So I posted this previously on the looong Exonumia thread. In with some Silver dollars I bought was this c 1900 goodie. Your thoughts please
Nice. I first heard of these opium coins just recently... https://www.cointalk.com/threads/cool-opium-half-dollar-commemorative-coin.393780/ Cool coins!
I have been hunting for one of these for YEARS. never seen a hinged. always screw types. I love yours much better congrats on that find!
I saw your post over there and was gonna comment but glad I can here. That is so neat. I have never seen one in person.
Yes, very nice! Whether they were really used to hold opium or not is debatable for sure. Still very cool to own one!
An elderly widow, friend of my sister-in-law had some coins that her husband saved. 12 rolls of Kennedys with 13 40% mixed in, a Peace Dollar & a Morgan and this dark underweight piece. Hinge retracts in for perfect fit. Many of these have a broken hinge or back broken off.
Okay, so now you got my juices flowing, so I did a little research. Here is some info on "box" coins, sometimes called "opium" coins. https://coinsite.com/opium-dollars-box-coins/ Here is a Trade Dollar made into a box that Ampex had for sale. https://www.apmex.com/product/87095/1877-s-trade-dollar-opium-dollar-hinged-box-dollar eBay has a commemorative box coin for $395.