The everyday mans souvenir ..... Elongated, love tokens, encased, pressed coin souvenirs

The Expo's and world fairs gave the working man and woman an insight to tomorrow's world. They offered the working class to see new inventions, peeking into the world of tomorrow. These fairs offered many sorts of souvenirs, from pressed pennies,and coins, pressed wooden disc, love tokens ,hobo nickels, and an assortment of items as such that became a found memory of a expo,or fair.
Other items made from coins such as love tokens gave notice to a special someone that he or she had eyes on you.
Politicians used them to spread the word of their intentions to run for office, as well religious groups spreading the words of prayer, or steps to sobriety. Small tokens struck,pressed,rolled ,carved....giving the average Joe a remembrance of a special day or event in their life. Let's see those odds and ends....that somehow ended up in your collection. That still are giving the everyday collector some pleasure and are a small rememberance of history.

 

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I'll get started with a few from an esteemed forum member, @lordmarcovan . . . .

I've got to break out the camera for my others.

Z

 

got these on location.

 

A small remembrance of yesterday.

 

Cool stuff. I'm a fan of the elongated cents from early expos and world fairs. I also have an interest in the history of aviation. Currently, I'm reading a book titled "When Giants Ruled the Sky", it's a history of lighter than air aircraft and is in large part the history of the US Navy rigid airships and Goodyear's aviation division. Needless to say the elongated cent of the Goodyear Blimp resonates with me.

 

I'm a fan of love tokens, but most I have are just initials. I like getting ones from different countries too. I have one the size of a dime, with a name, location and nice carving in the opposite side. One day, I might look up the name and see if I can find any history on the person. I also have some on UK coins, the one in the picture is on KM#730. And lastly, a collection I got all on one thing. The two large coins are Austria KM#2214, the six smaller, KM#2206. The largest ones are engraved and enameled, the six small ones each have a name, along with the token. Send to be a family collection with two parents and 7 children!

 

My love token was made using a 1856 Seated Liberty dime. It’s quite generic looking compared to other love tokens posted on this thread:

 

I wouldn't say so , love tokens in general no matter how ornate or fancy were a gift of emotions it matter not if it was on a cent or silver dollar....it was the thought that counted. I'm relatively sure your specimen was just as valuable to the person who recieved it as the others posted.
Now true the art work can be better or worse..... but again google a inflation calculator and then do the math of the value of a dime in the 1850's as to the buying power today.
As an example I just aquired a check writter in Baltimore 1875 for the amount of $750.00 & change....would you believe that $750. In that time frame is equal to over $19,000 in 2022 money!
If your weekly salary was $2.00 @ week during that time peroid a dime was a heck of a lot of money.
In 1972 while I was in high school" Super Shell gasoline " was 17 cents a gallon....so everything is reverent of the time .

 

I love this type of stuff. If I posted here I’d take it over. I have hundreds of elongated cents. They are the best souvenirs from places one visited and they bring to remembrance these special thoughts in our memories.

 

So if one googles world fairs, Expo's etc...one will find all sorts or souvenirs from the events. Just about everything one can think of in the 1800's /1900 's terms, spoons, post cards, thimbles,watch fobs, plates , as well othef items known to be available for purchase as both a remembrance as well pratical useage.
Yet the availability to take home a little something, besides your experience attending the fairs...
These were the working Joe's tokens to have in hand a little remembrance of a special day.

I started a thread like this one on another foum.
I was schocked as to a response by one member....His reply" I took, the kids to Disneyland, we saw those machines...you put money in them and this CRAP comes out... I gave the kids a ice cream and we
Walked on...I guess I don't appreciate fake money...."

My thoughts are you don't appreciate life... as again one mans trash is anothers treasure... and at 68 years of age.... I still hold items as such very dear.
These little medal disc ,smashed, carved, or what ever are lifes treasures.... be they yours or a piece of history that at one point in time belonged to another....they may of been in the pocket of a solider who stormed the beaches of France, or pinned to a womans blouse as a reminder of that solider....
A small gift to a sweatheart at a Sunday school picnic... so many scenarios so many treasures... now ours to appreciate, not only art or the material they are made from..... but the story each piece holds!
These are the treasures.... for us to appreciate for a short 100+/- years...then rediscovered by another to again give the small token a voice as to how its importance was and still is.... a treasure ,and a story of a day in the life of someone just like YOU!

 

Im sure you remember the day that you took the launch over to the memorial, the quietness and respect that this place represents.
These are the keys to a day and place that you knew was a special place...a place where others died to protect and save your freedom. Holding these in hand takes you back to a day of remembrance which is appreciated each time you hold these in hand. A silent reminder of the sacrifices given by many.

 

Please post them... would love to see what you have...

 

How about these for a fun memory?