My Oldest Maverick Token

[Garrett424]

I found this old token in late June, about a week after I got back into detecting (talk about beginners luck). I found it at the mouth of a cave in the middle of nowhere with my $30.00, Craigslist special, Tracker IV (best 30 bucks I ever spent).

I posted about it before I was able to post pics so I'm trying to get caught up on that. More treasure pics to follow as time goes on. I finally got the macro settings on my camera down too so my pics are actually in focus.

This is a five cent Maverick token marked "H.L. Carrick". I researched the family and they've been in Maryland since 1690. There are still a few of them around, mainly in Montgomery County and Southern MD where I also happen have many relatives.

I can't find any information at all about the token itself. I really like it regardless. I have no idea what kind of value it has if any but to me, it's practically priceless because no one has ever heard of it. Also, because I dug it up in the dark and it was the last hole of the day.



And, here's the back (which isn't very exciting but what the heck??):



You can't tell by these pics but it is wafer thin and a bit smaller than a quarter. I think it's made of bronze and it has a pretty heavy patina. I'm thankful it's still readable.

It also looks to me like the 5 cent mark may have been hand carved. I can just picture someone getting a bunch of blanks and carving in the different denominations by lamplight. I would LOVE to know the history connected to this thing.

I have to wonder who was hanging out or maybe even living in that cave for a time and dropped this thing. It may have meant a great deal to whomever lost it. Coulda' been their last "nickel".

If anyone here has any knowledge or ideas on it I'm always open to suggestion.

Thanks for takin' a look and Happy Hunting

 

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[g-olden years]

Congrats on your historic token! Old tokens are totally cool! Maybe some Carrick family member could tell you what kind of business their ancestors were involved in that maybe issued the tokens. In any case - Have Fun! Andi

 

[vpnavy]

Nice find! Thanks for sharing...

 

[Garrett424]

Congrats on your historic token! Old tokens are totally cool! Maybe some Carrick family member could tell you what kind of business their ancestors were involved in that maybe issued the tokens. In any case - Have Fun! Andi

Yeah. I intend to contact someone in that family but I'll probably do it after the weather gets too lousy to hunt. I also want to ask a few of my Southern MD cousins if they've ever heard the name or know anyone by that name. Apparently, they were a wealthy and/or prominent clan way back when.

At least one was a politician, lawyer or judge or something. I found an old document online where a Carrick family member wrote some type of petition to the court regarding an estate on behalf of a freed slave. It's interesting stuff.

You just never know about the connections to the things you pull from the ground and bring back into the light.

 

[Pointman]

Interesting story overall. It is amazing how something so small can lead to so much history.

I found a WWI era dog tag. Haven't been able to find the family, but I have found loads of information on the owner and even some pictures of him when he was young. I also have talked to people who new him and he was a bit interesting. He has been dead since the 80s.

 

[dirtlooter]

very nice token, hope you can find out more info on it, it most likely has a lot of history behind it and would be cool to know a little about it to share with others as you show it to them.

 

[Garrett424]

Interesting story overall. It is amazing how something so small can lead to so much history.

I found a WWI era dog tag. Haven't been able to find the family, but I have found loads of information on the owner and even some pictures of him when he was young. I also have talked to people who new him and he was a bit interesting. He has been dead since the 80s.

That's cool. It's one thing to read about people or whatever but it's entirely different when you can actually hold something in your hand that they were physically connected to.

It kinda' connects you to that history as well. That's one of the things I really like about this hobby. I often try to imagine the people who had this stuff and lost it and what their lives must have been like.

 

[Pointman]

That's cool. It's one thing to read about people or whatever but it's entirely different when you can actually hold something in your hand that they were physically connected to.

It kinda' connects you to that history as well. That's one of the things I really like about this hobby. I often try to imagine the people who had this stuff and lost it and what their lives must have been like.

I have another story which metal detecting brought me to:

I found a lock that was sold by Simmons hardware (I found out after posting). I also saw other items and locks that was sold by this store on Tnet. In speaking with my father about the lock, he told me that my grandmother was directly kin (she was born in 1901) to the founder of the hardware store and was supposed to have an inheritance left to her, but the will was changed. My grandmother's maiden name was Simmons. I think that she was a niece to the original founder.

 

[beez0404]

Very nice vintage token. Hope you find all the info about it you seek.

 

[46Wheat]

Nice digs and thanks for those pictures

 

[Garrett424]

I have another story which metal detecting brought me to:

I found a lock that was sold by Simmons hardware (I found out after posting). I also saw other items and locks that was sold by this store on Tnet. In speaking with my father about the lock, he told me that my grandmother was directly kin (she was born in 1901) to the founder of the hardware store and was supposed to have an inheritance left to her, but the will was changed. My grandmother's maiden name was Simmons. I think that she was a niece to the original founder.

Cool synchronicity there.
You dig up something that's been hidden in the dark for who knows how long and as it turns out, you have a blood connection to it.
What are the odds?? You could have hunted anywhere that day or you could have easily bypassed that particular spot.

Sometimes I think everything happens for a reason and that many times, we're meant to be in certain places at certain times.
It sure seems that way anyhow.

 

[Garrett424]

*******UPDATE******

I just found and downloaded a huge, 69 page PDF File online tracing the known genealogy of the Carrick family from 1690 to 1959. The patriarch, a Mr. John Carrick starts off being born in 1690 in what is now Frederick County, MD.

I'm at work and have no time to get into it but I'll be tending that very soon. I'm hoping to locate "H.L" and find out more about his line of work and overall history. I may have a family treasure here.

We'll see.
Updates to follow but I can't say exactly when.

 

[Garrett424]

*******UPDATE********

I've been talking to an Old guy lately who has a wealth of historic information. I showed him my HL Carrick token and he recognized it immediately.

He informed me that it is a bus token for a private company that was only in business for a few years. He explained that in those days, people would take the trains into Baltimore and there were many private companies who competed for passengers. The HL Carrick company was one of them. He also told me that they probably didn't make too many because they weren't around for long.

It was cool. When I told him the name he said "It was worth 5 cents" before he even laid eyes on it.

I forgot to ask what years they were used but next time we talk I will.
So, this maverick token mystery is now solved by one man with an amazing memory after searching for months online in vain.