Civil war and hard times tokens thread?

Absolutely Frank. Go for it!

Bruce

 

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more tomorrow.

 

more tomorrow.

 

You promise?


You Promise?

 

Well yeah, you're not going to post too many. Just try to post some better coins next time.

kidding! Great stuff!

 

I have about 20 or so, most from the Civil War period. I found that several of the Civil War tokens use the same images, just paired differently on certain tokens. Since the majority I save are patriotic, certain slogans and images seemed to be popular with many merchants. However, I am presently hunting down a few merchant tokens from cities I lived in. I did this with Bank Charter Notes and will marriage these up to the tokens. I have only collected this style of exonumia for about 7-8 years. It offers a nice break away from the classics coins when I find myself hitting a wall. I also find they are increasing in value every year without exception. (I hope I didn't jinx us by saying that.)

 

Those tokens are impressive and historic that's what I love about collecting.

 

Very nice tokens Idhair. The die work on the Van Cott is especially impressive...great detail and design.

Bruce

 

This one arrived on Friday. I like the clashed dies, and the detail on the Indian Head is quite nice.

 

A few more:

not a beauty:
Shoot him on the 'spoot':





Our Army:

 

and:

not scarce, but great die cracks & clash:





Story & Southworth:





Robinson & Ballou:





United we stand:




Army & Navy:





Feel free to id any of these for me.

 

Nice ones Frank!

Nothing rare, but a new one that I got a couple days ago.

 

It seems that you need a standard reference. We had a discussion here comparing the classic books by George and Melvin Fuld with the new 2014 Whitman book by Q. David Bowers. Either way, the point is exactly as you noted: they are identified by standard dies. Makers offered merchants their choices of obverses and reverses. Many merchants, of course, had one side with their name and address, etc., But with patriotics, the production was even more formulaic.

I recommend the Society highly. If you are serious about this, you will benefit greatly from not reinventing the wheel. The CWT Society publishes the leading edge in research and discovery. Their newsletter ultimately drive and define the market values of these issues.

That is generally true. Most collectors settle for a Red Book or Greysheet, never knowing how those editors derive their guesses. The speciality clubs are the engines of the hobby. If you have a specialty and are not in a national club, you are paying a huge hidden cost in ignorance.

 

Here one I got

 

I took your advise and ordered the reference guide. Although not a full time devotee, I'm sure this will help me with my buying. Thanks for the information.

 

Time to bump this thread to the top of the list again..........

 

PennyGuy:
Nice token and nice photographs. I'm trying to find something from Peoria Illinois or Milwaukee Wisconsin. I would pop for one like that if I could find it in the same condition.

 

Apologies for the indifferent photography -- I can try for better shots this weekend:


Also, a modern "hard times token" from Daniel Carr: