I don't know much about this series, but I recently picked up a penny sized bronze or copper coin that was apparently used in Latin America in the mid 19th-century. On one side, the token simply says "Mitad" (Half... half a cent perhaps?). On the other, it says "J. J. De L". I have no idea who the merchant/issuer was, but I found that many of these Mitad tokens were struck by a button company in Waterbury, Connecticut named Scoville Manufacturing. I think it's the same as this one? http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/colombia-mitad-token-santader-1800s-128803554 A group of 15 Mitad tokens sold through Heritage (including a lower grade example of this piece) for $1057.50: http://coins.ha.com/itm/colombia/colombia-token-mitad-collection-total-15-tokens-/a/3020-26494.s How would you grade this one? And what would you guesstimate it's value at? Also, any idea who or what "J.J. De L" might be?
In "The MITAD Tokens of Latin America" by James O. Sweeney, NLG & Prof. Enrique Bernal M. - TAMS Journal Volume 31, Number 1 (2), Feb. 1991, your token is listed as id J4, and noted as being issued before 1908. Metal should be bronze, dia. at 19.7mm. It should have medal orientation. This is listed as a common token. I must note though, that for the MITAD token series, more than 9 (yes, only 9) pieces known (which includes all types & varieties for that issuer), is considered to be common. This reference lists 75 confirmed types of MITAD tokens, but one must remember that was 24 years ago, so there may be updates. The map showing known locations of issuers shows a high concentration of them in the northern portion of Columbia, but your token does not include a location name. Lack of a location, accompanied by only initials, make it extremely difficult to attribute, and the full name of the issuer was not listed. Your token is not the same as the one in the link you provided. While that link does not show the other side of the token, evidently it includes the word "Santader", which is a location in Columbia close to its border with Venezuela. MITAD tokens had the value of 1/8 of a real (= 1/2 of a cuartillo). These tokens were similar to our Hard Times and Civil War tokens in that they were used to alleviate the problems associated with a long and severe shortage of small denomination coins.
Thanks! That's a lot more information than I was able to find anywhere else. Any series where >9 known is considered "common" is a bit more specialized than I usually collect.
