Dynamite!

The_Dinosaur_Man

This is a neat token picked up by my LCS. I had the privilege of photographing it.

Jzyskowski1

Very cool.
I just got this one yesterday. It’s product oriented and a little different 😁

johnny9434

That's cool

ricko

@The_Dinosaur_Man ... I really like that one.... What price are they asking?? Cheers, RickO

1630Boston

@The_Dinosaur_Man said:
This is a neat token picked up by my LCS. I had the privilege of photographing it.

That is fabulous

1630Boston

@The_Dinosaur_Man
.
It is thought that exploder tokens began to be used sometime in the late nineteenth century. Miners were frequently responsible for purchasing their own mining equipment and supplies, including explosives. A miner who wished to use explosives would buy a token in one location (often the company store or supply company), take it to the explosive storehouse to obtain the designated amount, and if needed, would take another token to the blasting cap storage area to obtain the exploders. In this manner, the mining company could keep track of its explosives, charge money for them, and keep the components separate and secure. Many mines used paper receipts, coupons, or similar systems instead of the expense of ordering tokens despite them having a far longer usable life.

Exploder tokens were exclusively used for obtaining or requisitioning explosives, and while they could be bought at the company store, they were not used there. As such, very few have monetary denominations. Most were denominated in terms of how the explosives were obtained: good for a keg of powder, in pounds of powder, sticks of powder, an exploder (detonator), blasting caps, squibs, and lengths of fuse. Some specify a name of explosive, to include the well-known dynamite, monobel (an ammonium nitrate and nitroglycerine-based explosive powder principally made in the US by DuPont formulated for use in coal mines), and cardox (a liquid carbon dioxide-based non-explosive electric propellant system sold in individual tubes developed in the UK in 1914). As with mining scrip, the use of exploder tokens declined after World War II as other ways of handling and using explosives in mining were developed and as fewer companies charged their employees for their use.

justindan

Very neat token. Wonder if that is Mt. Pleasant OH, NC, or SC?

1630Boston

@justindan said:
Very neat token. Wonder if that is Mt. Pleasant OH, NC, or SC?

Mt. Pleasant Supply Co. No. 4 Token . Westmoreland County, Pa ?

JBK

1630Boston

from the Pennsylvania Area Token Collectors Organization's "PATCO" Journal
PATCO Journal: Vol. 17, Issues 1 and 2
.

.
GREENSBURY, PENNSYLVANIA MT. PLEASANT SUPPLY CO.
MT. PLEASANT SUPPLY CO. / (DI) / NO. 4 GOOD FOR / ONE / STICK / OF / PERMISSIBLE / EXPLOSIVE A 4S TO14853

justindan

PA got it!
Very neat token.

1630Boston

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The_Dinosaur_Man

@1630Boston wow! Thanks for all the info! That's an awesome dose of history!

@ricko their asking price on the token is $175.00

ricko

@The_Dinosaur_Man .... Wow!! Did not expect it to be that high..... Must be a good collector niche. Cheers, RickO

Oldhoopster

@1630Boston said:

from the Pennsylvania Area Token Collectors Organization's "PATCO" Journal
PATCO Journal: Vol. 17, Issues 1 and 2
.

.
GREENSBURY, PENNSYLVANIA MT. PLEASANT SUPPLY CO.
MT. PLEASANT SUPPLY CO. / (DI) / NO. 4 GOOD FOR / ONE / STICK / OF / PERMISSIBLE / EXPLOSIVE A 4S TO14853

I think there may be a typo in the PATCO listing. Currently, Greensbury PA does not exist. However, there is a Greensburg in Westmoreland County that is close to MT Pleasant PA. Greensburg is also the county seat and would have been the major supply center for the area.

This was a large coal mining region, so I would think that the token would be from Greensburg PA. Always a chance there could have been a town called Greensbury that is now abandoned or absorbed by another, but I once lived in that area and never heard of Greensbury.

Just hope this helps provides info on why I think the PATCO listing is a typo

1630Boston

@Oldhoopster
I did notice that but do not know enough about the area.
I think you are correct.

1630Boston

PS The 'Y' is close to the 'G' on the typewriter