I have seen a number of tokens that were issued by the Freemasons,but I know nothing about the symbols on them.The most common design I have seen features a mortar & pestle.Please can you help? Did other fraternal organisations follow the Freemasons' example & issue their own tokens?
Most certainly - they did & still do. The variety of tokens issued by different groups over the years is almost endless.
Ancient Order of Foresters Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Knights Templar Native Daughters of the Golden West Native Sons of the Goldne West Loyal Order of the Moose Knights of Columbus Independent Order of Odd Fellows--(that could be interesting.) Independent Order of the Owls That's 9 of them. Did you have a particular order in mind?
This is an old thread but I thought it needed some bumping. Here are a couple I've got, they're just a little larger than a Half Dollar, composed of bronze and I can only show one side :secret: ... LOL Ben
Masonic Penny That token appears to be a blank masonic penny. Ordinarily a person's mark would be placed within the circle of the keystone. If this person was asking for a loan or other favour from a fellow mason, they would tender the penny as surety that they would fulfil the pledge. The letters around the keystone, starting at the top, stand for "Hiram Tyrian Widow's Son Sendeth To King Solomon" and comes from a part of the ritual surrounding one of the advancement ceremonies of the Royal Arch degree, usually the fourth degree of masonry. The story is about a craftsman in the quarry sending a stone to build King Solomon's temple and is an allegory about doing quality work. The tools of the masonry trade are on the other side, surrounding a compass and square, overlooked by the eye of the Master Architect, and with the letter "G" for "Geometry" at the center. Masonic pennies are probably the most common sort of fraternal tokens encountered. Many have a lot more detail about the chapter etc.
The Orange Order in the British Isles & Canada also issued their own tokens as well.I found a list on the Internet,but I can't remember the URL off hand. Aidan.
Almost all Masonic Lodges created there own coin. They pass them out for special occasions or award them for for special reasons. They are highly conveted by lodges around the world and trading foe them is done when thet visit different lodge groups. Just think of them like challenge coins that are awarded by officials to their employees.
Masonic, or Mark Pennies have many designs (although many are similar), and there are over 500 reverse dies that have been used to produce these. According to "Masonic Chapter Pennies" by E. A. King, the Mark Penny when received by a member of the Fraternity, is supposed to be inscribed with his own particular "mark" and as soon as selected, it is placed on record, never to be changed, but to remain his "mark" until the day of his death. The Mark is not a mere ornamental appendage of the degree, but is a Sacred Token of the rites of friendship and brotherly love. Members of the Fraternity cherish them highly, and do not ordinarily part with them during their lifetime. It is the custom of most Chapters to refuse to exchange or supply specimens to anyone who is not a bona fide member of their Chapter. The ordinary, or most common type of Mark Penny is one having the obverse divided into three spaces by two circles. The inscription found in the outer space consisting of the name, number, and location of the Chapter; the middle space contains an inscription stating when the charter was granted, and date, while the inner space, or center contains the words "One/Penny" in two lines. The reverse of this type has a keystone bearing the letters H.T.W.S.S.T.K.S. arranged in a circle. These letters are supposed to represent the "mark" of the ancient Grand Master. Many Chapters have not adopted a special Mark Penny, Shekel, or Token bearing their name, number, location, etc., but cling to the old-fashioned copper cent, the ordinary penny, English and Canadian pennies, and the so-called stock Penny. This latter generally bears the keystone with the usual mark, the mallet, and indenting chisel on one side, and "ONE PENNY" on the other, but there are many variations. No fixed rule seems to govern either designs or metals to be used, thus Marks have been made in silver, gold, copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, iron and lead. In former years many Pennies were made in sets of four, usually silver, aluminum, brass and copper, but this has apparently been discontinued. Solid gold Marks are rare and were probably intended for presentation pieces. Just a very few Pennies have milled edges.
This section will be of interest to all those collecting the Masonic tokens that have been issued by various Freemason lodges. Aidan.
Here's an unusual Masonic "Penny" using an ancient Roman coin as a design: Judging by the condition, it must have seen a lot of use as a token or pocket piece. Masonic "Penny" Token Royal Arch Masons, St. Louis, Missouri Obverse: MISSOURI (dot) CHAPTER No 1. R.A.M. (dot) ST.LOUIS / CAESAR AVGVSTVS Reverse: Eight spokes, DIVVS IVLIV The design appears to use a Roman coin issued by Augustus commemorating the death of Julius Caesar. Original coin details: Augustus silver Denarius Catalog: Roman Imperial Coins number 37b, Roman Silver Coins number 97. Obverse: AVGVSTVS CAESAR, oak-wreathed head left Reverse: DIVVS IVLIVS to left and right of comet with eight rays, tail at top.
