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A
small selection of slavery items including three tags. With the recent auction
at Stacks listing a slave tag collection of over 50 tags, prices have jumped on
better tags. We recently saw several “cripples” (damaged tags) from that
auction at higher prices than these tags. All, of course, are unconditionally
guaranteed to be authentic tags….
 1814
CHARLESTON SERVANT SLAVE HIRE BADGE NUMBER 50
48mm X 52mm. A flat square-shaped (as they were in
even-numbered years during this period) tag with clipped corners and a
hole at the top for suspension. This is a lightly punched hallmark on
the reverse near the center of "LAFAR" indicating
manufacture by silversmith John Joseph LaFar. The elements on the
obverse are as follows (top to bottom): "*CHARLESTON*"
in a crescent-shaped bar punch (the "N*" a bit weak).
"No" in a square punch followed by an incuse "50"
in individual punches. "SERVANT" in a rectangular punch; and
"1814" bar punched. The condition is generally very
fine with a dark patina and just a hint of verdigris. 1814 was the
first year in which all the elements of the badges were punched,
nothing was engraved. Also, it is the first year in which maker LaFar
started the pattern of square-shaped badges in even-numbered years and
diamond-shaped badges in odd-numbered years. Approximately 1338 badges
were issued with the 1814 date. The two-digit number makes this a
particularly desirable example...........................$2,950.00
 1832
CHARLESTON SERVANT SLAVE HIRE BADGE NUMBER 1659
68mm X 68mm. A slightly convex diamond-shaped tag with clipped
corners and a hole at the top for suspension. There is no hallmark.
Local silversmiths Peter and John Mood manufactured the badges this
year. The elements on the obverse are as follows (top to bottom): "CHARLESTON"
in a crescent-shaped bar punch; "1832" bar punched;
"SERVANT" in a rectangular punch. "No" in a square
punch followed by an incuse "1659" in individual punches.
The appearance is very fine with dark patina. It is estimated that
3499 badges were produced for the year
1832.................................$2,750.00
 1841
CHARLESTON SERVANT SLAVE HIRE BADGE NUMBER 494
56mm X 59mm. A slightly convex diamond-shaped tag with clipped
corners and a hole for suspension. No maker's hallmark (as expected
after 1828), but manufactured by local Methodist minister and
silversmith John Mood. The elements on the front are as follows (top
to bottom): "CHARLESTON" in a crescent-shaped
bar punch; an incuse "494" in individual punches;
"SERVANT" in a rectangular punch; and "1841" bar
punched (strike a bit weak). The condition is fine to very fine with
very dark surfaces. 1841 was a year which saw cotton prices at a
two-decade low yet slave badge sales remained strong at an estimated
3900 pieces, just a handful of which still
survive..................................$2,200.00
 1842
CHARLESTON SERVANT SLAVE HIRE BADGE NUMBER 1521
56mm X 57mm. A slightly convex diamond-shaped tag with clipped
corners and a hole at the top for suspension. Manufactured by
Charleston silversmith William M. Rouse; no hallmark as standard after
1828. The elements on the obverse are as follows (top to bottom): "CHARLESTON"
in a crescent-shaped bar punch (weak); an incuse
"1521" in individual punches; "SERVANT" in a
rectangular punch ("S" weak); and "1842" bar
punched. The condition is good to very good with a dark patina and
scattered verdigris. The number and date are well punched. It is
estimated that there were 3842 badges manufactured with this
date.........................................$1.950.00
 1851
CHARLESTON SERVANT SLAVE HIRE BADGE -- NGC CERTIFIED -- NUMBER 1429
A slightly convex diamond-shaped tag with unclipped corners
and a hole at the top for suspension. The maker William Rouse did not
clip the corners on some of the Servant badges this year. This is one
such badge with sharp corners that must have been very uncomfortable
to wear. The elements on the obverse are as follows (top to bottom): "CHARLESTON"
in a crescent shaped bar punch; "1851" bar punched (last
digit a bit weak); "SERVANT" in a rectangular punch
("AN" exhibits some wear); and an incuse "1429" in
individual punches. The condition is fine with dark patina and a bit
of corrosion at the right side. It is estimated that only 4668 of the
6350 made in this year were actually sold............................$2,100.00
 1851
CHARLESTON SERVANT SLAVE HIRE BADGE NUMBER 1577
55mm X 55mm. A slightly convex diamond-shaped tag with a hole
at the top for suspension. The maker, William Rouse, did not clip the
corners on some of the Servant badges this year for the first time.
This is one such badge with sharp corners that must have been very
uncomfortable to wear. The elements on the obverse are as follows (top
to bottom): "CHARLESTON" in a crescent-shaped
bar punch ("LE" affected by hole); "1851" bar
punched (last digit a bit weak); "SERVANT" in a rectangular
punch; and an incuse "1577" in individual punches. The
condition is fine with dark brown patina and red highlights. Based on
the fact that Charleston was growing quickly in this period of time
and that the suburb Charleston Neck had been incorporated into the
city, it is not surprising that the production of slave hire badges in
1851 was the largest to date. Approximately 6350 were manufactured,
though "by the formula for estimating slave badge sales based on
income, the number of badges sold comes to 4,668. Quite a bit less
than the number actually made. (Greene et al. Slave Badges and the
Slave Hire System..., 138). One has to wonder where they all went,
as likely only a dozen or two from this date are extant
today.................................$2,650.00
 1859
CHARLESTON PORTER SLAVE HIRE BADGE -- NGC CERTIFIED -- NUMBER 1131
51mm X 52mm. A flat diamond-shaped tag with unclipped corners
and a hole at the top for suspension. No hallmark, but likely made by
W. B. Veronee, a local tinsmith. The elements on the obverse are as
follows (top to bottom): "CHARLESTON" in a
crescent-shaped bar punch ("LE" affected by the hole);
"PORTER" in a rectangular bar punch; an incuse
"1131" individual punches; and "1859" bar punched.
Condition is about very good with a dark and somewhat rough surface.
The badges for 1859, of which an estimated 4235 were made, were the
first badges since1826 with the occupation appearing as the
second line of text. Porter badges seemingly are much less often
offered for sale today in compared to SERVANT
tags...........................................$1,895.00
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