Interesting Conder token

element159

Snake-Alligator-Conder-Token-Middlesex
I saw this token on eBay that looked interesting to me. I collect alligator-themed money (mostly paper though), so this would be right up my alley, except that it is too expensive for me. (At the current level of c. $225 I might take a shot, but this is about my absolute top end, and with 10 bids already with 2.5 days left I suspect it will sell for much more.)

I am curious if anybody else knows more about this token, I don't know much at all about Conder tokens.

farthing

Somewhat scarce, it is catalogued as Middlesex Bayly's #253 by Dalton and Hamer.
George Bayly was a dealer in all kinds of foreign birds, and the owner of a natural history museum in Piccadilly.

This ebay seller always gets top $ for his Conder tokens, these can be found cheaper. The one in last weeks Baldwin's auction went for £150 which would be comparable to his current price. Mine cose me $100 off of ebay 1+ years ago.

element159

Sold for $660. Thanks for the information, farthing. I'll try and see if I can get one of these in my budget.
BTW - Do you know if these things are nearly pure copper, or an alloy?

rwyarmch

I agree with Farthing's assessment. There is quite a bit of hype regarding slabbed Conders.
It's unfortunate that there are no population figures for NGC graded Conders but my own
non-scientific study suggests that MS62 will turn out to be a mediocre grade for many
Conder issues which were saved during the collecting craze of the late 18th century.

Zoins

Good discussion and photos everyone.

savoyspecial

(taken from the two photos above)








why the raised dot? it does not appear on the other example.......on U.S. coinage this might be called a centering dot (although this is located away from the coin's center

what are your thoughts?

farthing

Interesting question savoyspecial - and a good eye!

I quickly checked the images of this token from the May Baldwin's auction, from the Munzen & Medaillen auction from earlier this year, from the famous 1998 Noble sale, from an earlier Dix Noonan Webb sale, and the Dr. Gary Sriro CD and none have the dot that is present on the example rwyarmch owns.

I may have to dig through my Davisson catalogs to see if I can find any other examples.

rwyarmch

The Bayly's token sure is popular. A circulated example sold in last week's Dix Noonan sale for nearly $400!

worldcoinguy

Amazing design - very nice. The raised dot is quite an intriguing observation indeed.

MacCrimmon

<< <i>I agree with Farthing's assessment. There is quite a bit of hype regarding slabbed Conders.
It's unfortunate that there are no population figures for NGC graded Conders but my own
non-scientific study suggests that MS62 will turn out to be a mediocre grade for many
Conder issues which were saved during the collecting craze of the late 18th century.


>>




Looks like a Cajun Conder to me. except it's a croc.