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It's Token Tuesday! Post 'em if you got 'em.
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472 posts in this topic

John Davidson had a Grocery/Confectioners/Cafe from 1900 to 1906 in Port Gibson, MS. The newspaper excerpts are from June 4, 1903 issue of the Port Gibson Reveille.

 

This token is an example of a conservation attempt gone terribly wrong. I decided to soak this token for several months in olive oil, along with a few LIncoln and Indian cents. Apparently, the metals reacted with the oil and each other, and things went all weird. It came out with light and dark areas, and lots of different colors. The orange area on the reverse is where one of the Indians was resting on the token. Lesson learned: soak tokens and coins one per container.

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The Hinton & Backstrom Lumber Company operated a mill at Richton, MS from 1919 - 1924. They also had a turpentine plant at New Augusta.

Tokens were issued in denominations of $.50, $.10, and $.05. All are listed as unique. This example was dug near Richton by a local detectorist. (Note the corrosion and pitting - especially on the obverse.) I drove to his house to look at this one, and several other tokens that he had found. I didn't buy anything, because he was asking more than I wanted to pay. A year or so later, he listed this one as a BIN on Ebay. Apparently, I was the only buyer who wasn't turned off by the pitting, and I was able to pick it up for less than $20.

 

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In 1918, Miss Ophelia Fox opened a cigar store in the lobby of the Carrol Hotel in Vicksburg, MS, at the age of 48. Ten years later, she married H.J Lesser, and continued to run the store for two more years. Unfortunately, after waiting almost 60 years to wed, she passed away in 1937, after only 9 years of marriage.

I posted a black and white picture of the hotel in an earlier post. Here is a colorized version:

 

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Let's kick it off early today.

Sherwood's Smoke House, South Haven MI. One could conceivably plunk one of these down and get a nice corona in exchange. 

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Business directory of South Haven and surrounding are from 1898

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Michigan Bureau of Labor 1903 Inspection of Factories Index. One male employee (presumably the owner), no female employees and no employees under the age of 10. 

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8 minutes ago, Mr_Spud said:

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Okay, in the center of the bottom view, it says:

"F. W. HALL. WHITEHALL. N.Y."

Along the rim, at top, it says,

"TO PURIFY THE BLOOD

and along the bottom rim,

USE ATHERTON'S PILLS."

(provided as an aid to those whose magnification ability is either insufficient or lacking.)

Interesting find; hard to believe the obverse and reverse are one and the same coin.

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2 hours ago, Quintus Arrius said:

Okay, in the center of the bottom view, it says:

"F. W. HALL. WHITEHALL. N.Y."

Along the rim, at top, it says,

"TO PURIFY THE BLOOD

and along the bottom rim,

USE ATHERTON'S PILLS."

(provided as an aid to those whose magnification ability is either insufficient or lacking.)

Interesting find; hard to believe the obverse and reverse are one and the same coin.

It’s the same coin. Here’s another example of the same token with a little more info and it’s easier to read both sides of the token https://www.ancientcoinsandcollectibles.com/shop/exonomia-tokens/ny-whitehall-athertons-pills-ny-985-a/

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Bob this thread is amazing. Your tokens and back story are great. It’s inspired me to start picking up a few for the neighboring state as well. I’ve been looking, and I have only found one book specifically dedicated to tokens of Alabama written in 1995 by Roy Wood. Are you aware of any other references that may be applicable? Is the guidebook of American tokens fairly comprehensive? What do you use?
 

Thanks!

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4 hours ago, Woods020 said:

Bob this thread is amazing. Your tokens and back story are great. It’s inspired me to start picking up a few for the neighboring state as well. I’ve been looking, and I have only found one book specifically dedicated to tokens of Alabama written in 1995 by Roy Wood. Are you aware of any other references that may be applicable? Is the guidebook of American tokens fairly comprehensive? What do you use?
 

Thanks!

I mostly use the only book written specifically about Mississippi tokens, called Brozenes and Doodlum - Private Money in Mississippi, by George P. Chatham. It was painstakingly researched, and has pencil drawings of almost every token that is listed. There have been quite a few new discoveries since it was written in 1990, so my copy has lots of additions written in.

I also use Tokencatalog.com. It accepts contributions from anyone who is registered, so it is possible that some of the entries have not been researched fully, but the listings are extensive. For example, it lists over 4600 tokens from Alabama. If you want to branch out further than just your home state, I and others can suggest some books on whichever area you might like to pursue. There are books that cover specialty areas like coal or lumber tokens, transportation and parking tokens, Hard Times, Civil War, U.S. Merchant, etc.

Ebay usually has lots of Alabama tokens for sale, and you can check sold listings to get an idea of current pricing. Also, I have found tokens at coins shops and shows, antique stores, flea markets, and auctions.

Thank you for the kind words, by the way. I appreciate them. And, I appreciate all of the posters who have contributed to the thread.

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I finally found a copy of the Alabama specific guide book I had mentioned. Apparently it has been out of print for some time and not easily found. I got a used copy off Amazon of all places. 
 

Thanks again for your help! Look for me to chime in on token Tuesday from now on. 

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23 hours ago, Mr_Spud said:

It’s the same coin. Here’s another example of the same token with a little more info and it’s easier to read both sides of the token https://www.ancientcoinsandcollectibles.com/shop/exonomia-tokens/ny-whitehall-athertons-pills-ny-985-a/

(Minor perhaps to you, but more than memorable to be, the site you refer fellow members to when soliciting your email carries the re-assuring banner I have never before encountered: "No Spam Guarantee." Many thanks for the link, and your lovely tokens as shared and showcased here.) 

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21 hours ago, Just Bob said:

Henry Gorham Lowery (1901-1963) came to Mississippi from Missouri, and established a cotton plantation near Indianola, MS. His brother and part owner, John J., lived in Michigan, and eventually sold his part of the plantation to H.G. This token was used in the plantation commissary. 

 

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To me Indianola, MS. will forever conjure the remarkable elocution of fellow Ole Miss student (nee Gayle Gresham) who first taught me the intricacies of the English language and the proper way to answer the telephone: "This is (s)he." What an education! Very nice high-denomination token.

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21 hours ago, Just Bob said:

I mostly use the only book written specifically about Mississippi tokens, called Brozenes and Doodlum - Private Money in Mississippi, by George P. Chatham. It was painstakingly researched, and has pencil drawings of almost every token that is listed. There have been quite a few new discoveries since it was written in 1990, so my copy has lots of additions written in.

I also use Tokencatalog.com. It accepts contributions from anyone who is registered, so it is possible that some of the entries have not been researched fully, but the listings are extensive. For example, it lists over 4600 tokens from Alabama. If you want to branch out further than just your home state, I and others can suggest some books on whichever area you might like to pursue. There are books that cover specialty areas like coal or lumber tokens, transportation and parking tokens, Hard Times, Civil War, U.S. Merchant, etc.

Ebay usually has lots of Alabama tokens for sale, and you can check sold listings to get an idea of current pricing. Also, I have found tokens at coins shops and shows, antique stores, flea markets, and auctions.

Thank you for the kind words, by the way. I appreciate them. And, I appreciate all of the posters who have contributed to the thread.

Bob,

Another area I think that would speak to me is trade tokens related to pharmacy/apothecary/druggist. I have a long family history of working in pharmacy in one way or another, and I’m an executive at one of the largest pharma companies today. So these would speak to me for sure. I actually have a ton of antique apothecary items my grandfather left me. If you have any suggestions on guide books related to tokens this subject matter? 

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