1833 I Take The Responsibility Token, NGC MS65 BN. 1833 Hard Times Token, I Take Responsibility, HT-70. This Gem 1833 Hard Times Token has traces of mint red and original mint luster on both sides of the piece. The surfaces are original and extremely clean for the grade with no visible abrasion marks or other distractions. The strike is strong with full details on the obverse portrait of Jackson and the legend as well as the reverse devices.

Hard times token were issued privately when banks suspended payment and would no longer issue coins in change. They are the size of a Large Cent and were struck from 1833 to 1843. As an unofficial currency, they had various designs including merchants advertising, political statements, and satire.

The I Take Responsibility token shows President Andrew Jackson coming out of a money chest holding a money bag and a sword wearing a royal military uniform. This satire expresses the idea that it is bad for the executive to control both the treasury and the army. Because Jackson was not a good speaker and poorly educated, he was sometimes portrayed as a jackass especially when Harvard gave him an honorary LL.D degree. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY is what Jackson said after he put the funds of the Bank of the United States into twenty-five state pet banks. His explanation was, THE CONSITITUTION AS I UNDERSTAND IT. ROMAN FIRMNESS was a taunt of the day to describe him. The word VETO below the Jackass referred to his veto of the Third Bank of the United States.