What is the organization this token is supporting? Neat piece that was found in a huge collection I recently purchased. I thought maybe some kind of lodge token. Thanks Tom
I'm gonna guess it is a Masonic Penny given to members when they reach a certain level. Coin World had an article about Masonic Pennies several weeks ago.
Looks like it definitely could be a Freemason Penny. Coin World did an article on this a few weeks back.
helloooo..... helloooo..... i didn't know anything about the various abbreviations on your coin, so did some googling -- here's what i found. _______________________________________________ KSHTWSST: http://www.rootsweb.com/~msattala/masonicemblem.html _______________________________________________ R.A.M.: http://www.yorkrite.com/gcmx/whyaram.htm _______________________________________________ a similar token from a chapter in michigan: http://cgi.ebay.com/Hillsdale-Michi...967555QQcmdZViewItem?IMSfp=TL0803171479a29721 thanks for a little learning experience. nice bit of history! v.
E.A. King authored a book on these tokens that provides some background info, but most of the book is ids/listings. I have one at home if you wish an id for your token. The book is fairly thick, I would guess about 400 or so pages. The date on the token is when the charter was issued, NOT when the token was issued. It appears as if the original owner's intials are engraved into the token. While that did happen, most Masonic tokens were not personalized.
The id for your token is OK 5388. I counted 170 different die photos of the tablet with series of letters style, but none of them matched your token. King's book was copyrighted in 1930 (reprinted in 1981), so it is not too surprising that dies have been made since the book was release. Tokens such as this are also referred to as a Freemanson "Mark Penny". When a member of the Fraternity receives a Mark Penny, it is supposed to be inscribed with his own particular "mark". These marks, once selected, are placed on record, never to be changed, and are to remain as that member's "mark" until the day of his death. The Mark Penny is not a mere ornamental appendage of the degree, but is a Sacred Token of the rites of friendship and brotherly love. Members cherish these highly, and do not ordinarily part with them in their lifetime. Most Chapters will refuse to exchange or supply specimens to anyone who is not a bona fide member of their Chapter.
