TOKENS, MEDALS, AND OTHER NEAT STUFF!
STOCK
& BOND CERTIFICATES HAVE MOVED TO THEIR OWN PAGE
BOOKS ABOUT TOKENS AND MEDALS
UNUSUAL PORTRAIT
COSTA RICAN COFFEE PLANTATION TOKEN
Most
plantation tokens tended to have rather simple designs consisting of
just lettering and maybe a simple image. This unusual token of the
Sociedad Alvarado-Chacon features a good portrait of the owner Santiago
Alvarado Ramírez, who lived from 1841 until 1933. The
Sociedad was a holding company for his eight coffee plantations Costa
Rica that all used this token. The 26mm brass token is
denominated as 1 Real. Though Costa Rica officially stopped
using Reals in 1865 when they switched to a decimal system, plantations
continued to pay their workers in Reals, with 1 Real worth 1/8 of a
Colon. The tokens are somewhat corroded and have been
cleaned.
Item
CR-SLVARADO COSTA RICA 1 REAL SOCIEDAD
ALVARADO-CHACON VG-F-corr. $10.00
THE RAMATANKA
(INDIAN TEMPLE TOKEN)
Ramatanka
are a type of temple tokens tha, were made in
India between the mid-19th and mid-20th Century. The
privately minted tokens were sold or distributed at temples and
bazaars. They were often given as gifts and would be treasured by
families. Most are made from brass or silver-plated brass and
tend to be crudely engraved. The most common types featured a scene
from the ancient Hindu epoch poem called the Ramayana on the
obverse. It depicts Rama and his wife Sita, seated on a
platform, holding court (Durbar). To their right are their
sons Kusha and Lava. An attendant holding a parasol is on their
left. Beneath is Hanuman, the monkey god. The coins
often bear a false date, making some believe they are quite old.
The date has nothing to do when the token was
actually struck, but instead has a numerical significance.
After
World War
II the use of the Rama Tankas died out.
Item
IN-TT INDIA RAMATANKA TEMPLE TOKEN
VF-crude $5.00
1838
SCOTTISH
COMMUNION TOKEN
Many
churches in Scotland and England would hold Holy Communion only
once a year or less. Only those deemed worthy were allowed to partake.
Those worthy were given a special token, which had to be presented in
order to take communion. Being worthy was often
associated with financial contributions. This communion token
dated 1838 was issued by the Established Church of Scotland in the
small village of Monzie in Perthshire in central Scotland.
Today little remains of Monzie other than a castle, some Bed and
Breakfasts and the church which no longer holds regular
services. The 29mm x 19mm pewter token has “MONZIE” on one
side and the date on the other. In 1843 the minister and a
majority of the members of the Monzie Church resigned in order to form
the Monzie Free Church, taking part in The Great Disruption.
The Free Church of Scotland broke away from the Church of Scotland
because of their opposition to the power of local landowners having the
right to appoint the ministers to a parish
Item
MONZIE MONZIE, SCOTLAND COMMUNION TOKEN 1838,
Burz.4972,
Cress. 4378, XF $15.00
Item
MONZIEx5
5 of the above MONZIE, SCOTLAND COMMUNION TOKENS 1838,
XF $49.75
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.
Item
IL-PHONE
ISRAEL TELEPHONE TOKEN 1966 VF $3.00
WWII CANADIAN
MEAT RATION TOKEN
Meat
was rationed in Canada during World War II. Families received
a ration booklet which allowed them to purchase a limited quantity of
rationed goods, including tea, coffee, sugar, butter, booze and meat
each week. Each weekly meat ration coupon was good for 2
pounds of meat. The problem was that many did not have
refrigeration at home, so they would either forfeit the whole coupon
for a lesser amount of meat, or buy their full amount and risk it going
bad before it could be used. In 1945 the Canadian government
finally wised up and issued meat ration tokens that were good for a
lesser quantity of meat. Each token was worth 1/8 of a meat ration
coupon (1/4 pound of meat), so if someone bought less than their full
ration of meat the tokens could be given out to be used
later. If one bought half their weekly ration of meat, they
would receive four tokens for later use. The 22mm blue token
is struck on a heavy blue cardboard with a center hole. Both sides have
the same design with the words "
CANADA
- RATION MEAT - VIANDE" and two
maple leaves.
Item
CA-MEAT
CANADA WWII MEAT RATION TOKEN, UNC.
$3.00
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.
Item
MX-TRANCOSO TRANCOSO WOODEN
HACIENDA TOKEN, Zac-13 VF
$24.00
Item
MX-TRANCOSO5 TRANCOSO VALUE 5 WOODEN
HACIENDA TOKEN, VF
$49.00
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.
Item PE-GRAUTKN PERU 20 CENTAVOS GRAU
MONUMENT TOKEN 1935
AU-UNC $7.50
Also see:
ADMIRAL GRAU ON PERUVIAN COINS: 6
COIN SET 5 CENTIMOS - 5 INTIS
1985-88
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.
Item
EG-CAFE
CAFE ESPERANCE, ALEXANDERIA, EGYPT TOKEN, VF $19.75
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.
Item IN-TEA
INDIA TEA STALL TOKEN, HUKUMCHAND MILLS, LTD.
INDORE. Fine
$8.00
ORIGINAL APOLLO 11
MOON LANDING
MEDAL
On
May 25, 1961, President Kennedy set the goal of "landing a man on the
Moon and returning him safely to the Earth". This was fulfilled eight
years later, on July 20, 1969. I was at the Boy Scout
National Jamboree in Idaho on that day. In 2005
President George W. Bush set the goal of returning to the moon no later
than 2020. This still has not been accomplished 17 years
later despite having better materials, computers and
technology. It seems America has lost its mojo.
Important
ventures are delayed or killed by a thousand cuts from bureaucrats,
politicians and excessive regulation. This 35mm
aluminum medal was struck for sale in Canada shortly after the Apollo
11 moon landing. The obverse features the busts of astronauts
Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins. The reverse depicts the Lunar Module on
the moon and the legend “
THE
FIRST MEN ON THE MOON” “
JULY 20, 1969” in
both English and French. It is a memento of an historic event
that took place over half a century ago.
Item
APOLLO11 APOLLO 11 FIRST MEN ON THE MOON
MEDAL $3.00
ALSO SEE:
FIRST MAN ON THE MOON COIN FROM ASCENSION: 1
Crown 2019
GOLDBACK NOTES
Goldback Aurum notes are a voluntary local currency made of 24 karat
gold! Each wafer-thin note is coated with a protective plastic coating
so it can be circulated without the gold tearing. They are issued in
increments of 1/1000 troy ounce of gold in order to allow for small
purchases. Each 1 Goldback note contains 1/1000 troy ounce of gold and
measures 66x117mm. The notes are printed on one side only,
with intricate multi-color allegorical 19th century style
designs. In 2023 South Dakota became the fifth state to have
a Goldback note. The 2023 South Dakota note depicts Pax or Peace as a
Lakota Sioux woman in traditional regalia performing the hoop
dance. Also in the design is Bear Butte, a sacred mountain
also known as Mato Paha, an eagle, buffalo, wolf, a traditional Cancega
drum and a Prairie Crocus. Also available are the
2023 issues from Wyoming, New Hampshire, Utah and Nevada and
a few prior year issues. The designs for each state are
unchanged year to year.
Item
SD-1GOLD23 SOUTH DAKOTA 1 GOLDBACK NOTE 2023
UNC. $7.00
Item
WY-1GOLD23 WYOMING 1 GOLDBACK NOTE 2023
UNC. OUT
Item
NH-1GOLD23 NEW HAMPSHSIRE 1 GOLDBACK NOTE
2023 UNC. OUT
Item
NV-1GOLD23 NEVADA 1 GOLDBACK NOTE
2023 UNC. OUT
Item
UT-1GOLD23 UTAH 1 GOLDBACK NOTE, 2023
UNC. $7.00
SAN
FRANCISCO MINT TOKENS
Like
most mints, the San Francisco mint prohibited employees from possessing
coins while working in the mint in order to reduce the opportunity for
theft. These brass tokens were used during the
1980’s and 1990’s for vending machines and the canteen inside the
mint. One side depicts an American eagle surrounded
by stars. The other side has the legends "BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
PROGRAM” "CALIF” "1984" and the
denomination. The sizes of the tokens are slightly smaller
than their corresponding U.S. coin: The 5 cents is 20mm, 10 cents is
16.5mm and the 25 cents is 23mm. Similar tokens, dated 1985,
were used in California prisons.
Item
SFTOKEN-SET SET OF 3 SAN FRANCISCO
MINT TOKENS: 5, 10
& 25 CENTS 1984 VF-AU
$7.00
Item
SFTOKEN-25C 25 CENT SAN FRANCISCO MINT TOKENS
FROM THE ABOVE SET 1984 VF-AU
$3.00
GENERAL MacARTHUR
MEMORIAL MEDAL
This
attractive 38.9 mm medal commemorating General Douglas MacArthur was
struck shortly after his death in 1964 by Capitol Medals. The obverse
pictures the General. The reverse has two of his most famous quotes: "
I shall Return" and
"
Old soldiers never die;
they just fade away". The oxidized
silver-plated bronze medal comes in an envelope with a descriptive
brochure.
Item
MacARTHUR GENERAL MacARTHUR SILVER-PLATED
MEDAL $9.75
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.
Item NSA
NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY CHALLENGE
COIN, UNC.
$7.00
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.
Item
AAFESx20 20 DIFFERENT AAFES POGS: includes 5,
10 & 25 cents, VF-UNC $15.00
Item
AAFESx3 SET OF 3 AAFES POGS: 5, 10 &
25 CENTS, XF-UNC $4.00
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. It commemorates the 1969 Fiesta De
Las
Rosas, the Portolá Expedition, California Bicentennial and San Jose as
the California’s first state capital.
Item MED-SJ
SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA 1969 LA FIESTA DE LAS
ROSAS MEDAL
$3.00
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.
Item
EXPO39 1939 GOLDEN GATE INTERNATIONAL EXPO
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD MEDAL UNC.
$4.00
Item
EXPO39x10 10 of the above 1939 UNION PACIFIC
RAILROAD MEDALS UNC.
$25.00
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.
Item
TITUS MIRACLE CITY MALL / TITUS LANDING, 2015
TITUSVILLE FLORIDA MEDAL BU $4.00
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.
Item JA-ROLL SET
OF JOEL
ANDERSON ROLLED COINS, GOOD FOR $1.40 AND GOOD FOR $4.00 IN
TRADE TOKEN $5.40
OUR OWN MONEY
To
celebrate our 25th
anniversary in the coin business, in 1995 we struck two
tokens, a brass "
Good
For
$2.50 in Trade" and a bronze-plated zinc "
Good for 50c in Trade".
Each had
a mintage of 3000 pieces. We used these as gift certificates,
for small refunds and in promotions for our mail catalogs.
Because these show our old Merced address we no longer issue
them, however you may still purchase or redeem them at face
value.
Item JA50 JOEL
ANDERSON
GOOD FOR 50c IN TRADE TOKEN $0.50
Item JA250 JOEL
ANDERSON
GOOD FOR $2.50 IN TRADE TOKEN $2.50
WE
CELEBRATE OUR 25th
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
We issued commemorative medals to
celebrate our
25th Wedding anniversary in July. One side shows a pair of
wedding bells, while the other bears the legend "
JOEL
& LILA ANDERSON 25th ANNIVERSARY 2004 / THE BEARER OF
THIS TOKEN RECEIVES MUCH HAPPINESS". The 27mm tokens were
struck by
The
Patrick Mint in both silver plated zinc and
copper plated zinc. Only 500 of each were struck.
Item WED-AEWEDDING
ANNIVERSARY MEDAL, COPPER-PLATED, UNC $2.00
Item WED-ARWEDDING
ANNIVERSARY MEDAL, SILVER PLATED, UNC $3.00
Item WED-BOTH BOTH
OF THE
ABOVE MEDALS, UNC. $4.50
GOLD
DOUBLOON FROM OCEANO,
CALIFORNIA
One
side of
this
brass-plated zinc token has the obverse of the famed 1787
Brasher gold Doubloon, the first gold coin struck in the
United States. The other side advertises the "
Birds of a Feather Vacation
Home, Just
32 Steps from the Beach in Oceano, CA". The token
pictures two birds and provides the web address for the
property:
www.OceanoVacationHomes.com
and a phone number for booking information. The vacation home
is available by the night or by the week. Two Thousand of the
27mm tokens were struck by
The Patrick
Mint. The token is a lot cheaper than the
original
Brasher Doubloons, which go for well over $1 Million, and it
is one of the few tokens ever to come from the small beach
community of Oceano, California.
Item TKN-BIRD1 OCEANO,
CALIFORNIA VACATION RENTAL DOUBLOON, UNC.
$3.00
"CALIFORNIA
GOLD" TOKEN FROM OCEANO, CALIFORNIA
One
side of this brass-plated zinc token features the obverse of the famed
California Gold Rush "Cowboy" 10 Dollar gold piece struck by Baldwin
and Company in San Francisco in 1850. The other side advertises the "
Birds of a Feather Vacation
Home, Just
32 Steps from the Beach in Oceano, CA". The token
pictures two birds and provides the web address for the
property:
www.OceanoVacationHomes.com
and a phone number for booking information. The token can be redeemed
for $10 towards a booking at the beach house (limit one per
booking). The vacation home
is available by the night or by the week. One Thousand of the
27mm tokens were struck by
The Patrick
Mint. It is one of the few tokens from the small
beach community of Oceano, California.
Item
TKN-BIRD2 OCEANO,
CALIFORNIA VACATION RENTAL $10 CALIFORNIA "GOLD" COIN, UNC.
$3.00
For
the previous issue from this establishment see the Gold Doubloon from
Oceano, California.
"PIECE-OF-EIGHT" FROM
PISMO BEACH,
CALIFORNIA
One
side of the silver-plated store-card token features the design of a
1743 Pillars Piece-of-Eight. The 27mm token is
about the size of a 2 Reales rather than an 8
Reales. The other advertises the "
SHELL-EBRATION
BEACH HOUSE, PISMO STATE BEACH", along with its
web address:
Shell-ebration.com, telephone
number and major features of the Beach House. The vacation
home
is available by the night or by the week. One Thousand of the tokens
were struck by
The Patrick
Mint. It is an interesting token from this popular
California beach community.
Item
TKN-SHELL PISMO BEACH,
CALIFORNIA VACATION RENTAL TOKEN, UNC.
$3.00
MARDI GRAS DOUBLOONS
These large (most 39mm) colorful aluminum medals are struck for various
Krewes to be thrown to the crowds during the Mardi Gras parades in New
Orleans and other communities. Most of the numerous Krewes usually
issue a new design each year covering a wide variety of themes. The
aluminum medals are often anodized with various colors. They
make a fascinating and inexpensive collectable. They are also
quite popular with children, who like to count, stack and play with
them.
Item
MARDI-25 25 MOSTLY DIFFERENT MARDI GRAS
DOUBLOONS, MOST UNC.
$12.00
Item
MARDI-100 100 MOSTLY DIFFERENT MARDI GRAS
DOUBLOONS, MOST UNC.
$39.00
COAL
MINE TOKENS
These
tokens, also known as Scrip, Dingles,
Clackers and
many other names, were issued by coal companies as an advance
on wages when miners needed to buy mining supplies for their
work, food or necessities for their home, pay rent on the
company owned home, obtain medical care or almost any other
aspect of life in a company town. Of course, they could only be
used at company stores, where prices tended to be high. The
value of the scrip would then be deducted from a miner's pay on
payday. Miners could easily "owe their soul to the company
store". Metal tokens were widely used from the 1920’s to the
1950’s. During World War II fiber scrip was introduced in order
to save metal, which was needed for the war effort. Most
tokens had the name of the mine or store on
it, and were often punched with the mine number or initials of
the town. We have a historic collection of 10 different West
Virginia (and maybe nearby states as well) coal scrip tokens, ranging
in value from 1 cent to 1
Dollar and a set of 100 different that includes West Virginia,
Kentucky, Virginia and others with value from 1 cent to 5 Dollars or
higher. . The
tokens grade from Very Good to Uncirculated. It is an
interesting and historic set.
Item COALx1 1
WEST VIRGINIA
COAL MINE TOKEN, Joel’s choice
$4.50
Item
COALx10 SET
OF 10
DIFFERENT COAL MINE TOKENS
$35.00
THE
FAMOUS BITCOIN
MEDALLION
A
Bitcoin will cost you anywhere from $30,000 to over $60,000, and you
have nothing to show for it. And the price can jump by
thousands of dollars in day. We offer a physical Bitcoin
medallion that you can hold in your hand. And we offer it at
the same price we offered it when these first came out in 2013. This
Bitcoin medallion is the same as what you see on television, in
newspapers and magazines or anyplace that needs an image to tell a
story about bitcoins. They feature the Bitcoin symbol on one side and a
design based on an integrated circuit along with the date 2013 on the
other. According to the inscription around the rim it is one ounce of
pure copper. These Bitcoins were made in China. They are not
copper and weigh less than an ounce. Th4 40mm medallions are
either gold or
silver colored and come in a capsule. Not only are they much cheaper
than a virtual
Bitcoin, but you can display them or give them to a friend.
Item BITCOIN-GOLD "GOLD" BITCOIN MEDALLION BU
$4.00
Item BITCOIN-SILVER "SILVER" BITCOIN
MEDALLION BU
$4.00
Item BITCOIN-BOTH BOTH "GOLD" &
"SILVER" BITCOIN MEDALLIONS BU
$7.50
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.
Item
BERM-TICKLE BERMANIA TICKLE TOKEN, 2014, BU $7.50
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.
Item OZARK1
1 MISSOURI OZARK
STAWBERRY PICKER CHIT
$1.00
Item OZARK10
10
DIFFERENT
OZARK STRAWBERRY PICKER CHITS $7.00
Also See:
BI-METALLIC
BOOTLEGGER DOLLAR FROM ALCATRAZ
MAUI
TRADE DOLLARS
LEPER COLONY COINS FROM
COLOMBIA
<--
PREVIOUS PAGE NEXT
PAGE -->
Most
plantation tokens tended to have rather simple designs consisting of
just lettering and maybe a simple image. This unusual token of the
Sociedad Alvarado-Chacon features a good portrait of the owner Santiago
Alvarado Ramírez, who lived from 1841 until 1933. The
Sociedad was a holding company for his eight coffee plantations Costa
Rica that all used this token. The 26mm brass token is
denominated as 1 Real. Though Costa Rica officially stopped
using Reals in 1865 when they switched to a decimal system, plantations
continued to pay their workers in Reals, with 1 Real worth 1/8 of a
Colon. The tokens are somewhat corroded and have been
cleaned. 
Ramatanka
are a type of temple tokens tha, were made in
India between the mid-19th and mid-20th Century. The
privately minted tokens were sold or distributed at temples and
bazaars. They were often given as gifts and would be treasured by
families. Most are made from brass or silver-plated brass and
tend to be crudely engraved. The most common types featured a scene
from the ancient Hindu epoch poem called the Ramayana on the
obverse. It depicts Rama and his wife Sita, seated on a
platform, holding court (Durbar). To their right are their
sons Kusha and Lava. An attendant holding a parasol is on their
left. Beneath is Hanuman, the monkey god. The coins
often bear a false date, making some believe they are quite old.
The date has nothing to do when the token was
actually struck, but instead has a numerical significance.
After World War
II the use of the Rama Tankas died out.
Many
churches in Scotland and England would hold Holy Communion only
once a year or less. Only those deemed worthy were allowed to partake.
Those worthy were given a special token, which had to be presented in
order to take communion. Being worthy was often
associated with financial contributions. This communion token
dated 1838 was issued by the Established Church of Scotland in the
small village of Monzie in Perthshire in central Scotland.
Today little remains of Monzie other than a castle, some Bed and
Breakfasts and the church which no longer holds regular
services. The 29mm x 19mm pewter token has “MONZIE” on one
side and the date on the other. In 1843 the minister and a
majority of the members of the Monzie Church resigned in order to form
the Monzie Free Church, taking part in The Great Disruption.
The Free Church of Scotland broke away from the Church of Scotland
because of their opposition to the power of local landowners having the
right to appoint the ministers to a parish
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.
Meat
was rationed in Canada during World War II. Families received
a ration booklet which allowed them to purchase a limited quantity of
rationed goods, including tea, coffee, sugar, butter, booze and meat
each week. Each weekly meat ration coupon was good for 2
pounds of meat. The problem was that many did not have
refrigeration at home, so they would either forfeit the whole coupon
for a lesser amount of meat, or buy their full amount and risk it going
bad before it could be used. In 1945 the Canadian government
finally wised up and issued meat ration tokens that were good for a
lesser quantity of meat. Each token was worth 1/8 of a meat ration
coupon (1/4 pound of meat), so if someone bought less than their full
ration of meat the tokens could be given out to be used
later. If one bought half their weekly ration of meat, they
would receive four tokens for later use. The 22mm blue token
is struck on a heavy blue cardboard with a center hole. Both sides have
the same design with the words "CANADA
- RATION MEAT - VIANDE" and two
maple leaves. 
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.
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. 
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. 
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.
On
May 25, 1961, President Kennedy set the goal of "landing a man on the
Moon and returning him safely to the Earth". This was fulfilled eight
years later, on July 20, 1969. I was at the Boy Scout
National Jamboree in Idaho on that day. In 2005
President George W. Bush set the goal of returning to the moon no later
than 2020. This still has not been accomplished 17 years
later despite having better materials, computers and
technology. It seems America has lost its mojo.
Important
ventures are delayed or killed by a thousand cuts from bureaucrats,
politicians and excessive regulation. This 35mm
aluminum medal was struck for sale in Canada shortly after the Apollo
11 moon landing. The obverse features the busts of astronauts
Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins. The reverse depicts the Lunar Module on
the moon and the legend “THE
FIRST MEN ON THE MOON” “JULY 20, 1969” in
both English and French. It is a memento of an historic event
that took place over half a century ago. 
Like
most mints, the San Francisco mint prohibited employees from possessing
coins while working in the mint in order to reduce the opportunity for
theft. These brass tokens were used during the
1980’s and 1990’s for vending machines and the canteen inside the
mint. One side depicts an American eagle surrounded
by stars. The other side has the legends "BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
PROGRAM” "CALIF” "1984" and the
denomination. The sizes of the tokens are slightly smaller
than their corresponding U.S. coin: The 5 cents is 20mm, 10 cents is
16.5mm and the 25 cents is 23mm. Similar tokens, dated 1985,
were used in California prisons. 
This
attractive 38.9 mm medal commemorating General Douglas MacArthur was
struck shortly after his death in 1964 by Capitol Medals. The obverse
pictures the General. The reverse has two of his most famous quotes: "I shall Return" and
"Old soldiers never die;
they just fade away". The oxidized
silver-plated bronze medal comes in an envelope with a descriptive
brochure. 
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.
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. 
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.
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.
We issued commemorative medals to
celebrate our
25th Wedding anniversary in July. One side shows a pair of
wedding bells, while the other bears the legend "JOEL
& LILA ANDERSON 25th ANNIVERSARY 2004 / THE BEARER OF
THIS TOKEN RECEIVES MUCH HAPPINESS". The 27mm tokens were
struck by The
Patrick Mint in both silver plated zinc and
copper plated zinc. Only 500 of each were struck.
One
side of
this
brass-plated zinc token has the obverse of the famed 1787
Brasher gold Doubloon, the first gold coin struck in the
United States. The other side advertises the "Birds of a Feather Vacation
Home, Just
32 Steps from the Beach in Oceano, CA". The token
pictures two birds and provides the web address for the
property: www.OceanoVacationHomes.com
and a phone number for booking information. The vacation home
is available by the night or by the week. Two Thousand of the
27mm tokens were struck by The Patrick
Mint. The token is a lot cheaper than the original
Brasher Doubloons, which go for well over $1 Million, and it
is one of the few tokens ever to come from the small beach
community of Oceano, California.
One
side of this brass-plated zinc token features the obverse of the famed
California Gold Rush "Cowboy" 10 Dollar gold piece struck by Baldwin
and Company in San Francisco in 1850. The other side advertises the "Birds of a Feather Vacation
Home, Just
32 Steps from the Beach in Oceano, CA". The token
pictures two birds and provides the web address for the
property: www.OceanoVacationHomes.com
and a phone number for booking information. The token can be redeemed
for $10 towards a booking at the beach house (limit one per
booking). The vacation home
is available by the night or by the week. One Thousand of the
27mm tokens were struck by The Patrick
Mint. It is one of the few tokens from the small
beach community of Oceano, California. 
One
side of the silver-plated store-card token features the design of a
1743 Pillars Piece-of-Eight. The 27mm token is
about the size of a 2 Reales rather than an 8
Reales. The other advertises the "SHELL-EBRATION
BEACH HOUSE, PISMO STATE BEACH", along with its
web address: Shell-ebration.com, telephone
number and major features of the Beach House. The vacation
home
is available by the night or by the week. One Thousand of the tokens
were struck by The Patrick
Mint. It is an interesting token from this popular
California beach community.
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.
