Can you guys help me indentify my latest oddball purchase? Some kind of token.

Russ

Large scans here:

Lincoln token obverse.

Lincoln token reverse.

The smaller scans have been lightened to show detail. The larger scans show the actual color, a deep kind of chocolate brown. The diameter is between a Kennedy half and a Morgan dollar, but thickness is about the same as the Morgan. Weighs about 3/4 ounce. Pretty sure it's modern in nature, but I have no idea who minted it. Franklin Mint, perhaps?

Thanks.

Russ, NCNE

1jester

Russ, I don't know exactly what it is or who produced it, but I just received 2 similar tokens, exactly the same in style, but with different presidents featured. Perhaps it was a series of presidents. Mine look to be brass. What about yours?

Russ

1jester,

I was thinking bronze, but it could be brass that just toned over very dark.

Russ, NCNE

1jester

And now for a correction. I just took out mine, and they are slightly different in design. On the obverse, there's a bust of the president, surrounded by the name of the president in block letters. Below the bust, in similar style to the name, is written "34th PRESIDENT", and below that, "OF THE UNITED STATES". On the reverse, instead of the wreath on yours, there is only a multi-lined short description of what the president was famous for, and starting with his birthdate, and ending with his date of death.

Yours looks copper, anyway. Perhaps yours is older. I think mine are no older than the early 70s.

kranky

Russ, is it 3" in diameter? Does it say "Morgan" on the truncation of the bust?

1jester

Russ, I agree, yours looks slightly more like bronze than even copper. Mine are brass, but pretty dark with age, and definitely not bronze or copper.

Russ

<< <i>Yours looks copper, anyway. >>



I was just looking at the rubbed area at the base of his neck, and I think you might be right. Little bit of red showing through.

Russ, NCNE

1jester

Mine are 3.2 cm in diameter. (Sorry, I'm in Eastern Europe, and I don't have access to a ruler using inches!!)

Russ

Kranky,

It's about 1 1/4 inch in diameter, between the size of a half and a dollar. There is something inscribed in the truncation, but I can't make it out. It is six letters, though.

Russ, NCNE

kranky

Sounds like it could be a smaller version of the medal described here (see item 64). Mint medals were made in 3" and 1 5/16" sizes. I'm not familiar with the reference to King numbers on that page, perhaps that's someone who cataloged Lincoln medals.

A US Mint Presidential medal is pictured (very small) here. Supposedly they are still available from the Mint.

Russ

Kranky,

I thought it might be a mint medal, but the size threw me because I thought they were only made in 3" diameter. It is, indeed, 1 5/16" inch, and the obverse portrait matches your second link. The reverse description matches your first link. Mystery solved. Thanks!

Russ, NCNE

1jester

What about the gold plating on the mint medal? Russ, yours doesn't show any of that.

airplanenut

Did PCGS grade it? Looks like a fingerprint behind lincoln... cool whateveritis!

stujoe

Here is a link to the US Mint web site with information on Presidential medals


Liiiink

you can collect the whole set.