Owner Comments:
White Metal, probably lead based. Rulau: NY-622, Breen 1172, extremely rare. I believe there are less than 12 known. NGC VF30, but easily Choice XF for issue. I don't believe that NGC knew how to grade these at the time, as this was the first example ever graded by NGC. This is far nicer than normally encountered, with no bad bruises or marks, no trace of corrosion, and lovely medium silver gray color. It also is nicely and evenly detailed, virtually ideal for this type.
A splendid example of this important 18th century American communion token. Measuring 23.4 x 12.7 mm in oval, this cast production closely resembles the fabric and composition of many of the Scottish communion tokens of the era. A nearly identical but rarer variety for the Philadelphia Associate Church dated 1799 must be from the same maker.
1799 New York, New York, New York Associate Church, R. E-NY-622, R.7; White metal, plain edge. A major rarity that Robert Vlack calls "the earliest dated American communion token." The white metal composition of this token is likely pewter or perhaps lead. The surfaces are attractive light gray with strong lettering on both sides. This token is listed on page 46 of the Standard Catalog of United States Tokens 1700-1900 where Russell Rulau states that only 7 pieces are known and gives a catalog value of $3,000 in XF. The Associate Church in America is an offshoot of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland. This is an extremely important and rare 18th century American token and only the second example that we have handled.
A note from American Journal of Numismatics reader John Thomson appeared in the October 1873 issue: "I beg to state that, from 1784 to 1870, tokens were in use in my church. Our tokens were small oval pieces of lead, bearing on the one side the former name of the church-Associate Church, N.Y.-and on the other side, the date-1799."
This is considered the premier entry in the American communion token series. It's certainly the earliest with good attribution (Breen identifies other earlier types as American, but to say their attribution is speculative would be too kind.) The First Associate Reformed Church of New York was founded in 1756. In this era, the congregation met at a church on Cedar Street (then Little Queen Street) in lower Manhattan, between Broadway and Nassau Street, just a block or so away from the famous Trinity Church.