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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,549 |
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New Member
United Kingdom
3 Posts |
Hey, What are these? If they are worth something, where would be the best place to put them? ebay?  Regards, |
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Valued Member
United States
172 Posts |
They appear to be plastic tokens produced by the Australian island territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. In order from left to right, they appear to be KM# Tn2, Tn3, and Tn4. Although they say 1910, they were produced in 1913. These tokens were produced in very small numbers and issued with individual serial numbers on the reverse. They look real to me but I am not an expert. I have no idea how frequently these tokens are counterfeited. If real, they are definitely worth something to collectors. Could we see pictures of the other side please?
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Valued Member
United States
172 Posts |
The reverses should show denominations of 10, 25, and 50 cents, respectively. Mintages were 5000, 5000, and 2000. The Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins, 37th edition, lists the material as "Plastic Ivory", whatever that is.
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Moderator
 Australia
16850 Posts |
They are among the most valuable pieces of 100-year-old plastic you can buy. You can sell them on ebay if you like, though you might get more for them if you take them to a specialist coin auctioneer, like Nobles or Roxburys. Quote:
The Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins, 37th edition, lists the material as "Plastic Ivory", whatever that is. They are made of "ivorine", an early synthetic ivory substitute which is actually a form of celluloid (nitrocellulose-camphor copolymer), the same stuff that ping pong balls are made of. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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New Member
 United Kingdom
3 Posts |
Thank you for your responses, you think they would sell better in an oz auction? I am uk based so that will be complicated?/
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Moderator
Australia
16850 Posts |
They should sell almost as well if you take them to one of the big London coin dealerships / auction houses. St James Auctions Ltd recently sold a whole set of these tokens; the lower denominations sold for between £80 and £220 each. You can currently find them, and others that have sold recently, on this CoinArchives search page. If you do decide to put them on ebay instead, make sure you allow Australian bidders to see it and bid on it. While British Commonwealth collectors are also keen on the tokens, the islands are currently owned by Australia and therefore it is Australian collectors who have adopted them and regard them as a significant part of "their own" numismatic history. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1666 Posts |
In addition to what Sap said, ebay would not be a very good choice if you don't already have a good feedback history of selling coins. Although your coins look legit, there are many fakes as Roger noted, and bidders would be conscious of that if you are not an established coin seller. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2805 Posts |
Whatever you do - don't clean these "coins" in acetone!!  |
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New Member
United Kingdom
3 Posts |
Thank you for your help everybody, sent the photos to Nobles and will sell or auction the coins with them. Its a massive stroke of luck considering a) I was going to throw them away and b) they have been sitting in a box of junk for at least 20 years!
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,549 |
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Posted 01/06/2014 12:19 am
