Have any questions you'd like answered in these pages? Dave Gale
of C&D Gale will
try to find the answer for you. Just chick on the "ASK DAVE"
link and the end of this section.
How does a token differ from a medal?
Answer: There is no easy way to distinguish tokens from medals. Some collectors believe that tokens must in some way substitute for money, but there are many types of tokens that have nothing to do with money, for example, communion tokens.
What are some of the more popular types of tokens?
Answer: For U.S. collectors, 19th Century merchant the political tokens, for example, Hard Times, Civil War, Ante-bellum (pre-Civil War) tokens are very popular. Tokens that come from the western states prior to statehood are currently in strong demand. Tokens that have some pictorial representation such as a cow, eagle, or coffin are very frequently collected by topic, that is "topical tokens".
"I am interested in textile mill scrip and/or company store tokens; I've checked with my local coin shops, and I've looked on eBay(TM), but haven't seen any. Are they that rare?"
Answer: According
to token specialist and author David Schenkman, "As for textile mill
tokens, there are a great number of them around,
and many are common. Most were used
in the Carolinas, and in other southern states
to a lesser degree." Dave wrote a detailed
article on textile mill tokens, giving their
history and illustrating many of them, in the October 1994 Token
and Medal Society Journal (Volume 34, Number 5). Those interested
in collecting tokens and medals in general should consider joining TAMS
(contact TAMS secretary, Mark Lighterman, P.O. Box 832854, Miami, FL 33283;
annual dues are $20 for US members and $25 for non-US members). Join
TAMS.
"I'm just beginning to collect Hard Times tokens and I'm using a recent copy of the Rulau book. He uses an HT numbering system, but many times I see these same tokens listed by low number. Sometimes the HT number is given and sometimes it isn't. What are these low numbers and what do they have to do with Hard Times tokens? Are there high numbers associated with some of these tokens, also?"
Answer: The Low numbers refer to a very famous numismatist and coin dealer, Lyman Haynes Low, who published a "Descriptive Catalogue of Hard Times Tokens" in 1899listing 164 tokens in the series. In 1906, a supplement increased the number to 183. In early editions of Mr. Rulau's book, he needed to add many tokens that were newly, that is, since 1906, believed to be part of the series, and he made up many pseudo-Low numbers. Eventually, he decided to completely reorganize the series. Current versions of Mr. Rulau's books drop the Low system altogether except for a conversion table in the front of the listing of these tokens. Many collectors and dealers still use the old Low number system.
"I understand that communion tokens are from Scotland, but what is so special about Scotland and why don't other countries have any of these?."
Answer:
Actually, other countries do have churches that have issued communion tokens,
even the U.S. and
Canada, but they usually are associated
with people that have left Scotland for the "New World."
"Civil War token reverse 1356 is dated 1860, but the Civil War
did not begin until 1861. How can this be?
Do you have any information on the history of this piece?"
Answer: Thanks for your question. It interests me because it is related to the larger question of the definition of a Civil War token, which is hotly contested and has no simple answer.
First, concerning the 1356 die, this is the
reverse of Fuld WI 920M-1b issued by T(heodore) Racek of Watertown, Wisconsin.
It depicts an allegorical "Justice" and does, indeed, carry the 1860 date.
The die is listed and pictured in the classic Hetrich and Guttag
1924 "Civil War Tokens and Tradesman's Store Cards" as die 568.
Suppose, in fact, that the die was completed in the year 1860 and then
used between
1861 and 1865 to make Mr. Racek's storecard,
should it not be considered as a Civil War die? It is not that usual
for dies made before the official Civil War period beginning in 1861 to
be considered Civil War dies. A
very dramatic example is the Fuld 472
patriotic die, which bears the date 1837, and is known to have existed
at about that time because it is the reverse die for the Hard Times token,
Low 116 (HT-172), East Boston
Coaches. This die is, then, both a CW
and HT die. Most collectors attribute a die to a particular period
based on when it was used, not when it was made.
Now, to the larger question of what a Civil
War token is. The short answer is that a CWT is any token that a
committee of collectors and dealers empowered by the Civil War Token Society
say is a CWT. This answer, of course, begs the question, but is the
only definition that won't cause an immediate challenge by someone.
Issues that need to be considered in arriving at a consensus, include (
1) Does the intended use of the token matter, e.g., is it OK if the
token was struck for collectors and not meant to circulate? (2)
Does it matter if the token was struck a few years after the Civil War,
but from authentic dies used during the War for these tokens?
(3) Is it OK if a merchant was in business
before and/or after the War as well as during the War, so there is some
possible doubt concerning when the tokens were made? In addition
to these, there are issues concerning the verification of location--many
Cincinnati merchants were placed there because no other location is mentioned
on the token. Should these tokens be delisted if a directory search
does not provide positive confirmation of Cincinnati or some other location?
Ask Dave
Hope you enjoy collecting tokens as much as we do.
If you have comments or suggestions, email us at cdgale@dol.net
This page created with Netscape Communicator
This page was last updated 3/28/2002