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Great way to start a New Year... Unique unknown Merchant Token :)
Broadstruck
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1876 Stephen F. Whitman & Sons, Chocolatier, Philadelphia, PA, 23mm Diameter, White Metal.
This pictorial token has a reversible die design which shows a smiling & frowning face and is unlisted as it has never been seen by Benjamin Wright, Donald Miller, or Russell Rulau.
Knowing how rare it is took a chance with a nuclear bid even based on poor images on which I couldn't tell if it was AU or UNC?
I was thrilled with excitement when it just arrived seeing it's UNC, fully proof-like, cameo contrast, with no spots, or heavy oxidation.
The Whitman Samplers which I've eaten a few are still sold today now owned by Russell Stovers.
In 1842, a 19-year-old Quaker named Stephen F. Whitman set up a small "confectionery and fruiterer shoppe" on Market Street near the Philadelphia waterfront. His shop attracted Philadelphians from all walks of life, leading citizens to sailors. Thanks to exotic ingredients taken to Whitman by well-traveled sailors, his candies quickly gained renown across the Northeast.
Whitman was an innovative marketer; he knew that presentation could be as important as taste to some customers. So he created beautiful packaging and well-crafted advertising campaigns that focused prospective customers on the quality of his candies. Whitman's became a familiar name, thanks to ads in newspapers and magazines as early as 1857.
Business thrived, and the company's facility in Philadelphia expanded. New products, including tinned Instantaneous Chocolate, brought acclaim and boosted profits. In 1869, the next generation took the reins when Horace Whitman replaced his father as company president. Horace introduced America to cellophane, a then-wondrous material that helped keep candy fresh, colorful and clean.
By 1907, Whitman's Candies were appearing on the shelves in "better drug stores" across the region. Four years later, Walter Sharp stepped in as president; he developed new products and initiated the company's money-back guarantee that continues to this day. Sharp also created the Whitman's Sampler®, an assortment of the company's best-selling chocolates. Inspired by a cross-stitched sampler hanging in his home, Sharp worked with a skilled employee to create the sampler that's reproduced on Sampler boxes to this day. By 1915, the Sampler had become America's best-selling box of chocolates, a position it still holds today.
The company has a long history of honoring servicemen and women. During World War I, the company began distributing chocolates to soldiers, another noble tradition the company continues today. Whitman's Candies survived the Great Depression without sacrificing quality, lowering prices, or reducing dealer profits. In fact, more magazine ads were run in the 1930s, at the height of the Depression, than at any other time in the company's history.
Products and packaging evolved ... new products were added ... and the company continued to prosper. With the start of World War II, the company introduced the beautiful Land, Sea and Air Tins. Women working the candy lines added handwritten notes to packages sent to soldiers; some of those notes results in long-term friendships and in a few cases, marriage.
Refrigerated display cases in 1946 enabled dealers to store fresh candy longer. After WWII, Hollywood's brightest stars promoted Whitman's Candies, often in exchange for payment in chocolate and a mention of the star's latest movie.
As America became more health-conscious, the company introduced Light Chocolates in 1984, Sugar Free candies in 2001, and the Net Carb line in 2003. In 2005, Whitman's partnered with Weight Watchers International® to produce a line of Weight Watchers Chocolates.
Consumers continue to recognize Whitman's as one of a handful of brands that have stood the test of time, a true sampler of American ideals and values. It is fitting, then, that American presidents offer Whitman's Samplers to guests at the White House and those traveling on Air Force One.
This pictorial token has a reversible die design which shows a smiling & frowning face and is unlisted as it has never been seen by Benjamin Wright, Donald Miller, or Russell Rulau.
Knowing how rare it is took a chance with a nuclear bid even based on poor images on which I couldn't tell if it was AU or UNC?
I was thrilled with excitement when it just arrived seeing it's UNC, fully proof-like, cameo contrast, with no spots, or heavy oxidation.
The Whitman Samplers which I've eaten a few are still sold today now owned by Russell Stovers.
In 1842, a 19-year-old Quaker named Stephen F. Whitman set up a small "confectionery and fruiterer shoppe" on Market Street near the Philadelphia waterfront. His shop attracted Philadelphians from all walks of life, leading citizens to sailors. Thanks to exotic ingredients taken to Whitman by well-traveled sailors, his candies quickly gained renown across the Northeast.
Whitman was an innovative marketer; he knew that presentation could be as important as taste to some customers. So he created beautiful packaging and well-crafted advertising campaigns that focused prospective customers on the quality of his candies. Whitman's became a familiar name, thanks to ads in newspapers and magazines as early as 1857.
Business thrived, and the company's facility in Philadelphia expanded. New products, including tinned Instantaneous Chocolate, brought acclaim and boosted profits. In 1869, the next generation took the reins when Horace Whitman replaced his father as company president. Horace introduced America to cellophane, a then-wondrous material that helped keep candy fresh, colorful and clean.
By 1907, Whitman's Candies were appearing on the shelves in "better drug stores" across the region. Four years later, Walter Sharp stepped in as president; he developed new products and initiated the company's money-back guarantee that continues to this day. Sharp also created the Whitman's Sampler®, an assortment of the company's best-selling chocolates. Inspired by a cross-stitched sampler hanging in his home, Sharp worked with a skilled employee to create the sampler that's reproduced on Sampler boxes to this day. By 1915, the Sampler had become America's best-selling box of chocolates, a position it still holds today.
The company has a long history of honoring servicemen and women. During World War I, the company began distributing chocolates to soldiers, another noble tradition the company continues today. Whitman's Candies survived the Great Depression without sacrificing quality, lowering prices, or reducing dealer profits. In fact, more magazine ads were run in the 1930s, at the height of the Depression, than at any other time in the company's history.
Products and packaging evolved ... new products were added ... and the company continued to prosper. With the start of World War II, the company introduced the beautiful Land, Sea and Air Tins. Women working the candy lines added handwritten notes to packages sent to soldiers; some of those notes results in long-term friendships and in a few cases, marriage.
Refrigerated display cases in 1946 enabled dealers to store fresh candy longer. After WWII, Hollywood's brightest stars promoted Whitman's Candies, often in exchange for payment in chocolate and a mention of the star's latest movie.
As America became more health-conscious, the company introduced Light Chocolates in 1984, Sugar Free candies in 2001, and the Net Carb line in 2003. In 2005, Whitman's partnered with Weight Watchers International® to produce a line of Weight Watchers Chocolates.
Consumers continue to recognize Whitman's as one of a handful of brands that have stood the test of time, a true sampler of American ideals and values. It is fitting, then, that American presidents offer Whitman's Samplers to guests at the White House and those traveling on Air Force One.
To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
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Comments
<< <i>I'm in, thanks for the chance.
Sorry but I'm keeping this one
<< <i>An amazing token. Congrats! >>
Thanks as I was bouncing off the walls when it arrived
I think one was mentioned in the "The Numismatist" in 1899.
Page 260 - #1242
https://books.google.com/books?id=o_cMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA260&dq=whitman+and+son+chocolate+confection+token&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ONauVIrjCIWcyQSN_YC4DA&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=whitman%20and%20son%20chocolate%20confection%20token&f=false
Also some info on it here (slow to load)
http://numismatics.org/collection/1935.999.298
It's from 1876 - seems to be one of 6 different versions they made?
The 6 listed:
http://numismatics.org/search/results?q=issuer_facet:%22Whitman%20and%20Son%22
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
Bust Half & FSB Merc Collector
<< <i>Awesome token.
I think one was mentioned in the "The Numismatist" in 1899.
Page 260 - #1242 >>
The Whitman & Son's tokens were struck for Philadelphia Centennial celebration.
They are known with pictorial die strikes of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Libertas Americana, Continental Soldier, but not this design.
<< <i>Is Kagin's exclusively on Amazon now? They haven't had an Ebay transactions in quite a while. >>
They've been selling quite a bit of Good For Tokens & Shell Mirrors on Ebay in the last few months.
This token was listed among a large collection of Texas tokens.
<< <i>It's from 1876 - seems to be one of 6 different versions they made?
The 6 listed:
http://numismatics.org/search/results?q=issuer_facet:%22Whitman%20and%20Son%22 >>
Thanks as I'll check out the American Numismatic Society example when I venture there this spring to do some research.
I was sure more then just one happy/sad face token had been struck...
Still no one has written of this design existing and I've never seen one offered for sale or while researching other Philadelphia merchant tokens in prior exonumia sales.
However I never mind owning something where the only other surviving example known is locked up in a museum collection!
<< <i>Great find....certainly unique.....I seem to recall the two headed design on something else, somewhere.... cannot think of it right now...but it was not a token...Cheers RickO >>
A few other tokens have used it, Broadstruck's seems fairly unique with Whitman & Son though.
http://tokencatalog.com/token_record_forms.php?action=DisplayTokenRecord&td_id=42702&inventory_id=20784&attribution_id=42982&td_create_uid=39
http://www.civilwartokens.com/Listing/Details/882486/Two-Faced-New-York-1876-Centennial-Merchant-token-NY-194A-Rulau-NY-710A-Unlisted
http://www.icollector.com/67-Civil-War-Token-H-Hinlein-Clothing-House-Hats-Caps-Steubenville-Ohio-I-Always-Buy-Ther_i18915416
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/phila-pa-226-lingg-bro-watches-type-167614075
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
<< <i>
<< <i>Great find....certainly unique.....I seem to recall the two headed design on something else, somewhere.... cannot think of it right now...but it was not a token...Cheers RickO >>
A few other tokens have used it, Broadstruck's seems fairly unique with Whitman & Son though. >>
The Yates is the most commonly seen and there are others such as Applegate Galleries which comes to mind.
Successful BST deals with mustangt and jesbroken. Now EVERYTHING is for sale.
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What is the metal? Some miscellaneous white metal or??
maybe a wonka token might stumble in too...or the 6th golden ticket
awesome thread presentation here broadstruckster
pure class
what a wild looking token there
congrats
<< <i>What is the metal? Some miscellaneous white metal or?? >>
It's white metal.
Thanks everyone & have a great weekend!