A Continuing Thread ~ Post Your Tokens, Medals, Exonumia Acquisitions

@999fine Conder tokens are a lot of fun. They have tons of history, and most can be found in circulated grades for a few dollars, and even nearly uncirculated common tokens won't break the $100 mark. Hundreds of thousands were struck, a large number for ANY 18th century coinage. There are endless varieties, mules, rarities, and all sorts of fun to treasure-hunt. The famous Parys Mines token, one of the first Conder tokens to be issued in any great number, has over 50 catalogued varieties, not including two or more dozen imitations, fakes and contemporary restrikes. The term "Conder" is a reference to James Conder, one of the first major collectors and author of one of the earliest guidebooks to the series. Dalton & Hamer (D&H) later revised, updated, and greatly expanded Conder's listings. Their work in its modern form is still heavily referenced, and the source of D&H numbers.

(Random trivia: Conder himself is featured on a Conder token.)

There was a severe shortage of circulating "good" copper coins in Britain in the latter part of the 1700s. With no help coming from the Government any time soon, and with barrow-fulls of "bad" (underweight or counterfeit) GII/GIII copper that had driven out the good copper as the only thing left, there was a great need for token coinage that could be reliably used for commerce and trade. Not only did the tokens provide a medium of exchange, they were free advertising for merchants, and also provided a convenient platform for political, social, and even religious themes to be expressed. They were collected even when new, and the token-makers sometimes restruck previous issues using old disused dies, created artificial mule die pairing strikes, or altered legends and edge lettering, just to keep collectors interested.

By the time the Soho Mint started producing "good" copper in 1797, the token coinages began to disappear, until 1807-1808 when the striking of Government coinage was started then once again stopped. As a result, the merchants began to strike token coinage again, from about 1810-1814, including silver shilling issues, not just the small coppers. By 1816 or so Government coinage was restarted with the new designs and sizes, and the merchant tokens fell out of use after awhile (they lasted longer in Ireland, into the 1820s for some issues.) These 19th c. issues are catalogued by Davis, Bell and Withers, among others, leading to "B", "D" and "W" numbers. They are not considered part of the Conder token series, but rather called currency tokens, trade tokens, or merchant tokens.


One hundred years later, the Germans created a close paper money equivalent of Conder tokens with Serienscheine, small denomination paper notes which were essentially all but worthless but widely collected for their artwork, themes, humor, and beautiful designs.

WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION
1892-1893 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW DOLLAR

Although there are other "Birdseye View" so called dollars for The Columbian Exposition, the view on this medal is obviously not a "birdseye view" despite the use of that term in its legend. Even with the wear and scratches, this medal was quickly nabbed by me with "Buy it now" for under $10.00.

The only other ones I have seen so far that sold were aluminum.
This one too, is HK-166 Aluminum
There are two metal compositions known for this medal.
HK-165 White Metal. 40mm. Eglit 21(WM) Quite elusive!
HK-166 Aluminum. Eglit 21. More Common

Silver Rounds 1971 BC Commemoratives

The Totem is the same as the 1958 Dollar.
The crest is the BC Crest as seen on the 1971 Dollar.
Bear 27.4 grams - hallmark by front paw
Caribou 26.5 grams - Hallmark by front leg

Your Mount Rushmore collection is looking good, TNG!

Thanks fellers. I will say my picture taking has gotten better over the course of this thread. 999 your collection is perfectly fine, be proud of it.
You have some tough medals to find, I know that. I looked for some you have with no luck.
When silver gets down there I'll be shifting over to that.

1947 Thomas A. Edison
Crescent Temple Trenton NJ
Bronze Medal


I believe I have constructed a set of the 5 Edison medals now.
I almost bought a deep brown bronze without any luster having the same reverse of the c.smith Centennial 1847-1947.
Upon looking at my collection, I think that the bright bronze brass colored one is just a mint state bronze and not actually plated so I already have one.
Glad I checked.

These c.smith look-alikes are quite bright and yellowish when uncirculated in bronze, and I may have been mistaking them to be gilt or plated.
(See bottom one in the previous post)

I picked these in various raw and well preserved conditions but did not want the odd reverses in bright uncirculated. They have a little more character this way and that works for me.

No doubt this is the photograph used to model the obverse of these medals.

* Tokens * (Canada - Local Dollar Tokens)

Souvenir Dollar - Jasper, Alberta.

1904 COUNTERFEIT Louisiana Purchase Official Souvenir

I do not own this FAKE but wanted to post that they are out there.
Use caution in buying!
I have seen one in the past without "COPY" stamped into it but it had the same grainy surface. This one does have it on it.
I know that in the past I was approached by a Chinese seller that I could order fakes with or without the word copy on them. Just a heads up, the far reaching tentacles of fakes run wide and deep in the hobby.