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Day 1: Historic & Early Americana

Fri, Apr 24, 2026 09:00AM EDT
  2026-04-24 09:00:00 2026-04-24 09:00:00 America/New_York Fleischer's Auctions Fleischer's Auctions : Day 1: Historic & Early Americana https://bid.fleischersauctions.com/auctions/fleischers-auctions/day-1-historic-early-americana-20869
Day one of Fleischer's 2026 Spring premier auction includes early American artifacts, documents, signatures, ephemera, and weaponry. Rare material relating to African American history is featured, as well as fine examples of antique photography.
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Lot 168

[ABOLITION] "Am I Not A Man and a Brother" Anti-Slavery Halfpenny Token

Estimate: $250 - $500
Starting Bid
$100

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $10
$100 $25
$300 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$50,000 $5,000

Diam. 33 mm white metal Conder token. [England]: N.p., ca. 1797-1807. Atkins p. 364, no. 38; D&H, Middlesex 235.

33 mm 

 

Plain edge. Obverse with a kneeling man in chains with legend, "Am I Not A Man And A Brother." Reverse with legend "Whatsoever / Ye Would That / Men Should Do / To You, Do Ye / Even So To / Them".

 

A desirable anti-slavery Conder penny token. Probably issued by the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, established by Granville Sharp and Thomas Clarkson in 1787, who commissioned the original design the next year. First appearing in print in the March 1788 issue of The Gentleman's Magazine, it was widely popularized by Josiah Wedgwood, who produced "Am I Not a Brother and a Man" jasperware cameos in the late 1780s. The first numismatic instance was circa 1794 with a reverse legend with the so-called "Golden Rule" from the King James version of Matthew 7:12. Dalton and Hamer note at least 6 variations (Middlesex 233-238), with slight differences to this design. 

 

Sales of the tokens helped to fund the Society and its anti-slavery mission. The obverse design would go on to be imitated by American Hard Times tokens (HT-81 & HT-82).

 

An important abolitionist token. 

 

References: 

James Atkins. The Tradesmen's Tokens of the Eighteenth Century. London: W.S. Lincoln & Son, 1892. 

 

Kyle Knapp. "Numismatic Impressions of the Abolitionist Movement." The Condor Token Collector's Journal. Vol. XV No. 1, Spring 2010. pp. 27-31. 

 

R. Dalton and S.H. Hamer. The Provincial Token-Coinage of the 18th Century. 1910. 

 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [African Americana, African American History, Black History, Slavery, Enslavement, Abolition, Emancipation]  [Currency, Tokens, Medals,  Numismia, Numismatics, Exonumia, Bonds, Coins, Banknotes]

Some oxidation has made the coin appear more silver-like. 

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