Gold Rush Town Token: Cripple Creek, CO

[seychik]

Just as night was falling and the sleet was starting last weekend, (before our snowy white weather hit and as all of Denver's football fans were awaiting the upcoming Super Bowl) I was squeezing in one last dig for bottles, coming up with only a cracked insulator, the wind blowing in the weather front and the sun already set, nearby street lights my only light source and the wind chill sending me to the car, and my detecting partner not wanting to give up without a good find, I continued detecting on my way to the car. The Denver alley area that was dug down 5-6 feet was the type of place where you dig everything. I got a jumpy pulltab signal. Shoved the shovel down and popped out a clump of dirt. The pinpointer was my eyes as it was getting darker. I pulled up a coin like object and could immediately see Cripple. Wow a Cripple Creek token! I squeezed it and the clump of dirt popped off the back and I could see a frog. I called out "token" and handed it over to my buddy for a better look. It's not brass and not aluminum, but a white metal. Here's what I saw:



Go Broncos! Cindy

 

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[SusanMN]

Very cool. Any history on the place that issued this?

 

[surf]

Hey seychik,

Cool find, under tough circumstances. Don't croak, but you do have an opportunity to add to the available knowledge: THIRST PARLOR, / CRIPPLE / CREEK / NEXT DOOR TO JAIL. (TC-231385) Cripple Creek, Colorado (Teller County), U.S.A.

​

 

[thrillathahunt]

Awesome! Listed in tokencatalog.com but needing image. However, the listing says the token is made of Aluminum. You say yours is a heavier white metal? Possibly a little older version?

 

[VERDE]

Hey seychik!! Really Neat Token!! Did you find it in Cripple Creek?? Really Gorgeous area!! Spent a few nights there some time ago and they would actually take you down in the old mine shafts!! Quite interesting tour!! Anyway, GOOD LUCK and GOOD HUNTING!! VERDE!!

 

[roaddust66]

I got chased out of Cripple Creek by a jealous husband and about 15 of his friends back in 83'. Heck it was "her to ideal ! Me and my friend spent the night camped out in Phantom Canyon over on the back side of Victor and snuck out to Canyon City the next day. Cripple Creek was a sleepy place in those days. No gambling back then. That is a very very cool token !

 

[vpnavy]

 

[jewelerguy]

super cool token

 

[seychik]

Thanks everyone for the replies!
Susan: Haven't found any concrete info on the Thirst Parlor. Cripple Creek had a few fires and the "old jail" was built in 1901, but was there an older jail? I did see a town between Cripple Creek and Victor, called Altman, with a historical listing of having a saloon called Thirst Parlor. Also could have been a saloon in a hotel in Cripple Creek?
Surf: plan to submit the photos. Pritcher's? Token book list a similar token from Thirst Parlor as aluminum, but the frog one as white metal. My token looks like it could be brass, but the cleaned up areas are white (didn't want to over clean it).
Verde: found it in Denver, and Roaddust66: Cripple Creek is in a beautiful area and is a cool active and historic mining town. Phantom Canyon is a special place-went on a long drive through it one day, because, I could! The drive is invigorating. The road is exciting with its drop off ledges and twisting curves in its beautiful mountain setting.
Cindy

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

PikesPeakCharlie needs to take a gander at that token, that's a killer find for sure!
Anything from a mining camp or a ghost town from out here is truly collectible.
Your partner must be jealous!
Carl

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Awesome token!

 

[ModernMiner]

That token and the history are fantastic! Great find and very interesting post.
Is the piece heavy like brass, or light like aluminum?
Congrats to you Cindy.
-MM-

 

[seychik]

That token and the history are fantastic! Great find and very interesting post.
Is the piece heavy like brass, or light like aluminum?
Congrats to you Cindy.
-MM-

Thanks MM. It's heavy like brass but looks nothing like aluminum medals/tokens I have found.
Cindy

 

[detectahead]

Anyway it goes that's one beauty of a token! Big congrats!

 

[seychik]

P S Just air tested the token with my White's MXT, the VDI is 16 (button).
Cindy

 

[BigWaveDave]

Great token Seychik.... sorry your team got throttled.

 

[PikesPeakCharlie]

Hi Cindy ! Congrats on your CC tok !!!!!!, it never fails to amaze me the district items that are found in Denver,alot by Union Station, shows how much things travel. The fires in CC were in 1896, Your token is not from Altman or a hotel,actual Saloon. To the best of our knowledge your token came from next door to the exisiting jail (which I had the honor of spending the night in ,on a drunken evening, in my early 20s,,, acting like a bonehead house which is now a museum. I have seen, maybe,3 or 4 of yours and about as many of the 12 1/2 cent varient in 30 years, they are a tough token, if yours is brass,it would be the first I've seen. Again to the best of our knowledge it was a short lived saloon and gone before 1909. When I can get into the directories I will try to get some more concrete info for you. Congrats again !!!!! guess I'm going to just have to find a Denver tok this summer

 

[Eddie Current]

Great token from a very historic town. Spent some time in the casinos there a few years ago. Stopped at the "Molly something " mine and went down 1.000 ft into the mine shaft. The tour was very informative and if you are not claustrophobic, an enjoyable adventure.

 

[IDdesertman]

Awesome find!

 

[treblehunter]

I'm not positive on this, but from what Iv'e read your token might be light aluminum. I found a token a few months back, that when it came out of the ground I thought it was a LC because it looked brass. When I got it home, just like you said " My token looks like it could be brass, but the cleaned up areas are white (didn't want to over clean it)." There were clean spots on my token, I took a tooth pic and started cleaning, very gentle at first then harder when I realized I had a newer modern token. Either way it is a very cool token, I'm not a hundred percent sure, just seemed familiar with what I found. I could post some pix if you want, just a thought to try and help you out.