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Images courtesy of Ron Guth
Notes:
The Mott Token illustrated above appeared as Lot 1800 in a Coin
Galleries (Stack's) Mail Bid Sale on August 20, 1986. The reverse has
an incuse head of Liberty with portions of the word "ONE" in the
middle of her face. Based on the undertype, this token was promoted as
being the "missing link" proving that the Mott Tokens were
American issues struck in the 1830's. However, various experts have
denounced this as a forgery.
Proponents of this token
theorized the following striking sequence:
1. Die trial of the reverse of a Large Cent overstruck by
2. Double strike from a die hub of the obverse of a Matron Head Large Cent overstruck by
3. Regular dies of a Mott Token.
This sequence was later
revised to include a Hard Times Token as the possible undertype in steps 1
and/or 2.
Opponents of this token cite
the following:
1. The implausibility and lack of precedence for this proposed sequence.
2. The weight (196 grains) exceeds that of Large Cents (168 grains) and Hard
Times Tokens of the 1830's.
3. The damage and/or flattened area on the obverse of the token indicates
that the "undertype" may have been added to a regular Mott Token.
Sources and/or recommended
reading:
"1789 Mott Token Likely
From 1830s" by Russell Rulau, NUMISMATIC NEWS, July 23, 2002, pages 1
and 40-43
"The
Mott Token - The Final Chapter" by William Anton and John Lorenzo
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