Owner Comments:
TOKEN APPEARANCE/CONDITION:
NCS - Genuine: Type II (Nickel)
(Label Typo: Written as “Dan Cronim”; should be “Dan Cronin”)
*Untoned surfaces exhibit even wear throughout with no major distracting elements. An extremely rare, unlisted issue. Potentially the only one known in nickel.*
TOKEN BACKGROUND:
Token used by “Dan Cronin & Company” in Denver, Colorado circa 1904-1915 for 12.5C in trade. - Dan Cronin is listed as the proprietor of “The Oak Saloon” in Denver, CO at the address on the token; 15th Street. — NCS has identified this piece to have been issued in 1890 as noted on the label. Trade tokens from the 19th century are extremely uncommon, as most were used during the early-mid 20th century.
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The only 12.5C Dan Cronin & Co. variety is listed by Pritchard and the CMT (Colorado Merchant Token) guide as brass under Pritchard DE2412/CMT DE1970 with just 2 known to exist. It is very likely this is the only specimen known in nickel. For cataloging purposes, I have added a sub-letter to distinguish the two.
CATALOG NUMBER(S):
Pritchard DE2412a
CMT DE1970a
RARITY: Likely extremely rare; only listed in brass. Likely the only known example struck in nickel.
NCS Census not available.
TOKEN DESCRIPTION:
(Nickel, 25mm, Round, Plain Edge)
OBVERSE: D. Cronin & Co. / 718 / 15th St.
REVERSE: Good for 12 1/2 / in / Trade
HISTORICAL TOWN/CITY BACKGROUND:
(Denver, Colorado):
"Industrious people used to pan for gold that washed off the capital building roof until the state put a gold recovery system in to recover gold leafing weathered off the building" — Credited Source: Stuart Pritchard