1910 Boy Scout Good Luck charm with Swastika ???

[Possumguts]

Found this at about 3 inches at a residential traffic circle, it is a little bigger than a US half dollar and is dated July 1910. Am I correct in understanding that the swastika was the Boy Scout Symbol prior to WW II ?? Does anyone have any information as to what this is and it's value?
Thanks

 

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[yukonbob]

http://cgi.ebay.com/EXCELSIOR-SHOE-...906030QQcmdZViewItem?IMSfp=TL0807131245r37246


"This is a medallion that was given out by The Excelsior Shoe Company to boys that purchased the official Boy Scout Shoe. It was an advertising gimmick. You have to remember that Boy Scouts was all the rage at the time: like Pokemon or Beanie Babies. And everyone wanted to cash in. Revenues for the use of the name were important to getting the Boy Scouts funds to start. After Minute Tapioca Pudding, Excelsior was one of the first to sign up.

The hole in the top was to allow it to be tied to the shoe.

There were 3 versions.

1) One with the rider dated July, 1910. The Boy Scouts were incorporated in Feb of 1910 in Washington, DC. Their headquarters was established in New York.

2) One with good luck symbols on the back. A reverse swastika which was a popular Victorian era good luck symbol and a favorite symbol of Lord Baden-Powell's. Also dated July, 1910.

3) The third has the good luck symbols and no date. It states "Membership emblem of the Boy Scouts Club"."

{quoted from http://members.aol.com/randywoo/bsahis/coin.htm}

 

[treasurefiend]

Cool find

 

[tymcmurray]

Cool token!

 

[DCMatt]

Am I correct in understanding that the swastika was the Boy Scout Symbol prior to WW II ??

No. The symbol was a common good luck symbol before the Nazis took it for themselves. It is also commonly found decorating the doors of Buddhist temples.

Google "History of the Swastika" and you'll learn a lot more about it.

DCMatt

 

[jgas]

Found one similar to that earlier this year. The swastika symbol was on the back but it was from a doll company. Strange...cool find though.. jgas

 

[ivan salis]

the symbol has thousands of years as a good luck symbol --then nazi take it as their "symbol" for a short time --now sadly its "forever" branded as a sign of hatred --- its history is now twisted forever ---sad but true when folks today see one -- they say oh thats the "nazi" symbol --- however to think of the symbol "properly" one must remember these token items were made "BEFORE" the raise of the nazi's and thus they were just thought ofas a "good luck symbol" at the time.-- now its use AFTER THE RAISE OF THE NAZIS is differant.

 

[Admiral de Salee]

Native Americans used the symbol as well. I've seen swastikas on ponies and wigwams in old history book pics.

That's a great token--about the oldest Boy Scout item I've ever seen.

 

[piratesgold]

Was it made in 1910 then?

 

[Johnny Ringo Silver]

I dug one just like that earlier this year. 8)

 

[Detectingfreak]

Awesome post! I remember when i was in boy scouts when i was 16. Made it all the way to eagle. Congratulations on the token! That is really cool!

 

[treasurefiend]

Yea, the symbol is thousands of years old, used by the Buddhists (they also used it backwards too) and yes American Indians also used it too long before the Nazi's. I believe its for harmony or something along those lines.

 

[Urban Grund]

Nice find! That's very interesting.

 

[Patrol]

I knew it! Suspicions confirmed. The whole time they were helping little old ladies across the street they were planning to take over the world. It should have been obvious - you know, the uniforms.

Great find but you really bust my bubble on Boy Scouts - who'd have known!

TE

 

[FloridaBill]

nice job congarts

 

[ink-a-alot]

nice job congarts

I have two that i cant seem to find out what year they are, one has the swatica and on the back has the all seeing eye with rays goin to a clover hourse shoe wish bone, then i have one one with a middle eastern man to me ; looking into an magic glass ball with a swatica in it, and on the back has buda with a necklace hourse shoe... could anyone help me out here?? thanks

 

[Jimmy(PA)]

Hitler said the Hitler Youth would make better soldiers then the Boy Scouts, I guess he was seriously mistaken. Its still the best organization around plus it brought me to alot of good metal detecting sites not to mention all the great things I learned in it.

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Nice token! The swastika is over 3000 years old and Hitler killed it. HH, Mike

 

[seger98]

http://cgi.ebay.com/EXCELSIOR-SHOE-...906030QQcmdZViewItem?IMSfp=TL0807131245r37246


"This is a medallion that was given out by The Excelsior Shoe Company to boys that purchased the official Boy Scout Shoe. It was an advertising gimmick. You have to remember that Boy Scouts was all the rage at the time: like Pokemon or Beanie Babies. And everyone wanted to cash in. Revenues for the use of the name were important to getting the Boy Scouts funds to start. After Minute Tapioca Pudding, Excelsior was one of the first to sign up.

The hole in the top was to allow it to be tied to the shoe.

There were 3 versions.

1) One with the rider dated July, 1910. The Boy Scouts were incorporated in Feb of 1910 in Washington, DC. Their headquarters was established in New York.

2) One with good luck symbols on the back. A reverse swastika which was a popular Victorian era good luck symbol and a favorite symbol of Lord Baden-Powell's. Also dated July, 1910.

3) The third has the good luck symbols and no date. It states "Membership emblem of the Boy Scouts Club"."

{quoted from http://members.aol.com/randywoo/bsahis/coin.htm}

There is such a wealth of knowledge on here, nice find!

 

[tokenhead]

Was it made in 1910 then?

Yes,1910!