John Burns Dime Saloon Token (Staunton, Va)

Thanks John1. I looked for information at that web site earlier this week. They list a silver token by the same name and don't have a picture of it. No mention of a brass version (like I have) that I can find. The listing may give a clue to the age, however. Apparently, John Burns was a grocer and dealer of liquors in 1870.

The 1870 Wood's Baltimore City Directory list one John Burns as a "barkeeper" - 344 Canton. He's absent in 1871.
There is no listing for a Dime Saloon though.

This could be the same chap. Perhaps, he relocated?

This token was made by Dorman in Baltimore. There was a John Burns (no middle initial) working there as a bartender in 1870; this, give or take a few years when this token was struck. IMHO, this makes it quite possible that it's the same person. Back then, folks moved about quite frequently. Piecing together historical info about tokens and the folks who issued them can be a fun pursuit. This info may be useful if one can gather some facts about a John Burns living in Staunton.

While the Dime Saloon was not listed in Baltimore, it may well have been the one in Staunton. Yet, many token attributions have been corrected over the years. The attribution of tokens that lack an address or town is always tentative to some degree.

Take for example the Yankee Robinson Civil War tokens. These have long been attributed to Cincinnati, wherein they were struck and the circus was often present. Yet, these are to be newly attributed, to Robinson's winter quarters in NY; this, in the forthcoming storecard book. Another Cincinnati token, Fisler & Chance, is to be properly attributed to Urbana, Ohio. These are but two examples ....

The catalogs aren't always right. The Rulau series, excellent as it was, has many corrected attributions (with regard to town, era, state, etc.) in every edition. It's only by continuing questions and study that attrributions become more accurate.

Great info, Cheetah! Just to be clear, I only proposed that there was probably a connection between the John Burns, barkeeper in Baltimore and the one in Staunton. Perhaps, there was a father and son by the same name? I note from the census that he was relatively young to have owned a bar in 1870.

There's a token from a different issuer but with the same reverse as this Burns piece that's up for bids on ebay. The number is 140601351518. This was apparently a stock die that Dorman used.

There was a Dime Saloon in Richmond. I can confirm it was in the early 1860's; around 1863ish.

Moreover, there is a 1860 census listing for a Jno Burns, b.1847, Ireland, resident of Henrico County. That is not a typo for the first name.

It's slightly plausible that a 17 y/o could have his own token. (Off the top of my head, I know of another instance in PA where a 18-19 y/o had his own hardware store with his own CWT token)

Hello CheetahCats,

I tried to send you a message via the link you provided, but I wasn't allowed to because I'm a new member. I think I've revised my profile to receive e-mail messages, so maybe you can try again on your end. Thanks again for all the information you provided. Please let me know if you're still not able to send me a message.