The rarest love token I have seen ...

Love tokens were made mostly in 19th century. They were a regular issue coin that had the obverse or reverse planed off. Then an engraver carved initials, dates or even a symbol or picture into the piece. The most interesting examples I have seen were made into bracelets frequently for a mother who had the name or initials of each child represented by coin that was hung on the links.

Here is the most expensive love token I have seen, at least from the numismatic standpoint. An 1848 CAL. Quarter Eagle was used as the host coin.





For those who are familiar with the story, the first shipment from the California gold fields arrived in Washington, DC in December 1848. To celebrate that event, the gold was sent to the Philadelphia Mint where it was converted into an estimated 1,389, 1848 quarter eagles. A counterstamp “CAL.” was punched into the reverse while the coin was laying on the obverse die to avoid a flat spot on the piece. Today these coins frequently sell for 5 figures or more. PCGS Coin Facts estimates that 162 of these coin survive today.

Here is an "intact" example of the coin.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

The CAL quarter eagle has always seemed weird to me. Is there any other example of the US mint counterstamping their coins?

I like the idea of an instant commemorative of the California gold discovery, but it has always struck me as odd.

Were these sold at a premium, or just issued as normal coins?

 

I had a chance go buy one in XF45 for about $50,000, but then my inventory would be down to a handful of coins... so no.

 

I don’t remember the exact date, but there are quarters from 18-teens that have a letter above the bust on the obverse. Collectors have debated what those letters mean.

 

Those jewelers back in that era were skilled in engraving silver and gold in beautiful cursive scroll work. I wonder if that kind of engraving is still being done.

 

I won’t hijack Johns thread with photos. I found a large cent in my dealers junk box last year with a shaved back. I found a firearms engraver to engrave that old cent into a love token for my wife. He did use period correct script. I was quite proud of it. So yes, a skilled engraver can certainly produce scroll work as lovely as those 19th century jewelers.

 

Not from what I have seen. Even if they had the training, talent and tools, they probably don want to take the time.

 

That is rarer than most any 19th century coin.

 

Back then silver and gold pocket watches were engraved with scroll work and initials

 

This is very neat. There had to be a lot of love behind it since the producer used a gold quarter eagle when most were only getting silver.

 

I believe you are referencing the 1815 and 1825 quarters with the E and L counterstamps. There are quite a few theories about those, but none of them seem to be perfect.

 

That one is really neat!

 

I don’t know what happened to this one, but the back was shaved off and then re-engraved. The owner worked with me to sell it for him, said he shipped it, and then I never heard from him again. Bloody waste of my time.

 

Here’s one made for a mother, if you don’t mind me showing an example and article I’ve written about it: http://www.winsociety.org/newsletter/vol-7/A-Tale-of-Love-Tokens.html

 

Yes 1815 and 1825 quarters, E and L, same punches used for both years but not done at the mint.

 

I would like to have that "Cal." piece in my collection. Will it ever show up for sale?

 

The piece was offered to me, circa 1988. The dealer let me take it home to think on it. I took slide photos of it, which was the main photographing system I had at that time. That's why the photos might look odd.

The price to me was $1,200, 30 years ago. It is my understanding that the coin did sell and is sitting in a New England collection. My general rule of thumb is if I can't afford a decent example of something, I don't own it. That's why I passed. Years later I bought the "intact" piece I posted earlier. It is graded AU-55.

 

Dear god. That’s a rare one. I saw a 54-d $3 a couple years ago made into a love token and thought that was rare. This tops it

 

I feel the same. Your cal quarter eagle is a beauty

 

I appreciate love tokens for what they are. My wife has a seated dime love token bracelet I bought her