ID help on lead token please

[wobax]

I found this lead "token" near New Bern, NC within the Union picket lines but not sure it is CW. The front has a 6 point star at the top and bottom with the word "Berlin" I think. The back has 5 point star at the top and botton with the legible letters "syndi" and O.M. G(?). H.. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[duggap]

What you have is a lead seal. They were used on railroad cars, bales of wire, etc. They can date to before the civilwar.

 

[trikikiwi]

Your 'token' is a lead seal. It is no older than 1892 which is when the abbreviation GmbH was created in Germany to denote a Limited Liability company.

Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH) is a type of legal entity very common in Germany (where it was created in 1892), Austria (adopted in 1906; legal abbreviations are GmbH, GesmbH, Ges.m.b.H.), Switzerland, and other Central European countries. In Germany, it is governed by a federal law called "GmbH-Gesetz" (GmbH law).[1][2]

Literally translating as "company with limited liability", the concept of limited liability inspired the legal establishment of the limited liability company form in other countries,[3] although the concept of a limited liability company already existed in the United Kingdom. The name of the GmbH form emphasizes the fact that the owners (Gesellschafter, also known as members) of the entity are not personally liable for the company's debts. Other variations include mbH (used when the term Gesellschaft is part of the company name itself), and gGmbH (gemeinnützige GmbH) for non-profit companies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gesellschaft_mit_beschränkter_Haftung

I am assuming that is the correct interpretation for the four letters on the 'back' of your token.

SYNDI is most likely SYNDIKAT, which speaks for itself.

So you have a lead seal from a Berlin based company, used to seal a bag or bale of whatever product.

Without more clues from the seal, that's about all the info I can provide. Do you have macro function on your camera? (That's the small flower symbol)

Mike

 

[trikikiwi]

Found another one - top item in this pic



It is from Germany; it says "Berlin" on the front and "Syndikat" on the back

from just over halfway down this page
http://home.comcast.net/~jlowe7/civil war.htm

Mike

 

[briankb70]

very cool

 

[Mackaydon]

Triki:
Great ID!!

 

[CRUSADER]

What you have is a lead seal. They were used on railroad cars, bales of wire, etc. They can date to before the civilwar.

Correct is is a Lead (Bag) Seal. But the date range goes way past the CW into the late 1900s. In fact they still use they today but not made from lead.

Only background info. The ID has already been pinned down by Triki

 

[wobax]

Thanks everybody!!!!!!! I appreciate all of the great information. I knew I could count on the folks in this forum for the answer.

 

[allen]

that is a neat find !!