After reading the Whitman Tokens and Medals book, I realized that I just can't get excited over toke

Longacre

I recently purchased the Whitman Tokens and Medals Redbook. I committed a numismatic heresy by jumping to the middle of the book and reading the medals sections first, rather than starting at the beginning. The medals section was extremely interesting and informative. After I finished with the medals section, I went to the front and started reading about tokens.

After reading a few tokens chapters, I am finding that I really don't have interest in these pieces. Other than the Hard Times tokens and a few other categories, I am finding that the tokens are "too local" for my taste. For example, in one section of the book, they give tokens issued by businesses, etc., in all 50 states. Other than looking at my own state (Connecticut), I just had no interest in looking at or reading about tokens from "Joe's Bar and Saloon" in Billings, Montana. It's no offense to the great people of Montana, but I just could not do it. It was the same with other sections of the tokens book.

Does anyone else have this view? I see there is another thread going with token pictures, and I looked at it briefly. The pics are nice, but for some reason I cannot get into these pieces. Comments?

cladking

A lot of good for collectors specialize in only their
own state. Even though most of these are only a
dollar or two it still gets very pricey when you factor
in the many thousands of tokens available and then
the twenty to a hundred dollars that the rarities cost.

Not all tokens are local but this is very much the na-
ture of tokens; they have temporally or geographi-
cally limited redemption and circulation. It is these
restrictions which tokens serve since otherwise coins
would be used in most cases.

PerryHall

<< <i>Does anyone else have this view? Comments? >>



I feel the same way. I enjoy looking at the pics posted here but I just can't see me spending my money on tokens or medals.

RYK

I find medals to be extremely interesting and most tokens not. The political tokens posted here by BillJones are the exception.

Coinosaurus

I'm with LA and RYK. Medals seem to have more of a story to tell & the artistry behind them is generally superior to tokens.

Besides, if Pistareen likes them, they MUST be cool

RWB

Medals often have strong, event based connections and interesting designs. Most tokens are local. To me, they quickly become repetitive unless there is more to them that what one can hold in the hand. Even when accompanied by stories about “Jake’s Soda Shop” in Milwaukee, the token is of limited interest to someone from another city, unless there is a much stronger connection.

joeyuk

Pistareen sold me the tokens in my sig. line and I love the history behind them.

MidLifeCrisis

I like some Hard Times, Civil War, and Conder tokens...and Myddelton Tokens!

Broadstruck

Yes Tokens SUCK... you guys should all just stay away from them!

PrivateCoinCollector

I haven't a token of interest.

coinsarefun

<< <i>The pics are nice, but for some reason I cannot get into these pieces.




Comments? >>













Yes.............






But in all seriousness............

I also picked up the book. From what I have read so far, I must say that I am disappointed in the book
I understand that this is the first one that has attempted to go mainstream, but I don't think it did well at all.
It is very generic and leaves out a good deal of tokens and their history. Maybe the further I read it will get better.

But............to each their own



Stefanie





Most know by now that I have flipped over them, but they really do have a story to tell if you only listen to them speak

Some are just for fun and some are a reminder.....


anti slavery tokens





Auctioneer token, not indicated on the token but their main revenue was from slaves




British anti-slavery token












and some are just plain old cool

mrearlygold

A little o/t

Coinosaurus

OK, I'll admit the Lovett token is cool. But only because it has other numismatic connections......

lava

Those pictured coins are really cool.

Tokens are like bottles ... ones from Montana may not interest anyone but Butte-heads. That can mean, however, that some very cool things that do interest you can be picked up at a very reasonable price. Another advantage of sticking to the locality is you don't have a zillion things in the collection.