attention coinhunters, see if you can beat this?

[Boilermaker27]

I am not a coin hunter, I am a relic hunter and I hunt relics, when I find a coin I am happy because it is usually a seated dime or half dime. Last night was not a coin night though, it was a token night. My Tesoro Tejon was genuinely good to me last night. Attached you will find a sutlers token dated 1861. The writing is clearly visible and in very good condition. This came from a worked out civil war site and is probably one of the better finds taken from this site, and believe me there has been a ton of relics taken here. This is one of my best civil war finds in almost 40 years of hunting relics.

 

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[t-bucket]

SWEET

 

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[Boilermaker27]

You read what I did not. I can see the H. Lester, the rest is a bit fuzzy, but I will later look at it again with a magnifying glass. Either way, it was a real shock, I couldn't believe my eyes when I got back home and checked it out. I do not want to sell it but does anyone know what it is worth? Just for my information and maybe I should put it in the safety deposit box? Not to stop someone from stealing it, but rather to protect it, even though after almost 150 years in the ground it is still in pretty good shape and luckily no plow marks which many of the minnies and round balls do have.

 

[usmc0351]

It is a Civil War Sutler's token of the 51st regiment of the Illinois Voluteers. It is listed in David Schenkman's book as IL K 5 B and is listed as R9 (2 to 4 known) but is actually somewhat more common than that as I have owned three myself and have records of at least three others not including this one. In nice condition that were not dug they have a retail value of $300 to $400. For coin and token collectors the condition of the one you posted is very poor but would still have a retail value of $100 to $150. The 51st occuppied the left of the federal siege lines in front of New Madrid, Mo. The Childs Manufactoring Company of Chicago produced the token for the sutler. I happy to say, I was with Joe last saturday night when he dug this token.

 

[johnnyi]

No this isnt a common storecard token. This appears to be a civil war sutlers token. Sutlers followed troops around during the war. They were the traveling 7-11s of the day. Sutlers were often attached to a certain regiment. If I am reading yours right it says H Lester 51st RI LV. I cant find a match for this but I may not be reading it right. I am pretty certain he was attached to the Rhode Island Volunteers. What a fantastic find! Congrats!

Marc

PS By the way I can top that!

Thanks for clearing that up Marc. I goofed. Although Rulau lists the Child's manufacturter as very common as an obverse die, but with a generic reverse die. The thing is, the Child's design itself is also an reverse die, and in this case a reverse die for the ... Volunteers. Rulau doesn't list it which would confirm what you and USMC said about it being rare. I'll betr Rulau wouldlike to see this one! Again, nice find!

 

[usmc0351]

armand hammer really doesnt come into the picture with this token,,,,the arm and hammer symbol on the back of this token represents the american labor movement of the late 1850's to just prior to the civil war. numerous northern firms used this logo long before armand hammer came into the scene.

 

[Evan/tn]

been wanting to find a sutler token since i started hunting!!
great find