Ever since I sold my Seated dime love token date set, I miss collecting them.

lordmarcovan · October 27, 2015 8:06AM

I still find myself browsing the love token category on eBay.

Ever since I gave up the dime date set, I thought about trying a basic 19th century type set with all love token engraved coins.

Furthermore, I wanted to try that with strictly pictoirial love tokens.

I even bought a neat seascape/lighthouse scene on the back of a 2c piece.

But after a few months of browsing, I have reached the conclusion that, even with eBay to shop, there are not enough years remaining in my life to complete such an ambitious undertaking. And even if I did find nice type coins with pictorial love tokens, they seem to have gotten more popular in the last few years (I did well when I sold my dime set.) And popular means more expensive. Granted, love tokens are still an esoteric enough field that prices overall are modest, and that's another thing I like about them.

My Box of 20 is my primary focus these days, so love tokens would be a sideline, as they were before. And I don't want to sink too much money into a sideline.

So tempting though it is, I think the idea of a pictorial love token type set may be a nonstarter.

However, I just hit upon a different idea.

You know how many love tokens bear just a single initial? One letter?

I've hit upon an idea that's ridiculously simple... as simple as. A-B-C, in fact.

Why not do an alphabet set of one-letter love tokens? A through Z.

Q and Z might be hard to find- those might be the "keys" to such a set- but I'd be free of the need to pursue key dates as I did with the dime date set. And I could still add pictorials when such coins turned up with the initials I needed.

What do you think?

I might give it a go.

The main question is what you think would be better- sticking to just Seated dimes as the host coins, resulting in a slightly more uniform collection, or any coin as long as it had the right letter engraved on it, resulting in a more varied and potentially more interesting collection. I think I'm leaning towards the latter method.

MWallace · October 27, 2015 8:53AM

There are so many ways to put together a nice set of Love Tokens. An alphabet set would be great. I think I would go with any denomination. Might be too tough with just Seated Dimes.

Quarternut · October 27, 2015 8:55AM

After pursuing love tokens of every type and ilk for over 25 years, I finally decided I could never finish that set...love tokens by nature are unique, each one is different than another.

I did do a dime date set, a US type set, etc., but eventually sold everything.

I am only doing a few love token or engraved things at this point. I am a buyer of engraved coins done on early US bust coinage of most any type (initials, pictorials, etc,); Engraved masonic chapter pennies done on US large cents; and an alphabet dime set utilizing only enameled letters.

As you say...it will be a lifelong pursuit...

QN

Quarternut · October 27, 2015 8:56AM

O & Y are also toughies...

QN

MrEureka · October 27, 2015 9:03AM

I'd strongly recommend against the alphabet plan. While a nice challenge to collect, it will never look like anything special, and it will be no fun to own or show off.

I love the idea of a type set album filled with love tokens and other engraved pieces. Every piece will be fun to own, and every piece will always be a candidate for "upgrading" to something more special. Maybe you'll finish the set before you die, and maybe not. If not, so what? There are worse things than letting someone else have the fun of finishing what you started. And it's not like anyone's going to think less of you if you never find a pictorially engraved Small Eagle half dollar.

lordmarcovan · October 27, 2015 9:30AM

Originally posted by: MrEureka

I'd strongly recommend against the alphabet plan. While a nice challenge to collect, it will never look like anything special, and it will be no fun to own or show off.

I love the idea of a type set album filled with love tokens and other engraved pieces. Every piece will be fun to own, and every piece will always be a candidate for "upgrading" to something more special. Maybe you'll finish the set before you die, and maybe not. If not, so what? There are worse things than letting someone else have the fun of finishing what you started. And it's not like anyone's going to think less of you if you never find a pictorially engraved Small Eagle half dollar.

Oh, I dunno. Could be fun as a casual sideline, I think, which is all I intend anyway.

But you're right. It wouldn't be as sexy as as a pictorially engraved type set.

Perhaps I could try the basic type set but not insist upon ALL pictorials. I could have some initialed pieces and even counterstamped coins.

FWIW, on my budget, I will never own a Small Eagle half dollar, be it love token, lowball slick, or otherwise.

We'd just be talking about a Dansco 7070-style set- maybe even more basic than that to start with.

winky · October 27, 2015 9:36AM

Not for me, I like seated dimes.

Barberian · October 27, 2015 9:47AM

I like the 7070 Type Set idea, though you might find some coins that don't fit the openings.

lordmarcovan · October 27, 2015 9:56AM

Oh, that's a cool one.

Yeah, it would only be a "virtual" 7070- inspired set. I'd keep 'em in flips.

Some love tokens get slightly out of round when holed. Certainly if they have loops mounted.

And then there are the pinbacks, though I don't care much for those. They're still neat, but not so flip- or album-friendly.

MrEureka · October 27, 2015 10:16AM

Perhaps I could try the basic type set but not insist upon ALL pictorials. I could have some initialed pieces and even counterstamped coins.

Of course. And you could add counterfeits. And errors. And Gallery Mint stuff. Anything but straight type coins. Just fill the holes with the coolest stuff you can find and afford, and see where it takes you.

lordmarcovan · October 27, 2015 11:44AM

Thanks for the wise counsel, MrE.

I never thought about including counterfeits and replicas for those "impossible" coins.

I guess the COPY stamp on the replicas could count for inclusion in an engraved/counterstamped type set, since technically they ARE counterstamped pieces.

But I'd want to get sufficiently far along with genuine period pieces before I started going that route to fill the tougher holes.

Musky1011 · October 27, 2015 2:01PM

Step away from those seated dime love tokens...LOL

astrorat · October 27, 2015 2:43PM

I have half-heartedly worked on a year set of Seated dime love tokens for a while now. Mainly I focus on twenty-cent piece love tokens and jewelry ... it's a fun diversion from die varieties!

lordmarcovan · October 27, 2015 3:02PM

Originally posted by: Musky1011

Step away from those seated dime love tokens...LOL

I did. That's the problem!

But if I go the type set route, I'll only need one, so don't worry.

Originally posted by: astrorat

I have half-heartedly worked on a year set of Seated dime love tokens for a while now. Mainly I focus on twenty-cent piece love tokens and jewelry ... it's a fun diversion from die varieties!

Love token 20c pieces can't be all that common. In the rare chance you ever end up with a duplicate, lemme know!

lordmarcovan · October 27, 2015 3:11PM

This is the only love token I presently own, and it isn't a Seated dime, so maybe that's a hint that I should pursue the type set option now that I'm starting over.

I really, really miss this one, which wasn't part of my old dime set.

Unfortunately that one came to me at a time when I was focusing on the dimes, and was therefore "outside of focus", so I didn't keep it. It would be ideal for a pictorial love token type set. I'll have to see if I can't repurchase it. It was up on eBay for a time... with a $500 BIN. Ouch. I'm willing to pay more than I sold it for to get it back, but I don't want it back that badly!

Speaking of the dime date set, here it is.

oih82w8 · October 27, 2015 10:17PM

I don't think that I have seen a 2C Love Token before.

Gerry Fortin has quite a few Love Tokens...I am looking for one KAC SJC and TMC.

lordmarcovan · October 27, 2015 11:06PM

I did browse Gerry Fortin's page last night, actually.

Unsurprisingly, it's heavy on the Seated coins. Of course the Seated dimes are the #1 most common host coin for love tokens, with the quarters and the gold dollars not far behind.

If I'm going to do a type set, I'll be wading through a sea of Seated dimes on eBay in search of the other type coins. But I guess that's the challenge of the hunt.

ricko · October 27, 2015 11:34PM

A pictorial set would be very interesting.... if it were my pursuit, I would not limit my

collection to one type (i.e. seated dimes)... I think the variety would add to the

overall attractiveness of the collection.... I have not collected love tokens, but always

found them interesting. Cheers, RickO

asheland · October 28, 2015 4:26AM

Originally posted by: MWallace
There are so many ways to put together a nice set of Love Tokens. An alphabet set would be great. I think I would go with any denomination. Might be too tough with just Seated Dimes.

asheland · October 28, 2015 4:27AM

Originally posted by: Barberian
I like the 7070 Type Set idea, though you might find some coins that don't fit the openings.

Loving that one!

That engraving style looks correct for Draped Bust.

lordmarcovan · October 28, 2015 4:35AM

Originally posted by: asheland

Loving that one!

That engraving style looks correct for Draped Bust.

I love it too, but I think the engraving is somewhat later; perhaps midcentury.

asheland · October 28, 2015 4:43AM

Possibly, but I've seen that style a lot on 1780's London examples, although it's certainly possible to have it done the old way.

asheland · October 28, 2015 4:44AM

And, yes indeed I am a big fan of the pictoral engravings!

Musky1011 · October 28, 2015 9:11AM

I bought a dansco seated dime album just for this purpose... Yep.. Stay, far away

Musky1011 · October 28, 2015 9:23AM

My rare love token.. Non USA

Ever since I sold my Seated dime love token date set, I miss collecting them.

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