Written by the Treasureguide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
 |
| Circus World Token. |
After recently doing a few posts on tokens, I decided I should do something of a wrap-up on the topic before moving on.
First, there are many kinds of tokens that I'll categorize as follows.
Amusement, arcade and gaming
Anniversary events
Automobile Company
Gasoline and Oil Company
Good luck
Hotel, resort and bar
Las Arras
Mardi Gras
Prayer and recovery
Product
Retail estabishment
Tax tokens
Transportation
---
I probably left out something, but I think that list includes most of them. From my experience, the most common finds by far are the arcade or amusement tokens.
Tokens, as I mentioned before, document a lot of history that has disappeared.
At the top of this post is a token from Circus World. It once existed just down I-4, not far from Disney World, which helped put Circus World out of business. Circus World operated in the 1970s and 1980s.
I don't remember exactly where I dug that token but do know it was from a Florida beach.
Going back a little farther into history is this Alabama tax token, which I dug along with another tax token and other miscellaneous finds in Milton Alabama at an old burned down hotel site.
Alabama sales tax tokens were issued by the state in the late 1930s to make change in fractions of a cent when the new two-percent retail sales tax produced amounts too small for regular U.S. coins.
---
Here is a Pontiac token. My father usually had Pontiacs when I was a kid, but I dug this token somewhere in Florida. Too bad it isn't in better condition. The Indian image would be about as nice as the Circus World tiger.
---
Anniversary Event.
This token commemorates the 1954 Diamond Jubilee of electricity (1859 - 1954).K and features on one side the Reddy Kilowatt character.
 |
| Standard Oil Company Token. |
 |
| Sonesta Beach Hotel Token. |
I dug a few of those. I wonder what would have happened if I walked up out of the water and asked for my drink?
Those were found right in front of the hotel.
The next one was one of my first token finds. It is for a Cafeteria on North Miami Beach. It was found near Arch Creek at the site where there was previously an old trailer park that
 |
| Cafeteria Advertising Token. |
 |
| Tokens Found by Russ P. |
The token on the left is a 1793 John Wilkinson Iron Master half penny token.
That is a famous token. Around 1775 the British government stopped minting all copper coins, which was a problem for poor folk who needed low denomination money.
John Wilkinson responded to that problem by producing the John Wilkinson Trade Token, with which he paid his workers. The tokens could be redeemed at his own shop.
 |
| Regina Coin Club Token. |
This was one of my first and also one of my favorites. I'm not sure now if it was before or after the cafeteria one. But this one was found off Hollywood Beach, which at the time was frequented by many Canadian snowbirds. It could possibly have some connection with other seemingly out of place coins found on the same beach, including some that were not coins you would find in circulation. It is definitely one of my more intricately designed and colorful token finds.
The other side reads: REGINA COIN CLUB - CNA ANA.
The diameter is 1.5 inches.
 |
| NHC.NOAA.GOV. |
 |
| Fort Pierce South Beach Friday Morning from Surfguru.com . |