What The Experts Say...

HT 59, Low 70.
Head with roses and leaves. NOT ONE CENT reverse with 3 berries outside, 4 inside, large berries and small letters.

Virtually none of the so-called Bushnell token have any circulation wear. Most authorities agree, however, that they were all “aged” to give the appearance of wear. Speculation as to the aging process has run from chemical treatment and burying in the ground to rubbing the token against a rough hard surface. Our best guess is that they were treated chemically as most all of them have very similar oxidized surfaces with a granular look.

The last offering of Low 70 was in PCAC’s 1999 Hard Times Sale where the XF Chester Krause specimen struck over a large cent brought $2750.00. Prior to this offering, the last auction appearance of Low 70 was in the 1941 Dunham Sale where an uncirculated example was sold.

(H. Joseph Levine, PCAC, The Charles Litman Collection, December 6, 2003)

This Bushnell type strongly resembles the Liberty head issues of Low 31 through L.37, with the head surrounded by leaves. Another extremely rare issue with only five auction appearances since 1958. A specimen appeared in the PCAC Litman sale last year. One of the pieces from the Chester Krause collection was struck over a draped bust style Large Cent.

A number of the extremely rare Bushnell series have reported overstrikes, mostly on other Hard Times tokens (the Krause Low 70 over a Large Cent is noted).

(Stacks, the John J. Ford Collection, Part IV, June 23rd, 2004)