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STOCK
& BOND CERTIFICATES HAVE MOVED TO THEIR OWN PAGEBOOKS ABOUT TOKENS AND MEDALS
COW
HEAD MILK TOKEN FROM CANADA
This
unusual token is in the shape of a head of a cow! It is good
for 1 Quart of milk from the MacNicolls Dairy in Brantford,
Ontario. The aluminum token is 37mm and probably dates from
the 1940's. Milk tokens would be purchased in
advanced. Tokens would then be left for the milkman for
however many quarts a customer desired. It was safer than
leaving cash and avoided complicated billing. SHEEP
SHEERING TOKEN FROM URUGUAY
A
sheep is depicted on this 23mm copper token from the Larraundarra
hacienda. Larraundarra was located near the tiny hamlet of
Cuaro (population 110) in the sparsely populated Artigas Department in
northern Uruguay. The obverse of the token has the name and
location of the hacienda and the value 1, representing 1 fleece. A
token would be given to workers for each sheep shorn. The
token probably dates from the late 19th to early 20th
century. 
Here
is your chance to have or give a real White Elephant! The
Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant was established by King Rama
IV of Siam in 1861. It is awarded to government
officials by the King of Thailand. The Order consists of
eight classes. The elaborately designed enameled medal
features a white
elephant against a gold background surrounded by red, green, gold and
silver rays. Above is the Thailand’s Great Crown of
Victory. The medal hangs from a red, green and gold ribbons
with a pin back making it easy to wear. The medal is about
45mm and the ribbon is about 115nn (4.5 inches) wide. 
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. 
Ramatankas
are a type of temple tokens that were used 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 (Durbar) holding court. 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 other side
features Rama and his brother Lakshmana standing.
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.
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.
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. ADMIRAL GRAU ON PERUVIAN COINS: 6
COIN SET 5 CENTIMOS - 5 INTIS
1985-88
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.THE
AMERICAN SILVER 5 DIRHAM
The
American silver 5 Dirham is modern hard currency token based on ancient
Islamic standards. In the late 7th century Umayyad Caliph set
standard for 1 silver Dirham to be the the weight of 50 grains of
barley. Recently various Islamic organizations have attempted
to revive this ancient standard for a modern precious metal based
currency. An Islamic organization in the United States
recently issued a 5 Dirham coin based on the ancient
standard. The coin 30mm is struck in .999 fine silver and
contains 14.875 grams of silver. One side
depicts the Kaaba and Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca. The
other has a
design that features stars and stripes and the words Peace in Hebrew,
Arabic and English, The coin is dated 1436AH, which
corresponds to 2014-2015AD. The coin was struck in the United States
for distribution to Muslims throughout the world. It is an
unusual American coin struck to an ancient and international standard.1838
ANTI-SLAVERY TOKEN RESTRIKE
This
modern token combines the designs of two of the most famous
anti-slavery tokens ever produced. The original design was
done in 1787 by
William Hackwood under commission by Josiah
Wedgewood. It featured a pleading slave in chains
with the legend "AM I
NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER". The Society for Effecting the
Abolition of the Slave Trade issued a token utilizing the
design in 1787 A similar design, featuring a woman and the
legend "AM I NOT A WOMAN
AND A SISTER" soon followed. Josiah Wedgewood
issued ceramic medallions and other items utilizing both
designs. Others made a variety of merchandise utilizing the
designs as well. In 1838 the American Anti-Slavery Society
struck a Hard Times token utilizing the “AM I NOT A WOMAN…”
design. It was struck by John Gibbs of Belleville New Jersey
who had struck the famous 1833 Liberia cent. The
token circulated as one cent. The Society also
commissioned
a pattern utilizing the "AM
I NOT A MAN…" design, however the issue was
stopped by the director of the United States Mint. This modern
copper-plated zinc 27mm token combines the obverses of both of the 1838
Hard Times Tokens, utilizing the issued female and unissued male token
designs. 1000 pieces were struck for Black History Month,
February 2010. A
10 CENT DRINK FROM
FRAZER'S TAVERN IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA 
This
23mm aluminum
“Good for 10 Cents in Trade” token was issued by Frazer’s
Tavern, 201 West Illinois St. in Evansville, Indiana. The full address
is on the token. It
operated from 1939 to 1977. A bar continued to operate
there until at least 2010. The brick building has since been
torn down and the address is now an empty lot. The token was
probably issued between the
1940’s and the early 1960’s, when a drink could be purchased for 10
cents.
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. FIRST MAN ON THE MOON COIN FROM ASCENSION: 1
Crown 2019
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. 
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.
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.
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. Due to a new property
manager,
the phone number of the token is no longer current, hence the tokens
are no longer distributed. to guests, however they are still available
fosr purchase.
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. Due
to a new property manager, the phone number of
the token is no longer current, hence the tokens are no longer
distributed. to guests, however they are still available fosr purchase. For
the previous issue from this establishment see the Gold Doubloon from
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. Due
to a new property manager, the phone number of
the token is no longer current, hence the tokens are no longer
distributed. to guests, however they are still available fosr purchase.
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 from a wide veriet of
locations and events. Most, but not all, are Uncirculated.
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. The
tokens grade from Very Good to Uncirculated. It is an
interesting and historic set.
A
Bitcoin will cost you anywhere from $90,000 to over $150,000, 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. These 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.MAUI
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