Owner Comments:
TOKEN APPEARANCE/CONDITION:
Choice Uncirculated — Type II (Brass)
*Pristine example with outstanding attractiveness - Colorado trade tokens of this size/rarity are seldom found in mid-range uncirculated grades since they were so widely used; This captivating piece boasts smooth dark goldenrod-colored surfaces and well-defined devices with lustrous fields throughout.*
TOKEN BACKGROUND:
Token used at the “Airmen's Open Mess” of Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, CO for 25C in trade.
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Pritchard estimates just ~9 specimens are believed to exist; When compared to modern mintage numbers, this token would be deemed remarkably rare.
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There are 4 “Lowry Air Force Base: Airmen’s Open Mess” issues in this collection which are listed by catalog number below; from Pritchard and the CMT (Colorado Merchant Token) guide. Each denomination was struck in both brass and aluminum (5C, 10C, 25C). The brass/aluminum varieties for the 5C issue are both included in this collection, as well as the brass variety for all 3 denominations. The 10C brass variety and the 25C aluminum are by far the rarest; with just 1 example of each known to exist. The 10C brass is included in the collection but the 25C aluminum is not. I am still pursuing the aluminum issues for the 10C and 25C varieties.
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- Pritchard DE1066-5a/CMT DE142a (5C Brass) Type I - Examples Known: 8 (NGC MS-61) - Included in Collection
- Pritchard DE1066-5b/CMT DE142b (5C Aluminum) Type II - Examples Known: 6 (NGC MS-61) - Included in Collection
- Pritchard DE1066-10a/CMT DE142d (10C Aluminum) Type I - Examples Known: 6 - NOT Included in Collection
- Pritchard DE1066-10b/CMT UNL (10C Brass) Type II - Examples Known: 1 (NGC AU-55) - Included in Collection
- Pritchard DE1066-25a/CMT UNL (25C Aluminum) Type I - Examples Known: 1 - NOT Included in Collection
- Pritchard DE1066-25b/CMT DE142e (25C Brass) Type II - Examples Known: 9 (NGC MS-63) - Included in Collection
CATALOG NUMBER(S):
Pritchard DE1066-25b
CMT DE142e
RARITY: Pritchard estimates ~9 examples are known
NGC Census not available.
TOKEN DESCRIPTION:
(Brass, 29mm, Round, Plain Edge)
OBVERSE: Airmen’s Open Mess / Lowry / Air Force / Base / Denver, Colorado
REVERSE: 25¢ in Trade (ITAV)
HISTORICAL TOWN/CITY BACKGROUND:
(Denver, Colorado):
“Industrious people used to pan the 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