If you like American history, perhaps you'll like this Civil War Token which arrived just yesterday. It is Fuld 230/350Ba • R1 Its die sinker was the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut. It was struck in about 1863.
I don't collect them, but that certainly doesn't keep me from admiring them. A truly eye-catching piece.
I'm right with ya, Kanga. I don't know much about 'em so I can't collect 'em (yet). But that is a very interesting piece -o- work. Great history, right there. I've been reading The Federalist Papers and Team of Rivals. They've helped me appreciate contemporary ideas of "Our Country" and "Union" in '76 and '61.
I'm glad to hear that some folks here liked to seeing the Civil War Tokens I've posted. Here's another Civil War Token, struck by the Waterbury Button Company of Waterbury, Connecticut. This token circulated a bit. It has some colorful toning. It's very pretty in hand. I like a Choice AU's. : ) By the way, 900fine. It sounds like some good reading in those two volumes : ) I'd sure like to hear more about your ideas now of the relationship between Union '61 and Union '76.
Larry - I love your tokens and your excellent pictures! When I saw your first picture, I couldn't help but recognize similar military themes used on British tokens. For example, here is a Sussex 9 pic (from Jerry Bobbe's sold inventory) that I remembered when seeing your civil war token:
I love the detailed engraving in this piece, I am not a CWT collector myself but appreciate the history of the pieces. Did you notice that it appears to be overstruck on some other design? Look by the Phrygian cap and you can see traces of another device in the background.
On the left of the cap, between the cap and the flagpole, looks like it was struck over some other design.
Thanks all for sharing such great pictures. Moonshadows' statement is all to correct. History this beautiful would be hard not to want to own a piece of for yourself. Allen
Oops... yes, there were a few black fibers which, in two shakes of a lamb's tail, I just blew away with my Giotto Rocket Air Blaster. All is well. Thanks. They may have been from the patch of black velvet which I slide around instead of touching the tokens. : ) There seems to be no die break, clash or other anomaly, just bad housekeeping. Glad you folks noticed it because I had not. I'll just have to take some more photos. : )
Here's the third token I received in the last shipment. All three were graded Choice AU by the seller. Here are better photos. : ) The obverse reminded me of a tire, so I couldn't resist doing this with the first photos, which I replaced today: Click to enlarge image. : )