Sutler token, religious coin or what?

[FlatLandFed]

Chums,
This bronze, dime-sized token has what appears to be a WBTS soldier and tents on the front and the Lord's Prayer in VERY small type on the obverse. Anyone have an opinion if it's from "our" era? Sutler chit? Christian Commission good luck piece? What do you think it might be?
Much obliged for your consideration.
Ever forward,
Paul Hadley
(Here's hoping that the attached images really are attached! Durn this new fangled telegraphic equipment.)

[ley74]

Re: Sutler token, religious coin or what?

Golf ball marker. I must have thirty of them. ;)

[FlatLandFed]

Re: Sutler token, religious coin or what?

Golf ball marker. I must have thirty of them. ;)

Dear Scourage of Bull Run Fish,
Is this tongue in cheek? Golf ball marker? If that's what it's really for, then maybe that's an even better story -- I can understand the prayer, having played a bit with those goofy sticks in my youth, but why the sentry?
I'm going to have a bit of fun with this. An appraiser is doing an "Antiques Road Show" style program for my wife's PEO group tomorrow -- I'll see if I can stump 'em!
A musician friend bought this for a mutual reenacting friend, so I hope he didn't fork over too much tin for it.
Thanks (I think),
Paul Hadley
Gullible Patrol

[Charles Heath]

Re: Sutler token, religious coin or what?

"Dear Scourage of Bull Run Fish,...."

Paul,

Let's hope Ley is a far better duffer than he is an angler. :D

At least the boys fished instead of just talking about it. I still chuckle a little bit about the plethora of fat and sassy worms under some rotten wheat straw left in the Stuart's Hill camping area. That was just too ironic.

If you care to come east again next year, you'll find some fine offerings in May, July, and late October that may suit you.

[FlatLandFed]

Re: Sutler token, religious coin or what?

Paul,

Let's hope Ley is a far better duffer than he is an angler. :D

At least the boys fished instead of just talking about it. I still chuckle a little bit about the plethora of fat and sassy worms under some rotten wheat straw left in the Stuart's Hill camping area. That was just too ironic.

If you care to come east again next year, you'll find some fine offerings in May, July, and late October that may suit you.

I'll provide an AAR on what the antiques appraiser sez tonight about the greens-marker-cum-token -- at least I am sending copies of letters, wartime and postwar images, a GAR Encampment spoon and membership badges of my ggrandmum's brothers, so I won't be strictly pulling his leg.

I truly enjoyed my time at Manassas in August. Too bad I missed out on the sport fishing.

No Big Scary Mountains, Infidel Yellow Hammers, Knapsack Knaves nor Desecrated Dinners to fear -- it was all excellent. I guess some folks need to keep more open minds when deciding whether an event will be worthwhile, but then that's a whole 'nother thread.

I hope to join the stroll in Louisiana in March but as the owner of the aforementioned coin is getting married in Baton Rouge at the same time as the Shiloh LH in April, I may not be able to come south two months in a row, and Gen. Banks may have to muddle on without me. If they'll still have me, I plan to answer the roll call with the CR at either Spot's or Freddies' Adventures in the Commonwealth.
Ever forward,
Paul Hadley
Lincoln, Neb.

[Hargis, G. 5 A-1]

Re: Sutler token, religious coin or what?

II've see mercantile chits with a monitory value on them and ones that say "good for one free (name of merchandise)." All I’ve seen include the name of the issuing business. Absent such commercial references, I don't think we have a prayer that this is used in any buying/selling situation.

[Drygoods]

Re: Sutler token, religious coin or what?

Well Sir, my best guess is that it's a token from the early 1960s. I have a modest collection of original exonumia (love token coins) from the 1850-60s and none are quite like that. When I refer to love tokens, I don't mean brothel tokens, but rather coins made into jewelry as remembrance and gift pieces.

You can find all sorts of love tokens on ebay and quite a few times I have seen coins that had the names of battles on one side, with the name and rank of the soldier on the other, those sell for quite a bit. Generally speaking, you find coins with the names or initial of the loved one. At that time it was an unbelievably cheap form of jewelry and so just about anyone could get one provided you had a coin and a jeweler who did engraving.

Most of mine are brooches, earrings, lucky coins, and even a pallbearers pin. You can expect to pay under $20 for an original coin, possibly more for a set of earrings. The most expensive set I saw recently were gold coin 1853 earrings which sold for $152. I confess, it's a fun hobby and might take you a while to collect enough initials with the proper years for your family, but fun just the same. I bought my daughter a parure and her only complaint of it is that the silver coin earrings are heavy.

If anyone knows a jeweler who does this sort of thing, send them my way as I'd love to have some pieces made.

[ley74]

Re: Sutler token, religious coin or what?

Paul:

Of course my comment was tounge-in-cheek. Luckily, oh, nevermind.

I learned many years ago that praying over my golf game was not nearly as effective as praying for those in the vicinity.

Good luck with the ID.

On a serious note... Nancy Dearing-Rossbacher (Editor of the North South Traders Civil War magazine, Orange, VA) could probably help you out. Their "Can you ID This?" section of the magazine is excellent.

Regards,

Capt. Ahab