If you read this review, I ask that you please rate it as only by this method do those of us who try to help others know if we are doing so.  Thank you.

Hard Times tokens are really the first political tokens and were issued during the administration of President Jackson.  President Jackson refused to renew the charter of the then US central bank, resulting in a literal collapse of the financial markets.  Hard money of all types was hoarded and merchants were desperate to obtain small change of the standard type of transaction of the day.  Remember, the one-half cent was an item of commerce and produced until 1857.

There are many problems with attempting to grade these tokens, primarily from the many different mints that produced them, resulting in poor press pressure and uneven strikes.  Most of these tokens have no known mintage, usually if a local merchant had them produced, the mintage would be one thousand or fewer.  Merchants would use the tokens as a cent, but if the customer returned with one of his own tokens, usually there would be a small premium allowed, thereby maintaining some method of exchange better than the barter system.

Most tokens offered on eBay are well circulated, many with corrosion or damage of some form, so it is a definite buyer beware situation.  There are two books that offer anyone who is interested in this series the opportunity to try to determine value.  I have found the prices escalating rapidly in the past several years.  The printed material is far out of date as to pricing and both volumes, one by Low and the other by Rulau are of value in establishing the exact item being offered for sale.  I have found many sellers either are so inexperienced or well, use your own word here, that they will take the more rare item as their HTT listing rather than the correct number.

Collecting items in this series is most definitely one where the book, even if out of pricing date, is purchased and reviewed with care before bidding on any item.

Good luck, this is a most interesting series.