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1825 Charleston SERVANT Slave Hire Badge #1048

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Cultures & Ethnicities Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 2,500.00 USD
1825 Charleston SERVANT Slave Hire Badge #1048
<B>1825 Charleston SERVANT Slave Hire Badge. Number 1048.</B></I> A large slightly convex diamond-shaped tag with clipped corners, holed for suspension, 69mm x 73mm. The "LAFAR" hallmark of John Joseph LaFar is punched on the front at bottom; this would be the last year of the three-year period where his hallmark was on the front instead of the back. The elements on the front are as follows (top to bottom): "*CHARLESTON*" in a crescent-shaped bar punch; "1825" bar punched; "SERVANT" in a rectangular punch; "No" in a square punch (slightly weak) followed by an incuse "1048" in individual punches; and, as mentioned, "LAFAR" in a rectangular punch. The condition of this tag is extremely fine with a deep dark patina and relatively smooth surfaces. <BR><BR>The authors of <I>Slave Badges and the Slave-Hire System in Charleston, South Carolina, 1783-1865</B></I> estimate the total number of 1825 badges produced to be 3,269 for which LaFar was paid $466.25 by the city. Charleston, in turn, took in $5,397 in fees for the badges- a nice addition to the city coffers. It's amazing that out of 3000+ badges produced, only a handful remain extant.