What is this artistic motif called - and during what time period was it popular on US tokens?

IkesT

Also, are other characters, such as the beaded border and the font style of the letters, useful in estimating the date on a token like this? Any good references that discuss this topic? Thanks for your help!

tokenpro

It is most commonly called a propeller and comes in many slightly different forms sometimes with different names to differentiate the devices. You can find them on early 20th Century tokens and in the catalogs from some of the major regional manufacturers of the time. Most state catalogs that get down to describing the ornamentation on trade tokens use propeller as a mainstay of their terminology.

I would say he most prolific use is post-World War II as propellers were very common on the thousands of tokens struck by Meyer & Wenthe, Schaaf, Osborne, Northwest, Wendell's, etc.. It seems like every parking token ever struck has a propeller or two on it.

IkesT

Thanks very much, @tokenpro !

ricko

I always wondered what that was called, thought it likely did not have a name... Well, now I am informed. Cheers, RickO

Cameonut

You see it a lot on prison tokens as well.... (not that I have personal experience with those - in house)...