Sheep Sheering Token

[el remolino]

I found this great sheep sheering token today. It was sitting right on top of the ground where an old set of working pens once stood. On occasion I will stumble on to one of these old sheering tokens as this country was full of sheep back in the old days. A sheering crew would travel from ranch to ranch sheering sheep all day long!
I did a little research in our county history book and found where Mr. Marquez was born in 1884 in El Paso, Texas. He walked from El Paso to Sanderson in 1896 at 12 years old ( it takes almost five hours by car). He started his sheep shearing business in 1930. Thanks for viewing.

 

[Chilli]

Now that's different. 👍

 

[Mackaydon]

Should you even want to return the token to the family, one of his sons (with the same name 1930-2020) was survivied by his wife, Gloria; sons Eliberto Marquez and wife Theresa of Dripping Springs, Texas, and David Marquez and wife, Michelle, of El Paso, Texas; daughters Eulalia Munoz and husband Carlos, of Austin, Texas, and Yolanda Sanchez and husband Ray, of Sanderson, Texas.
Great save !
Don in SoCal

 

[The Beep Goes On]

That's a beauty!! Congratz!!

 

[Mackaydon]

Some history:
How sheep shearing tokens worked

• Payment: A token was given by a sheep owner or a business to a shearer as payment for shearing one or more sheep.
• Currency: These tokens were used in a similar way to cash, though they were local and could only be redeemed in certain places.
• Redemption: The token could be exchanged for goods or services at a particular shop or business.
• History: They are an old form of currency that was common in areas with strong sheep-shearing traditions.
• Source AI
• Don in SoCal

 

[el remolino]

Should you even want to return the token to the family, one of his sons (with the same name 1930-2020) was survivied by his wife, Gloria; sons Eliberto Marquez and wife Theresa of Dripping Springs, Texas, and David Marquez and wife, Michelle, of El Paso, Texas; daughters Eulalia Munoz and husband Carlos, of Austin, Texas, and Yolanda Sanchez and husband Ray, of Sanderson, Texas.
Great save !
Don in SoCal

Thanks for the info. I actually know one of his great grand sons who I will give it to. He asked me if I had any of his families tokens but at that time I had never found one. Next time I see him, I’ll hand it over.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

A very cool find - congrats !

 

[pepperj]

That's a very nice piece of history saved. Congrats 👏

 

[UnderMiner]

Imagine an economy where all the money was debt based and all debt was paid through sheep shearing. Talk about getting fleeced. 😉

 

[el remolino]

Imagine an economy where all the money was debt based and all debt was paid through sheep shearing. Talk about getting fleeced. 😉

😂🤣

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Strange concept being that no sheep I ever sheered was in any way grateful about the event.

 

[Gare]

Nice find thank you for sharing with us

 

[PikesPeakCharlie]

Cool token !!! never seen one, Congrats !!!

 

[leslie(nova scotia)]

Now that is different. Thanks for posting and good luck on your future hunts.

 

[oldmxrat]

That is a really nice find, congrats!

 

[Mackaydon]

Some history of Sanderson:
Early Sanderson was frequented by gunmen, outlaws, rustlers, and border bandits; one of them being Pancho Villa during this time cattle rustling was at its peak. Mexican generals didn't have money to buy beef, so the bandits would come across the border and steal cattle from the ranches of Sanderson. There were not enough Texas Rangers to protect the land, so the government provided the feed for the ranchers horses, if the ranchers would provide their own protection.

Once the workers ranching duties were over, they would take turns patrolling up and down the Rio Grande River. This was important, because ranching of sheep and cattle was the major income for the town.

Sheep shearing on these ranches also provided extra jobs in Sanderson. There was one sheep shearing barn on Main Street in town, but technology of sheep shearing machines put them out of business around the 1950's.
Don in SoCal
Source: https://pacweb.alamo.edu/Interactiv.../StudentProjects/1999/Sanderson/SANDERSO.html

 

[Digger RJ]

I found this great sheep sheering token today. It was sitting right on top of the ground where an old set of working pens once stood. On occasion I will stumble on to one of these old sheering tokens as this country was full of sheep back in the old days. A sheering crew would travel from ranch to ranch sheering sheep all day long!
I did a little research in our county history book and found where Mr. Marquez was born in 1884 in El Paso, Texas. He walked from El Paso to Sanderson in 1896 at 12 years old ( it takes almost five hours by car). He started his sheep shearing business in 1930. Thanks for viewing.

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Bill Farmer]

I found this great sheep sheering token today. It was sitting right on top of the ground where an old set of working pens once stood. On occasion I will stumble on to one of these old sheering tokens as this country was full of sheep back in the old days. A sheering crew would travel from ranch to ranch sheering sheep all day long!
I did a little research in our county history book and found where Mr. Marquez was born in 1884 in El Paso, Texas. He walked from El Paso to Sanderson in 1896 at 12 years old ( it takes almost five hours by car). He started his sheep shearing business in 1930. Thanks for viewing.

I learned a bit of history today. Thank you!

 

[Trezurehunter]

That token is in excellent condition, and nice job on the research.

 

[Relicific]

Very cool token