$2.00 Trade Token

[Jazdo]

Here is one Token I have wondered about. I have quite a few different types of Tokens,and tags!

1. What determines the value.

Any input is appreciated!

 

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[idahotokens]

Bravo! Nice token!

The determining factors for a token's value are just the same as for a used car, collector coin, pair of dirty socks, etc. Supply and demand. Period. Tokens have little or no intrinsic value, so they are valued as collector's items only. Of course some modern tokens are still in use - you can buy a carwash or play a video game with some you find, but in the case of this one, the merchant who said he would give you $2 in trade for the token is long gone, so now it is up to collectors to value it.

So, just like with anything else, if you want to put a pricetag on your token, it needs to either be appraised (which would just give you a ballpark value since most people are not qualified to appraise trade tokens) or you need to sell it on one of the popular online auction sites which are regularly visited by numerous collectors of such pieces.

Even though I have collected trade tokens for 40+ years, I don't have any idea what this one is worth, mainly because I don't collect Iowa tokens and don't know the market for them. Every state and subtype of tokens (i.e. saloon tokens, general merchandise tokens, billiard tokens, etc.) has a different market. Some states and types may be popular (high demand) and some may not. I can tell you that this one is not listed in Ferguson's 1984 Iowa Trade Tokens book, but it is not the most recent one out for the state. That just tells me that the token is not common.

I will e-mail a couple of IA collectors to see what they say. One is working on a new IA book.

John in ID

 

[Jazdo]

That would be appreciated! Some good information there.

They are certainly worth collecting Idaho.

Thanks.

 

[diggerfororo]

Hi 21

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, BUT your 2 Menlo tokens are only worth about $100.00 each. Neither token is listed in the Iowa book. $100.00 might even be low. That is 2 NICE digs. I know several hunters (myself included) that have tried to find a Menlo token for years. WAY TO GO

Les

 

[Jazdo]

I had no Idea they were scarce!

I grew up in Menlo. Population 367 at that time. Both of the Tokens posted were found in one yard, my Grandparents. Along with a list of other items to numerous to mention. And the yard had been gone over
before. I remember Gramps telling me someone had found around 2 dollars face value in silver before I ever metal detected. Who knows what else he found.

Gramps got me a Tesoro Inca for a c-note that was 1985. That started our detecting days together.

There may have been a store on the property at one time. I know a lumber company was close by.
Here is a pic of a Whetzel possibly who ran the Whetzel store,his first name was Arch.