Question About Unusual Coinage Materials/Post Your Unusual Materials Coins!

I couldn't find anything substantial on it. I really wish I could, I'd like to know why the penciled value of 200 doesn't match the total face value. I did take another look around and find that it's pressboard underneath the wax. That's the best I can see.

Well, that's a trip. Rubber? Wouldn't have guessed that.

I took another look at one of mine and I see the edge does not have the layered appearance that fiber tokens have. The cracks that I see around the edges quite commonly could be dried rubber cracking. It actually makes more sense than it seems. Rubber-magnesite. Neat.

Just as good was they mentioned the British air force tokens. I've been wondering what they were made of. Are you able to find any information on CP3 though? I'm not really seeing anything about the material itself and would prefer to before making a final decision on what to file those away under.

Fascinating subject. Just sat and read the thread. Everyone that's been posting has an incredible knowledge base. Thank you.

@nautilator

That's awesome! But here is my question for you. Do you happen to know if it was a circulating token or a casino/gambling chip? Since I may be wrong here but I was under the impression that there weren't any circulating tokens made of mother of pearl, just casino/gambling chips were made.

I would have to assume that it is actually made out of natural mother of pearl/nacre and not plastic-like nacre simply due to the fact that the design seems to be engraved into the surface of the token. That would only need to be done if it were natural nacre, if it were plastic like nacre it would have most likely been molded or stamped not engraved.

Now that is different! I really like it.

@nautilator

So, I did some looking around because I was curious and I'm not completely convinced that your mother of pearl token is a circulating trade token and not a gambling jetton. Let me explain why.

Based on the crest on the back the token it was most likely have been made prior to 1925 due to the fact that the club de la union crest from 1925 to today is missing one of the C's that is represented in the crest that is on the token. If you're assuming that it was made prior to 1925, then you have to look at the concept that 5 and 10 pesos is a huge face value for a trade token and that would have meant that the token would have been worth many times its weight in silver.

Now that wouldn't raise any issues if it were a plantation or a company token since those tokens are paid to employees as wages so that they can later spend their earnings at the company store and nowhere else. But since the club de la union was a gentlemen's club it just doesn't add up for me since why would the club have their patrons buy tokens just to later use at the club. It would just add an extra unnecessary step in facilitating purchases, and most of the high end business men and politicians that the club catered to would most likely not be willing to do that. And not to mention the fact that if you only have a face value of 5 and 10 pesos you would have to give change in Chilean money. Making the token even more unnecessary.

There is also the fact that the token that you posted is rather similar to some other European mother of pearl gambling jettons from around the same time period that I was able to find on the internet. One example below.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JETON-de-C....m1438.l2649

Now, I'm not saying that it is definitely not a trade token but I would need to see more proof to convince me.

Where did you find the Club De La Union crest from before 1925? I'm looking and not immediately seeing it anywhere.

Another thing I'd note is that this token has a (?)serial number on the reverse. Mine says 56, another one that I bought and don't have yet says 118. Of the very small number of casino chips I've seen, none have serial numbers -- do you know of any that do?

I did some more searching and saw that some Club De La Union tokens were being advertised as casino chips, though. Then again, those were all vulcanite (like the mining tokens) and none of those have serial numbers.