Coin Community Family of Web Sites Join Thousands of Coin, Bullion, & Money Collectors
Specializing in Modern Numismatics Vancouvers #1 Coin and Paper Money Dealer Royal Canadian Mint products, Canadian, Polish, American, and world coins and banknotes. Coin, Banknote and Medal Collectors's Online Mall Join Thousands of Coin, Bullion, & Money Collectors 300,000 items to help build your collection! Shop for APMEX Bullion on eBay!








Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?


This page may contain links that result in small commissions to keep this free site up and running.

Welcome Guest! Registering and/or logging in will remove the anchor (bottom) ads. It's Free!

General Washington / New York City Hall Token Question

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.
Author Previous TopicReplies: 3 / Views: 707Next Topic  
Pillar of the Community

Italy
1130 Posts
 Posted 10/08/2023  1:27 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add Roma2021 to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
Hello everyone,

I bought this token today and found the attribution online (although manufacture is circa 1850-1879 depending on the source).

I understand these were 'gaming tokens' but what exactly does that mean? Token in lieu of cash for gambling? Surrogate for chips?

This is the only token I've found in Rome with any U.S. subject matter... thoughts and information would be appreciated...

Thanks!


General-Washington-/-New-York-City-Hall-Token-Question General-Washington-/-New-York-City-Hall-Token-Question
Valued Member
Brummagem's Avatar
United States
128 Posts
 Posted 10/08/2023  8:25 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Brummagem to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I don't know for certain but I would place it as a whist counter. It could have been used for keeping score in that very popular card game.

https://www.thewhistmarkersmuseum.c..._26_Articles
General-Washington-/-New-York-City-Hall-Token-Question
Moderator
Learn More...
Spence's Avatar
United States
34398 Posts
 Posted 10/08/2023  9:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Spence to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Thx for helping me learn something today @brumm.

@roma, looks to me like these were sometimes gilt, such as the one in this auction on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gaming-Tok...72458?_ul=CR

"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb

"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
Moderator
Learn More...
Sap's Avatar
Australia
16817 Posts
 Posted 10/08/2023  9:20 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
It is my understanding that back then, they usually sold packs of cards packaged with a small set of tokens. What you did with the tokens was your business; you could use then as points tallies like in Brummagem's post, or you could use them as money-substitutes - especially in jurisdictions where gambling with playing cards for actual money was illegal. Or you could give them to your kids to use as play money and play your card games without using tokens. Up to you. The token-makers didn't care what you did with them, so long as they made a sale.

Many of these tokens were made in Nuremberg, Germany, and exported worldwide.
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
  Previous TopicReplies: 3 / Views: 707Next Topic  

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.



    




Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us  |  Advertise Here  |  Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

Coin Community Forum © 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Forums
It took 0.22 seconds to rattle this change. Forums