1789' Token Mott - Thin - Plain Edge

Coin Details

Description

Struck on a noticeably thinner planchet than the standard "cent weight" version, this variant of the Mott Token weighs approximately 8 grams — about 2.5 grams lighter than its heavier counterpart — while maintaining the same 28 mm diameter and plain edge. The thinner planchet gives the piece a distinctly different feel in hand and produces slightly sharper design detail in some areas, as the reduced metal thickness allows the striking pressure to transfer more efficiently across the die faces. Issued by William and John Mott, silversmiths, jewelers, and clock dealers at 240 Water Street in New York City, the token bears the date 1789 on the piece, though actual production may date to the early 1790s. The obverse features an eagle and the reverse displays a clock face — motifs directly reflecting the Motts' commercial specialties in timepieces and precious metalwork. Cataloged as Whitman 8235 and PCGS #604, the thin plain edge Mott Token is described as common for the series. The existence of multiple planchet thicknesses for the Mott Token raises questions about production chronology and intent: whether the thin and thick versions were produced simultaneously using different planchet stock, sequentially as material suppliers changed, or deliberately as different denominations or commercial weight standards. Mott Tokens are among the earliest American merchant tokens and document the commercial life of late 18th-century New York, where privately issued tokens supplemented the inadequate supply of official small-denomination coinage in everyday retail transactions.

Rarity Notes

Common for the series.

Cross References

Whitman 8235