It's Token Tuesday! Post 'em if you got 'em. 3 3

[coinsarefun]

I haven’t posted this in a long time and just love the auctions description. Better than I can do any day of the week!

One of the 4 finest known.

Virginia. Richmond. Beck's Public Baths. HT-441, Low-275. Copper. Rarity-3. AU-58 (NGC). Plain edge. Struck medal turn.

A marvelous example of this great token variety. On the obverse is a nude woman bather seated facing right with legs testing the water.

The reverse has BECK'S PUBLIC BATHS around, RICHMOND at center.

An extremely popular token for its risqué and artistically rendered bather obverse.

This is one of the most desirable of all 19th-century American tokens. Most of these are found well circulated,

The Dice & Hicks Mint State example sold for $16,100 to one of America's leading long-time numismatists, who had never had the opportunity to compete for an Uncirculated example. Again, we expect a great deal of interest and excitement as this crosses the block. It is likely that the opportunity to compete for a Mint State example will not occur again anytime soon.

Die punch analysis confirms these dies were engraved by James Bale of New York, and were obviously sent to Virginia where the public baths were located from 1832 until 1844.

[Just Bob]

Following the Flood of 1927, which covered over 27,000 square miles and displaced more then 700,000 people in Mississippi alone, Congress passed the Flood Control act of 1928. This act provided for the repairing and rebuilding of the destroyed levees, and also strengthening them and increasing their height. The Greenville Construction Co. was one of the companies created in the early 1930s to work on this project.

The Memphis Minnie blues song, "When the Levee Breaks" is about this event, and talks about people camping on the levees to escape the waters of this historic flood. The song was later covered by Led Zeppelin on their fourth album.

Tokens are known to exist in denominations of 5, 25, and 50 cents.

 

[Buffalo Head]

[Hoghead515]

On 2/2/2022 at 11:00 AM, Buffalo Head said:

Those are very cool tokens Buffalo. You have an amazing collection. You never cease to amaze me with the impressive coins and tokens you post. Well done my friend. 

[Hoghead515]

I know its not Tuesday yet but Im very excited and wanted to share this story. I bought a few of these tokens off a seller on Ebay about a year ago. I was very suprised because they were from an old store my papaw owned. I got a couple 25 cent and a couple 50cent. I was telling the seller how cool it was to get them and the story about my papaw owning that store. They remembered that and sent me a message a year later telling me they found some more. They were wonderful people to talk to. Very nice. Alot of people wouldnt care less about something like that. My mom loaned me the money to buy them till my pay goes in the bank. She was very excited to see them also. This lot consist of four 25c, four 50c, and two $1 tokens. Im very excited to add a couple $1 tokens in with the others. Not sure what all is in a full set of them but it would be really cool to get a whole set eventually. Some have a few flaws but the history tying my family to them makes them special to me. Grahn was a very small community.  Had a school, a post office, a brickyard, and a small store. This one on the token.  My mother was raised in this small community. It had a very small population. It still does today. This store closed many years ago. Around 1980. Another took its place in the late 80s but closed in the mid 90s due to lack of business. The brickyard is still in operation but hanging on by a thread. My uncle was working there but took a different job because they can only fire it up a day or two a week. The school also closed back in the mid 90s and all the kids started going to a school in the next town over due to the small number of students. Here is one Ive shared before but I will post it to show everyone which ones Im talking about. I will share the new ones when they come in. The other token I shared a in a post a few days ago came from the same seller. It was a brickyard token from the next town over where my other papaw worked. It was very cool to see the same seller have tokens that have businesses with ties to both sides of my family. 

 

[Just Bob]

On 2/4/2022 at 7:51 PM, Hoghead515 said:

 This lot consist of four 25c, four 50c, and two $1 tokens. Im very excited to add a couple $1 tokens in with the others. Not sure what all is in a full set of them but it would be really cool to get a whole set eventually. 

 

 

Looks like they had tokens in denominations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents, and $1.

Here is the Tokencatalog.com page for Grahn, KY. It will be interesting to see if your two $1 tokens have the same misspelling as the one shown.

Click me

[Hoghead515]

On 2/4/2022 at 10:17 PM, Just Bob said:

Looks like they had tokens in denominations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents, and $1.

Here is the Tokencatalog.com page for Grahn, KY. It will be interesting to see if your two $1 tokens have the same misspelling as the one shown.

Click me

Thank you for that link. Very cool. My papaw also worked at that brickyard. Along with a couple uncles also. A friend of mines papaw almost lost his life there. Got electrocuted. I would love to someday try to find the rest of those tokens for my collection. When those come in I will share them and see if they have the mispelling.

[Mohawk]

On 2/4/2022 at 8:51 PM, Hoghead515 said:

I know its not Tuesday yet but Im very excited and wanted to share this story. I bought a few of these tokens off a seller on Ebay about a year ago. I was very suprised because they were from an old store my papaw owned. I got a couple 25 cent and a couple 50cent. I was telling the seller how cool it was to get them and the story about my papaw owning that store. They remembered that and sent me a message a year later telling me they found some more. They were wonderful people to talk to. Very nice. Alot of people wouldnt care less about something like that. My mom loaned me the money to buy them till my pay goes in the bank. She was very excited to see them also. This lot consist of four 25c, four 50c, and two $1 tokens. Im very excited to add a couple $1 tokens in with the others. Not sure what all is in a full set of them but it would be really cool to get a whole set eventually. Some have a few flaws but the history tying my family to them makes them special to me. Grahn was a very small community.  Had a school, a post office, a brickyard, and a small store. This one on the token.  My mother was raised in this small community. It had a very small population. It still does today. This store closed many years ago. Around 1980. Another took its place in the late 80s but closed in the mid 90s due to lack of business. The brickyard is still in operation but hanging on by a thread. My uncle was working there but took a different job because they can only fire it up a day or two a week. The school also closed back in the mid 90s and all the kids started going to a school in the next town over due to the small number of students. Here is one Ive shared before but I will post it to show everyone which ones Im talking about. I will share the new ones when they come in. The other token I shared a in a post a few days ago came from the same seller. It was a brickyard token from the next town over where my other papaw worked. It was very cool to see the same seller have tokens that have businesses with ties to both sides of my family. 

 

That's a really cool story, Hog, and a really neat connection you have to these tokens.  That kind of connection definitely plays into things for me as well.  My maternal family came from East Germany (in case I didn't tell you before......I can't remember who I've told and who I haven't), so that's a huge part of why my early East German project is so important to me.  It's a way of connecting to that family and to my late mother.  As I've gone through my life, I've also realized how much the culture of East Germany, through my family, has influenced and impacted me and made me who I am along with really impacting how I perceive and feel about many things.  Personal connections are very powerful stuff and can cause a passion in people like few other things.  I hope you can build a whole set of those tokens....it'd be a really cool achievement with huge family significance.

Edited February 5, 2022 by Mohawk

[Hoghead515]

On 2/4/2022 at 10:17 PM, Just Bob said:

Looks like they had tokens in denominations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents, and $1.

Here is the Tokencatalog.com page for Grahn, KY. It will be interesting to see if your two $1 tokens have the same misspelling as the one shown.

Click me

I just got the tokens in. Both dollar tokens do have the same misspelling as the one shown in the token catalog.  They were probably all stamped from the same dies. There probably wasnt a real big order for these. I wouldnt think anyways. Grahn is a very small place with a very small population. Im very thrilled to add some of its history to my collection. 

[Hoghead515]

Heres the obverse. Sorry made 2 post out of it. Wouldnt let me put both in the same post. Ill share the rest on Tue. Give me something to post on Token Tuesday

Edited February 7, 2022 by Hoghead515

[VKurtB]

Not sharing a token per se, at this point; just a bit of token related news. At January’s F.U.N. show in Orlando, I became an ANA certified exhibit judge in Tokens, plus the related category of Medals, Orders, and Decorations. I also renewed my certification in U.S. Coins there, previously earned at the 2017 F.U.N. show in Ft. Lauderdale. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by VKurtB

[Hoghead515]

On 2/7/2022 at 6:32 PM, VKurtB said:

Not sharing a token per se, at this point; just a bit of token related news. At January’s F.U.N. show in Orlando, I became an ANA certified exhibit judge in Tokens, plus the related category of Medals, Orders, and Decorations. I also renewed my certification in U.S. Coins there, previously earned at the 2017 F.U.N. show in Ft. Lauderdale. 

Very cool Kurt. That would be alot of fun to be a judge.  Id say youll get to see some really nice stuff. 

[VKurtB]

On 2/7/2022 at 5:38 PM, Hoghead515 said:

Very cool Kurt. That would be alot of fun to be a judge.  Id say youll get to see some really nice stuff. 

Utterly amazing stuff, and amazing information surrounding it. Part of the obligation of judging a competitive exhibit is the requirement to read every word in every display case. 

[Hoghead515]

On 2/7/2022 at 6:54 PM, VKurtB said:

Utterly amazing stuff, and amazing information surrounding it. Part of the obligation of judging a competitive exhibit is the requirement to read every word in every display case. 

I cant wait to go to my first FUN show. Hopfully I can save a little money back this summer and go. I want to bring home a few coins. I just cant go to an event like that and not bring home some coins. It would be like going to a chocolate factory and not getting a bite. 

[Fenntucky Mike]

On 2/7/2022 at 7:38 PM, Hoghead515 said:

I cant wait to go to my first FUN show. Hopfully I can save a little money back this summer and go. I want to bring home a few coins. I just cant go to an event like that and not bring home some coins. It would be like going to a chocolate factory and not getting a bite. 

Chicago probably be closer for you HH, World's Fair Of Money 2022 August 16-20. I might try to hit that one up myself, we'll see.

[Hoghead515]

On 2/8/2022 at 6:29 AM, Fenntucky Mike said:

Chicago probably be closer for you HH, World's Fair Of Money 2022 August 16-20. I might try to hit that one up myself, we'll see.

I may be able to go by then. 

[Alex in PA.]

Another Coin Dealer from days gone by.

[Hoghead515]

On 2/8/2022 at 8:37 AM, Alex in PA. said:

Another Coin Dealer from days gone by.

Very cool token. What time period was that from? I really like that token. 

[Alex in PA.]

On 2/8/2022 at 10:18 AM, Hoghead515 said:

What time period was that from?

Civil War Era.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Alex in PA.

[VKurtB]

On 2/8/2022 at 9:57 AM, Alex in PA. said:

Civil War Era.

REALLY nice. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that CWT live in anything approaching that condition. 

[Alex in PA.]

On 2/8/2022 at 11:53 AM, VKurtB said:

CWT live in anything approaching that condition. 

Got some more in that condition or better.  Only about 15 very nice Union tokens in my section titled Union Coins:

$0.05     1861    P    AU 55    NGC  1/2 Dime
$0.25     1861    P    AU 55    NGC
$0.50     1861    P    AU 55    NGC
G$1    1861    P    AU 58    NGC   Type 3
G$2.5    1861    P    AU 58    NGC Type 2
G$1    1862    P    MS62    NGC     Type 2
3 Cents    1862    P    AU 50    PCGS 
2 Cents    1864    P    MS 64 Bn    NGC
Token    c1860        MS 63    NGC            Token    1861-65        AU 58    NGC
Token    1861-65        AU 55    NGC
Token    1861-65        MS 62Bn    NGC
Token    1861-65        MS 64 RB    NGC
Token    1863        MS 63Bn    NGC
Token    1863        MS 65Bn    NGC
Token    1864        MS 62BRN    NGC

[VKurtB]

On 2/8/2022 at 11:14 AM, Alex in PA. said:

Got some more in that condition or better.  Only about 15 very nice Union tokens in my section titled Union Coins:

$0.05     1861    P    AU 55    NGC  1/2 Dime
$0.25     1861    P    AU 55    NGC
$0.50     1861    P    AU 55    NGC
G$1    1861    P    AU 58    NGC   Type 3
G$2.5    1861    P    AU 58    NGC Type 2
G$1    1862    P    MS62    NGC     Type 2
3 Cents    1862    P    AU 50    PCGS 
2 Cents    1864    P    MS 64 Bn    NGC
Token    c1860        MS 63    NGC            Token    1861-65        AU 58    NGC
Token    1861-65        AU 55    NGC
Token    1861-65        MS 62Bn    NGC
Token    1861-65        MS 64 RB    NGC
Token    1863        MS 63Bn    NGC
Token    1863        MS 65Bn    NGC
Token    1864        MS 62BRN    NGC

Okay. Interesting. But I don’t see enough detail on the CWT pieces. The date alone is not enough. There are only 5 Civil War years, but hundreds of CWT’s. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by VKurtB

[Alex in PA.]

On 2/8/2022 at 12:19 PM, VKurtB said:

The are only 5 Civil War years, but hundreds of CWT’s. 

Yes but....this is only a random sample of coins used in the CW era.  I mainly collected Carson City Morgan Dollars and Carson City Gold.

S$1    1878    CC    PCGS    MS 65
S$1    1878    CC    NGC    MS 61          VAM 11 Top 100 'Wings in Line'
S$1    1879    CC    PCGS    AU 53          VAM 3  Top 100 'Capped CC'
S$1    1880    CC    PCGS    MS 63          VAM 4 Top 100 1880/79 Rev 78
S$1    1880    CC    PCGS    MS 62PL       VAM 5  Top 100 8 Over High 7
S$1    1880    CC    PCGS    MS 65PL        VAM 6 Top 100  8 Over Low 7
$S1    1881    CC    PCGS    MS 66
S$1    1882    CC    PCGS    MS 66            
S1$    1882    CC    PCGS    MS 63             VAM 2b Hit List 40  Stage 3
S$1    1883    CC    PCGS    MS 66
S$1    1884    CC    PCGS    MS 66
S$1    1885    CC    PCGS    MS 66
S1$    1889    CC    PCGS    XF 45
S$1    1890    CC    PCGS    MS 64
S$1    1891    CC    PCGS    MS 64           VAM 3 Top 100 Spitting Eagle
S$1    1891    CC    NGC    AU 58
S$1    1892    CC    PCGS    MS 63
S$1    1893    CC    PCGS    VF 35
S1$    1900    O/CC **    PCGS    MS 62PL   VAM 8A  Top 100 O/CC
S1$    2021    CC *    PCGS    
 

[VKurtB]

On 2/8/2022 at 12:00 PM, Alex in PA. said:

Yes but....this is only a random sample of coins used in the CW era.  I mainly collected Carson City Morgan Dollars and Carson City Gold.

S$1    1878    CC    PCGS    MS 65
S$1    1878    CC    NGC    MS 61          VAM 11 Top 100 'Wings in Line'
S$1    1879    CC    PCGS    AU 53          VAM 3  Top 100 'Capped CC'
S$1    1880    CC    PCGS    MS 63          VAM 4 Top 100 1880/79 Rev 78
S$1    1880    CC    PCGS    MS 62PL       VAM 5  Top 100 8 Over High 7
S$1    1880    CC    PCGS    MS 65PL        VAM 6 Top 100  8 Over Low 7
$S1    1881    CC    PCGS    MS 66
S$1    1882    CC    PCGS    MS 66            
S1$    1882    CC    PCGS    MS 63             VAM 2b Hit List 40  Stage 3
S$1    1883    CC    PCGS    MS 66
S$1    1884    CC    PCGS    MS 66
S$1    1885    CC    PCGS    MS 66
S1$    1889    CC    PCGS    XF 45
S$1    1890    CC    PCGS    MS 64
S$1    1891    CC    PCGS    MS 64           VAM 3 Top 100 Spitting Eagle
S$1    1891    CC    NGC    AU 58
S$1    1892    CC    PCGS    MS 63
S$1    1893    CC    PCGS    VF 35
S1$    1900    O/CC **    PCGS    MS 62PL   VAM 8A  Top 100 O/CC
S1$    2021    CC *    PCGS    
 

I get it. My current fetishes are Civil War and Hard Times tokens. The amazing quality on some is off da hook. 

[Alex in PA.]

On 2/8/2022 at 1:02 PM, VKurtB said:

The amazing quality on some is off da hook. 

Agreed.  There were some CW tokens that I wanted that were in absolutely beautiful condition.  Price very high.  I used to collect Civil War items.  Paper, weapons and left over ammo.  Back in the 60's I bought a Union Remington 1863 Zouave Rifle.  It looked good on the exterior but something about it was off so I asked the guy if I could take the barrel off.  Nope.  Take it or leave it.  Paid a Grand for it and when I got it home I took the barrel off.  Turned it over - 'Made in Italy' was all it said.  No returns and no refunds.  Dearie Me.  One born every minute  

[Hoghead515]

On 2/8/2022 at 1:34 PM, Alex in PA. said:

Agreed.  There were some CW tokens that I wanted that were in absolutely beautiful condition.  Price very high.  I used to collect Civil War items.  Paper, weapons and left over ammo.  Back in the 60's I bought a Union Remington 1863 Zouave Rifle.  It looked good on the exterior but something about it was off so I asked the guy if I could take the barrel off.  Nope.  Take it or leave it.  Paid a Grand for it and when I got it home I took the barrel off.  Turned it over - 'Made in Italy' was all it said.  No returns and no refunds.  Dearie Me.  One born every minute  

That was dirty the guy wouldnt let you check it out. You got some sweet tokend by the way. Im planning on expanding my token collection soon. Gonna get into CWT. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by Hoghead515

[Alex in PA.]

On 2/8/2022 at 1:56 PM, Hoghead515 said:

That was dirty the guy wouldnt let you check it out.

People here think coin counterfeiters are good.  Counterfeiting Civil War items is a very big business and the crooks are really good.  

Have a look at www.northeastnumismatics.com  They have a lot of tokens and are reasonably priced.

[Fenntucky Mike]

Came across my flip tokens the other day.  Here's one from your parts @Hoghead515.

Minted by Whitehead & Hoag which would place this token pre 1960, I think, as W&H had been sold to Bastian Bros. in May of ’59. While the W&H name was used up until ’64-’65, I'm not sure if it was used on any products. Got to do a little more digging on that. 

Kentucky Central Insurance Company (KCL) announced plans to move from Louisville to Lexington in ’63, where they occupied the former Lafayette Hotel which had closed earlier that year.  KCL called the old Lafayette home until ’79 when the Kincaid Towers was completed. Garvice Kncaid, after which the towers are named, purchased controlling interest in KCL twenty years earlier and died (1975) prior to the building's completion.

Portions of the movie Steel, starring Lee Majors, Jennifer O’Neill and George Kennedy, were filmed in the summer of ’78 at the partially completed towers. During filming stuntman A.J. Bakunas died from injuries sustained when the safety air bag split upon impact during a 315ft free fall stunt from the 22nd floor of the construction site.

 

Called “The Kentucky Enron” by some, although KCL's demise was prior Enron's, Kentucky Central (Life) Insurance went belly up in the early 90’s, being placed in Rehabilitation on 2//12/1993 and subsequently Liquidation in August of ’94. All assets were liquidated and the estate closed on December 10, 2007.

(Token Catalog) TC-377793 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Fenntucky Mike

[Hoghead515]

On 2/22/2022 at 7:35 AM, Fenntucky Mike said:

Came across my flip tokens the other day.  Here's one from you parts @Hoghead515.

Minted by Whitehead & Hoag which would place this token pre 1960, I think, as W&H had been sold to Bastian Bros. in May of ’59. While the W&H name was used up until ’64-’65, I'm not sure if it was used on any products. Got to do a little more digging on that. 

Kentucky Central Insurance Company (KCL) announced plans to move from Louisville to Lexington in ’63, where they occupied the former Lafayette Hotel which had closed earlier that year.  KCL called the old Lafayette home until ’79 when the Kincaid Towers were completed. Garvice Kncaid, after which the towers are named, purchased controlling interest in KCL twenty years earlier and died (1975) prior to the building's completion.

Portions of the movie Steel, starring Lee Majors, Jennifer O’Neill and George Kennedy, were filmed in the summer of ’78 at the partially completed towers. During filming stuntman A.J. Bakunas died from injuries sustained when the safety air bag split upon impact during a 315ft free fall stunt from the 22nd floor of the construction site.

 

Called “The Kentucky Enron” by some, although KCL's demise was prior Enron's, Kentucky Central (Life) Insurance went belly up in the early 90’s, being placed in Rehabilitation on 2//12/1993 and subsequently Liquidation in August of ’94. All assets were liquidated and the estate closed on December 10, 2007.

(Token Catalog) TC-377793 

That is some very interesting facts. Thanks for sharing that with us. Thats a really cool token also. Id say a few were probably used as flipping tokens back in the day. 

[Fenntucky Mike]

I think the advertisements say it all.