Military Tokens Thread

DCW · April 4, 2017 7:46AM

Anybody collect military tokens? I feel this is an important and largely unexplored area of numismatics. From the Sutlers, through post exchange and canteen tokens, Military payment certificates, NCO clubs, mess halls, right up to modern day pogs given as change in Iraq and Afghanistan. They all represent a tangible link from our servicemen and women to our hobby.
I find them incredibly interesting, loaded with opportunities for research. Often they can be purchased for very little, and one can accumulate a large collection on a small budget.
This thread is dedicated to all soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, and the tokens they used and left behind. Let's keep this thread going by posting examples in our collections with a little info if possible.
Here is a nice one I just picked up from Ft. Ethan Allen, Vermont. Struck in Aluminum, pre-1944, it features the horsehead of the 2nd Cavalry on the obverse, and on the reverse, a horseshoe heralded by "Good For 50 cts In Trade."

BillJones · April 4, 2017 7:52AM

I have a few Civil War Sutler tokens. They are not common, and they are not cheap. Getting into them in a big way is a very expensive proposition with high prices ($1,000 to several thousand each) sometimes even for damaged pieces.

Many of the others are more reasonable, but since I was never in the military, they are not of great interest to me.

LanceNewmanOCC · April 4, 2017 8:09AM

.
so @DCW, is the thing in the background a shield from medieval times that was used in many battles and struck by many swords, daggers, battleaxes, arrows, maces, etc?

or just the wife's cutting board/countertop?

at this point i give it 50/50.

of all the many tokens i have, not sure i have any military-related ones. the one you posted is pretty neat though.
.

DNADave · April 4, 2017 8:41AM

@LanceNewmanOCC said:
.
so @DCW, is the thing in the background a shield from medieval times that was used in many battles and struck by many swords, daggers, battleaxes, arrows, maces, etc?

or just the wife's cutting board/countertop?

at this point i give it 50/50.

of all the many tokens i have, not sure i have any military-related ones. the one you posted is pretty neat though.
.

The horseshoe?

DCW · April 4, 2017 9:43AM

@LanceNewmanOCC If you are talking about the background, it is an old table.
@BillJones Yes, Sutler tokens can get very expensive. I did not mean to imply that a collection of those would be cheap. Rather, I meant that a meaningful collection of military tokens could be put together with a modest budget. Some are harder to find than others, and some are downright rare. Just a great area from which to learn and research history.
Here is a nice sutler token from Massachusetts, the 23rd regiment
Harvey Lewis was the sutler and Joseph H. Merriam the die sinker. Merriam probably invented the use of modular dies which enabled him to interchange denominations in the center of the token. This sutler token comes in 5c, 10c, 25c, and 50c variations. It is artfully executed as are all of Merriam's tokens and medals of the period (1861-65.) This is the nicest example Ive seen.
Ex. Eric P. Newman NGC MS66RB

Former commander of Massachusetts 23rd Infantry, Lt. Col David Muzzey:

Zoins · April 4, 2017 9:57AM

Are they generally inexpensive if you exclude Sutler tokens?

1630Boston · April 4, 2017 10:14AM

interesting field of collecting

BillJones · April 4, 2017 10:25AM

@Zoins said:
Are they generally inexpensive if you exclude Sutler tokens?

I think so. There have been some pieces come up in our local club auctions that sold or went begging for less than $10. Some of them were of the World War II vintage.

BillJones · April 4, 2017 10:34AM

The Harvy Lewis sutler token is one the easier ones to find, although DCW's piece is superior to any other example I have seen. Here are a couple of others.

This J.C. Benton piece has better die work that most.

And here is one for a zouave unit. The zouve units dress up in brightly colored, red from what I have seen, uniforms. It looked a ticket the graveyard to me given the way they would have stood out on the battlefield. The die sinker, John Stanton, was based out of Cincinnati. He made may sutler and Civil War tokens.

DCW · April 4, 2017 12:32PM

@Zoins said:
Are they generally inexpensive if you exclude Sutler tokens?

Most can be had for around 25-40 bucks, some as low as 10 or 15 bucks
Some of the rarer ones will cost more, especially if they have interesting subject matter or are in high grade. The horsehead 2nd CAV is harder to find, and it appealed to me on several levels.
It is probably worth over a hundred dollars, and I am not ashamed to have paid up for this one.
I was an infantry soldier, and these kind of things appeal to me. Maybe others would be drawn to them as well if their existence were more widely known. There are a few books out there on the subject.

DCW · April 5, 2017 8:29PM

Here is an older post exchange token from Fort Niagara, NY. It is struck in brass on a quarter sized thin planchet. Good for 5 in Trade Only. This one most likely pre dates WWI, probably turn of century.

ricko · April 6, 2017 6:14AM

Interesting tokens.... I do not have any of these, however, I do have an extensive collection of Challenge Coins... various branch's of the military, one from a V.P. and one from a Secretary of Defense... Very colorful and they were important to the people who carried them. Cheers, RickO

DCW · April 7, 2017 11:49AM

Post exchange Brooklyn, NY Marine Barracks 1908

The Brooklyn Navy Yard was founded in 1801 and was a fully operational base until 1966 when the land was sold to New York. It finally closed its doors in 1974.

PTVETTER · April 7, 2017 5:50PM

I have a challenge coin from the SM of the army!

DCW · April 7, 2017 6:49PM

@PTVETTER said:
I have a challenge coin from the SM of the army!

Well, let's see it brother!

CascadeChris · April 7, 2017 10:01PM

Here's a couple I own. I don't collect them though. Really like the art and execution of the CSER one as well as the juxtaposition of a war torn area on one side then it being rebuilt on the other

ricko · April 8, 2017 7:09AM

Nice challenge coins guys..... Cheers, RickO

Zoins · April 15, 2017 11:05AM

Great thread everyone! I love the Merriam token with the modular dies.

I have a variety of military tokens and medals. Here's the Fort Totten Post Exchange dollar dies. The fort was known as Fort at Willets Point in 1862 and named Fort Totten in 1898. Of note the dollar denomination style is similar to the Brooklyn Navy Yard token posted by @DCW above.

Cannons feature prominently on all the Fort Totten Post Exchange tokens I've seen. Here's a photo from Wikipedia which shows their impressive 12 inch mortar batteries in an Abbot Quad arrangement.

Here's a postcard of the Fort Totten Post Exchange building from the bay:

1630Boston · April 15, 2017 11:09AM

Amazing history, thanks for sharing it here

PaleElf · April 15, 2017 3:22PM

The Challenge Coin I will never part with.

ricko · April 16, 2017 7:55AM

@PaleElf...Do you still get together with your unit buddies for a reunion? Cheers, RickO

PaleElf · April 16, 2017 2:28PM

@ricko said:
@PaleElf...Do you still get together with your unit buddies for a reunion? Cheers, RickO

Not reunions, but I still talk regularly with a number of them. A lot of us are now in the same post-military profession.

ricko · April 16, 2017 2:51PM

Great.... My ship has a reunion every year.... we are getting old now and losing shipmates....but still fun to get together and tell sea stories. Cheers, RickO

DCW · April 27, 2017 9:20AM

This is an unusual PX token from Ft. Schuyler with the odd denomination of 6 cents:

Ft. Schuyler is located on Throggs Neck at the southern end of the Bronx. It was constructed to defend NY Harbor against naval attack through the Long Island Sound. It was a part of the country's northeast coastal defenses, developed in the aftermath of the War of 1812. Dedicated in 1856:

OldEastside · April 27, 2017 9:33AM

Y'all are teasing me for a new niche

Steve

Eagleguy · April 27, 2017 10:16AM

Ft. Schuyler is directly across from Fort Totten. Together they created a nice defensible bottleneck. I grew up near Ft. Totten and perhaps I should look into finding a couple of these tokens for myself.

DCW · April 28, 2017 7:56PM

Fort Totten, Good For 10c in Trade:

DCW · May 4, 2017 8:12AM

Here is a very interesting one from Camp Furlong, NM.
Troop H of the 13th Cavalry Regiment, Good For 25c in Trade (1916):

This token is contemporary to the famous raid on the city of Columbus, NM on March 9, 1916 by Pancho Villa and his army. They were repelled by the brave men of the 13th Cavalry, who also participated in the ensuing military expedition into Mexico under General Pershing.

DCW · May 5, 2017 9:18AM

Here is another from Fort Ethan Allen, VT. I like this one for its obvious resemblance to the Anheuser-Busch logo. I wonder which came first?

DCW · May 11, 2017 7:44PM

Fort Adams, Rhode Island Post Canteen token, 25c. Uniface. Incused design, circa 1900

Fort Adams was named after President John Adams and was in operation from 1799- 1953. It is now a state park.

ricko · May 12, 2017 6:48AM

Great pictures.... I have mentioned my Challenge coin collection before... it is quite extensive... However, I do not have any of these...must look into them a bit....Cheers, RickO

DCW · May 12, 2017 9:00PM

Fort Terry, NY on Plum Island Good for 25c at Post Exchange

DCW · May 17, 2017 8:02PM

Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Bottle return, 75c redeemable value. Struck in aluminum, circa 1940s.

mercurydimeguy · May 17, 2017 8:10PM

Super cool stuff!!

DCW · May 26, 2017 9:56AM

Here is a fairly common token from the Vietnam War, "SEMO" 5c, 777:

S.E.M.O. was an acronym that stood for Saigon Enlisted Mess (Open). It's unclear from my research what the significance of 777 was, other than perhaps a symbol of good luck.

PaleElf · May 27, 2017 5:55AM

@ricko said:
Great pictures.... I have mentioned my Challenge coin collection before... it is quite extensive... However, I do not have any of these...must look into them a bit....Cheers, RickO

@ricko PM me your address and I will send you a challenge coin from my current position.

PaleElf · May 27, 2017 6:07AM

This is one of my favorite modern challenge coins.

ricko · May 27, 2017 6:25AM

@PaleElf ... Nice challenge coin... 'Lead or silver'....Cheers, RickO

DCW · May 29, 2017 4:38PM

United States Base Hospital 22 token, 15c (WWI)

Organized in Milwaukee under the Red Cross in 1916, Base Hospital 22 arrived on French soil in June 1918 and was the largest hospital in the American Expeditionary Force in World War I.

DCW · July 14, 2017 10:07PM

Here is a very rare token from Ft. Wadsworth in Staten Island, NY. "Good for 1 ration of bread" Struck on a thin brass disc, it is the plate to Cunningham's military tokens reference. I have not heard of another example.

Anyone who has ever driven over the Verrazano Bridge will note the striking image of Ft. Wadsworth's Battery Weed, still standing watch over the harbor:

Ft. Wadsworth was one of the nation's oldest military installations. It was also depicted in the G.I. Joe comic book, where a counterterroism unit operated from "The Pit," a secret underground base concealed beneath the Motor Pool of the Army Chaplains' Assistants School at the fort.

ricko · July 15, 2017 7:03AM

@DCW ...That is a great old token.... Especially with the hand engraved date....gives it a human touch to the period. Cheers, RickO

Bigbuck1975 · July 27, 2017 9:57AM

Any ideas on this one guys?

DCW · July 27, 2017 11:13AM

Fort Wayne was built from 1842-51 on the Detroit River about a mile from Canada. It served no real purpose until the Civil War, when it gained continual use to muster and garrison troops.
You have an interesting piece.
I have found one similar listed in the token catalog online:
http://tokencatalog.com/token_record_forms.php?action=DisplayTokenRecord&td_id=392629&inventory_id=394118&attribution_id=402626&td_create_uid=411
As you can see, there are some subtle differences. The size and spacing of the lettering and the number 5. There is also a comma after Fort Wayne in your example.

That one sold for $179.50 on eBay 3 years ago for your reference.
Thanks for posting!

DCW · November 11, 2017 7:19PM

Bump in honor of Veterans Day

ricko · November 12, 2017 9:06AM

One of my challenge coins.... from the higher ranks.... Cheers, RickO

ricko · November 12, 2017 9:07AM

One of my challenge coins.... from the higher ranks.... Cheers, RickO

ECHOES · April 4, 2018 5:58AM

Regulated · April 4, 2018 4:40PM

Not a token, but a cool piece of military history - an original 1784 Society of the Cincinnati order, made in Paris:

Zoins · January 5, 2019 10:07PM

Here's a Fort Totten quarter. One thing you learn from collecting these is that you can't necessarily hold out for great condition!

Anyone know of any reference cataloging the Post Exchange tokens? So far, I've only seen TokenCatalog.com by Richard Greever.

DCW · January 5, 2019 10:34PM

@Zoins said:
Here's a Fort Totten quarter. One thing you learn from collecting these is that you can't necessarily hold out for great condition!

Anyone know of any reference cataloging the Post Exchange tokens? So far, I've only seen TokenCatalog.com by Richard Greever.

There is a two volume set of Military Tokens by Paul Cunningham. I would highly suggest picking that up if the subject interests you.
Though, throw away the prices. They fluctuate wildly

Zoins · January 5, 2019 11:26PM

@DCW said:

@Zoins said:
Here's a Fort Totten quarter. One thing you learn from collecting these is that you can't necessarily hold out for great condition!

Anyone know of any reference cataloging the Post Exchange tokens? So far, I've only seen TokenCatalog.com by Richard Greever.

There is a two volume set of Military Tokens by Paul Cunningham. I would highly suggest picking that up if the subject interests you.
Though, throw away the prices. They fluctuate wildly

Does the Cunningham reference include any additional information for the Fort Totten tokens, for example issuer or rarity information?

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