Am I Not a Woman & A Sister

June 2025

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Hard Times Token. Late in 1837 the American Anti-Slavery Society of N.Y. commissioned Gibbs Gardner & Co of Belleville N.J. to strike these tokens as a fund raiser. For other tokens in this 'family' see Liberia. This is a well worn example the last '8' in 1838 nearly invisible, which is typical of 9 out of ten of these (see studies below). I have an excellent example of a full '8' variety here in the Museum at: /showphoto.php?photo=2270&title=am-i-not-a-woman26amp-3b-a-sister-3f-1838-full-date-21&cat=874

VIEW & DOWNLOAD Research documents:
Numismatic Impressions of the Abolitionist Movement - Kyle Knapp [a PREMIER article!] [ link ]
There is an extensive study of these Hard Times Tokens and others in our Moneta Library:
The Kneeling Slave Token - Beerstecher: [ link ]
Abolitionist Tokens & William Garrison - Rachootin: [ link ]

One notable mystery on these is that the minting origins are still unknown. The article speculates on two well known HTT sources and Rulau now states that it was minted by Gibbs Gardner & Co. of Belleville NJ. There is also an article on that mint in the Library at:
Belleville N.J. Mint - Jacobs: [ link ]
Also see: "The Numismatist", Aug. 1974 for an article entitled "A Connection Between the 1838 Anti-Slavery Token (Low 54) and the "Underground Railroad'' by Robert D. Leonard Jr., and Dr. Clyde Keeler, Sc.D