BRIDGENS, William Henry (fl 1829-1865) Early American engraver, diesinker, New York City.
Listed in New York city directories as H. or Henry Bridgens.
Numismatic authority Q. David Bowers states this engraver
also dealt in coins, was an accomplished engraver who had a
manerism of using triangular dentils in his borders; he also used
spearheads as ornaments. Poorly educated, however, he often
misspelled names on medals, although his pictorial devices are
quite good; his presswork was sloppy with frequent misaligned
dies and off center strikes. Token author Russel Rulau stated:
"His skill level was low but his output large."
C A M P A I G N I T E M S
1856 Washington (George) and Breckenridge (William)Medal
(obv by Bridgens, rev by W.H. Key) . . . . DeWitt JB 1856-2,
Baker 380, Saterlee 235
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] 0000.999.39336
Listed in New York city directories as H. or Henry Bridgens.
Numismatic authority Q. David Bowers states this engraver
also dealt in coins, was an accomplished engraver who had a
manerism of using triangular dentils in his borders; he also used
spearheads as ornaments. Poorly educated, however, he often
misspelled names on medals, although his pictorial devices are
quite good; his presswork was sloppy with frequent misaligned
dies and off center strikes. Token author Russel Rulau stated:
"His skill level was low but his output large."
C A M P A I G N I T E M S
1856 Washington (George) and Breckenridge (William)Medal
(obv by Bridgens, rev by W.H. Key) . . . . DeWitt JB 1856-2,
Baker 380, Saterlee 235
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] 0000.999.39336
1856 Buchanan (James) Rebus Medal (obv buck leaping over
cannon die by William H. Key; rev Eight Presidents obv
Baker 221 by Bridgens) . . . . . Baker 381, DeWitt JB 1856-3
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 71:173
1856 Buchanan (James) and Eight Presidents Medal (obv by
William H. Key, rev by Bridgens) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 382,
DeWitt JB 1856-5
Auctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 81:297, PCA 82:141
1865 McClellan (George B.) Blessings of Peace Medal,
GMcC 1864-35 muled with Bridgens Storecard). . . . .
M E D A L S
cannon die by William H. Key; rev Eight Presidents obv
Baker 221 by Bridgens) . . . . . Baker 381, DeWitt JB 1856-3
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 71:173
1856 Buchanan (James) and Eight Presidents Medal (obv by
William H. Key, rev by Bridgens) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 382,
DeWitt JB 1856-5
Auctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 81:297, PCA 82:141
1865 McClellan (George B.) Blessings of Peace Medal,
GMcC 1864-35 muled with Bridgens Storecard). . . . .
M E D A L S
1840 Eight Presidents Medal (varieties with, without
signature; wreath rev) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 221, Eidlitz 558
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . BMP 2:6013; CAL 29:788; J&J 7:308,
J&J 25:316; PCA 58:238, PCA 60:170, PCA 62:174,
PCA 63:263, PCA 64:195, PCA 71:149, PCA 74:288-289,
PCA 81:234, PCA 82:126, PCA 78:71
Illustrated: N33 {1998} Bowers, Am Numismatics, page. 153
1840ca Washington (George) and Harrison (William Henry)
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Douglas 229
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 14:662
1850ca School Reward of Merit Medal. . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:2; PCA 67:819
1860ca Our Next President and Boy With Dog Mule Medal
(Joseph Levine called this a nonsensical muling) . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 47:1886
1860ca Bridgens (William H) New York City Storecard (\with
inscription: MONEY MAKES THE MARE GO). . . Rulau 630J-4b
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 46:61
Illustrated: N33 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p . 63
1863 Agens (J.L.) Newark New Jersey Storecard . . Baker 508,
Fuld NJ 555A-3e
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 45:587
1863 Bridgens (William H) Storecard Baker 516, Rulau 630J-2a
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 45:111, PCA 48:70
Illustrated: M57 {2007} Jaeger-Bowers,100 Greatest #16
1863 Ivory (T.) Brooklyn New York Storecard . . . Baker 547,
Fuld NY 95D-2
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 44:606
1865ca McClellan (George B.) Bridgens Diesinker Storecard
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 60:93
Illustrated: N33 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p . 62
1865ca Pope (John) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 60:94
T O K E N S
1861 Knickerbocker Currency One Cent Token. . . . . Baker 466,
Fuld 255/390
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 44:564
Illustrated: N33 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p . 63
1863 Ellwood (I.L.) De Kalb Illinois Token . . . . Baker 533,
Fuld IL 200A-1
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 44:598
1864ca Skidmore's Hotel Seneca Falls New York Storecard
(good for one, eagle holding a cigar). . . Rulau 845A-1a
Illustrated: N33 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p . 59
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
signature; wreath rev) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 221, Eidlitz 558
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . BMP 2:6013; CAL 29:788; J&J 7:308,
J&J 25:316; PCA 58:238, PCA 60:170, PCA 62:174,
PCA 63:263, PCA 64:195, PCA 71:149, PCA 74:288-289,
PCA 81:234, PCA 82:126, PCA 78:71
Illustrated: N33 {1998} Bowers, Am Numismatics, page. 153
1840ca Washington (George) and Harrison (William Henry)
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Douglas 229
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 14:662
1850ca School Reward of Merit Medal. . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:2; PCA 67:819
1860ca Our Next President and Boy With Dog Mule Medal
(Joseph Levine called this a nonsensical muling) . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 47:1886
1860ca Bridgens (William H) New York City Storecard (\with
inscription: MONEY MAKES THE MARE GO). . . Rulau 630J-4b
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 46:61
Illustrated: N33 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p . 63
1863 Agens (J.L.) Newark New Jersey Storecard . . Baker 508,
Fuld NJ 555A-3e
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 45:587
1863 Bridgens (William H) Storecard Baker 516, Rulau 630J-2a
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 45:111, PCA 48:70
Illustrated: M57 {2007} Jaeger-Bowers,100 Greatest #16
1863 Ivory (T.) Brooklyn New York Storecard . . . Baker 547,
Fuld NY 95D-2
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 44:606
1865ca McClellan (George B.) Bridgens Diesinker Storecard
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 60:93
Illustrated: N33 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p . 62
1865ca Pope (John) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 60:94
T O K E N S
1861 Knickerbocker Currency One Cent Token. . . . . Baker 466,
Fuld 255/390
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 44:564
Illustrated: N33 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p . 63
1863 Ellwood (I.L.) De Kalb Illinois Token . . . . Baker 533,
Fuld IL 200A-1
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 44:598
1864ca Skidmore's Hotel Seneca Falls New York Storecard
(good for one, eagle holding a cigar). . . Rulau 845A-1a
Illustrated: N33 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p . 59
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1856 Eight Presidents Mule (obv by Key of Baker 381, rev
Bridgens Eight Presidents Baker 221) . . . . . . . Baker 382
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 44:71
A R C H I V E S
DS Schenkman (David) Engravers, Diesinkers Databank.
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 80.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:439.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 1:282.
M12 {1927} Eidlitz 558.
S7 {1949} Douglas 229.
S11 {1959} DeWitt JB 1856-3, p 152-153.
E10 {1970} Gladfelter. Civil War Die Sinkers. Journal of the Civil War Token Society
4:2 (Summer 1970) p 8; 12:4 (Winter 1978) p 132.
Pn {1978} Gladfelter. Bridgens: Buseman On a Holiday. The Copperhead Courier 12:4
(Winter 1978) p 119-121.
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 221, 221K, p 101; 381, 382 181; 516 263.
N33 {1998} Bowers, passim.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog of U.S. Tokens, 192, 348; 630J-2a 395, 845A-1a 399.
S60 {2001} Rulau. Hard Times Tokens, p 15.
N36 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p 59-66 (Skidmore's Hotel Seneca Falls New
York storecard), 131.
M57 {2007} Jaeger (Katherine) and Bowers (Q. David) 100 Greatest American Medals
and Tokens. 1863 Bridgens (William H) Storecard among storecards listed as
#16, p 27.
Mss Smith (Pete) Private Mints in North America.
Bridgens Eight Presidents Baker 221) . . . . . . . Baker 382
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 44:71
A R C H I V E S
DS Schenkman (David) Engravers, Diesinkers Databank.
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 80.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:439.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 1:282.
M12 {1927} Eidlitz 558.
S7 {1949} Douglas 229.
S11 {1959} DeWitt JB 1856-3, p 152-153.
E10 {1970} Gladfelter. Civil War Die Sinkers. Journal of the Civil War Token Society
4:2 (Summer 1970) p 8; 12:4 (Winter 1978) p 132.
Pn {1978} Gladfelter. Bridgens: Buseman On a Holiday. The Copperhead Courier 12:4
(Winter 1978) p 119-121.
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 221, 221K, p 101; 381, 382 181; 516 263.
N33 {1998} Bowers, passim.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog of U.S. Tokens, 192, 348; 630J-2a 395, 845A-1a 399.
S60 {2001} Rulau. Hard Times Tokens, p 15.
N36 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p 59-66 (Skidmore's Hotel Seneca Falls New
York storecard), 131.
M57 {2007} Jaeger (Katherine) and Bowers (Q. David) 100 Greatest American Medals
and Tokens. 1863 Bridgens (William H) Storecard among storecards listed as
#16, p 27.
Mss Smith (Pete) Private Mints in North America.