"Am I Not A Man & A Brother" - EX. RARE Token

"Am I Not A Man & A Brother" - only 3 or 4 known examples exist. This was a proposed issue to go along with the female slave issue but it was never produced. See USA, Liberia, and Great Britain 'Conder' tokens for more abolitionist (anti-slavery) fund raising tokens. It is depicted here because even photos are hard to find and it helps fill-out the abolitionist token examples here in the Moneta Gallery.
Info from the Heritage Auction Sale (6/2016) where this example sold for $70k+:
1838 Am I Not a Man and a Brother Hard Times Token; Low-54A, HT-82, High R.7, XF40 NGC. Copper. Just four examples of this famous Hard Times token are known. The other three specimens are the John J. Ford, Jr. example also in a major private collection, the Don Miller piece that is now in an advanced Long Island Collection, and the granular example that was recently discovered in Canada.
The John Ford example in the June 2004 offering of his Hard Times tokens was graded Extremely Fine and it realized $71,875 at that time. The Ford and Newman coins are virtually identical. We are unaware of the grade of the Don Miller example. Graded Fine Details with environmental damage, the Canada discovery piece was offered in the September 2011 Stack's-Bowers sale where it realized $37,950.
These tokens are patterned after late 18th century British Conder tokens. A similar token, Low-54, has a kneeling female figure and the inscription "Am I Not a Woman and a Sister"; those tokens are relatively plentiful. The Low-54A rarity is thought to be a pattern issue.
This attractive olive and chestnut-brown piece has exceptional surfaces with trivial rim bumps visible only under magnification. This important rarity, destined for a specialist's cabinet, represents an extremely important opportunity as many years can pass between appearances.
Ex: Charles Ricard; Bowers and Merena Galleries (privately, c. 1993).
Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society.

VIEW & DOWNLOAD Research documents:
Numismatic Impressions of the Abolitionist Movement - Kyle Knapp [a PREMIER article!] [ link ]
There is an extensive study of these Hard Times Tokens and others in our Moneta Library:
HTT Engraver Hulseman: [ link ]
The Kneeling Slave Token - Beerstecher: [ link ]
Abolitionist Tokens & William Garrison - Rachootin: [ link ]

One notable mystery on these is that the minting origins are still unknown. The article speculates on two well known HTT sources and Rulau now states that it was minted by Gibbs Gardner & Co. of Belleville NJ. There is also an article on that mint in the Library at:
Belleville N.J. Mint - Jacobs: [ link ]