Let's see your exonumia!

Thanks, Frank. I'll have to make a note of that on my 2x2.

Bruce

 

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Counterstamping coins was very common in the 19th century, especially from c1830/1880. It was a method of free advertising for businesses. It was also used to promote a political/religious/personal point of view, and as an identification badge or "signature" on a product. Silversmiths, jewelers, black and whitesmiths, bell founders, hardware manufacturers, etc. commonly used stamps to identify their work. Some are just haphazard strikes by someone who had idle time on his hands. Fraternal organizations, especially Masonicc and IOOF lodges also marked coins for various reasons. My mark has a close resemblance to an 1840s Connecticut silversmith. Just added the star and changed an initial.

Bruce

 

I have a counterstamped token...it was counterstamped after Wolters Air Force Base was given back to the Army. They put an "X" and 49 on it. I've posted it in this thread before but I'll do it again later.

 

Looking forward to seeing it, Jack. I don't recall seeing it before.

Bruce

 

I love this piece! I have a 25mm advertising token with an obverse based on a 1794 cent that I got straight from the man who had them struck. Turns out one of the dealers I like to visit at the local shows ran a car dealership some 20 years ago and had a few hundred of them made. No photos, unfortunately.

It looks like there are lathe lines on it. Or, is that just an optical illusion caused by the luster?

 

TX2500i, aluminum, 32mm. USAF took control of Fort Wolters in 1951 and turned to back over to the Army in 1956. Training was conducted at this time for USAF & Army personnel to upgrade older airfileds and as a storage depot for USAF equipment . 49th Armored Division was deactivated in 1968 and reorganized into three seperate brigades. In 1973 Fort Wolters deactivated and the 49th reactivated.

 

Not an optical illusion -- there are definitely concentric lathe lines visible on the token in hand (and in the photos).

 

2 elephants, a pig and a ? two-headed cow?

 

My biology teacher could certainly have fun with the last one.

 

Pidcock's was famous for it's time and covered in a lot of the writings on circuses and showmen. Can't place which of my books it is in will have to think on it for a while!

 

I got around to photographing my DCarr 1916-2016 Centennial silver rounds.

 

We can't be letting this thread get dusty...

Anyway I got around to photographing my Libya collection tonight. I also have a "companion" piece that goes with these but it's hanging in the stairwell of my hangar. Maybe I'll remember to take my camera in to work tomorrow and take a picture of a picture.

On with the tokens!


LY40a, brass, 19mm. Cunningham must have had a typo because he put this one at 98mm! I may reshoot this one, the reverse looks a little out of focus.


LY40b, brass, 21mm.


LY40c, brass, 23mm. Cunningham had the size at 22mm.


LY71, brass, 18mm. This token is unlisted, however is is similar to the LY70 series except all the other ones are known with a reverse. Also very likely this one pre-dates the Air Force.

Wheelus Air Base was once the largest overseas U.S. military installation and at it's height had over 15,000 people living there. It was originally built by the Italians in 1923 and during WWII the Germans flew from there. The Brits took it from Germany and the U.S. began flying bombing missions from there. In 1945 the Brits turned the base over to the U.S. and it was renamed Wheelus Army Air Field after a downed aviator. By the end of the 1960s Wheelus was no longer relevant as a bomber base because intercontinental ballistic missiles were able to achieve the same nuclear deterrence. In fact the base largely served as a fighter training base during this time. It was agreed that the U.S. would withdraw and this happened on 11 June 1970, after Qaddafi took over. From then the Soviets moved in and operated from the base for a while. Interestingly in 1986 Wheelus was one of the targets of Operation El Dorado Canyon, which was President Reagan's response to the Berlin disco bombing.

 

Who woulda thunk it, great stuff!

 

Ya. It sounds like it was a quite the base back in the 50s-60s.

I managed to eek out another decent photo tonight (I have a few more in me this evening so I'll keep at it).

From the Osan collection:


KR1420c, aluminum, gold, 26mm. It's awesome because it's from Osan and it's pentagonal.

The seller didn't have it listed under coins. Heck, I couldn't find it under any of my normal search terms but I found it when I searched "Osan." Lucky me because I don't think my competition noticed it and snagged it for opening bid. It felt like a win. Who knows. Maybe there's millions of them out there and I grossly overpaid, but I doubt it.

 

Love the shape!

 

Ya me too. It's my first pentagonal token. I was really excited about adding it to my collection.

 

Here's another from the Osan collection. This one I purchased when I was deployed and didn't have my references handy. @longnine009 accurately pointed out that this token was unlisted. It's similar to the 1390 series except it doesn't have a jet on it.


KR1391, plated brass, 21mm. Unlisted. This token was likely issued prior to 1956 but certainly after 1953.

The tokens below were picked up for me by @John Anthony and would likely be familiar with Army servicemen first reporting or leaving Vietnam in the 60s:


VN10a, brass, 21mm


VN10c, brass, 24mm

VN20a, brass, 21mm


VN20b, brass, 18mm

 

Nice pics @Jwt708 , very nice! Yeah, Cunningham asked me if I was a Viet Nam vet as I'm about that age and I was going through all the Viet Nam tokens. Man, I wish you could get to Baltimore and see his inventory sometime. You'd wet your pants.

 

Haha! I wish I could. I'll find out in a couple weeks where I'm going next...either Germany or America. Is it wrong that I want an assignment closer to major coin shows?