Trade Token ~ this bad boy is UGLY!

[oddcoins]

I found this one today after work ~ you can easily make out the GOOD FOR 5c IN TRADE, but the front is hammered! I can only make out a couple letters ~ not even enough to identify it!

 

[scoutjim99]

WOW it has ssen better days but still cool

 

[Yarrum]

Looks like she's been hit by a lawnmower, cool find anyhoo

 

[Nana40]

Still a keeper! Congrats!

Nana

 

[Stormtrooper154]

Yeah, It has seen better days....But a great piece of history you recovered!

 

[Southcacalaky]

A bit worn but still a nice find, Art...

 

[stoney56]

Beats a memorial any day! Can yoy post a pic of the other side? Just curious.

 

[oddcoins]

Beats a memorial any day! Can yoy post a pic of the other side? Just curious.

Here's a picture of the front of the trade token ~ as you can see it's UGLY!! At the twelve o'clock position you can see "W.M." ~ and at about six o'clock you can see "NE". It very easily could be from Eugene Oregon (that's were I found it) ~ "NE" from EUGENE?

 

[idahotokens]

The Hemphill Oregon Trade Tokens book lists:
W. M. R. / 5 / EUGENE
GOOD FOR / 5¢ / IN TRADE
22mm Round Brass

(That's the more-or-less standard way of describing wording on a token or medal)

It says that William M. Renshaw ran a business in 1901 called W & R Liquors (probably a saloon) and in 1909 he was in the retail tobacco business. The piece is shown as rarity 5 (Rare - 6-10 known).

I see in the 1880 Census for Eugene that William Renshaw was listed as a butcher. He and his wife Ella were 29 and 22 years of age.

In the 1900 Census for Eugene he was shown as born in MO in November, 1850, and was listed as a saloon manager. He and his wife, Elnora, born in OR, had been married for 30 years. They had one daughter, Lulu, who was 21 and going to school (U of O?). Their residence was shown as 205 Walliamette Street. That is probably a bad butchering of Willamette, don't you suppose?

In the 1910 Census, William and Elnora H. were residing at 678 Oak St. and he was shown as "merchant - cigars & tobacco". Daughter Lulu had gotten married in 1909.

In the 1920 Census, W. M. and Elenora Renshaw were living at 970 Olive Street. W. M. was shown as the Secretary of the Elks Lodge (a full-time job back then), and they had several people lodging with them.

He died 26 Apr 1929 in Eugene. The 1930 Census shows that Elnora went to work for the John S. Willmote family as a housekeeper. She died on 17 Dec 1937 in Eugene.

So, even though you can only see a few letters, they and the provenance of this piece being dug in Eugene can piece together a nice history.

John in ID

 

[oddcoins]

The Hemphill Oregon Trade Tokens book lists:
W. M. R. / 5 / EUGENE
GOOD FOR / 5¢ / IN TRADE
22mm Round Brass

(That's the more-or-less standard way of describing wording on a token or medal)

It says that William M. Renshaw ran a business in 1901 called W & R Liquors (probably a saloon) and in 1909 he was in the retail tobacco business. The piece is shown as rarity 5 (Rare - 6-10 known).

I see in the 1880 Census for Eugene that William Renshaw was listed as a butcher. He and his wife Ella were 29 and 22 years of age.

In the 1900 Census for Eugene he was shown as born in MO in November, 1850, and was listed as a saloon manager. He and his wife, Elnora, born in OR, had been married for 30 years. They had one daughter, Lulu, who was 21 and going to school (U of O?). Their residence was shown as 205 Walliamette Street. That is probably a bad butchering of Willamette, don't you suppose?

In the 1910 Census, William and Elnora H. were residing at 678 Oak St. and he was shown as "merchant - cigars & tobacco". Daughter Lulu had gotten married in 1909.

In the 1920 Census, W. M. and Elenora Renshaw were living at 970 Olive Street. W. M. was shown as the Secretary of the Elks Lodge (a full-time job back then), and they had several people lodging with them.

He died 26 Apr 1929 in Eugene. The 1930 Census shows that Elnora went to work for the John S. Willmote family as a housekeeper. She died on 17 Dec 1937 in Eugene.

So, even though you can only see a few letters, they and the provenance of this piece being dug in Eugene can piece together a nice history.

John in ID

WOW John! THANKS for the info!! That is GREAT!!!!

One thing though . . . . . my piece is clearly aluminum, not brass . . . . . does that change anything?

THANKS AGAIN for all the info!

Neil

 

[River Rat]

Neil, that's a neat token, still a keeper (as Nana says). Interesting history about it too...Thanks John!

RR

 

[idahotokens]

Whoops! The book says it is aluminum - my misteak
John in ID

 

[stoney56]

Great ID John. That's what I love about tokens-they give you more of a history lesson than just finding a coin with a minting of 15 million copies.

It's a shame that aluminum tokens don't seem to fare as well after being buried for a number of years.

Congrats on a great little piece of history.