The plethora of adverting exonumia has no easy taxonomy.The KrauseStandard Catalog of United States Tokens 1790-1900 by Russell Rulau assigns them to a dozen classes, but then must have another genus for mavericks. Within the classes – Advertising Checks, Counterstamped Coins, Poker Checks, Tool Checks, etc. – physical shapes exceed the limitations of Federal coinage: rectangles and hearts are statistical likelihoods. 33 mm aluminum. Plain edge. 1934 Chicago Century of Progress. Obverse: Union Pacific Lucky Piece Art deco Union Pacific engine. Reverse legends: “Sample of the aluminum in the new Union Pacific train built by Pullman Car & Mfg. Corp.” 1929 trademark Norman shield with ACOA and ALCOA with stars in corners. “Aluminum Company of America" in exergue: "GREENDUCK, CHI" Manufactured by Greenduck of Chicago (about that company here on E-Sylum of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.)One million given out at fair. 34 mm aluminum 4 mm height. plain edge Obverse: Heavy machine press with BLISS name. Legend: "Bettering the Standard of Value Since 1857" Reverse: Standard US Bicentennial logo and legends. Though he began building machines in 1857, E. W. Bliss founded his firm in 1867. Reorganized several times, a vestige still operates as Bliss Clearing Niagara in Hastings, Michigan, specializing in the repair and maintenance of industrial metal presses. Bliss created primary production tools, machines that made other machines. They also produced military ammunition and a wide range of large and small containers made of sheet metal. For a short time around 1906, at their main office Brooklyn, New York, plant they manufactured an automobile. E. W. Bliss Company on Wikipedia here: “Walkabout the Lords of Owl’s Head” at the Brownstoner blog. “Torpedoes and Telegraph Codes” from the Brooklyn Public Library. See also the online sales catalog of the Sterling Machinery company. (Not to be confused with Bliss Machines, founded 1987 outside Buffalo New York by Bill and RandyKanner.)
J & L Steel. 35 mm non-magnetic plain edge. Spinner. Obverse: “YOU [up arrow]↑WIN WITH J & L STEEL STOCKS” horseshoe and shamrock. Reverse: “For dependable warehouse service call Walnut 1-0470.” J&L Steel in square. Every artifact gives evidence to the full context of its culture. A spinner is a coin struck with a raised center point. On the reverse side, an arrow points outward. “You pay” it says. Nicer variations such as “You win!” mean the same thing. Founded in 1852 by B. F. Jones and Bernard Lauth as the American Iron Company outside Pittsburgh. James H. Laughlin bought out Lauth’s interest. Before 1861 and the firm was renamed in its new offices at Third & Ross in downtown Pittsburgh. Growing up in Cleveland in the 1950s, our home was so close to the mills that late at night with the windows open, I could hear the yard engines working. At its peak in the 1970s, the Cleveland facilities employed 4,000 people and produced 3 million tons of steel annually. See also Wikipedia here. Bronze 75 mm (3 inches). Extremely high relief. Plain edge with incuse “Medallic Arts Company Bronze.” Obverse: “Serving the Graphic Arts / 1906 – Fiftieth Anniversary – 1956” “Pitman” (At left above P engraver’s name: Harold M). Center: in Wreath: Camera, Press, Engraver’s hand with tool. Reverse: three scenes: “Photo Engraving”: “Lithography”: “Rotogravure”. Center triangle with center circle Camera and operator. Harold M. Pitman founded the company in Chicago in 1907. Starting out by himself, he made and sold steel dies and copper plates to engravers. Pitman celebrated its 100th birthday in 2007. Agfa Gevaert Group acquired Pitman for $80 million on July 15, 2010. The Pitman brand is still seen at 16 sales and operations offices in the USA. Brief history from AgfaGevaert
"Faber-Castell, established in 1761 by the cabinet maker Kaspar Faber (1730-1784), is one of the oldest industrial companies in the world. The company is the world’s leading manufacturer of wood-cased pencils with a varied range of products for writing, drawing and creative design, as well as decorative cosmetics. … Today the eighth generation family member Count Anton-Wolfgang von Faber-Castell, who took over as head of the company in 1978, has been instrumental in new product development and the expansion of international activities." Company website About Us here. 38 mm. Silver. Reeded edge. Obverse: “Sierra Ball Pens” on Mountain. “Faber Castell / 1986” below. Reverse modeled on Morgan Dollar. Legends “United States of America One Troy Oz. / .999 Fine Silver.”
