Collection Highlights
Parure
ca. 1820
1920.11-17
Cut steel
Support the New-York Historical Society
Help us present groundbreaking exhibitions and develop educational programs about our nation's history for more than 200,000 schoolchildren annually.
Museum Collections
Luce Center
Hard Times token: Specie Payments suspended, May 10, 1837
Object name
Hard Times token: Specie Payments suspended, May 10, 1837
Date
1837
Medium
Copper
Dimensions
Overall: 1 1/8 in. ( 2.9 cm )
Description
Tokens; metal; depiction of Lady Liberty's profile on obverse; obverse "E PLURIBUS UNUM / 1841" reverse "SPECIE PAYMENTS SUSPENDED / MAY / TENTH / 1837"
Object Number
INV.13738
Gallery Label
In 1837 and again in 1857, financial crises caused loss of confidence in paper money and widespread redemption of currency in coin. Banks were soon forced to suspend specie payments, and tokens and fractional notes had to serve as smaller change.
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
