Tokens struck on US copper?

cladking · Member

I collect US and world coins, tokens, and medals. I've seen lots of US copper counterstruck, or stretched to be used as mementos or as medals, but have never seen one used as a token. Are there any out there?

coppercoins · Site Admin

I don't know if this qualifies, but I have seen some large and half cents counterstamped with the names of companies to be used at those stores for additional value over normal coins. I believe they would be given out in change as cents, the accepted back at a larger value (maybe 3/4 of a cent for half cents and 1.5 cents for large cents - just a guess). If this isn't what they did with them, they should have...a good idea that would bring in repeat customers and might bring someone else in that receives one in change from someplace else.

As to the exact companies that did such things and when, I wouldn't know that...sorry.

Art · Member

I have a few elongated cents, they make nice momentoes of an event or place. Once I bid on Ebay for an elongated 1890 Indian Head Cent that was done for the Columbian Exposition. Didn't know much about snipping or Ebay so I lost it. Same seller had an Unc 1905 Indian Head Cent - elongated with a San Francisco skyline. Supposedly done in the 1930's.

I've also seen a hand carved love token on a two cent piece. Wish I had a few of these.....

cladking · Member

I once owned an elongated three cent nickel from the Columbiam Exhibition. Should have held onto it since they are pretty scarce but I had a chance to sell so jumped on it.

There are lots of counterstamped large cents and even a few indian cents but I don't recall any which actually state a premium or value on them. I have seen a few tokens done in the stye of a lincoln cent though. It seems these could make an inexpensive alternative to ordering tokens especially for a business where it is difficult to predict the need for a token. Perhaps the wording takes too much room.

coppercoins · Site Admin

It would be interesting to see a token modeled after the Lincoln cent. That's something that I myself haven't seen. I have a lot of elongates and encased cents, and some of the encased cents I have are actually premium pieces where people get discounts or free admission if they present their lucky encased "penny"....but that in itself isn't really a "token".

Perhaps "earlycopper" will chime in some time and hlet us know his experiences. He is an avid collector of tokens, mainly sales tax tokens, but he has some experience in many other token areas.

Bob P · Site Admin

I have just recently found (in my own junk) about 6 elongated cents, and two counterstamped lincolns. The counterstamps just have a 3 digit number on them. Does anyone know if there is a site or book out there that explains counterstamps? I am just curious really, but someone took the time to stamp these coins, and I'd just like to know what they were used for.

Bob P

GarryN · Expert Member

I have about 30 elongated cents in great condition from the 1933-34 Chicago Worlds Fair, six from the Columbian Expo, 4 on nickels, one on a dime and one on a cent. I also have four from the 1901 Pan Am Expo. Three are different varieties of the Temple of Music/ McKinley elongates. I have 32 photos of elongates on the US Coin Collecting MSN group in the link below: "Garry's elongates" and Garry's elongates #2. About half bought off ebay, others from local coin shops.

http://groups.msn.com/USCoinCollecting/pictures?Page=2

GarryN · Expert Member

I have seen examples where indian cents were planed down and used as CWTs. The most famous examples I believe are the Confederate half dollars. The originals used the Seated Liberty half obverse and the reverses were planed down and struck with a confederate design.

GarryN · Expert Member

Looking at some of the CWTs on the internet, more and more are counterstruck on Indian Cents. I wonder if any were proofs and if that can be determined. What a daunting task to collect CWTs. There are so many varieties. But they are so beautiful.

cnladue · Veteran Member

I have one of dads tokens that sure looks copper and it says j.biersch watsonville ca and on reverse it had a big 5 cent surronded by good for in trade

Dick · Expert Member

Cladking, I don';\'t know if this cent was used as a token, or maybe a "passwoed", or what, but it has the Masonis symbol on it, or maybe I should say "in it"! It is stamped so deeply on the reverse that it almost comes loose. the obv id pretty well normal looking, but the rev! I'll edit this, and post it, later
This is what I was referring to:

notice how deep the stamp is
Dick

GarryN · Expert Member

Bob, check this list of counterstamped coins. Maybe yours are on there.

http://www.exonumia.com/art/cma.htm

coop · Expert Member

Another use of Tokens that I've heard of is that when you cashed a Check, part of payment was in a token to be used only at those stores. This practice doesn't still exist today, But the token is a record of how a token may have been used.

eagames · Expert Member

Neat token there!

We all have tokens struck on cent planchets.

They're those little P and D tokens in the mint sets Wink

coop · Expert Member

They strike tokens on verious metals. some I don't know what the metal used is. Copper/brass/aluminum/what ever?

Some have very nice designs, others just get the job done.