Quatrefoil Trade Token

Deft Tones

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1489284507270.webp

Recovered from cornfield that was a mining camp/town in operation from approximately 1880's until 1920's.

I believe it's brass. Says, "Good for 5c in trade". Back, "W.M. Sullivan".

It's so worn and toasty I had to break out the art supplies and rub it.

Looked high and low at hundreds of Iowa trade tokens with no match.

Thanks for looking.
 

Upvote 16
Nice token find, and that was a smart was to reveal the details! :icon_thumright:
 

tn_outstanding.gif
Nice find Deft Tones!
 

Very nice token find.
 

Hold the phone!

The Davenport, WA token is not the same as this one. It is a Brunswick piece, plus it is Wm. as in William, not W. M. Plus, with a name like Sullivan, there are other possibilities for an attribution - and we may never be really sure which is correct. Tokencatalog shows Fraser, IA and Houston, TX as other towns where there was an appropriate business with that name.

Henderson's IA book does not picture it, but it describes a token that matches this one as near as I can tell. Fraser #295 and gives listings in directories for Wm Sullivan - Billiards - 1903-04. TC-257725 and it does need an image.

John in the Great 208

[TD="width: 100"][/TD]
 

Pow! Dropping a lot of knowledge in that post. I'll do my best to find a bit more on Fraser, Ia. and any Sullivan whom may have resided there operating a business?

And this is a billiards token? I wonder if it was just brought to the camp and lost or if they had a billiards table set up in a saloon or recreation hall. Cool mystery.

Thanks you.
 

Was this mining camp where you found it anywhere near Fraser? It could well have been a billiards token - aside from the ones that say billiards or pool, there is no real defining characteristic of them. They come in all shapes and sizes. And, many saloons had billiard and card tables - anything to bring in some extra income. I checked my copy of Ferguson's IA tokens book, the one that was before Henderson's, and Sullivan is not in it. I will check with Henderson to see if he agrees yours is what he lists.

John
Pow! Dropping a lot of knowledge in that post. I'll do my best to find a bit more on Fraser, Ia. and any Sullivan whom may have resided there operating a business?

And this is a billiards token? I wonder if it was just brought to the camp and lost or if they had a billiards table set up in a saloon or recreation hall. Cool mystery.

Thanks you.
 

Was this mining camp where you found it anywhere near Fraser? It could well have been a billiards token - aside from the ones that say billiards or pool, there is no real defining characteristic of them. They come in all shapes and sizes. And, many saloons had billiard and card tables - anything to bring in some extra income. I checked my copy of Ferguson's IA tokens book, the one that was before Henderson's, and Sullivan is not in it. I will check with Henderson to see if he agrees yours is what he lists.

John

The closest town is Granger. North of there in Boone county. thank you for the help.

Went out today and found another different token. will post tonight
 

You guys sure did a lot of research to try to identify that Token and it's origins.
Congrats on the find and the research.
 

You guys sure did a lot of research to try to identify that Token and it's origins.
Congrats on the find and the research.

No doubt Tnet rocks!

And a big thank you very much to the history detectives freely researching a find that is not even their own. So grateful.
 

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