What The Experts Say...

HT 76, Low 57.
Obverse with an inexpertly molded bust of Van Buren surrounded by the legend: MARTIN VAN BUREN : THE PEOPLES CHOICE. On the reverse, a two line legend: SUB TREASURY/ & DEMOCRACY is above a strongbox guarded by a dog with its paw resting upon the key to the box.

This is one of the classic rarities of the Hard Times series. It is missing in all but the most advanced collections. It is coveted both for its rarity and its unusual pictorial reverse.

Most specimens seen are in the VF range. The Greiner, Oechsner, Miller, Tilden, Bryd, Adams Plate piece was graded XF and was the best of the few examples that have appeared in the past 40 years.

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