1706-1790 Ben Franklin Souvenir

[ken]

Hello to all.I've been away for awhile and found this for a buck yesterday.I'll be home next week.Does anyone know when and who made it,what is actually is and does it have any value?It is like some foreign coins and you turn it sideways for the correct position.Not flip it like US coins.Also seems to be rotated as seen in the scan.Thank you in advance for your comments.I'm guessing t is bronze.

[Dick]

Ken, maybe it is my eyes, (and they are bad), but I believe it would scan better, out of the flip.
Dick

[Bob P]

This following information I got from the Internet concerning your token:

"The original bronze BENJAMIN FRANKLIN medal made in the famous old Philadelphia Franklin Institute, years ago, on the 1830 first Philadelphia Mint steam coin press, (converted to electric). Size of a thick Lincoln cent, struck semi-high relief. OBVERSE- Franklin portrait, "BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 1706-1790". REVERSE- The Franklin Institute, "SOUVENIR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MEMORIAL".

In addition, I found others for sale on EBay at this link:


http://coins.search.ebay.com/benjamin-franklin_Exonumia_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQsacatZ3452

As you can see...the going rate is about $3.00 and up depending on condition.

[ken]

Hi Bob and Dick,Thank you for your replies.Worth a buck I guess.Has some gunk on it that could easily be cleaned off without damaging the coin.Any ideas on the approximate date it was made?

[GarryN]

Then there are civil war tokens featuring Ben Franklin. This may go reasonably. http://cgi.ebay.com/1863-Civil-War-Peace-Token-Benjamin-Franklin_W0QQitemZ190229055793QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item190229055793&_trkparms=72%3A552%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

cwtguy on ebay had a mint state one graded by NGC last week. I dont recall what it went for.