Page 33 - May-JOA-22

Journal of Antiques and Collectibles and Asheford Institute of Antiques have teamed up to present:

Asheford Institute of Antiques
www.asheford.com
APPRAISERS CORNER A Commitment to Excellence Since 1966

Certified Appraisal Training

Mr. Appraiser –
Here are pictures of the love tokens I was describing to you earlier.
The token with the chain was purchased many years ago from an antique
dealer. The other three were acquired in a cigar box of arrowheads
purchased at auction. Could you please tell me a little about them;
their value, if any, and isn’t it against the law to deface US coinage? The
three-cent piece and the other coins in the black case have engraving on
them, but I can’t read it.
Thank you for any information you can give.
D. & S. from Indiana courting candle was used
when a man called on
Hello D. & S. and thank you for sending me pictures of these Love a girl at her house.
Tokens from a bygone era. Every one of these folk art tokens has its A short candle was placed
own unique quality and story. That is the great thing about folk art. in the holder and when it
It is individual and every piece is different, even when it involves mass- burnt down to a certain
produced coinage. I would have to see these tokens in person to know level it was time for the
for sure if they are genuine. beau to leave. On the right side of the candle is A.D.Y (as pictured
I am not an attorney, but from my understanding, it is against the upside down). The poor person who made this little token may have
law to deface coins with the intent to defraud. If you want to know for had good eyes when he started but was blind afterward. It has wear
certain, I suggest seeking a knowledgeable attorney specializing in that consistent with the age of the coin. Someone has modernly blackened
field to find a credible answer. some of the engraving.
Love Tokens, folk art courting tokens, or whatever name you know 3. The third
them by came into vogue in Britain during the Georgian era token is that of a
mid-1700s. They were exchanged by everyone including husbands and small carved bone
wives, soldiers and girlfriends, the betrothed, and from sons to mothers turtle that has
before going to war or while on active duty. This was an early form of scrimshaw-style
trench art as coins were readily available to send as gifts from the engraving. The
war front to home. message that is
You have to understand that in the 18th and 19th centuries, coins crudely hand
were harder to obtain and had much stronger buying power than coins scratched on the
do today, so if a person gave his loved one a coin, it really was a token obverse reads:
of love. Love tokens caught on in America in the early 1800s and “T.T. to my
continued to the early 1900s and then fell out of style. Still, making L.M.” On the
these love tokens continued on a smaller scale until after World War II, reverse reads:
when the charm bracelet craze started and congress enacted a law “Love is sweet & subtle Like u’r T. Tuttle. It looks as if 192?” is
forbidding the defacing of U.S. coinage. Love tokens were made out of engraved on the underside of the head. “L.M.” with a heart/arrow
many other materials other than coinage including bone, wood, silver, engraving and “JJ” on the right. The JJ is supposed to be TT but the
gold nickel-copper, and all metals in between, but they have one thing engraver etched JJ instead. The engraving has been modernly black-
in common – an endearing message from one person to another either ened, probably to better read the message.
as an image or message of remembrance or endearment. You can find 4. The fourth and last token is engraved on a Philippine 1903 nick-
even more detailed and interesting histories in this issue of the Journal. el. I am guessing, if it is genuine, it was engraved by a US Soldier to
All four of these pieces are classed as “Love tokens” because each one send home to his loved one. The Philippine-American war was raging
has a different message of endearment from one to another. in 1903 with a major battle at Toraca in Lanao del Sur province on
1. The first Love Token pic- Mindanao in the Philippines between the Morro People and the
tured is a standard, profession- United States. I cannot read the crudely engraved message around the
ally engraved on the reverse of rim on the reverse of the coin; it is so crudely done it is indecipherable.
an 1877 US seated liberty quar- In the center, the figure looks as if it is kneeling and a scratched message
ter. It has beautifully engraved “Marry Me” is seen. It looks as if there is modern engraving over old
initials J.N.K above the initials engraving as some of the edges are crisp and show no wear. I am uncer-
E.M.K. tain if this coin is a genuine token but it was worn as the hole has wear.

2. The second token pictured is inscribed on a U.S. three-cent piece, If I were to see this grouping
date unknown (but this coin was only made between 1865-1889). for sale in a shop with a write-up
On the reverse is a very crude hand-scratched message that with including the readable inscrip-
magnification reads: “A.C.” and the middle pillar looks as if it has a tions, I would expect to pay
flame with a spiral cut around it to look like a courting candle. A between $55/$75 for the group.
continued next page
May 2022 31