Undated (Circa 1798) Theatre at New York Token. W-9080. Rarity-6. Proof-65 BN (PCGS).These famous tokens were engraved by B. Jacobs and struck at Skidmores Mint in London. They were struck in copper with a diameter of 34 millimeters. The obverse depicts the architect Brunels conception of the famed Park Theatre in New York. Said theatre was the largest in New York, situated off Ann Street and Beekman, with the entrance on what became known as "Theatre alley." Large enough to seat 2,372 people, the theatre wrestled with financing and city building codes that hobbled its success. Finally opening after three years of construction delays in January of 1798, this was the largest theatre in Manhattan for a few decades. These tokens were struck to commemorate the opening of the theatre and promote its fame. All shows featured live actors in nightly performances. Only a handful of these tokens are known, with perhaps a dozen remaining in total.<p>The obverse depicts the building of the Park Theatre in Manhattan, which was under construction at the time these tokens were struck. Surrounding the elegant building is the legend THE THEATRE AT NEW YORK, below the building is AMERICA at the base, with the designers name JACOBS above that in small letters. The reverse shows a large cornucopia spilling forth its wealth on the docks of New York, two sailing vessels in the sea nearby with bales, goods and anchors on the dock. The legend above states MAY COMMERCE FLOURISH. Handsome reflective brown surfaces are free of spots or handling issues. The strike is sharp and the fields and devices are simply outstanding in quality.<p>Writing about this very piece when it was offered as part of our March 2012 Baltimore Auction, Q. David Bowers stated:<p><em>"For many years this has been one of my favorites of the British conder tokens. The subject is strictly American and the diameter is penny (not halfpenny) size, making it quite impressive. Skidmore issued a number of various tokens for the numismatic trade, all of which are elusive today. The listing of the Theatre at New York in the </em>Guide Book of United States Coins<em> has widened its appeal immensely. Only occasionally does an example appear in the market, and even more widely spaced are offerings of a coin of this Gem quality."</em><p>PCGS Population: 2; 1 finer.Ex Heritages sale of August 2010, lot 3013; our March 2012 Baltimore Auction, lot 4006; our March 2015 Baltimore Auction, lot 6001; our August 2015 ANA Auction, lot 10007.
