Tobacco Token Old? $$?

[Cannonman17]

I don't know if this token is that old or if it's worth anything but it's one of my favorites, found is old house back yard this spring when there was still a little snow on the ground!
SCHERMANN & CO MILWAUKEE on the obv. and on the rev. CIGARS & TOBACCO WHOLESALE & RETAIL 274 WEST WATER ST.

 

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[Gypsy Heart]

Nice find . Can find any info on Schermann yet but will keep looking!.

 

[PBK]

The name is actually E. ASCHERMAN & CO. It's a Civil War "store card" (merchant's token, typically traded as a cent), and I believe it's the variety listed as #WI510A-1a in U.S. Civil War Store Cards by George & Melvin Fuld.

 

[Cannonman17]

Wow, I knew somebody would be able to tell me something, thanks so much.

 

[Mighty AP]

Wow, we knew PBK would be the one to know about it!

 

[Cannonman17]

After getting that info from PBK (thanks again) I went on the net and did some more digging- I couldn't believe what I read- they say that in terms of how rare it is that it's a R8 on a scale of 1-10 with ten being one of a kind. After a survey of all the known large collectors or dealers or whatever they came up with a census of there being between 4-9 of these known! Wow, too bad it's not a coin that rare- I would be rich. I don't think I will ever find anything more rare than this!

 

[PBK]

It's a neat find, all right. The most common variety is rated R5. If the edge is reeded rather than plain, R8; if the metal is brass or copper-nickel rather than copper, R9; if the reverse is an incuse of the obverse, R10.

Couple of links you might enjoy checking out:

http://www.cwtsociety.com/

http://www.exonumia.com/links.htm

 

[Cannonman17]

DANG!! I didn't read all that! I seen a picture of it and I said yep, that's it... I will have to check it for the other mentioned characteristics when I get home today.. I'm all but positive that it's copper- no brass. I'm pretty sure that it's a reeded edge. thanks for the additional info- appreciate it!

 

[Cannonman17]

I checked it yesterday and it does have a reeded edge *YIPEE!!!!* Now my question would be how can I tell for sure what it's made of? I'm not sure what a copper-nickel alloy would look like.. I would think that I would recognize if it were brass although with the age I might not.. I'm really not sure what it is made of.. it doesn't seem quite right to be copper but it could be my imagination.... can anybody give me a guess by looking at the scan? The scan is true in terms of color, it looks the same in my hand as in the scan.. Thanks!

 

[Leon]

Very nice find, WTG!!!
Looks to be in very good condition too, ex-specally for it's age...
Continued Good luck, & Happy hunting~

 

[PBK]

I checked it yesterday and it does have a reeded edge *YIPEE!!!!* Now my question would be how can I tell for sure what it's made of?

As far as I know, the reeded-edge variety was struck only in copper. Catalog #WI510A-1a1

 

[Cannonman17]

Hmm.. that's probably what it is then... it's the same size as a penny it just doesn't "feel" like one. Perhaps I have a unique piece No, I would never be that lucky. Thanks again PBK for all your help.

 

[PBK]

Hmm.. that's probably what it is then... it's the same size as a penny it just doesn't "feel" like one. Perhaps I have a unique piece No, I would never be that lucky. Thanks again PBK for all your help.

Anytime!

BTW, the copper-nickel (CN) tokens are pretty much the same alloy as used for the early, so-called "white" Indian Head cents. In fact, some Civil War tokens were struck using those same cents as planchets:

http://www.indiancent.com/market/801616017.jpg