Being relatively inexpensive to produce, 19th-Century American tokens were a common and popular way to express political opinion and ideologies. Given their diminutive size and ease of dissemination, tokens were perfect messengersContinue Reading
Being one of the earliest tokens on record for the State of South Carolina, during the 1850’s Bernard S. Baruc of Charleston had two varieties of store card tokens struck for his short-lived fancy goods business. Both the man and his tokens have for many years been an enigma. TheContinue Reading
Starting in the mid-1800s, New York City had a hodge-podge of companies providing transportation services throughout the city. The Atwood-Coffee Guide to Transportation Tokens lists over a dozen such hackneys and their tokens.Continue Reading
James Kennedy was born at Armagh, Ireland, September 9, 1832. and emigrated to Canada when he was 17 years old. He first settled in Brampton, Canada, but soon thereafter moved to the United States. He first took residence in Michigan City, Indiana.Continue Reading
Very little is known about the enigmatic John Burns token of Staunton Virginia. Schenkman lists no such token in his Virginia Tokens book, and there exists no Miller number. Rulau has but one scant listing in his Volume 4 editionContinue Reading
William H. Richardson was an umbrella, parasol, and sunshade manufacturer and retailer in Philadelphia during the mid-19th century. During the era, parasols and sunshades were quite popular, and used by ladies to shield themselvesContinue Reading
William Wood was a person of considerable wealth and financial standing. Throughout the west of England, he owned numerous profitable iron and copper mines. Known as a shrewd businessman, in addition to his ventures in miningContinue Reading
The Smith & Wicks Canning Factory and Packing House was a prominent and influential business in Baltimore during late 19th century. The company was founded by R. Tynes Smith and William A. Wicks, who grew their partnership from a small operationContinue Reading
On the stormy night of September 1st 1785 the Faithful Steward, having journeyed 53 days from Londonderry Ireland en route to Philadelphia, ran aground during an intense squall near Delaware’s Indian River Inlet. On board were 249 immigrants, Captain Connolly McCauslandContinue Reading
Referred to as the first Confederate Cent by historians and numismatists alike, cent-sized tokens issued by a hotel in Alexandria Virginia began appearing in transactions throughout the Commonwealth. Originating from the Marshall House Hotel in 1859Continue Reading
Born in Germany on September 9th 1832, Johan “John’ Marr entered the engraving business at a very young age. Young, destitute, and barely a teenager, Marr found himself forced to live with a jeweler and engraver. In exchange for room and board, Marr was hired to care for the jeweler’sContinue Reading
A bookseller and stationer in Norfolk Virginia, R. C. Barclay was in business during the middle part of the 19th century. As a means to advertise his business, Barclay had one-cent store card tokens struck. He would issue them to customers as changeContinue Reading
