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Anakin104's Blog

27 Dec 2022

Alaskan tokens, Confederate issues and Hawaiian coins

| Anakin104

Have you ever held coins so old, many collectors have forgotten about them? Here are some not easily remembered coins .
Alaskan Rural Rehabitilation Corporation tokens were issued by the US government for federal aid for the colonists of the Matanuska Valley Colonization project. These coins were nicknamed 'Bingles' and were made out of aluminum and brass. These were only redeemable at the Alaskan Rural Rehabitilation Corporation stores. These coins were in use and circulation for six short months in 1935 and 1936 , until they were  redeemed for regular US coins and destroyed. These coins were the same shape and size of the corresponding US coin, except for the penny, which was in the shape of and octagon. The obsverse and reverse are the same.  Confederate cents were made for the Confederacy by Robert Lovett Jr whose profession was an engineer and die sinker for the Philadelphia mint. Lovett created these coins in a jewelry firm in Philadelphia. Because he was residing in the North, Lovett would not deliver the coins, and so he hid the coins and dies in his cellar because of his fear of US government arrest. The original dies were later purchased by John W. Haseltine , who made restrikes with them. In 1960, these dies were copied and more coins were made by Robert Balsow.  Four original half dollars were created with a hand press, original silver planchets, and a regular obsverse die. Those original four half dollars were given to important Confederate citizens. Lack of bullion prevented creation of more specimens. This coin and die were unknown to collectors until 1879, when a Mr E. Mason found them and purchased them from the owner and Mr Mason sold them to J W. Scott and company in New York. Mr Scott acquired 400 original 1861 half dollars and smoothed them , and then restamped them with the Confederate die. These are known as restrikes and have slightly flattened obsverses . Scott also struck some tokens in white metal using the Confederate reverse die and an obsverse die bearing the inscription : 4 originals struck by order of the C.S.A in New Orleans 1861 *******                                                                                        
There has only been five official coins issued by the kingdom of Hawaii. These include the 1847 cent issued by King Kamekameha lll, and the 1883 dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollar made all in silver by King Kalakaua l , which bear his picture. The 1883 eighth dollar was a pattern , while the 1881 five cent piece was unoffficial. After Hawaii became a US territory , the legal tender status of these coins was removed and most were withdrawn and melted. Since there was a lack of small change on the Hawaiian Islands, these coins were widely accepted and circulated freely.

Comments

Mal_ANA_YN

Level 5

I was not aware of these. Great history to learn about. Thanks.

Kepi

Level 6

Great blog! Lots of great information here. I love the old coinage and tokens. ; )

Longstrider

Level 6

Another nice job. Great and unique topics. You are helping revitalize the blogs. Thanks.

Long Beard

Level 5

Nice topic! Over the years (now forty-seven in) I've added a medal/token or two only if the design caught my attention. That changed here in the past few years as I found myself concentrating on them in greater frequency. So I'll be looking for some of what you've touched on.

Golfer

Level 5

Never knew of Bingles ! Very interesting information. I do have the 1883 King Kalakaua coins. Really like my Hawaii coins. Thanks for some interesting information!

Mike

Level 7

Yes I have many of them Coins and tokens. Like Cobs and tokens. The Christ coin with his image on it! Thanks

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