✅ SOLVED ID token ID help?

[jacksoni]

Newbie with first post. Found this token in an area known for Civil War relics (my lawn). It appears to be brass (non magnetic), slightly smaller than a quarter, weighs 3.8grams. Periphery with some working on both sides. Stamped B.G with the . being square. And the number 6. Reverse has the edge working similar to front but no other identifiable marks (corrosion). It looks very similar to the plantation token shown on page 230 #4 of Crouch's "Civil War Artifacts" book. This could be a modern piece of course. There is no hole suggesting a bridle tag or other dog tag like piece.

Other than the obvious, anyone have an idea?

Thanks,
Jack

 

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[FreeBirdTim]

Reminds me of a miner tag, but they usually have a hole in the top. The initials could stand for the name of a mining company...

 

[jacksoni]

After learning the lingo a bit and more searching, there are hundreds of similar tags with photos on the internet. They seem to be key tags, locker tags and similar identifiers with almost always a hole for attaching to something. I see blank ones as well some with the edge markings already in place. The letters here are well spaced, the "." is actually square. The Number (6) is off alignment suggesting hand placed on a bland with the letters in place. Memory came up with Barton & Guestier wine company with this as a box identifier. Contacting them and a nice reply said no and that they would have had the "&" between the B&G anyway. Thought about Brooks and Gatehouse, a mfg of nautical instruments. Haven't tried them. Anyway, not likely to actually find the exact source and it will go in my box of interesting stuff. Thanks.

 

[Bramblefind]

Since you are located in Maryland you may want to research Maryland Picker Checks. That would be my first guess for this piece. A neat part of Maryland history

Here's a start:

http://archives.ubalt.edu/amp/pdf/2-1-sandler.pdf

 

[jacksoni]

BINGO! Thanks Bramblefind! I am sure that is what it is. I am in AACO where a lot were used. Searching finds a 88yo lady with a collection of 750 whose family ran a farm not far from where I grew up and which I visited as a kid to buy a turkey. The local historical society has info. Will be checking with local info to see if can find the specific farm. Will update here if I do identify. Again, thanks.

 

[jacksoni]

Want to give a follow up on this token. I have researched multiple places. Picker checks were used in Anne Arundel County, MD from about 1880 to 1930 predominantly in northern AACO which is just south of Baltimore and in the area currently occupied by BWI Airport and surrounding communities. They were also used in mid Atlantic states and other scattered areas (found some in Louisiana). Besides the online bit that Bramblefind posted (thanks very much for the lead) the best resource for the use and a listing of the AACO usage is a book by local historian Willard Mumford called Strawberries, Peas & Beans, Truck Farming in Anne Arundel County. It is available at the Ann Arrundell County Historical Society- Ann Arrundell County Historical Society In the neighborhood of 400 farms and 1500 different picker checks have been identified. Different sizes and shapes denoting what was picked and numbers representing how many baskets or bushels or whatever. Checks are still collected by some folks. Many have been turned into jewelry -necklaces, bracelets, ear rings etc. Shapes include clover, diamond, oblong, octagonal, round, scalloped, shield, square and sawtoothed. Various edge millings. Most are brass but some are iron, Aluminum (later ones) iron, copper and fiber.
As best I can find speaking with Mumford and the lady I mentioned in my post Feb 27, no one has ever seen a check like the one I found. There has only one been seen with the initials BG on it but it has no value (number) stamped. One farm was located about 20 miles from me and is not likely. The other was located in Annapolis at the edge of what was Parole Camp #3 which was a prisoner of war Parole camp in the CW. The farm is identified on the 1878 Anne Arundel county map and was run by Benjamin Garner. He stopped taking picker checks in 1894 (ad in local paper). We know the location of my house was occupied at that time and as was only a but 2 miles away, suspect it came from that farm. A neat find as it is unique (so far anyway). Probably donate it to the historical society at some point.

Sorry for the long post but thought a few might be interested in case you find something similar.