Brass. 29.5 mm. 5.72 grams. These War of 1812 military buttons are known to have had their shanks removed and circulated as halfpennies during the early to mid 19th century. In 1886, R.W. McLachlan noted that these tokens “are occasionally met with in circulation… . On the termination of the war these buttons were divested of their shanks and circulated as change among a people accepting anything as money that had the proper shape and size.”

This example was flattened for circulation and clearly passed as a halfpenny. Still, it survives in remarkable condition with nearly complete legends, save for weakness over the middle of BRITISH, possible a byproduct of having been flattened where the shank used to be on the other side. Brassy-gold surfaces are smooth and largely free of marks. Among the finest I have seen. These tokens represent an important example of the hodgepodge of money that circulated in early Canadian commerce and rank 30th among the 100 Greatest Canadian Coins and Tokens in Dr. Harvey Richer’s recent reference.

Ex: Warren Baker (tag included).

From a Western Collection.