Elephant Tokens

About This Coin

Attributed to the Roettier family of Royal Mint engravers, the Elephant Tokens are among the most visually distinctive pieces in pre-Revolutionary American numismatics. Struck at 28.5 mm with a plain edge, these copper tokens feature a prominent elephant that has generated centuries of scholarly debate — theories range from a reference to the Royal African Company's ivory trade to promotional pieces for colonial settlement ventures. Three known varieties bear different reverse inscriptions: "GOD PRESERVE LONDON" (the most common), "GOD PRESERVE NEW ENGLAND," and "GOD PRESERVE CAROLINA AND THE LORDS PROPRIETORS." The Carolina and New England varieties are substantially rarer and considered major colonial rarities. A notable result of $141,000 in VG8 at Stack's Bowers confirms the extraordinary values these pieces achieve despite modest grades. The production circumstances remain debated: whether they were promotional tokens for colonial ventures, trade pieces for the African trade, or general-purpose copper tokens. Their bold elephant design makes them instantly recognizable icons of early American numismatics.