A.B.Sage token

[darktone]

I posted this one over at the CU forum and did not get much of a response(only one) so I thought I would try it over here and see what I can learn about it since the more sophisticated collectors are here . Can anyone put a value on it also? thanks mike

[truthteller]

That's why the bright collectors come over here to NGC, because the important questions get answered. Krause token book page 228, Rulau author NY#762. Copper, 21 mm diameter, 1859. For Brass NY#763, same specs. VF $15 XF $40.

 

 

 

TRUTH

[TomB]

In Medallic Portraits of Washington, by Rulau and Fuld, the piece is listed as being issued in silver, copper, brass or a white metal. All but the silver piece are given prices of $25 in EF and $45-$60 in Unc.

[darktone]

Thanks guy's! Does it look silver from the picture? It looks brass to me- I don't have it yet- it should be here any day now. This is exactly the info I hoped for . mike

[Wihlborg]

Mike,

 

From the photo, it looks like brass to me also.

 

John

[mark]

Well, if you allow a comment from someone who works both the PCGs and the NGC sides of the street (my goodness, that sounds bad....

 

In his book "American Numismatics Before the Civil War, Emphasizing the Story of Augustus B. Sage," Bowers says "Portrait of Washington facing left ... The ligature AE was not made from a single letter punch, but was rather crudely made by overlapping A and E punches. The punch used for the portrait of Washington was made by a reducing lathe from a larger-size portrait punch cut by Robert Lovett, Sr. The Sage token die itself, including the lettering, is the work of George H. Lovett or his father, Robert, Sr. (who worked in his shop at the time). The die was also used outside of the Sage series. In the Civil War token feild this is known as patriotic oberse die Fuld No. 113. ...

 

Raffles and lotteries were a popular merchandising mthod of the era, and daily papers were filled with many offers of this nature. ..."

 

Bowers says the token exists in copper (20-74 known), brass (10 to 19 known), Copper-nickel (very rare), and silver (5 to 9 known). By the way, Bowers' book is a fascinating read. I think it's one of his better books even though I have zero Sage tokens and my accumulation of Sage tokens is not too likely to grow in the future.

 

Mark

[EZ_E]

re: brass (10 to 19 known),

 

It seems incredible that the token only lists for $40 with so few known.

[darktone]

That's probably because there are many of the same design in other metals and I don't think these are widely collected? mike