These Tokens Have Devoted Followers
Question: I have three Presbyterian communion tokens. The first is a Brechin, dated 1830 and cast in lead. The second is an Alva, 1843, cast in pewter. The third is Cupar, 1772, cast in lead. There is a typewritten little book explaining what they were used for. It mentions that they are quite rare, but fails to give a dollar value. Would you know how much they are worth and who might be interested in buying them? I also have two German bank notes. There’s a 10,000 Behntauland mark dated January, 1922, and a 2.000.000 weiMillionen dated August, 1923. Do they have any value?--T.E.
Answer: Tokens are an interesting area of numismatics. One authority maintains that all money today is token money because coins today have no intrinsic value and a token, essentially, is a pledge placing a value backed by a government, tradesmen or some other entity. There are literally dozens of categories with communion tokens one of the sub-categories.
Communion tokens originated in Switzerland, were introduced by John Calvin in 1561. It was a time of religious intolerance, so tokens were issued to the faithful, giving them admittance to church services and barring unfriendly government agents. Many of these tokens contain the name of the church on one side and a quotation from Scripture on the other. They can be collected by country or locale and have a limited but faithful following.
Communion tokens are in the $10-to-$15 price range but are worth considerably more to collectors.
Your German bills are inflationary currency made necessary as an aftermath of World War I. They are interesting historically but have little or no collector value.
Q: For the last 40 years I have owned a hot dog stand in downtown Los Angeles. Recently, I sold it and am now retired. All this time I have saved coins, including silver dollars, and am wondering if I should cash them in or wait; maybe the silver coins will get more valuable. Also, could you please recommend a coin dealer? From what I have heard, so many of them cheat you.--H.L.C.
A: No one knows what the price of silver will be from one day to the next. The price does fluctuate daily, so the decision of when to sell is personal. Coins do not earn interest, so if you feel more comfortable with your money in the bank, cash them in. If you think they will ultimately be worth more during a period of crisis or inflation, then wait. The chances of buying coins at their rock bottom and selling them at their peak are quite slim.
As a matter of policy, I do not recommend dealers. Separate your coins by denominations and dates and list them. Then, call several dealers to get the best price.
Q: I have a collection of the Presidential Hall of Fame, 1968 Franklin Mint. They contain portraits and years in office of the first 36 presidents of the U.S. Do they have any value?--D.V.
A: Your medals, if silver, are worth bullion value plus perhaps a 3% to 5% premium.
Q: I have half dollars dated 1959 and 1935; a 1925 $1; quarters dated 1932, 1935, 1943, 1954, 1961 and 1966, and many Buffalo nickels. What are they worth?--J.R.
A: Your half dollars are worth $2.50 each; the silver dollar is worth $10; the quarters are $1.25 each except for 1966, which has no collector value; and the Buffalo nickels are 7 cents each and up, depending upon condition.
Q: I have a U.S. 1876 half dollar and a cinq centimes 1853 with the face of Napoleon III. Are these of any value?--M.S.
A: Your half dollar is probably in the $6-to-$10 range unless it is uncirculated, in which case it could be worth considerably more. Your French coin is worth about $3.
Q: Kindly inform me of the approximate value of the following English coins: pennies dated 1906, 1916, 1917, 1919 and 1945; threepence 1944, and half penny, 1960.--C.S.H.
A: Sorry, but your English minor coins have little or no collector value.
Q: Recently, I received three new $1 bills, but they are attached at the left side, like a book. Is there any value to them?--S.S.
A: Your bills are just worth face value. Many bills are intentionally printed attached, like yours, and there are collectors for these sheets. But they can be cut apart at any time in almost any configuration. That seems to be what happened to your bills.
Q: Could you please tell me the value of a George III gold coin? I think it is a spade guinea. It is dated 1799. I would also like to know the value of a Queen Victoria coin, 1887, the size of a half crown. But it does not have any value printed on it.--E.C.
A: Spade guineas were issued under George III from 1787 to 1799 and are so-called because of the shield on the reverse, which is pointed like a spade. If genuine, your guinea is worth $225 to $300. The Victoria is in the $3-to-$5 range.
Q: My father was in Florida when the banks were closed during the Depression of 1933. I have come across scrip that was issued by the city of St. Petersburg in the amounts of 5 cents and 10 cents. This scrip was pritned by the city because there was no currency available during the bank closures. What value, if any, does this scrip have? They are in perfect condition and were never cashed.--H.B.B.
A: What you have is an interesting curiosity. I’m not aware of a price guide for such material. I would guess your scrip is in the $1-to-$5 range, but you’ll have to shop around for the best offer.
Q: I have an 1863 gold $1, one-half inch in diameter. Could you please tell me the value?--J.B.
A: Your gold dollar is known as a Type III and has a relatively small mintage. In circulated condition, your coin is in the $150-to-$200 range. However, uncirculated specimens can be worth 10 times this amount.
Q: I know it is inadvisable to clean coins in a collection. I’m wondering, however, if a recent product that adds a thin coat of real silver, which is reputedly recommended for antique silver, would be good for coins--say, dimes--or not?--B.H.P.
A: The rule of thumb is--don’t clean coins, ever. The second rule is, don’t try to enhance them, either. More coins are lowered in value than helped by various home remedies. There are certain tricks the experts use that seem to work. But leave it to the experts. It’s their coins and if they mess up, it’s their loss.
Coin News
It’s not too early to begin thinking about Mother’s Day, which falls on May 8 this year. A medal honoring mothers has been designed by Ziva Caspi for the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corp. The medal (pictured) is inscribed “To Mother With Love” in English and Hebrew. The reverse depicts a woman’s head with the words: “My Wife, My Inspiration.” The medals, available only as jewelry, are $25 in silver from the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corp., 5 Ahad Ha’am St., P.O.B. 2270, Jerusalem 91022, Israel. Gold versions are $135 from the Israel Government Adillion Jewelry Collection, 1 Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyo. 82008-0001; telephone (800) 443-3232.
Queries regarding the Britannia, Britain’s new gold bullion coin, first unveiled in mid-October, 1987, can now be answered toll-free. Collectors, investors and dealers may get information by dialing (800) 822-BRIT between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern time. The mailing address for the British Royal Mint is P.O. Box 828, Highland, N.Y. 12528.
Swiss gold and silver Shooting Talers are being distributed exclusively in the United States by the Money Company from its new headquarters in Tarzana. The 1988 talers mark the 150th anniversary of Canton Aargau’s Shooting Society. There will be a total mintage of 400 gold pieces at $795 each and 3,000 silver proofs at $49 each. To order, contact the Money Company, 5959 Tampa Ave., Tarzana, Calif. 91356; telephone (818) 609-9725.