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A copper token made by Peter Kempson to commemorate the opening in 1772 of the most prestigious place to stay in Birmingham: The Hotel in Temple Row.
Accession number: 1939 N157
Trade tokens became widely used in the US somewhere around the time of Andrew Jackson's presidency and enjoyed popularity into the 1930’s. They were used by saloon keepers, grocers, cigar stores, pool halls, confectioners, and many other businesses. Token manufacturers would often come into a town and take a number of different business orders. Small towns may have several businesses with tokens with very similar characteristics as a result.
Trade tokens served several purposes for the business owner who distributed them. They were a form of currency when coinage was scarce. During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s drinks often sold for 15¢ or 2 for 25¢. Many times, patrons would stop in on the way home from work for a quick one. By pricing two for a quarter, the saloon owner could insure a return visit or would profit when the token was not redeemed at all. Further, these were a way to advertise the business. There are literally thousands of different tokens. I was unable to find out anymore on this particular one.......
Sharples Token
Ref: INV: 16851
Obverse [head]: Decorative pattern at the top and bottom, two four leaf clovers either side of inscription in the centre: T. SHARPLES CONCERT ROOM AND MUSEUM STAR INN CHURCHGATE BOLTON.
Reverse [tails]: Star with seven points inside a wreath.
Biography
This token is from an exciting Victorian Bolton attraction, the Sharples Concert Rooms and Museum, which were located above the Star Inn on Churchgate.
Unfortunately, it is not known how this token entered the museum. The token was found during an inventory of the token collection. However, there are several other tokens like this one in the collection. This is because the Sharples Concert Room and Museum are seen as an important part of the social history of Bolton.
Some interesting facts
The full name of the museum part of the Sharples rooms was ‘Sharples Museum of Curiosities in Nature & Art’, and you can see an original guide to the museum on display when our new Local History Gallery opens in the autumn.
In the guide book to the museum, strange curiosities described include a duck with two heads!
Find out more
There is currently another Sharples token on display in our very own ‘cabinet of curiosity’ located on the ground floor of Bolton Central library to the rear of the library.
For more information about the concert rooms and musical entertainment at Sharples, see
Dagmar Kift, The Victorian Music Hall: Culture, Class and Conflict (Cambridge University Press, 1996) in Part One ‘The English Music Hall’.
One of a series of medals issued by Peter Kempson in 1797. It shows St Mary’s Chapel in Weaman Street which was built in 1774.
Accession number: 1939 N171
Token block instruments at Sala Thammasop station. The instruments are of the Saxby & Farmer type and were made in India. They use steel ball tokens. Below the instruments are the rings to exchange tokens on the fly, see flic.kr/p/Fdjrau
A 1980 telephone token issued by Pakistan Telegraph and Telephone (T&T). Part of my Privet Collection .
Paying for drink without the hassle of searching for the correct amount of money? This can be done via tokens of the
Token Company.
An odd little token I found in the grass outside of work. A Google search has found it's just an arcade token - not nearly as exciting as originally thought it could be given where it was found.
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
One of a series of medals issued by Peter Kempson in 1797. It shows St Mary’s Chapel in Weaman Street which was built in 1774.
Accession number: 1939 N171
50008 Thunderers driver is about to surrender the token from Arley at Highley during the SVRs 50 years of the Class 50 gala.
from one of those make-it-yourself machines that used to be everywhere. When I was a kid in the early 60's we would go to the bus station and make them with obscenities on them, thinking we were getting away with something. Come to think of it, if I could find one now, I would probably still do the same thing - - some people never grow up
The tokens really are a bargain -- 50 (40 plus "10 free") cost $10 -- we had a coupon to give us 40 + 30 "free" for $10. Each game then takes one token and spits out tickets which can be traded in for dollar-store junk. Still, it made kiddo plenty happy.
Project 365 // Day 85
This is a special set of arcade coins/tokens given out at the "Flynn's Arcade" building at SDCC '10. There was a huge marketing campaign for this movie, including an actual building with different levels and rooms depicting various TRON environments. My wife and I were very lucky to have been a part of this on one of the last days of Comic-Con, and got to take away this little souvenir to remember it.
To see the complete Project 365 photo gallery, click here.
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