1694 North Carolina

ilmcoins

I had someone send me these images today. I was previously unfamilar with it. I am not sure if this one is authentic or not but it did get me searching. If anyone has any ideas or knowledge please let me know.

Oldhoopster

Get out your Red Book. There is a section about these Elephant Tokens in the Colonial section

ilmcoins

@Oldhoopster said:
Get out your Red Book. There is a section about these Elephant Tokens in the Colonial section

I was looking at that. Intetesting how little is known about them.

Walkerguy21D

Darn rare if it is authentic.

Heck, I’d be happy getting one of the “common” London varieties someday.

ilmcoins

@Walkerguy21D said:
Darn rare if it is authentic.

Heck, I’d be happy getting one of the “common” London varieties someday.

I am not sure where I would begin to try to authenticate with documented weights between 132-249 grains.

jdimmick

Boy if thats authentic, and if so, what looks to be a ground recovery if it is, what a find?

burfle23

My example New England example ; need to review comparison images and info on line to authenticate your posted example!

ilmcoins

@burfle23 said:
My example New England example ; need to review comparison images and info on line to authenticate your posted example!

Curious what you think!! You are definately the expert!!

DCW

It looks like an obvious fake.
Here are a couple real ones:

ilmcoins

@DCW said:
It looks like an obvious fake.
Here are a couple real ones:

Your probably right. The one I posted has no evidence of the E under the O either

MidLifeCrisis

Here's an old thread that might interest you.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/9518769#pagetop

NumisOxide

Yes looks like a copy. The denticles look off as well.

lilolme

Many of the dots at the end of words are not in the correct position. Especially noticeable is the last one before the date. Also some lettering is not in the same place relative to lettering above or below it.

jclovescoins

fake

ricko

The elephant looks significantly different also.... I am totally a novice with these pieces, so just a comment. Cheers, RickO

Cameonut

Although I also think the piece is a fake, here is a link to some more info on the Carolina token.
https://library.unc.edu/wilson/gallery/elephant-token/

lilolme

@Cameonut said:
Although I also think the piece is a fake, here is a link to some more info on the Carolina token.
https://library.unc.edu/wilson/gallery/elephant-token/

Interesting. Also the one shown in the link is different than the others shown previously in this thread. Again the last dot before date (or after proprietors) is in a different position (at the bottom now). Many other dots are in different positions / locations w.r.t. the adjacent letter and some relative to above or below letters.

The link mentions:

forty-four-page study published in the April 2003 issue of the American Numismatic Society’s The Colonial Newsletter

There is a paragraph on the fakes and one sentence I think says a lot:

Those who acquire Carolina tokens should take considerable caution. Many specimens thought to be original or marketed as genuine in the past have proven to be fakes.

jesbroken

Here's a nice bit of info.
Jim

https://library.unc.edu/wilson/gallery/elephant-token/