1835 Canadian Ship Token Information - Poor photos added

Burks

Today I picked up this token (sorry, no pictures until tomorrow night) out my favorites shops 1/2 off box.

The 2x2 is labeled "ND 1835 PE-101?1, Canada, 1/2 Penny Token".

Obverse: Ship with sails. Reverse: "SHIPS, COLONIES, & COMMERCE". It looks to be made of copper.

Can someone provide me with some more information on this token? I know nothing about tokens, at all! Purchased it mainly because I liked how it looked, it was old, and the price was right.

Edit: Photos

coinkat

There are many different varieties based upon your description

Burks

<< <i>There are many different varieties based upon your description >>



Exactly what I was afraid of! I would try to get a book from the library but their selection is very limited. They only carry one kind of Krause and a couple Redbooks.

Where should I start looking for information online?

coinkat

Try a search under Canadian Tokens- The Ships, Colonies & Commerce Tokens

coinkat

Check for a BOOK entitled Canadian Tokens and Medals , Quarterman Publications, Inc. 1974

farthing

The book I have is The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Colonial Tokens.

The tokens were designed by Thomas Holliday and as coincat stated there are a number of different tokens in this series - W. A. D. Lee in his list published in The Numismatist in 1917 listed 54 varieties.

The tokens are divided into 4 major groups in the above book -
No Mint Mark, no guys
No Mint Mark, Guys
Single H Mint Mark
Double H Mint Mark

coinkat

Charlton should likely have prices...

Burks

Thanks. I'll try to find that book at the local libraries.

I wasn't aware the flag the ship has flying differed between varities. Mine has the British flag, if that means anything.

StrikeOutXXX

Edit: I think the PE # would be 10-1 (Charlton #)
Haxby-Willey #'s of 10-15b, Breton #997, and Lees #'s of about 5-46.

Lots of #'s, I'm sure once you post a pic, someone can ID it.

Burks

I apologize for the poor picture quality. I left my macro lenses at my apartment and I'm home visiting my family for the weekend. This is the best I can do for now:

Obverse
Reverse

Once again, sorry for the quality

StrikeOutXXX

I think I see one of the raised "H"'s on the lower right of the ship. Is there one or both of these on that?

If it's just the lower one, thin it's Haxby 14 "Raised H on exerge line", or Lees numbers 23-33.

Blackhawk

I believe that your token is a Lees 6, a somewhat better variety of the Ships, Colonies, and Commerce tokens. If it is, in my book it lists for $75 CDN in VF and $150 CDN in XF. A Canadian collector guru type should be along soon to set me straight.

farthing

Hard to tell for sure but I would identify the token as Breton 997, Charlton PE10-23 decribed as:
Border beads not uniform on the reverse (letters) side
Cut knob ampersand
All the "E"s are nicked
Single H mint mark (The mint mark would be at the right end of the 2 lines at the bottom of the water under the ship. There is a possibility of a second H mint mark above and to the left of the first mint mark in the water, which would change the Charlton number)

Blackhawk

Looking closer, I can see that it's not the Lees 6 because the writing on the reverse is not large enough.

Burks

It only has the lowest H mark on the lower right of the ship.

Any ideas on the value of this? Found out my library does have the Charlton book, but it's not due until the end of the month!

StrikeOutXXX

<< <i>It only has the lowest H mark on the lower right of the ship.

Any ideas on the value of this? Found out my library does have the Charlton book, but it's not due until the end of the month! >>




My book is from 2004, but back then if it's the one I think it is, it was VG-$5, F-$10, VF-$17, EF-$45, & Unc-$200

Other than Breton 997, I'm not sure how the numbers in my book match with Farthing's book, but pretty sure we're talking the same thing.

farthing

In my 2000 Charlton the prices listed for 10-23 are CDN35/VF, CDN 75/EF and CDN150/AU

Burks

I guess I didn't do too bad. Since it was in the 1/2 off box, I paid $5.

What grade would you give it? Sorry, I don't know much about grading tokens and such.

1960NYGiants

I'd say you did very well. It looks like PE10-23, all E's nicked and border beads not uniform, in VF condition. The 6th edition of Charlton's Canadian Colonial Tokens lists VF at C$50.

farthing

I agree with Gene on the VF grade.

Burks

<< <i>I'd say you did very well. It looks like PE10-23, all E's nicked and border beads not uniform, in VF condition. The 6th edition of Charlton's Canadian Colonial Tokens lists VF at C$50. >>





<< <i>I agree with Gene on the VF grade. >>



Sweet! Thanks guys. At first I thought maybe the price was a bit high. So a $5 would be worth ~$45......right?

I think I was just bit by the token bug! These things are cool. Next weekend I'm hitting the box again (I think they had another one but it wasn't as nice as mine). The more I look at it the more I like it.