Where/Who to ask about this Fiber Captiola Flour Token

Klif50

This is a Capitola Flour token that came in bags of Capitola flour in the 1950s. I have placed it beside one of the regular ones that are made of, I believe, aluminum. This is made of a green fiber and has basically the same markings as the regular token. I believe they are quite scarce in the fiber as this is the only one I have ever seen. Being of fiber rather than metal I suspect they didn't last long.

Where would be the best place to research this? The token is approximately 28 mm across. One side says Finest Family Flour (the metal one says Capitola Flour Money. the flour bags are the same on both but on the metal it says Since 1898 and that text is at the bottom on the fiber one. Around the outside on both they say "Exchange on admission to your favorite theater". I have a lot of the metal ones (having been saving them since the 70's (in the 50's and 60's they all got exchanged to either get into the movies or as some said "good for 5 cents in trade" so they went for a lot of candy).

The Capitola Flour Milling company was located in Atlanta, GA.

Any help in tracking down any information on this token would be greatly appreciated.

JBK

Interesting.

I don't know anything about these but I do know that during WWII ration coupons were made of fiber. And I think one of the limited edition off-metal issues of the Bashlow Confederate cent from the early 1960s was in red fiber.

So, I am wondering if your fiber token was an early issue before materials supplies got back to normal.

tokenpro

There's not that much more to them beyond what is on the token. They were issued by the Atlanta Milling Co. which produced Capitola Flour. In his catalog Georgia Trade Tokens, author Randy Partin lists seven different tokens from this company including four varieties of aluminum tokens and three in green, blue and red fiber the same as the green fiber piece in the OP. He shows the fiber tokens as slightly scarcer than the aluminum but based on the numbers of each that I've handled over the year only the blue fiber is tougher to find.

One anecdote from tokencatalog mentions that the movie admission tokens came one to each 48 pound bag of flour and seems to indicate that it took two tokens for one free admission. Beyond these two sources I don't recall seeing anything on the Capitola pieces except possibly years ago in the TAMS Journal so you might search the Newman Numismatic Portal as many years worth of TAMS Journals have been added to that knowledge base.

Namvet69

Yup, vulcanized fiber was commonly used to make all sorts of tokens. OPA tokens, Red Goose shoes, etc. Peace Roy

Klif50

Thanks for the good info. I remember Grandmother opening a new 5 pound bag of flour and fishing around for the white paper envelope that held the token. I'd get it and immediately run off to the Feed Store where 5 cents in trade could get all kinds of goodies including cookies (2 for a penny) wax lips, wax bottles with syrup inside or maybe a box of the candy cigarettes.

I'd go to the movies with 1 token, I was 8 or 9 so the ticket was reduced price (one token). When you reached the age of 12 the price went up. Many a Saturday morning visit to the movie house would turn into a news reel and a double feature and I'd be gone for 3 or 4 hours at a time.

I'll just put the fiber token back in the bag with all the other capitola stuff and leave it for my grandkids to play with later on. I'll write them a note and tell them the adventures that came out of those bags of flour.

kiyote

I had to buy a 25 pound bag of flour about six months ago because it’s all stores had. A 48 pound bag would be bonkers.

Neat token, thanks for sharing!