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If you like Rare Tokens or maybe just BEER?
Broadstruck
Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
Sometimes too rare can be an issue as I've been heavily researching these tokens for the last couple of years and have hit a wall.
Designed with the brewery tools of the trade crossed... a broom, a malt spade, and a shovels.
This issue have long mystified token collectors, as this token was thought to have been pre-Hard Times period, then Hard Times Era, however more recent information has placed its date of issue in the 1860's-1870’s. This re-dating however does not affect its status as one of the classic rarities in the field.
RUETER & ALLEY/ HIGHLAND SPRING BREWERY, BOSTON - MaBo-95, Adams 85/Miller 85A, Copper.
NGC AU58 - Ex: Charles Litman collection & the plate coin in Russell Rulau's latest 4th edition Standard catalog of United States Token's.
Last year I was very fortunate to locate and acquire the other metal strike in high grade.
RUETER & ALLEY/ HIGHLAND SPRING BREWERY, BOSTON - MaBo-95, Adams 85/Miller 85, Brass - Trace Silvering Remains.
This is a great Massachusetts rarity that was called by Dr. H.B.P. Wright in his 1898 list of American Store/Business Cards in the American Numismatic Association - Numismatist Vol. 13 stated "I consider this one of the rarest American cards". Dr. Wright also wrote articles between 1899-1901 seeking additional information on this token and received no response.
It was first plated beyond a line drawing in am issue of the 1914 Numismatist "A Very Rare Boston Store Card - Above is illustrated a very rare store card which was issued at Boston Mass., by the Highland Spring Brewery, but about which very little information is now obtainable, Dr. H,B.P. Wright, in his list of American Store Cards published in the Numismatist some years ago considered it one of the rarest American store cards. We would be pleased if one of our members would give us some information regarding the piece, which will be published in the the numismatist." Again no further information was provided.
Info from 1914 to date...
1920 Edgar H. Adams "U.S. Store Cards" called Excessively Rare non plated.
1940 Wayte Raymond "United States Coins and Tokens" (Wayte doesn't use the wording Rare until tokens are above R-6 on the rarity scale) called Very Rare line drawing supplied.
1975 David E. Schenckman stated a Very Rare Boston store card.
1981 Russell Rulau "United States Trade Tokens 1866-1889" Ex. Rare priced at $1,200.00 in VF with no pricing info above that grade. Plated is the Al Zaika VF specimen with small reverse edge dents, tiny nicks, and uneven slightly dark color.
Researching all major exonumia auction catalogs back to the 1980's I've only been able to trace 3 examples. The one I've posted (Finest Known), the Al Zaika VF, and the 1989 Stack's Gilbert Steinberg example first deemed as cleaned AU brass (reserve not meet), then re-sold in the 2003 B&M Gilbert sale properly described as Copper cleaned XF.
As I have recently obtained all of Benjamin P. Wright, M.D.'s 1898 to 1901 ANA Numismatist writings on American Store Business Cards. Dr. Wright considered this token Rarity-8 (2 or 3 known) and valued it at $35.00 around the turn of the century. (For value data gold was $18.00 an ounce)
Edgar Adam's in his 1920 works did not post pricing, however Donald Miller in 1962 valued this token at $350.00 in Fine condition. (For value data gold was $35.00 an ounce)
And a neat write up in Julian Liedman's April 1986 Bowers & Merana / PCAC sale catalog.
There's lots of info which can be found on this obsolete brewery on the web, here's just a touch...
Brewing started as the Henry H. Rueter & John R. Alley Highland Spring Brewery in 1867. By 1872 the facility was reported to be the largest brewery in the US. It was one of the first to add refrigerating equipment and in 1876 their ale won first prize at The Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
1880's Rueter & Company - Highland Springs Brewery, Boston, Massachusetts, MaBo-H95, 29mm Diameter, Copper.
This was my first newp of 2016 and it's a biggie as this is the rarest of the Highland Springs Brewery tokens with nearly fully red with bluish patina surface conditions I never thought existed.
It far betters John J. Ford, Jr.'s circulated example sold in 2013 which was completely pitted along with being marred by a large old scratch.
The obverse shows the brewery tools of the trade and mentions SEMPER IDEM which means "Always The Same". The obverse design was also the exact logo used by Rueter on their beer bottle labels.
Russell Rulau only values examples in EF at $1,200.00 mentioning a example was offered by a dealer in 1950 for an ask of $50.00 which was about the same 1 1/2 ounces of gold.
With the addition of this Rueter & Co. example along with my Rueter & Alley's it completes my set of Highland Spring Brewery in matched condition.
Designed with the brewery tools of the trade crossed... a broom, a malt spade, and a shovels.
This issue have long mystified token collectors, as this token was thought to have been pre-Hard Times period, then Hard Times Era, however more recent information has placed its date of issue in the 1860's-1870’s. This re-dating however does not affect its status as one of the classic rarities in the field.
RUETER & ALLEY/ HIGHLAND SPRING BREWERY, BOSTON - MaBo-95, Adams 85/Miller 85A, Copper.
NGC AU58 - Ex: Charles Litman collection & the plate coin in Russell Rulau's latest 4th edition Standard catalog of United States Token's.
Last year I was very fortunate to locate and acquire the other metal strike in high grade.
RUETER & ALLEY/ HIGHLAND SPRING BREWERY, BOSTON - MaBo-95, Adams 85/Miller 85, Brass - Trace Silvering Remains.
This is a great Massachusetts rarity that was called by Dr. H.B.P. Wright in his 1898 list of American Store/Business Cards in the American Numismatic Association - Numismatist Vol. 13 stated "I consider this one of the rarest American cards". Dr. Wright also wrote articles between 1899-1901 seeking additional information on this token and received no response.
It was first plated beyond a line drawing in am issue of the 1914 Numismatist "A Very Rare Boston Store Card - Above is illustrated a very rare store card which was issued at Boston Mass., by the Highland Spring Brewery, but about which very little information is now obtainable, Dr. H,B.P. Wright, in his list of American Store Cards published in the Numismatist some years ago considered it one of the rarest American store cards. We would be pleased if one of our members would give us some information regarding the piece, which will be published in the the numismatist." Again no further information was provided.
Info from 1914 to date...
1920 Edgar H. Adams "U.S. Store Cards" called Excessively Rare non plated.
1940 Wayte Raymond "United States Coins and Tokens" (Wayte doesn't use the wording Rare until tokens are above R-6 on the rarity scale) called Very Rare line drawing supplied.
1975 David E. Schenckman stated a Very Rare Boston store card.
1981 Russell Rulau "United States Trade Tokens 1866-1889" Ex. Rare priced at $1,200.00 in VF with no pricing info above that grade. Plated is the Al Zaika VF specimen with small reverse edge dents, tiny nicks, and uneven slightly dark color.
Researching all major exonumia auction catalogs back to the 1980's I've only been able to trace 3 examples. The one I've posted (Finest Known), the Al Zaika VF, and the 1989 Stack's Gilbert Steinberg example first deemed as cleaned AU brass (reserve not meet), then re-sold in the 2003 B&M Gilbert sale properly described as Copper cleaned XF.
As I have recently obtained all of Benjamin P. Wright, M.D.'s 1898 to 1901 ANA Numismatist writings on American Store Business Cards. Dr. Wright considered this token Rarity-8 (2 or 3 known) and valued it at $35.00 around the turn of the century. (For value data gold was $18.00 an ounce)
Edgar Adam's in his 1920 works did not post pricing, however Donald Miller in 1962 valued this token at $350.00 in Fine condition. (For value data gold was $35.00 an ounce)
And a neat write up in Julian Liedman's April 1986 Bowers & Merana / PCAC sale catalog.
There's lots of info which can be found on this obsolete brewery on the web, here's just a touch...
Brewing started as the Henry H. Rueter & John R. Alley Highland Spring Brewery in 1867. By 1872 the facility was reported to be the largest brewery in the US. It was one of the first to add refrigerating equipment and in 1876 their ale won first prize at The Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
1880's Rueter & Company - Highland Springs Brewery, Boston, Massachusetts, MaBo-H95, 29mm Diameter, Copper.
This was my first newp of 2016 and it's a biggie as this is the rarest of the Highland Springs Brewery tokens with nearly fully red with bluish patina surface conditions I never thought existed.
It far betters John J. Ford, Jr.'s circulated example sold in 2013 which was completely pitted along with being marred by a large old scratch.
The obverse shows the brewery tools of the trade and mentions SEMPER IDEM which means "Always The Same". The obverse design was also the exact logo used by Rueter on their beer bottle labels.
Russell Rulau only values examples in EF at $1,200.00 mentioning a example was offered by a dealer in 1950 for an ask of $50.00 which was about the same 1 1/2 ounces of gold.
With the addition of this Rueter & Co. example along with my Rueter & Alley's it completes my set of Highland Spring Brewery in matched condition.
To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
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Comments
Hoard the keys.
I finally added my first newp of 2016 to the set in the op at the bottom.
As I have not been able to find this thread with the new forum software search feature and just did using Goggle.
Latin American Collection
Edited to add: Actually, since Rulau prices this at $1200 in XF, lets say $2500 in UNC then.
Using those numbers, and then looking at the pricing for a Copper Smoker Token in UNC that he prices at $40, based on that system your new coin is actually worth $187,500!! What a pick
Boosibri, It does feel great as I never thought I'd find a example anywhere near this condition.
NewEnglandRarities, I like your math better then mine as I'm only coming up with $180,000.00
Malcolm Storer also listed both varieties in his 1906 book titled Numismatics of Massachusetts.
Now for the huge discovery....
The die-sinker on these has always been unknown.
Dick Johnson in his database of Medal Artists along with Neil Musante's extensive study confirm these are circa 1870 later works of no other then John Adams Bolen of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Malcolm Storer also listed both varieties in his 1906 book titled Numismatics of Massachusetts.
Now for the huge discovery....
The die-sinker on these has always been unknown.
Dick Johnson in his database of Medal Artists along with Neil Musante's extensive study confirm these are circa 1870 later works of no other then John Adams Bolen of Springfield, Massachusetts.
VERY COOL! Made by Bolen certainly adds to these cool pieces. The letters do have similar look to other later Bolen pieces. Very nice discovery!
VERY COOL! Made by Bolen certainly adds to these cool pieces. The letters do have similar look to other later Bolen pieces. Very nice discovery!
NewEnglandRarities, Thanks as it is a great discovery, however I would have never guessed Bolen.
As every merchant sore card token of Bolen I recall seeing he signed somewhere in the design of the dies.
I would not have guessed Bolen either because of the missing signature, but finding out its attributed to him is certainly a wonderful discovery.
Thats true, he does sign most of his work, thats for sure. But its quite possible he made many other items that we don't consider his work because he DIDNT sign them.
I would not have guessed Bolen either because of the missing signature, but finding out its attributed to him is certainly a wonderful discovery.
Well as we know the Masonic Building in Springfield Massachusetts dedication token in 1892 was Bolen's last signed token...
It now really makes you wonder if he was active for more then 32 years and what else unsigned he might have done
Great post Broadstruck! Congratulations on completing your set.
Thanks Shamika!
Russell Rulau does mention that there's both plain & silvered brass MaBo-95 varieties.
However upon close inspection every one of the brass examples has trace remnants of previous silvering.
Cheers
Bob
Great post! Love the history.
Cheers
Bob
Thanks Outhaul