So I scored some pretty cool tokens that are actually very personal to me. I hope you all enjoy them! Later I'll take better pictures and give a little info about the base but tonight we're just getting it quick and dirty!
I have some more tokens that deserve better images and write ups but tonight we're getting it in! Chew on these and if you find them somewhere else, LET ME KNOW!!! I had to pay for these...
Different reverses on Virginia Forestry Assoc, wooden nickels with Smokey the Bear https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/376/32659578266_ef9a01c820.jpg https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/356/32700237725_6b616029be.jpg https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/449/32659578086_4ebdeea260.jpg
Would this happen to be the base you're stationed at now, Jack? Looking forward to you're write-ups on this one and the others. Bruce
Yep! At Dyess AFB. I got some cool challenge coins from my current unit that need pictures. If I could just get some time I would get some images up. Hopefully after this weekend I'll my office put together.
Michigan coin club wooden nickle https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/576/32700237415_d8eb5b1c01.jpg https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/299/32659577896_e4705eb041.jpg
Several months ago I became acquainted with a serious metal detectorist who lives in the UK. He's dug thousands of coins over the years, including US, Roman, UK, of course, and others, plus numerous tokens and other objects. He's found about a dozen stamped with Irish political slogans, an area of counterstamps that I'm interested in. I've posted a few examples in my collection in earlier posts on this thread. These particular examples were dug near Holyhead in the far northeastern tip of Wales on the Irish Sea. In any case, I've attached one here along with another find that would probably interest you more. It appears to be a love token, and holed for a chain so to be worn. The coin is an Australian Penny, probably dated 1921, that has been crudely cut into the shape of a heart. I believe this one was dug on the River Mersey near Liverpool. It's possible it may have been made by an Australian soldier during WWII stationed in England before the D-Day invasion. Of course we'll never know for sure, but it's interesting to speculate. The Irish stamps on the political token are on a 1968 English 10 and read "UVF // PDF // 1690." The UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) and PDF (Protestant Defence Force) were Loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland during the Troubles of 1969-1998. The UVF is still active today, but I believe the PDF disbanded years ago. The date 1690 references the Batle of the Boyne that saw the ascendancy of Protestantism in what is now the United Kingdom. It's a very important date for Loyalists in Northern Ireland and is celebrated every year during the marching season. Bruce
Thanks, Jack. I've been keeping a census of these coins for some time, and have documented over 700 examples from all involved in the war. So far I've found over 160 unique slogans, acronyms and combinations. Many more than I ever thought I'd find. I'm sure there are thousands of these coins still out there, but people are hesitant to show them. It's still a dangerous place to live, but the violence is not so out-in-the-open as it once was. A couple of years ago a good friend of mine who grew up in Belfast, and still lives there, told me that there were still a lot of people there who wanted to kill each other. How sad is that? Just one more dug piece that came with the first one. The acronym "KAT" stands for "Kill all Taigs." Taig is a derogatory word for a Catholic. Bruce
I still think you should write a book or article or something...think you did write an article for TAMS?
I did write an article for TAMS about two years ago or so. It's the story about 30 coins I got from my friend in Belfast 5 or 6 years ago that I call the Belfast Collection. These are pieces his deceased father collected over a 15 year period that he called special coins. I always suspected that his dad was IRA, but he wouldn't tell me. As a matter of fact, he would never tell me his dad's name. In the story I refer to him as Collector. Bruce
I respectfully disagree, Dont Worry Club Tokens might be common if they are advertising Worchester Salt or Boy Scouts like the one youve shown. However, all others are pretty scarce and some are downright rare or even unique.
So Royal Air Force Mildenhall holds a special place in my heart and the military trade token they issued has proved increadibly hard to come by the last four years. Now I don't just rush out and buy any piece of exonumia that has Mildenhall on it...but maybe I do? Check these out: These...medals?...plaquettes...I don't know...things...celebrate air shows that happened in 1981 & 1982. These air shows went on for many years and likely happened even before 1981. What I have noticed in my searches for tokens from Mildenhall is coming upon pictures from the various Air Fetes through the years. I bought these to hold the place of my token that I have yet to find.
Always keep my eye open for Mildenhall stuff when I go to shows, Jack. I check Cunningham, and others who have military exonumia. Found a new one last Baltimore show. Low Country Coins had a decent selection of them, but no Mildenhall unfortunately. I check back with them next time. Bruce
I purchased a couple off LCC a while ago. Good people - they shipped me the wrong token on accident and took care of me.