OhioTrevor
Full Member
I previously posted about a very thin brass token I found at a stone house that dates back to the Civil War. I was frustrated by my inability to determine what the faint cursive inscription said on the back since that is what I enjoy most about this hobby - namely, allowing the artifacts to tell their story.
![Token.jpg Token.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1686/1686353-131dbc0af88f71a6dbeeef5f89ee39d3.jpg)
After visiting a coin shop and consulting with the proprietor, we decided that gently cleaning the token to reveal the inscription (typically a cardinal sin in this business) was necessary. I could make out just enough of the inscription to plug in a few letters and number into a Google search. Google then did the rest by pointing me to this article:
http://http://digitaleditions.walsworthprintgroup.com/publication/?i=506535&article_id=3064657&view=articleBrowser&ver=html5
The cursive inscription is apparently the signature of James Murdock, 165 Race Street, Ohio. It dates to 1875-1880. Murdock was a prolific Ohio Die Sinker. So prolific that if you have a railway token, coal scrip, or medal, there is a good chance it was made by one of the companies mentioned in this article.
Thanks to CaptEsteban for helping me identify a model T valve stem, to ToddsPoint, Icewing, ticndig, AARC, Charlie P. (NY), Tpmetal for their help identifying other items. Thanks to Treasurenet for providing such a great forum.
![IMG_0028 (2).jpg IMG_0028 (2).jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1686/1686365-4b5a981ee3f3f29bd26fbbc3de2b832a.jpg)
![Token 2.jpg Token 2.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1686/1686348-d8315b0748901e64179b9418ce8fbb00.jpg)
![Token.jpg Token.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1686/1686353-131dbc0af88f71a6dbeeef5f89ee39d3.jpg)
After visiting a coin shop and consulting with the proprietor, we decided that gently cleaning the token to reveal the inscription (typically a cardinal sin in this business) was necessary. I could make out just enough of the inscription to plug in a few letters and number into a Google search. Google then did the rest by pointing me to this article:
http://http://digitaleditions.walsworthprintgroup.com/publication/?i=506535&article_id=3064657&view=articleBrowser&ver=html5
The cursive inscription is apparently the signature of James Murdock, 165 Race Street, Ohio. It dates to 1875-1880. Murdock was a prolific Ohio Die Sinker. So prolific that if you have a railway token, coal scrip, or medal, there is a good chance it was made by one of the companies mentioned in this article.
Thanks to CaptEsteban for helping me identify a model T valve stem, to ToddsPoint, Icewing, ticndig, AARC, Charlie P. (NY), Tpmetal for their help identifying other items. Thanks to Treasurenet for providing such a great forum.
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