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 Replies: 10 / Views: 3,063 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4337 Posts |
My first ever. it was the flag, the phrygian cap and the motto on the reverse that got me...I really like it...  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4415 Posts |
DSfreeworld ... This is a great starter piece for a collection. Although a relatively common variety, this one is growing in popularity among collectors. Some regard SPOOT as an error, but I think it was intentional. IMHO. this diesinker's work is otherwise too good to suggest he'd make such a gross error. Among the so-called primitives, there are many spelling errors.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
 Very nice for your first CWT  I really like the error ... Spoot .. Here is mine with out the error  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1499 Posts |
Quote:
DSfreeworld ... This is a great starter piece for a collection. Although a relatively common variety, this one is growing in popularity among collectors. Some regard SPOOT as an error, but I think it was intentional. IMHO. this diesinker's work is otherwise too good to suggest he'd make such a gross error. Among the so-called primitives, there are many spelling errors. I am a bit surprised that you would think of the "SPOOT" variety as anything but an error. All of us have gotten carried away with something. "SHOOT" has two "O"s so, if you are tired, "SPOT" might have two "O"s also.  If it was not an error why would he have used that nonsensical work? This variety (Fuld 209/414) is attributed to the Waterbury Button Company who hired die sinkers who are now nameless. I have owned a couple of these pieces in my time, and ended up selling both when I was dealer. I am sorry I didn't hold on to one of them. It has been my experience that this variety is hard to find really nice. They usually come in high end VF or lower end EF. The name "DIX" referrs to General John A. Dix. Dix was 63 at the beginning of the war and deemed to be too old for a field assignment. Instead he was put in charge of various departments behind the lines during the war. His most important action during the war was when he suppressed tha New York City Draft Riots in July 1863 just after the battle of Gettysburg. I believe that John Dix was in New Orleans, just after it fell to the Union, when he uttered this command to shoot anyone who tried to pull down the Union flag. His comment inspired a group of these "Dix token" varieties. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4415 Posts |
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If it was not an error why would he have used that nonsensical work? The word spoot is a lower or more colloquial word form of spout. Both words have to do with discharging something that is contained ... I hesitate here to be overly graphic! Sooo ... Picture someone attempting to tear down the flag. A patriot then grabs his gun. The rascal turns and runs. Where does the bullet strike? Why, in the spoot of course! Again, this series of flag tokens was very well executed. Note that the concentric circles on the reverse form a target design ... akin to shooting. To my eye, this whole design was well thought out and intentional. So why, having taken all that care in engraving this design, the flag detail, the many words, would the maker produce so many tokens (this is an R-2) with such an obvious misspelling unless it was intentional? While there are a great many CWT errors, there are a few that evoke humor, like the "Good for a Scent" dog token. IMHO, the spoot token is just as humorous. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4337 Posts |
what do you guys grade this one?
GR58, lets see that obverse!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4415 Posts |
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what do you guys grade this one? IMHO, it's a VF-30, having some uneven wear. Having owned a few dozen of this variety over the years, I concur with the statements of billjones about the grade availability. Common as this variety is, uncirculated specimens are very scarce. To satisfy my curiosity, I checked ebay. There are five of this variety being offered, from VF to AU details. I suggest that, seeing those BIN prices, a collector can likely find a far more affordable specimen at a show. Edited by ExoGuy
05/05/2016 8:02 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
Quote:
GR58, lets see that obverse!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
627 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4337 Posts |
Quote:
I believe that John Dix was in New Orleans, just after it fell to the Union, when he uttered this command to shoot anyone who tried to pull down the Union flag. His comment inspired a group of these "Dix token" varieties. Might explain the Fleur-de-lis on the obverse |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
VERY nice civil war token |
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Replies: 10 / Views: 3,063 |
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Posted 05/05/2016 10:03 am
