Exonumia for your pleasure.

keets · November 16, 2017 6:04PM

I had submitted a small group of some not so standard Numismatic items and the grades and pictures posted this week. The pictures were a little slow, I can only imagine that Phil may have been a little backed up due to the Baltimore Show but it was worth the wait. I have been using the Secure Plus service lately and have found it worth the few extra dollars and maybe even a day or so lag through the process. First the grade report and then the pictures and a brief description.

Enjoy.

Al H.

Line Items Cert # PCGS # Description Grade Country
1 34265332 20020 (1935-1936) 1C Alaska RRC Bingle MS64 USA
2 1 34265333 20023 (1935-1936) 25C Alaska RRC Bingle MS62 USA
3 1 34265334 623002 1984 25C X-301a Silver Squared Quarter, DC PR68DC USA
4 1 34265335 596764 1984 25C X-301b Silver Squared Quarter PR66 USA
5 1 34265336 642696 1904 Medal HK-301 La. Purchase Expo Copper, BN Genuine (92 - Cleaned) USA
6 1 34265337 655926 1876 Medal GW-932 Bronze Danish-MDCCLXXVI Obv, BN MS65BN USA
7 1 34265338 592003 1893 Medal Eglit-55 Columbian Expo Christopher Columbus MS62 USA

(1935-1936) 1C Alaska RRC Bingle MS64 --- (1935-1936) 25C Alaska RRC Bingle MS62 --- These first two were both struck in aluminum by the US Mint in 1935. They can be found listed in the RedBook and also in Gould/Bresset's "Alaskas Coinage Through the Years" on page 103. Apparently the idea was to relocate families to the Matanuska Valley near Anchorage during the depression in hopes that the area would be colonized. Families were issued tokens in denominations of 1c/5c/10c/25c/50c/$1/$5/$10 that they could redeem at a company store. The attempt failed and after 1938 the tokens were no longer acceptable as cash.

Mintages were small, 5,000 each 1c-10c, 3,000 for 25c, 2,500 for 50c-$1 and 1,000 each for $5-$10. I haven't been looking for very long but they are pretty hard to find. I bought the 25c on eBay and the 1c earlier this year from a token dealer at a small Pennsylvania show. It is remarkable that they have survived. Aluminum isn't very durable and these have traveled quite a bit.

1984 25c X-301a Silver Squared Quarter, DC PR68DC --- 1984 25c X-301b Silver Squared Quarter PR66 --- These two are oddities listed in "Unusual World Coins" 6th edition, they can be found on page 679. The first token is 1/4 ozt. and second is 1/2 ozt. Their significance is that they are the first coin design that was entirely generated by a computer program.

I hunted for these off and on for quite a while and when I was about ready to give up I stumbled onto an old e-mail address linked to the issuer. I contacted him and after a few weeks he replied and we had a short discourse before he abruptly ended it. From what I could gather from his messages he worked for a firm in the early 1980's as a programmer or IT tech and they allowed him to use their computer(s) to do his work. He sold me the two tokens still in the polybags and packaging with original flyer. I was amazed that he still had some left. Attempts to purchase tokens struck in other alloys came to an abrupt end.

1876 Medal GW-932 Bronze Danish-MDCCLXXVI Obv, BN MS65BN --- This medal is from the Centennial Exposition of 1876 held in Philadelphia. It can be found listed in "Medallic Portraits of Washington" 2nd edition on page 191. The medal is Bronze, 53mm and listed as Baker-426a. For me it is what the Centennial Celebration medals are all about, beauty represented in high relief as a tribute to our Nation and its first President. They were actually prepared by Danish artisans, hence their common name of Danish Medals. They aren't really hard to locate but they can show signs of wear and aging. The only blemishes on this one are some high-point discoloration from sitting for a long time. This encapsulation should protect it well.

1893 Medal Eglit-55 Columbian Expo Christopher Columbus MS62 --- This medal is from the 1892-93 Columbian Exposition and it can be found in "Columbiana" by Nathan Eglit on page 34. It's listed as Eglit-55 in Bronze and the diameter is 49mm. It's another really well executed design, a nice rendition of Columbus on the obverse and a really striking view of the Exposition grounds on the reverse. This is another medal that isn't really hard to locate, what is hard is finding a copy of the reference that it's in!!! The color on this medal is really impressive, a mixture of brick red and chocolate brown, and overall it sort of glows.

divecchia · November 16, 2017 6:27PM

Wow, those Squared Quarters are really cool looking. I have never seen anything like that before.

Thanks for sharing the pictures and the info on them.

Donato

AngryTurtle · November 16, 2017 9:51PM

@divecchia said:
Wow, those Squared Quarters are really cool looking. I have never seen anything like that before.

Thanks for sharing the pictures and the info on them.

Donato

Like them all, but I agree, those squared quarters are something!

OldIndianNutKase · November 16, 2017 10:40PM

Thanks for the education, Al. I did not know any of these coins and medals even existed. And they are all really coooool.

OINK

ricko · November 17, 2017 6:36AM

Great post Al... super information and neat coins/medals. I have heard of the Bingles..(here and elsewhere) but have never seen them at shows or shops. For a while, when living in Seattle, I tried to find one for my 'oddity assemblage'...No luck. Will never find one living here in the east. Cheers, RickO

keets · November 17, 2017 8:12AM

Rick, you need to get out more!!! I bought the 1c at a show in Meadeville, Pa. and the dealer sold the 5c out from under me at the PAN Show in Pittsburgh. the trouble with these tokens is twofold --- there aren't many of them around but there are enough collectors so they usually don't last long when the show up.

mvs7 · November 17, 2017 11:58AM

Very cool grouping... love the Columbian Expo medal's color and execution. Thanks for the education on the Alaska tokens... had no idea those even existed.

cladking · November 17, 2017 12:15PM

I shouldda bought the squared quarter when it was first on sale. As I recall the price was about 25c squared plus shipping. I had a second chance not long after for about the same price.

Kkathyl · November 17, 2017 12:49PM

Picked up a 1915-1916 Coca cola bronze coin on fee-bay the other day, I figured with the new silver ones out it kind of made me want to pick up a piece of history. Ahh the little things in life, and refreshing...