less after negotiating the trade-in of my old AU53 example. (I had paid $189 for the AU53 but they offered me a $250 trade-in credit on it for the upgrade).

I just think these are cool. They're different, y'know? Not something you see every day.

PS- the Feuchtwanger three-cent pieces are much more expensive, due to their relative rarity. They're something you definitely don't see every day!

 

I've never seen one in person, either.

Thanks.

 

I saw that! I meant I'd never seen one in person.

 

Yours has some nice hints of color, too.