William W. Wilbur is infamous for having been an auctioneer who owned and operated a mercantile during the pre-Civil War era of Charleston, South Carolina. Wilbur’s business activities were quite varied, and included auctions, retail, brokering, notary, and most notoriously, being an active agent in the slave trade.
As a means to advertise, Wilbur issued storecard tokens to the public, and dispensed them to customers when giving change. The size of 1840s U.S. Large Cents, Wilbur’s tokens were traded at the value of one cent.
Research indicates that there wasn’t much that Wilbur wouldn’t sell or attempt to purvey. Advertisements from The Charleston Mercury beginning during the 1840s include Wilbur’s promotions for utensils and cutlery, stationery and books, tea and coffee, fruit trees and flowers. Moreover, his auction notices include offerings of real estate and land, estate sales and dry goods, and most horridly, slaves and servants.
Charleston newspapers of the era confirm the existence of W.W. Wilbur’s ghastly slave trade, including, abominably, an advertisement for the sale of a 12 year old boy.
Sadly, in another, the published results of an auction where a mother and her two children were sold for $1320.
Numismatic Overview & Recent Discovery
Until only recently, Tony Chibbaro, author of South Carolina Tokens, reported 12 different confirmed varieties of W.W. Wilbur tokens. In July 2010 the author, A. Packard, discovered a another variety. Struck in brass, the token was then silvered.
Portions of the silvering on the discovery piece was worn off due to circulation:
Upon examination of token photographs, Tony Chibbaro wrote:
“I have looked over your pictures and can tell that your token is an unpublished variety! Your token is not German silver (which would make it Adams/Miller 8B, Rulau SC8B), but is silvered brass. This is decidedly a silvered brass planchet because the brass is plainly evident where the silver plating has worn off. This can easily be seen when looking at the figure of the auctioneer and the palmetto tree, both of which show the underlying brass planchet. I noted in my article that there were silvered brass examples of a different die linkage. Yours is the first silvered brass specimen reported in the die linkage 2-B.”
Varieties, Types, and Diagnostics
Due in part to the number of specimens that are available in various numismatic venues, it is plausible that many thousands of these tokens were minted. And due to the multitude of various varieties proffered, it’s most plausible that varieties of these tokens were minted over a period of several years.
With this recent discovery, there now exists 13 confirmed varieties of this token, with two distinct obverse types and three distinct reverse types. The various varieties consist of combinations of these obverse and reverses, in conjunction with various metal compositions.
The varieties are the following. Of all varieties, there exist 4 obverse types and two reverse types, pursuant to taxonomies by developed Tony Chibbaro.
Obverse Types
1. No period after ‘CA’
2. Period after ‘CA.’
3. Period after ‘CA.,’ also “GOING AT ONLY A PENNY”
4. No period after ‘CA,’ also “GOING AT ONLY A PENNY”
Reverse Types
A. Thin Tree
B. Bushy Tree
Though previously listed by Miller et.al. many years ago, Tony Chibbaro reports that those in light blue are presently unconfirmed:
For reference purposes, below please find Tony Chibbaro’s rarity scale that he uses to rate the quantity of remaining specimens still in existence:
Alternate Method for Determining Obverse Type-1 and Type-2
While diagnosing my own specimens, I noticed that with worn examples sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the difference between Obverse Type-1 and Type-2, as the period after “CA” may be completely worn off.
The simplest way to assuredly identify a Type-1 obverse is to compare the placement of lettering between AUCTION and CHARLESTON. If the letter ‘L’ in CHARLESTON falls directly below the letter ‘N’ in AUCTION, it is an Obverse Type-1.
For Obverse Type-2, the letter ‘E’ in CHARLESTON falls directly below the letter ‘N’ in AUCTION.
Presentation of Specimen Types
The following plates are photographs of each of the confirmed W.W. Wilbur token varieties. Rarities are listed using the Chibbaro Rarity Scale.
Aaron Packard
Notes and Sources
†. Rarities are listed using the Chibbaro Rarity Scale. See Numismatic FAQs for more information.
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Standard Catalog of United States Tokens 1700-1900 Fourth Edition, Russell Rulau, Krause Publications, ©2004, pg.403
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The Charleston Mercury Newspaper Archives
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Correspondence with Tony Chibbaro, South Carolina Numismatist and Historian
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‘The Tokens of W.W. Wilbur of Charleston S.C.,’ Tony Chibbaro, South Carolina Numismatist and Historian
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A Guide Book of United States Tokens and Medals, Katherine Jaeger, Whitman, ©2008
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The Library of Congress Digital Archives
- New York’s Crystal Palace & The H.B. West Tokens - November 6, 2019
- Edward Aschermann’s Cigar & Tobacco Tokens - November 2, 2019
- George T. Hussey & His Special Message Tokens - October 30, 2019
Hi Aaron,
Attached are a few photos of the Wilbur token that I mailed you about. I did no editing. Appreciate you viewing them. Let me know your assessment.
Thank you, Mike Clements
http://s95.beta.photobucket.com/user/wood5g/library/wilbur%20token
Hi Mike –
Thanks kindly for sharing your photos.
I am quite inclined to believe that the specimen was cleaned sometime in its past, and has begun to retone.
This is most notably hinted on your reverse; the insides of looped letters (O, R, etc.) possess dark coloring as if the crevices weren’t reached by the cleaning. Similar hints are also evidenced on the obverse, but less pronounced, with the insides of letters such as A, R, etc.
That said, your specimen is quite a beautiful example! It is a Miller SC-7A.
A.P.
I don’t know if anyone still reads this. I’ve acquired a set of slave shackles engraved W.W. Wilber lot 16 , Strong healthy African negroes. Do you know if this is the same Ww Wilber.
What is the best way to clean the token without harming it ?
Thank you !
Don’t clean it. 🙂
I have a pretty heavily pitted version that i soaked in vinegar for a day and then hand washed with soap and water.
Sitting next to a copper one cent I am guessing it is a Brass SC-9?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FQtSZyxN7KTde2rs7
Hi Ted –
Thank you for sharing your specimen. Indeed, it is a Miller SC-9, given that it’s obverse is a type-3 and its reverse is a type-B.
Regards,
Aaron Packard
Hello, I have a friend who owns the token which is attached. I believe by reading your page that it would be a “2A, SC-7” between Choice extra fine and AU.
Would you mind taking a look and offering your opinion?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kKKd3eXFCFcjkASX9