I would like to know more about these coins.. i love a good love story lol but im curious to know more about these. I know it must have been valuable to someone at some point (not in the aspect of $$). But is there a way to look up the history of this specific coin, like who made it. Who they made it for, or is that just too far out there..lol and I was informed this cannot be real as the lines on the back are too detailed it had to be from a machine of some sort.. i disagree. But i also dont really know.
I do enjoy love tokens. I had one made period correct for my wife several years back.... Yours is lovely by the way.... But these are as unique as the person that created them.... One of our moderators, @lordmarcovan ran across a love token that was created in a WWI foxhole in France for a lady the soldier wanted to marry when he got home. Somehow our fine LordM tracked down the soldier who did marry the lady that held his heart.... He even tracked down the couples grandkids and returned the piece to them.... I hope I have the points of that story correct.... But unless you get lucky and have one with a full name, I don't know of any way you could track down the history of the piece.
Haley♡, posted: "I was informed this cannot be real as the lines on the back are too detailed it had to be from a machine of some sort.. i disagree." You are correct. He/she is ignorant.
Welcome to CT @Haley♡. I too enjoy tokens like yours but alas, I have none. Maybe in the future I'll find one that warrants paying for, but in the mean time I can enjoys others. BTW, Here is something I post regularly and would certain improve the viewability of your token. For the best results, you should post "in focus," FULL IMAGE photos (after you upload your photo, two buttons appear: Thumbnail and Full Image, click Full Image and your photo appears full size on your post and are easily enlarged by clicking on it). Photograph coins on neutral backgrounds like black, grey, or white. Crop out superfluous background so just the coin shows (you can use https://www.remove.bg for free), and post photos with correct orientation so members don't have to turn their computer in some awkward fashion to view it properly. While it isn’t always necessary, it is nice to show both the obverse and reverse, even if your question is just about one side. Members can often give more valuable information having both sides to evaluate. Add close ups of areas you have questions about and make your questions as definitive as possible so we know what you are asking for. And try to have the best lighting possible to show the most favorable photo of the coin. Hope this helps in the future. Good luck.
Love tokens were popular during the second half of the 19th century. One of the more common applications was to have a set made with the names of the father, mother and each child. They were then attached to a charm bracelet. You see these pieces offered intact, but more often the pieces have been removed and sold separately. My grandmother had this one. She had it because she was born in 1883 and was always on the hunt for 1883 dated coins.
It was a fad back in the mid to the late 1800's. They are cool but it's hard to determine who made them and for who. Here is a love token from my collection..
@Haley♡ Can you determine by size what coin it came from? I would hate to see it come from a twenty cent piece.
Who ever told you that is "full of it". The truth is that Americans, and most other people, from during the time these were most popular, were true craftsmen and could make almost anything with only hand tools. This type of jewelry was a cinch for them. They would start by selecting a coin, then would grind down one side to get a suitable surface to engrave on. Then using whatever tools they had (some would use actual engraving tools, some would use something as simple as a nail or a pocket knife) they would basically scratch their chosen design into the surface of the coin. Most designs were of the initials of a loved one and some designs were very elaborate, and some actually were on both sides of the coin. Love tokens are a collecting area all on their own and hardly a coin collector doesn't have at least one. They are very interesting and the variety of them is almost endless. Another interesting collectable in the same "vein" is Hobo Nickels. Very interesting with a huge variety of designs. You could google "Love Tokens" or "Hobo Nickels" and find lots of examples. Also on eBay. Thanks for posting and Welcome to Coin Talk !!
Like the example I posted, @Haley♡'s piece was made with a Legend Obverse dime. Dimes were most often the host coins for love tokens. I have seen pictures of one that was made from a Twenty Cent Piece, but those are quite rare.
Such a special post that you felt you had to ask and I’m sure you are glad you did. The stories behind that coin makes it priceless. In my eyes anyway. Welcome! And thank you!
Its tiny.. its like the size of a dime.. heres a comparsion. My camera is having a hard time focusing kately this is the most clear image i could get