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 Replies: 13 / Views: 3,305 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1691 Posts |
I came across what I think is a British merchants token...the coin is round but the right appears to be clipped...however the border extends around the entire coin...even the clipped side! Along the top it reads D.B.E.M.LD and along the bottom of the coin reads STORE
In the middle is a large 6D... There is also a small punchmark of a lion or horse on the face of this token...the back of this coin is blank. Can anyone give me an idea of its history or value?
Atlashealth
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
Do you have a picture? That would help tremendously.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1691 Posts |
Here is a picture of the token... it's the best I could do. The back is totally blank. Image:  BritishToken.jpg57.66 KB |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1106 Posts |
Is the 3rd letter an E or a C.
Edited by chrycopaul
06/12/2007 11:01 pm
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Moderator
United States
6563 Posts |
I'm not sure but I'll do some diggin
There is an interesting Counterstamp of a horse I think. Very unique to say the least.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1106 Posts |
It is a South African token. DBCM is De Beers Consolidated Mines. (Diamonds) From the web. These were issued to staff of businesses in lieu of coin. In the 1800s the argument supporting payment to staff was the shortage of coin in circulation, but in reality employees were forced to spend their wages in the company's stores at highly inflated prices - resulting in an effective dramatic lowering of their actual salary and disposable income. Here is another one  Edited by chrycopaul
06/13/2007 02:17 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1691 Posts |
Chrycopaul....Thank you very much for the ID of this unique token... it's pretty dirty..do you think a soak in olive oil would improve its appearance? What is the value of such a coin?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1106 Posts |
I'm not sure on value, but if you do a search on South African trade tokens you may be able to find something similar.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1691 Posts |
According to the London Coin Club, this token is rare... #6 on the rarity scale
londoncoinclub.org.uk
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New Member
Germany
3 Posts |
Dear collectors, it's Dietmar (muenz-goofy) from Germany. I found your forum by coincidence on the net and this is my first posting. At first I have to apologize for my not perfect English. I am a collector of African coins and particulary African tokens. In my collection there is a token of De Beers Company of South Africa of 2/6 Shillings with two countermarks, a kind of moon and a springbock or gemsbock. Please see the attachment. The diameter of this zinc token is 38,8 mm and the scales say 13,94 grams. As far as I know those countermarks specify the mine of De Beer in South Africa. Does anyone know more about the countermarks of the De Beer mines? I'm eager to get any information on which mine my token was valid. Is there any catalogue I can ask? Kind regards MG Image: DeBeers.jpg79.5 KB |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1691 Posts |
Muenz-goofy, Welcome to the site!! Your DeBeers token is in much better shape than mine...I searched all over the web for info on mining tokens and the best I can recommend is contact londoncoinclub.org.uk They might be able to put you in touch with an African token expert....As far as value, I think yours should be worth at least a few hundred dollars.
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New Member
Germany
3 Posts |
Dear atlashealth,
thank you for your welcome and the hint to London Coin Club. I definifely will contact them. To be frankly, as I posted my question I thought coincommunity is a British Forum....
I will post again in case the freaks of London could give me a proper answer. You might be right that my token is quite rare. I never found another piece on the net but I bought it for not too much money in South Africa. Your token is nice, too. You should be happy to have it (i would).
Greetings to te other side of the ocean.
MG
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New Member
Germany
3 Posts |
Dear coin friends,
in the meantime I got an answer from London Coin Club regarding the tokens from De Beers mines in South Africa. Philip Mernick wrote:
"The Halfcrown ( 2 shilings & 6 pence ) shown, was used at the Du Toitspan Diamond Mine, part of De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited ( formed in 1888.) This consisted of two large groups, one put together by Cecil Rhodes who began to buy "claims" in 1871 in the De Beers discovery, named after the owner of the land. Other miners were persuaded to join and by 1887 they controlled the De Beers Mine. The second group put together by Barney Barnato controlled the Kimberly mine and the merger controlled 90% of the World's diamonds when other mines such as Du Toitspan, Bultfontein and Wessleton joined the group.
There are over twenty tokens listed in the catalogues. There are
versions without punched-out shapes or countermarks and with crescent or dumbell piercings combined with countermarks such as the springbok on the specimen shown. The shilling uses a lion and there are sixpences and some threepence pieces also with different countermarks."
This information was quite helpful for me, and it will be of interest to the one or other member of the forum.
Greetings from MG
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1691 Posts |
MG... Thanks so much for sharing the info about SA mining tokens...stay active in the forum...you obviously have a lot to contribute!
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Replies: 13 / Views: 3,305 |
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Posted 06/12/2007 10:04 pm
BritishToken.jpg
DeBeers.jpg
