@jesbroken said:
Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS
stationed there for 14 months. Traded for many types then.
Jim
I was an A1C at Keesler for 6 moths from April - September 1970. Went to ditty-bop school. Enjoyed my time there but was limited to the Airmans Club and never saw any of the tokens. Thanks for the memories.
Wow I thought dittybop was only 6-8 week course. Why so long. I was there 14 months in ECM 68 to mid 69. If you had ever borrowed money at the AC you would have gotten tokens and then you could find them all over the floor and street outside. lol
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
@jesbroken said:
Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS
stationed there for 14 months. Traded for many types then.
Jim
I was an A1C at Keesler for 6 moths from April - September 1970. Went to ditty-bop school. Enjoyed my time there but was limited to the Airmans Club and never saw any of the tokens. Thanks for the memories.
Wow I thought dittybop was only 6-8 week course. Why so long. I was there 14 months in ECM 68 to mid 69. If you had ever borrowed money at the AC you would have gotten tokens and then you could find them all over the floor and street outside. lol
Jim
Yep took us 6 months to go from no Morse at all to 18.6 words per minutes (I was copying 30 WPM when I graduated). That took a while plus they had to teach us to type and then we had about 1 month and a half of radio theory and then the classified part we were cleared for on radio procedures and stuff like that, and they had to have time to get our security clearances all done. Had to have a TS/SCI to go to work at your next site. 14 months is a long time.
I never borrowed from the club, I was single and didn't drink or smoke so money came easy. Used to walk to Edgewater Plaza each Sunday to visit the hobby shop and eat at the cafeteria. While I didn't really drink I got a dear john letter and went to the club on 2 for a quarter beer night. Drank a six pack and that was the end of that for me.
Sorry for being so far off subject but thanks for listening.
Glad to see some participation in this thread! Please post away, folks.
This one was used by our servicemen in Vietnam in one of the clubs during their downtime. I love the design, and it is quite colorful in hand.
According to Ray Bows, who wrote a great book on the subject of Vietnam War tokens, this club opened in Feb 1962 at Tan Son Nhut Air base and was closed by 1964. So, very early in the conflict. It was named after the Shawnee helicopters of the 8th and 57th Transportation Companies.
Any Vietnam vets on the forum, I'd love to hear your memories of any of these tokens from that war.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Bump for Veterans Day.
Here is one I just picked up from Fort Howard, Maryland. The "Bulldog at Baltimore's Gate."
Good for 5c at the NCO Bar. It spoke to me. Can just see some salty non comm sliding it across the bar for a beer 🍺
Happy Vet's Day, brothers and sisters.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Here's a big token from Fort Sheridan, IL. When a dollar went a lot farther:
I've got to take this out of holder for an acetone bath, looks like some glue or tape residue stuck to obverse
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
What an interesting thread! I love the history behind these military tokens. Recently, I reluctantly sold a token from my collection from Fort Bowie AZ...
Very Rare 1862-1894 Fort Bowie AZ Troop G 4th US Cavalry Arizona Territory Token
Excellent condition and well preserved for the last 125+ years.
Counterstamped on the front with "G 9th" perhaps to indicate the token was used for a 9th free game of billiards by a member of Troop G cavalry. Given the age, perhaps the real counter strike purpose may never be known for sure.
Very small number of these tokens exist. An exhaustive search of the web only uncovered 1 other Troop G token that was part of an internet collectible auction. Perhaps a small number of other copies exist, but cannot easily be discovered.
From Wikipedia...
Fort Bowie was a 19th-century outpost of the United States Army located in southeastern Arizona near the present day town of Willcox, Arizona. The remaining buildings and site are now protected as Fort Bowie National Historic Site.
Fort Bowie was established by the California Volunteers in 1862, after a series of engagements between the California Column and the Chiricahua Apaches. The most violent of these conflicts was the Battle of Apache Pass in July 1862. The fort was named in honor of Colonel George Washington Bowie commander of the 5th Regiment California Volunteer Infantry who first established the fort. The first Fort Bowie resembled a temporary camp rather than a permanent army post. In 1868, a second, more substantial Fort Bowie was built which included adobe barracks, houses, corrals, a trading post, and a hospital. The second Fort Bowie was built on a plateau about 500 yards (460 m) to the east of the first site. For more than 30 years Fort Bowie and Apache Pass were the focal point of military operations eventually culminating in the surrender of Geronimo in 1886 and the banishment of the Chiricahuas to Florida and Alabama. The fort was abandoned in 1894.
Great part of the American Wild West and it's rich history!
I do still have a military token from Fort Whipple in AZ. I've had it for many years. But now I am considering putting it up for sale. Checking out the fair market value these days. I believe it's pretty rare given the history of the fort, which is now a VA Medical Center...
I did not know that "B'KS" was short for BARRACKS until I discovered my Whipple. Then I did some research on AZ forts and military operations in the territory before statehood. Just fascinating history.
@DCW interesting that your Whipple is the size of a dime. The octagonal 5 cent that I have is larger than a quarter. It's not a perfect octagon either, unless it's some sort of optical illusion. I do not know how these were minted and if they were hand stamped or production machine made.
Sold the earlier posted Fort Bowie token to downsize my collection a bit and fund some immediate needs.
I suspect yours was struck much earlier than mine, hence the size difference.
Thanks for posting your pieces, and I hope you contribute more.
Welcome to the forums
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Great specimen! Likely packed with history. I wonder why these tokens were used in lieu of US minted coins. I understand the Civil War Tokens were minted as there was a shortage. However, many military tokens had no similar situations.
At many bases when you went to the club you could get a pay day advance and they gave it to you in tokens that could be spent at the club rather than cash which could be spent anywhere. When payday came around you got you money and went to the club and settled your debt. Failure to settle in a timely manner resulted in a call to the First Sergeant's office to explain why followed by an accompanied trip to the club to settle.
Comments
Wow I thought dittybop was only 6-8 week course. Why so long. I was there 14 months in ECM 68 to mid 69. If you had ever borrowed money at the AC you would have gotten tokens and then you could find them all over the floor and street outside. lol
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Yep took us 6 months to go from no Morse at all to 18.6 words per minutes (I was copying 30 WPM when I graduated). That took a while plus they had to teach us to type and then we had about 1 month and a half of radio theory and then the classified part we were cleared for on radio procedures and stuff like that, and they had to have time to get our security clearances all done. Had to have a TS/SCI to go to work at your next site. 14 months is a long time.
I never borrowed from the club, I was single and didn't drink or smoke so money came easy. Used to walk to Edgewater Plaza each Sunday to visit the hobby shop and eat at the cafeteria. While I didn't really drink I got a dear john letter and went to the club on 2 for a quarter beer night. Drank a six pack and that was the end of that for me.
Sorry for being so far off subject but thanks for listening.
Glad to see some participation in this thread! Please post away, folks.
This one was used by our servicemen in Vietnam in one of the clubs during their downtime. I love the design, and it is quite colorful in hand.
According to Ray Bows, who wrote a great book on the subject of Vietnam War tokens, this club opened in Feb 1962 at Tan Son Nhut Air base and was closed by 1964. So, very early in the conflict. It was named after the Shawnee helicopters of the 8th and 57th Transportation Companies.
Any Vietnam vets on the forum, I'd love to hear your memories of any of these tokens from that war.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
3rd Infantry Exchange, Machine Gun Co. 2 1/2
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
A bump for Memorial Day!
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
INYNWHWeTrust-TexasNationals,ajaan,blu62vette
coinJP, Outhaul ,illini420,MICHAELDIXON, Fade to Black,epcjimi1,19Lyds,SNMAN,JerseyJoe, bigjpst, DMWJR , lordmarcovan, Weiss,Mfriday4962,UtahCoin,Downtown1974,pitboss,RichieURich,Bullsitter,JDsCoins,toyz4geo,jshaulis, mustanggt, SNMAN, MWallace, ms71, lordmarcovan
Bump for Veterans Day.
Here is one I just picked up from Fort Howard, Maryland. The "Bulldog at Baltimore's Gate."
Good for 5c at the NCO Bar. It spoke to me. Can just see some salty non comm sliding it across the bar for a beer 🍺
Happy Vet's Day, brothers and sisters.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Ft. Meade, Maryland. Good for 5c at Sgt Bar
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
INYNWHWeTrust-TexasNationals,ajaan,blu62vette
coinJP, Outhaul ,illini420,MICHAELDIXON, Fade to Black,epcjimi1,19Lyds,SNMAN,JerseyJoe, bigjpst, DMWJR , lordmarcovan, Weiss,Mfriday4962,UtahCoin,Downtown1974,pitboss,RichieURich,Bullsitter,JDsCoins,toyz4geo,jshaulis, mustanggt, SNMAN, MWallace, ms71, lordmarcovan
Here's a big token from Fort Sheridan, IL. When a dollar went a lot farther:
I've got to take this out of holder for an acetone bath, looks like some glue or tape residue stuck to obverse
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
What an interesting thread! I love the history behind these military tokens. Recently, I reluctantly sold a token from my collection from Fort Bowie AZ...
Very Rare 1862-1894 Fort Bowie AZ Troop G 4th US Cavalry Arizona Territory Token
Excellent condition and well preserved for the last 125+ years.
Counterstamped on the front with "G 9th" perhaps to indicate the token was used for a 9th free game of billiards by a member of Troop G cavalry. Given the age, perhaps the real counter strike purpose may never be known for sure.
Very small number of these tokens exist. An exhaustive search of the web only uncovered 1 other Troop G token that was part of an internet collectible auction. Perhaps a small number of other copies exist, but cannot easily be discovered.
From Wikipedia...
Fort Bowie was a 19th-century outpost of the United States Army located in southeastern Arizona near the present day town of Willcox, Arizona. The remaining buildings and site are now protected as Fort Bowie National Historic Site.
Fort Bowie was established by the California Volunteers in 1862, after a series of engagements between the California Column and the Chiricahua Apaches. The most violent of these conflicts was the Battle of Apache Pass in July 1862. The fort was named in honor of Colonel George Washington Bowie commander of the 5th Regiment California Volunteer Infantry who first established the fort. The first Fort Bowie resembled a temporary camp rather than a permanent army post. In 1868, a second, more substantial Fort Bowie was built which included adobe barracks, houses, corrals, a trading post, and a hospital. The second Fort Bowie was built on a plateau about 500 yards (460 m) to the east of the first site. For more than 30 years Fort Bowie and Apache Pass were the focal point of military operations eventually culminating in the surrender of Geronimo in 1886 and the banishment of the Chiricahuas to Florida and Alabama. The fort was abandoned in 1894.
Great part of the American Wild West and it's rich history!
@jmm2562
Welcome to the forums and to the Military tokens thread.
Nice token, so why did you sell?
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
I do still have a military token from Fort Whipple in AZ. I've had it for many years. But now I am considering putting it up for sale. Checking out the fair market value these days. I believe it's pretty rare given the history of the fort, which is now a VA Medical Center...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Whipple,_Arizona
Here is another 5c piece from Whipple Barracks, about the size of a dime:
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
@DCW Very Cool!
Would anyone else like to show their Whipple?
I did not know that "B'KS" was short for BARRACKS until I discovered my Whipple. Then I did some research on AZ forts and military operations in the territory before statehood. Just fascinating history.
@DCW interesting that your Whipple is the size of a dime. The octagonal 5 cent that I have is larger than a quarter. It's not a perfect octagon either, unless it's some sort of optical illusion. I do not know how these were minted and if they were hand stamped or production machine made.
Sold the earlier posted Fort Bowie token to downsize my collection a bit and fund some immediate needs.
I suspect yours was struck much earlier than mine, hence the size difference.
Thanks for posting your pieces, and I hope you contribute more.
Welcome to the forums
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Here's one from Camp Vail, NJ. (Ca. 1917.) It changed its name to Fort Monmouth in 1925.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Great specimen! Likely packed with history. I wonder why these tokens were used in lieu of US minted coins. I understand the Civil War Tokens were minted as there was a shortage. However, many military tokens had no similar situations.
@jmm2562
They were used to eliminate the need for small change on military installations.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
At many bases when you went to the club you could get a pay day advance and they gave it to you in tokens that could be spent at the club rather than cash which could be spent anywhere. When payday came around you got you money and went to the club and settled your debt. Failure to settle in a timely manner resulted in a call to the First Sergeant's office to explain why followed by an accompanied trip to the club to settle.
Here's a set of club tokens from the Vietnam War:
The "Rice Paddy Inn" was based in Da Nang and used by the enlisted men of the 37th Signal Battalion. The reverse is the same as the obverse.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."