What is this coin or token?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by coin_nut, Aug 20, 2017.

  1. coin_nut

    coin_nut Well-Known Member

    I can't even find a record of buying it, though I seem to remember getting it cheaply.
    Diameter is about 24.5 mm or 1", weight is 1.2 grams, material appears to be aluminum.
    What I can read of the letters seems to be "UNION TRUST CARTHAGE MO, ONE TRAY, and the big C.S.A. stamped on both sides. Could this possibly be a Confederate States of America token?

    CSA token obv.JPG CSA token rev.JPG
     
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  3. afantiques

    afantiques Well-Known Member

    Aluminium was not in general use till 60 or 70 years after the Civil War. Some one has taken a big old punch and whacked the token, which itself probably dates from the 1920s or 1930s.
    One Tray may make it a field labour token, handed out for picking one tray of produce, redeemed for cash at the end of the work period.
     
    Jwt708 likes this.
  4. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

  5. coin_nut

    coin_nut Well-Known Member

    Great work! Thanks! That link explains it very well.

    "The Union Trust Company was organized c. 1913 and was in business as late as
    1931. In 1914, J. H. Staley was president and J. C. Wyatt was secretary. By 1931,
    the officers were J. D. Harris, president, and Charley L. Bollinger, secretary. All
    of the Union Trust Co. one tray tokens have been counterstamped C S A which
    stands for Carthage Strawberry Association. Apparently, the Union Trust Co.
    went under during the Depression. The strawberry grower’s association may
    have then taken over the responsibility of handling the tokens. It is possible the
    change occurred in the mid-20’s after Treasury Department opposition to bank
    issuance of a monetary token. This counterstamp is frequently misinterpreted as
    standing for the Confederate States of America."
     
  6. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    That was my first take. God save the Brits for putting it in perspective. :)
     
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