TOKENS, MEDALS, AND OTHER NEAT STUFF!

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RARE WOODEN MONEY FROM MEXICO

This wooden Hacienda token was issued by the Trancoso Hacienda in the 19th century.  The Trancoso was one of the largest and most important haciendas in Zacatecas state of Mexico. It was founded with Spanish land grants between 1670 and 1680 as a cattle ranch.  It covered over 55 square miles (145 sq.km.).  In the 19th century it became one of the largest wool exporters in Latin America. Like many haciendas of that era it a was engaged in wide range enterprises including growing grain, animal husbandry, a distillery and a church.  It fell on hard times after the 1910-1920 Mexican Revolution, resulting in violent conflicts between the owners and peasants. Eventually the land was expropriated and much of it given to families who lived on the Hacienda.  Today the municipality of Trancoso oversees what was the hacienda.   The church and the grand buildings that were part of the hacienda still stand, though many have been vandalized in recent years.  Most hacienda tokens are metal. This unusual piece was made of Mesquite wood.  It is about 26 to 28mm. One side is branded with Trancoso Hacienda's brand, the other side is blank.As was common for Hacienda tokens, it was denominated for a unit of work. This was for sheering one sheep.  Like many hacienda tokens, it circulated as money in the area.  It is an unusual and historic piece of money.  We also have a few much scarcer, slightly larger (28-30mm) tokens that are branded with a crude "5" on the back which were given for sheering five sheep.   

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ADMIRAL GRAU MONUMENT TOKEN FROM PERU

Admiral Miguel Grau is one of Peru's most honored heroes.  As captain of the Huáscar, during the War of The Pacific between Peru and Bolivia against Chile repeatedly attacked the vastly superior Chilean navy. He severely disrupted the Chilean lines of supply and communication, capturing or damaging a number of Chilean vessels. He was called the "Gentleman of the Seas" for his chivalrous treatment of his enemies.  He was killed in action and his ship captured in the Battle of Angamos on October 1879.  In 1934 Peru decided to build monuments to Grau in Lima and Piura, the city where he was born.  This copper 20 Centavos token was struck to help raise funds to build the monuments. The 20mm token features the arms of Peru and the legend "FONDOS PRO MONUMENTOS GRAU" (Money for Grau Monument). The other side features the denomination and the date October 8, 1935. 

Also see:
ADMIRAL GRAU ON PERUVIAN COINS:  6 COIN SET 5 CENTIMOS - 5 INTIS 1985-88

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PERUVIAN SILVER MEDAL CLAIMS PART OF CHILE!

Peruvian dictator Augusto Bernardino Leguia issued this silver medalette as part of Peru’s Fiestas Patrias Great Military Parade Day in 1925. The medalette calls for the return of El Morro Arica, which Peru lost to Chile, along with the surrounding territory, 45 years earlier in the War of the Pacific. Since then the two nations had numerous unfruitful negotiations over the status of the territories. Recovery of the lost territory had long been a rallying point for Peruvian politicians. The obverse depicts the coastal mountain El Morro Arica. It is the most recognizable landmark in the area. Above it is the legend “RECUPERAR EL MORRO” (Recover El Morro) and “A.B.LEGUIA”. . In exergue is the date of the event:“29 JULIO 1925” The reverse has the legend “JUNTA PATRIOTICA NACIONAL”. In 1929 the two nations finally came to a formal agreement, El Morro and Arica province remained part of Chile. The 22.8mm silver medal weighs 5.5 grams and was made with a small hole at the top in order to suspend it from a hanger or ribbon. The medalette is Uncirculated, though may show some slight friction or bag marks. It is an unusual and rarely seen piece.

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MYSTERIOUS OLD EGYPTIAN CAFE TOKEN FROM ALEXANDERIA

This mysterious, old cafe token was issued by G. Petros for the Café Espérance in Alexanderia, Egypt, probably sometime between World War I and World War II.  At the time Alexandria was a major cosmopolitan center, attracting traders, businessmen, and spies from throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The brass token has a scalloped edge and is denominated as "1",  but no-one is quite sure what the "1" signifies..  It could be one cup of coffee or tea.  If issued during the 1920’s might be 1 Millieme, which would have been useful to make change for small purchases.  On the other hand it is similar in size and shape to the 1 Piastre (10 Milliemes) coins of the 1930’s.  Either way, it is a scarce and interesting token from an intriguing location.

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MALACCA FIGHTING COCK TOKEN 

The origins of the cock or rooster token is a bit obscure.  The copper 1 Keping tokens were minted in England for merchants in Singapore for use in Malacca and other parts of Malaya.  The Standard Catalog of World Coins lists them under Malay Peninsula - Malacca, though other references sometimes catalog them under Singapore.  The obverse of the 21mm copper token features a fighting cock and the legend "the land of the Malays" in Malaysian.  The reverse has the denomination and the AH date 1247 which corresponds to 1831AD.  The tokens circulated widely around Singapore and Malaya until the introduction of Straits Settlements coinage in 1845. 

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RARE OTTOMAN EMPIRE CHRISTIAN CHURCH TOKEN

This very thin, uniface, brass token was struck by the St. Gregory the Theologian Church in Gelveri, Cappadocia (modern Güzelyurt, Turkey).  The 20 Para token is dated 1888.  The token was struck by the Cappadocian Greeks of central Anatolia to compensate for a shortage of low value coinage in the late Ottoman Empire. The name and location of the church is inscribed in the outer circle of the coin. The center includes the denomination "20" in both Latin and Arabic numerals.  A crude rendering of a dove is above and the date is below. In 1923, after the end of the Greco-Turkish war, the Greek Orthodox population of Gelveri were expelled from their homeland where they had lived for centuries and sent to Greece.  In exchange, Muslims, who had lived in Greece for centuries, were expelled and sent to Gelveri.  The church was then converted to a mosque.

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BREAD TOKEN FROM DOWN UNDER

This aluminum token was good for “One Loaf” of bread at  "A. Roderick’s Pioneer Bakery" in Pelaw Main, New South Wales, Australia.  The token was apparently used around the late 1920’s to early 1930’s.  At that time a 4 pound loaf of bread (about 2kg. – they had big loaves back then) sold for 4 to 5 pence.  Pelaw Main is a village that owes its origins to a nearby coal mine with the same name. The 27mm aluminum token was made with a center hole. 

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AMSTERDAM 700th ANNIVERSARY FLORIN

This 1 Florin token was issued in 1975 as part of Amsterdam's 700th Anniversary celebration.  . Amsterdam started as a fishing village around a dam in the Amstel river at the end of the 12th century.  One side of the 22mm copper-nickel token features the city's coat-of-arms.  The other has the legends "1275 1975 // MOKUM // 700 // FLORIJN" and the three crosses from city's arms. Mokum is a slang name for Amsterdam. 

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TEA STALL TOKEN FROM INDIA

One side of this unusual oblong 27.5mm x 17mm copper token has the legends "TEA STALL * H.M. * LTD. INDORE",  the other side depicts the number "4" on a teacup.  The token is attributed as a 4 Anna token issued by Hukumchand Mills in Indore, India.  The token was probably used in the company canteen sometime between the 1930’s and 1950’s.  Hukumchand Mills was a large cotton mill that went bankrupt and closed down in 1991, owing wages and benefits to some 6000 workers.  Since then the mill has been torn down. Attempts have been made to sell the land to provide funds to pay the workers, however disputes between various government agencies has prevented the sale of the land.  After 25 years, the workers have still not been paid and the case drags on in court.

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ISRAEL TELEPHONE TOKEN  

For many years, Israel required tokens to operate their public telephones.  The tokens made it easy to raise prices and helped cut down on slugs beings.  This Israeli telephone token, called an Asimon, was issued by the Israel Post.  One side is dated 1966 in Hebrew and has the world “telephone” in Hebrew and Arabic.  A deep slot and a center hole is incorporated into the token to prevent regular coins or slugs from being used in the telephone.  The other side features a telephone dial.

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400th ANNIVERSARY OF BERMUDA’S HOGGE MONEY

To honor the 400th anniversary of Bermuda’s Hogge Money, numismatist Mel Wacks produced this counterstamped 2016 United States Kennedy Half Dollar depicting a Hogge 6 Pence.  Hogge Money was the first coinage for any English-speaking region in the New World and is the first coin listed in the standard reference known as the "Red Book".  Hogge Money coins were made in London for use in the newly established Plantation of Somer Islands, now known as Bermuda.  The crudely made 2, 3, 6, and 12-pence coins were issued in 1616. The coins all depict a wild hog which was found in abundance on the island.   The pigs may have originally escaped from the shipwreck of Juan de Bermudez in 1532.  Only 200 counterstamped coins were produced.  Though they are almost as scarce as the original Hogge Money, they are a lot more affordable.  The counterstamped coin comes with a gift pouch and a descriptive Certificate of Authenticity.  Also available is a Bermuda cent which depicts the famous hog design on the reverse, and Queen Elizabeth on the obverse.

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SEX EUROS 

These fun fantasy coins are  well made spoofs on the Euro coin.  One side of the 32mm bimetallic "coin" depicts a couple enjoying each other.  The other side is based on the map of Europe design found on Euro coins, however the piece is denominated as "6 Sex Euros".  The rather unusual piece comes in a plastic capsule.  We can supply single Sex Euros, a set of 7 different (one for each day of the week?) or a set of 34 different (one for each day of the month and two on Sunday?).  Exact designs will be our choice.  They are fun pieces that can be used as a gag gift, in a bachelor party, or just an unusual bi-metallic to be added to your collection.

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COINS OF CASCADIA

The Cascadia independence movement encompasses the bioregion of the Pacific Northwest.  It incorporates all of or parts of southern Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Northern California.  The region has long had independence movements, going back to some of the earliest European settlers in the early 19th century.  Recently Smallforest, a private mint in Oregon, struck two small undated silver coins for Cascadia.  The undated coins follow the designs and format of the firms' previous Higley silver medalettes.  Both coins feature a deer on the obverse and the legend "CASCADIA".  The reverse of the 1 Tomahawk Doe pictures 1 tomahawk, is struck in sterling silver, has 1 gram of actual silver weight, has the legend "I AM GOOD SILVER" on the reverse and has a reeded edge.  The 2 Tomahawk Buck contains 1 Pennyweight of silver, portrays 2 tomahawks on the reverse, has the legend "I CUT TO VALUE" and a plain edge.  The coins were overstruck on Franklin Mint medalettes and some ghosting from the original design may be noticeable.  Though the coins are Uncirculated, they tend to be somewhat toned.

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2019 PISMO CLAM MONEY

The Newman Numismatic Portal recently published an excellent paper by Joshua Smith "The California Clam Shell Scrip Currency of 1933".  It is available free on the Newman Numismatic Portal at:  https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/573710

After meeting with author Joshua Smith while he was doing research on Pismo Clam Money, Games Exchange owner Tony Warino and professional numismatist Joel Anderson decided it was time to do another Pismo Clam Money issue.  Tony wanted to use the Pismo Clam Money as a unique form of gift certificate.  Joel received requests for examples of their 2013 issue of Pismo Clam Money, which had sold out long ago.   Tony requested the shells be denominated at $20, as that was the most popular amount for gift certificates in his store.  In October 2019 an issue of 20 Pismo Clam Shells, denominated at $20 each, were created by local artist Sarah Chapman Renner, who drew the previous 2013 issues.  Shells were numbered 101 to 121.  Like the original clam shell money, each is hand drawn, hand signed and individually numbered.  Each has a different design. The shells are approximately 4.5 inches (11.5cm) wide.  We offer examples of this unusual Pismo Clam Money at its face value of $20.

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OLD INDIAN TRADER TOKENS FROM MICHIGAN

William Shurtleff ran an Indian trading post in Cross Village, Michigan from 1893 until his death in 1904.  He spoke the Indian languages and did a thriving business trading general merchandise and grocery items such as flour, lard, salt pork, sugar, kerosene and tobacco for craft articles made by the local Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.  He then wholesaled the craft articles to tourist destinations such as Mackinaw Island, Atlantic City, and Saranac Lake.  Cross Village is located at the northern end of the lower Michigan peninsula.  He issued two sets of tokens for his store. The tokens had the denomination on one side and inscriptions on the other.  The first set consisted of a blue 5 cents, red 10 cents and yellow 25 cents cardboard tokens with the inscription "THIS CHECK IS GOOD FOR ___ IN GOODS AT THE STORE OF WILL M. SHURTLEFF, GENERAL MERCHANDISE, CROSS VILLAGE, MICH,". The cardboard tokens did not wear well, so a set of aluminum 5, 10 and 50 Cent tokens were issued.  They have the inscription "W.M. SHURTLEFF  THE HUSTLER  CROSS VILLAGE MICH."  We are pleased to offer both sets of these old, rare Michigan Indian trader tokens.

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INDIAN ON OAKLAND COUNTY MICHIGAN MEDAL

An Indian is featured on this attractive high relief bronze medal from Oakland County, Michigan. The county is located northwest of Detroit.  The medal was issued in 1970 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the county.  The reverse depicts the county seal which features an oak tree.   The 39 mm medal has an "antiqued" finish.  

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MULLIGAN MINT - AOCS 1 TROY OUNCE COPPER ROUNDS

The American Open Currency Standard (AOCS) and the closely related Mulligan Mint of Texas were libertarian oriented firms that encouraged alternative local monetary systems based on gold, silver and copper.  The creators of the AOCS decided to open their own mint, called the Mulligan Mint. It opened in 2012 and declared bankruptcy and closed in 2013 after a nasty dispute between two founders, the mysterious disappearance 71,473 ounces of silver and multiple lawsuits.  We have a selection of different of 1 avoirdupois ounce copper American Open Currency Standard medallions which were produced by AOCS or Mulligan Mint during its short-lived existence.  They were valued at "2 Units" each by AOCS standards, which was equivalent to 1 ounce of pure copper.   They are an interesting reminder of a failed alternative hard currency systems.

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ELONGATED CENTS

Elongated cents, or rolled cents, are a popular and inexpensive collectible.  Machines allowing visitors to make their own souvenir "stretched pennies" are available at many tourist sites. We recently acquired a hoard of elongated cents.  Most were issued for various coin shows.  Every lot is different, however there is much duplication between lots.

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TRUMP CURRENCY

Since his election various groups have issued high denomination fantasy notes picturing Trump.  For Trump haters we have a 4 Billion Dollars note that features un-flattering portraits of the President and political jokes.  For Trump lovers we have a 1 Million Dollars “Commander in Chief” note.  For the religious minded we have a 1 Billion Dollars “Make America Great Again - Repentance Note” with Bible verses on the back.  Notes are the size of U.S. currency.

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NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY CHALLENGE COIN

The National Security Agency is a top secret organization in the United States government which gathers, processes and analyzes communications around the world.  Recently they have been scrutinized for monitoring personal communications far beyond the scope of what most Americans were led to believe.  This 40mm, multi-color, National Security Agency Challenge Coin features the organizations emblem in color on one side, and the Great Seal of the United States on the other.    Challenge Coins are widely used in the United States military and other government agencies and organizations.  The medals usually bear the organizations insignia and are carried by members of the organization or presented in recognition of special achievements or visits by dignitaries.  So, where did we manage to obtain challenge coins from this clandestine spy agency?  From China, of course.

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ARMY AND AIR FORCE EXCHANGE (AAFES) POG "COINS"

The Army and Air Force Exchange Services, commonly known as AAFES or just the Exchange, provides goods, services and fast food to members of the United States armed forces and their families throughout the world.  Prices are often lower than those found in nearby communities and most of the profits go to support the military's Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs.   Because of the cost and difficulty in supplying coins to bases in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Middle East the AAFES produced these POG coins.  They are issued in the denominations of 5 cents, 10 cents and 25 cents and are printed on thin colorful 40mm plastic discs.  To avoid legal difficulties against issuing currency, the POGs are labeled as "Gift Certificates". The obverse has the denomination and the words "AAFES GIFT CERTIFICATE".   The POGS are issued in series, with a dozen or more reverse designs issued for each denomination for each series.   Since about 2003 each series has been dated.   Though they are only issued at forward bases, they may be redeemed at any AAFES facility. The POGS are listed in the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money, Specialized Issues. They are a fascinating but little known military currency collectible. 

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BRITISH NAAFI POG SETS

NAAFI (The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) was organized by the British government to run shops, clubs, bars, supermarkets, restaurants, recreational facilities and other facilities for servicemen and their families on British military bases and aboard Royal Navy ships.  It serves basically the same function of as the AAFES Exchanges do for United States forces. In war zones NAAFI facilities are usually operated as Expeditionary Force Institutes (EFI), thus the POGS reference both acronyms.  These POG coins were created for use in on British bases in Afghanistan and are denominated in United States Dollars. Three denominations were issued:  a green 5 Cents, orange 10 cents and blue 25 cents, all printed on thin, coated cardboard.  The front has the denomination, date and the legends "NAAFI Gift Certificate” and "Valid and redeemable in any EFI facility trading in US Dollars".   The 2010 issue commemorates the 90th anniversary of NAAFI.  The back of 5 Cents shows a NAAFI wagon in Afghanistan, the 10 Cents shows a World War II NAAFI wagon and the 25 Cents has the NAAFI 90th anniversary emblem.  The 2011, 2012 and 2013 issues all have the same design on all three denominations featuring the NAAFI emblem on the back.  This series came to an end in 2013 with the withdrawal of the remaining British forces from Afghanistan. Most remaining NAFFI POGs were destroyed, making the difficult to find today. We offer the sets of NAAFI/EFI POGS by date.

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CASINO DOLLAR SLOT MACHINE TOKENS 

With the disappearance of the silver dollar from circulation in the 1960’s, casinos began to issue their own Dollar tokens for use in slot machines.  Issues expanded as slot machines became legal in more jurisdictions across the United States and they have become a popular collectible.  Now that most casinos have switched to using tickets or cards rather than coins, the tokens are getting difficult to find.  We have assembled groups of all different Dollar slot machine tokens.  Most are from northern Nevada.  All lots contiain pretty much the same 10 tokens.

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HISTORIC CALIFORNIA BICENTENNIAL MEDAL

San Jose’s La Fiesta de Las Rosas celebration began in 1896. It was originally modeled after Pasadena’s Rose Parade as a way to bring tourists into town. It developed into a week long festival that celebrated San Jose as a "garden city", the areas rich agriculture and the community’s Spanish heritage. San Jose was founded in 1777 as the first Spanish civil settlement in what is now California. Over the years, the celebration had its ups and downs. In 1901 President William McKinley attended the festivities. In the 1920’s and 1930’s the festival had nationwide fame and brought thousands of visitors into San Jose.

In 1969 an attempt was made to revive the once popular festival. Preparations were made and a commemorative medal was struck for the upcoming event. Mexican-Americans in the community objected to the festival, claiming that the festival ignored the city’s Mexican heritage, honored the conquistadores who enslaved the natives of Mexico, and thought the money could be better used for improving the community. A riot broke out which left dozens injured and 23 arrested. (Remember this was the late 1960’s - protests and riots were regular events.) The festival was permanently canceled, though since then there have been occasional efforts to bring back a similar event under a different name.

The 32mm oxidized bronze medal commemorates a number of events loosely connected to the Fiesta de Las Rosas. One side depicts a map of California featuring San Jose, with the legend "SAN JOSE FIRST STATE CAPITAL / SANTA CLARA COUNTY" around the rim. To the right of the map is the legend "THIS COIN / CONTAINS / COPPER LEFT BY / EARLY SPANISH / EXPEDITION, / FOUND ON / OLD MISSION / GROUNDS, / SANTA CLARA. " The other side commemorates the 200th Anniversary of the first European land exploration of California by Gaspar de Portolá and Father Junipero Serra. Portolá is depicted on a horse, with Father Serra walking behind him. Below them is the legend "PORTOLA EXPEDITION" and the dates 1769 and 1969 separated by a rose. The legend "CALIFORNIA BICENTENNIAL / LA FIESTA DE LAS ROSAS" is around the rim. Thus it is a medal containing copper from the early Spanish expedition that commemorates the 1969 Fiesta De Las Rosas, the Portolá Expedition, California Bicentennial and San Jose as the California’s first state capital.

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1939 GOLDEN GATE INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD MEDAL

The 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition was a World's Fair held on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. One side of this 32mm aluminum medal features the official seal of the Exposition, which incorporates the newly constructed San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge and the 400 foot "Tower of the Sun". The other side of the medal features both a steam and diesel-electric locomotive engine and the logo of the Union Pacific Railroad. The legend around the rim reads "ROAD OF THE STREAMLINERS AND THE CHALLENGERS" "UNION PACIFIC" . Below the Union Pacific Shield is the legend "ALUMINUM IN THESE / FAMOUS TRAINS / FURNISHED BY / ALUMINUM COMPANY OF AMERICA". The Streamliner was a streamlined light-weight diesel-electric passenger locomotive that was introduced in 1934. The Challenger was a huge articulated 4-6-6-4 steam locomotive that was introduced in 1936. It was nearly 122 feet (37 meters) long and weighed more than a million pounds (450,000 kg.). This medal has long been popular with train buffs, world's fair collectors. as well as numismatists. It is in Uncirculated condition. I have seen this offered elsewhere for as much as $45 each. Our price is MUCH less for this popular and attractive medal.

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END OF A MIRACLE IN TITUSVILLE FLORIDA 

The Miracle City Mall was a large (275,000 square feet - 25,500 m2) indoor shopping mall in Titusville, Florida.  Built in 1969, it was the closest shopping mall to the Kennedy Space Center.  It thrived for years; however with the recession, the end of the Space Shuttle program and changes in shopping habits, the aging mall lost its tenants and was closed in January 2013.  It soon became an empty eyesore.  In 2015 the Mall was demolished and construction of new shopping center, named Titus Landing, was begun on the site.  A 39mm aluminum medal was issued to commemorate the transition.  One side depicts the old Miracle City Mall sign, and the dates 1969-2015.  The other features the logo of the new Titus Landing center.  Both sides bear the name of the city, Titusville Florida.

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ELONGATED TOKENS CELEBRATE OUR 40th ANNIVERSARY IN THE COIN BUSINESS

2010 marked our 40th anniversary of selling coins by mail (Internet did not exist way back then). To celebrate the event we created two elongated (rolled) coins utilizing some of the tokens we had struck for our 25th anniversary in the coin business. One rolled token is good for $4.00 in trade and was created from our good for $2.50 in trade token. The other is a Good for $1.40 in trade, rolled from our good for 50c in trade token. Both tokens feature our cash coin logo, and our address and "40TH ANNIVERSARY 1970-2010". The tokens were created by Oded Paz, utilizing a special process that kept much of the relief of the underlying design on the reverse, so our cash coin logo and old Merced mailing address is plainly visible on the reverse. Approximately 200 of each type were minted. We offer the tokens at their face value. They may be redeemed at any time for merchandise from our website, catalogs or at our table at coin shows that we attend.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER CALIFORNIA STATE QUARTERS

We have two versions of the California State Quarters featuring the former "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger. Famed moved actor and body builder Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected Governor of California in an unprecedented special recall election which saw Governor Grey Davis removed. One coin features Arnold holding former Governor Davis by the neck. Davis was recalled in the election in which Arnold was elected. The other California quarter is labeled Cruz Control, after Arnold Schwarzenegger's main Democratic opponent in the recall election. It shows Arnold punching his opponent Cruz Bustamante. Both coins are dated 2005, the year the actual California state quarter was released. The coins were struck on actual United States quarters, to avoid anti-counterfeiting laws. The obverse features the George Washington head found the regular state quarters.

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BERMANIA TICKLE TOKEN

Bermania is a fantasy kingdom created by coin dealer Allen G. Berman. Its latest numismatic item is the Tickle Token. It is modeled after the medieval English Touch Pieces. In the 17th Century English Kings would bless sufferers of scrofula by touching them with coins. The touch coins were modeled after the gold Angel: one side featured the Archangel Michael and a ship was on the other. Each piece was personally bestowed by the monarch. Word of this got around to Bermania, where it was believed that a tickle by the king would cure glumness. These tokens were sold those seeking admission to the Royal Tickle Ceremony of King Placebus I of Bermania. One side pictures an angel tickling a dragon with a giant feather. The other depicts the Bermanian Pirate ship Soggy Bear. The 27mm copper token is Brilliant Uncirculated. Even if you don’t get tickled, it is good for a laugh.

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LATVIAN LOTTERY TICKETS

When we buy collections and dealers stock, we sometimes end up with some strange material. Somehow we ended up with hundreds of used (and I assume losing) lottery tickets from Latvia, dating from the late 1950's and early 1990's. At this time Latvia was under control of the USSR. What I cannot understand is why a communist country in which everyone is supposed to be equal would have a lottery, which promotes inequality by producing a few rich winners at the expense of many losers. Anyway, the tickets are fun, colorful, and make both an interesting and inexpensive collection and an unusual gift for any avid lottery player.

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MISSOURI OZARK STRAWBERRY PICKERS CHITS 

These cardboard tokens were used to pay strawberry pickers in the Missouri Ozarks from the early 1900’s until about 1940. The chits are usually denominated in quantities of berries and show the issuing company. Workers received the chits as the berries were picked, and could redeem them later for pay. Because cardboard does not last long, few of these chits survived. Recently we purchased part of a hoard of these scarce and interesting pieces of history.

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Also See:

BI-METALLIC BOOTLEGGER DOLLAR FROM ALCATRAZ
MAUI TRADE DOLLARS
LEPER COLONY COINS FROM COLOMBIA

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Email: orders@joelscoins.com

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