I don't have any of my Canadian attribution books handy - can you help me ID this variety of hard times token? How would you grade it, and what is it worth? Obverse: "Agriculture & Commerce - Bas Canada" around thistle & rose bouquet Reverse: "Banque Du Peuple - Montreal" around a wreath containing denomination "Un Sous"
Apparently there are reeded & undreeded varieties of this coin: http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=50480 Mine appears to be the (more common) reeded variety. Is this an open wreath (I'm not sure how that's defined)?
I pulled out QP's Canadian Tokens & Medals. The "Banque du Peuple" legend points pretty directly to the Bowman 715 type for this, which has a note that there are 3 varieties. "This coin was authorized by the Order in Special Council of 1838. Many authorities are convinced that there are two varieties of this coin, with the wreath on the reverse touching at the top and with it separated. The variety with the leaf touching is the so-called Hart variety. The writer has not seen a coin in sufficiently perfect condition to convince him that there actually are two varieties. Ferguson (Numismatist, Feb 1947) states that the open type wreath always appears with the T and U in AGRICULTURE being joined at the top by a heavy die break. He also notes a third variety on which a bar appears between the D and A in CANADA on the obverse and whenever this bar appears, it is on the closed wreath type. Struck in Belleville. The reverse is similar to Nos. 698 and 699. The reverse is used only for this coin." -from "The Bouquet Sou Tokens of Canada by Fred Bowman, ANA 8473, Lachine, Quebec, Canada" I'm thinking this is type 2 - an open wreath without the bar between the D&A. But, I don't see the die break that Ferguson claimed was always found in the open wreath variety.
I also picked up a BR716: http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgemo/16503593421/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgemo/16319404637/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgemo/16479323186/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgemo/16479325356/
Anyone have an estimate of the grade and value? This seems a bit optimistic: http://www.coinsandcanada.com/tokens-medals-banks.php?title=1-sou-1837&id=105
Looks like I need to keep an eye out for additional reference material on Canadian tokens. All I have is the 2012 "A Guide Book of Canadian Coins and Tokens by James A. Haxby. He only mentions the two tokens for the Banque du Peuple, Breton 716 (Rebellion sou) and Breton 715 (Belleville sou). He does not mention anything about varieties of those tokens, so I can not be of any assistance with that. On the first token (Breton No. 715), and I admit that I have no experience with this series at all, my uneducated guess at a grade would be a VG, and my reference indicates a value of $5. My first thought was that you have the open wreath variety, but upon looking closer, I see what can possibly be two faint points that may touch. It is hard to tell from the photo if it is on the token or is an illusion from the holder. It would be easier to determine with token in hand. For the second token (Breton 716), and again proceeding without experience in this series, I would grade it Fine on the obverse and VF on the reverse. My reference indicates values of F - $32, VF - $50, EF - $100. Thanks for sharing. I have a small number of old Canadian tokens, which is why I bought the book that I have, but I have yet to go thru and identify mine. What reference is there that provides the more detailed variety listings?
The pictures are numerous but horrible. Taking the coins out of the packets would have helped, as would discarding poor results (there is no point posting a picture that is entirely flash burn) and trying again, but they look pretty average circulated, say VG. Fairly modest value, I'd say.
