Mar-Del Canning Company Token

[kyle369]

Found this token in my mother's yard in Sudlersville, Maryland.

An aluminum 4-cent (?) Mar-Del Canning Company Token.

This one is marked with Armstrong, Delaware but apparently there are examples from Ashland, Wye, Carville and Barclay according to the Maryland Merchant Tokens Index.

If anyone has some info on how old this token is or some info about the company, I'd appreciate it.

Happy hunting, Kyle

 

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[toasted]

Im not too far from you but I have never seen that one. I have found some different aluminum canning tokens though. Being aluminum I would assume WWII era. The older brass ones from this area can go back to the 1880s or so. I think the Delmarva was the fruit and vegetable capital of the US up until WWII then California took over

 

[Red-Coat]

Nothing really documented for the company, but these are generally attributed as ‘picker’s tokens’ for tomatoes and other fruits. The issuing locations are as you say and it’s interesting that on the tokens ‘Barclay’ is misspelled as ‘Barckly’, and ‘Carville’ misspelled as ‘Carvel’.

One seller was claiming a date of ‘circa 1917-1918’ for his aluminium tokens which, as @toasted says, is highly improbable. The Armstrong ones go up to what appears to be $10 ‘face value’ which makes it even more unlikely. I would think 1940s.

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[A2coins]

Love tokens thats a good one its fun to learn about them after you find em .Good job.......

 

[Wildcat1750]

Tokens are so cool and a great snapshot into the history of an area! Nice find!

 

[Trezurehunter]

Nice job on the token.

 

[thrifty76now]

Being aluminum it sure came up nice.

 

[billm]

Listed in Delaware Merchant Tokens catalog as being in business from 1912-1914. Owners were John F. George (from Sudlersville), Spencer Walls & C.W. Baker.