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1 Cent - Talbot Allum and Lee
| Issuer | Talbot, Allum & Lee |
|---|---|
| Year | 1794-1795 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | 28 mm |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A fully-rigged three-masted sailing ship under sail occupies the central field, rendered in fine detail with billowing sails, rigging, and hull visible above a baseline of waves. The circular peripheral legend TALBOT ALLUM & LEE curves along the upper portion, while ONE CENT is inscribed along the lower arc. On Type A pieces, the additional inscription NEW YORK appears across the central field above the ship; Type B pieces omit this inscription. The overall design reflects the mercantile character of the issuing firm, prominent New York importers. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Talbot, Allum & Lee were New York importers of hardware and dry goods who commissioned these tokens in England — almost certainly at the Boulton & Watt Soho Mint in Birmingham — to address the chronic small-change shortage plaguing American commerce in the years following independence. Congress had authorized a federal mint in 1792, but production lagged badly, and private merchants routinely filled the gap with trade tokens that circulated on public trust alone. New York's port economy was particularly cash-starved at the retail level.
The federal government eventually taxed these tokens out of circulation. A surviving letter documents the firm's frustration with unsold inventory as late as 1796.