• Feuchtwanger's Composition Cent - Information & Die Marriages

        After the panic of 1837 and the subsequent 5 year depression thereafter known as the Hard Times, Lewis Feuchtwanger, a pharmacist, issued tokens made of German Silver, an alloy primarily made of copper, nickel, tin, and zinc. It was during these times that much of the coinage in the U.S. was hoarded and disappeared from circulation. Feuchtwanger distributed these tokens out of his pharmacy in New York City, where they remained in circulation up to and during the Civil War.

        Decades before the use of nickel-alloy for circulation coinage in the United States, Feuchtwanger proposed his token's alloy to Congress as a lesser expensive metal for use in the minting of U.S. coppers. Congress turned down his proposal.

        In addition to his one cent tokens, Feuchtwanger also minted undated one cent tokens, and 3-cent tokens made of the same alloy. Moreover, additional store card tokens were produced using his metal composition.

        This particular specimen is a HT-268(6I) variety. It is NGC slabbed, AU Details. You will notice obverse flaws in the specimen, at the base of the eagle's neck, and at the top of the eagle's right wing.





        There are currently 14 known varieties of the Feuchtwanger cent. Their combinations and rarity are listed as the following:


        I have prepared plates which describe all of the die pairings for the Feuchtwanger Cent. To my knowledge, these plates do not exist anywhere.

        There are presently 14 known varieties of the 1837 Feuchtwanger Cent. The plates illustrate each of the obverse and reverse die pairings, with rarities.













        Below please find instructions on how to attribute a Feuchtwanger cent. I recommend using the above plates as a visual aid.

        Instructions

        To attribute a Feuchtwanger's Cent, first perform Obverse Diagnostics, then perform Pairing.

        Obverse Diagnostics
        Step 1: Does there exist a curved line above the '8' and '3' in the date? If yes, it is an Obverse 5. If no, go to step 2.

        Step 2:
        Counting from RIGHT to LEFT starting at the eagle's leg, is the third tail feather clearly NOT touching the ground? If yes, it is an Obverse 3. If no go to step 3.

        Step 3:
        Counting from RIGHT to LEFT starting at the eagle's leg, is the first tail feather touching the top of the snake? If yes, go to step 4. If no, go to step 5.

        Step 4.
        Is the base of the '7' in the date higher or equal to the base of the '3'? If higher, it is an Obverse 1. If equal, it is an Obverse 6.

        Step 5.
        Is the number '3' in the date lower than the number '1'? If lower, it is an Obverse 4. If higher, it is an Obverse 2.
        Pairing (Reverse Diagnostics)

        First Plate (Obverses 1 and 2)
        These two obverses can only be paired with Reverse A. Therefore, based on Obverse Diagnostics, the specimen is 1-A or 2-A.
        Second Plate (Obverse 3)
        Step 1: Does the reverse have two berries inside the top right of wreath? If yes, it is a Reverse C. If no, go to step 2.

        Step 2: Does the reverse have 12 or 13 berries? If 13 berries, it is a Reverse G. If no, go to step 3.

        Step 3: In 'CENT', does the top horizontal stroke of 'E' touch the top horizontal bar of 'T'? If yes, it is a Reverse E. If no, go to step 4.

        Step 4: In 'ONE', is the top of the 'O' about equal to the top of 'N', or is it distinctly lower? If about equal, it is a Reverse B. If distinctly lower, it is a Reverse D.
        Third Plate (Obverse 4)
        Step 1: Does the wreath's left stem touch the 'M' in 'COMPOSITION' and also does the lower bases of 'E' and 'R' in 'FEUCHTWANGER'S' touch? If yes, it is a Reverse F. If no, it is a Reverse E.
        Fourth Plate (Obverse 5)
        Step 1: Is there a berry to the left or right of the bow inside the wreath? If left, it is a Reverse H. If right it is a Reverse G.
        Fifth Plate (Obverse 6)
        Step 1: To the left of the bow, is there a stem without a berry? If yes, it is a Reverse I. If no, go to step 2.

        Step 2: Does the reverse have 12 or 13 berries? If 13 berries, it is a Reverse G. If 12 berries, it is a Reverse A.
        Good luck,

        - CheetahCats