james madison coin token??? help

[chong2]

i dug this up the other day, its a coin of some sort, a token ne one have a date when this was made and why madehead side says---- 4th president USA, has dates 1809 and 1817 above head. has james madison under his neck. the back side of coins reads on the edges---father of the constitution "declared war of 1812" center of backside of coin reads--- secretary
of state
under jefferson
as a debater
and defender of
the constitution
he became one of
americas great
statesmen.

 

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[PBK]

It's what's sometimes called a "presidential data coin," due to the reverse text. These were presidential commemorative tokens issued around 40-50 years ago. Although some did bear advertisers' names (Shell, Cracker Jack, etc.), most were stock/generic pieces and used in a variety of ways— issued in gas station promotions, with prizes for completed sets or certain instant winner pieces; included as prizes in boxes of breakfast cereal; handed out by banks to youngsters opening or adding to savings accounts. In some cases, the companies who supplied them also later issued them in sets or albums for sale in gift shops and novelty catalogs.

 

[chong2]

awesome thank you pbk

 

[lordmarcovan]

I'm pretty sure it was Shell Oil who put out this particular "Presidential" series. I have found four different ones over the years. I started with George Washington, too! As PBK said, I have heard that these were given out as gas station promos, sometime around the late 1950s/early 1960s. They must've cranked out a zillion of 'em, and it must've been a national promotion, 'cause they seem to turn up everywhere.

I count 'em as "keepers" in my dug coin albums, though. 'Bout as good as finding a silver Roosevelt, in my opinion. Not quite as good as a Merc dime.

PS- I think Madison is one of the four I have dug. I'll have to check.

 

[Tony in SC]

The presidential tokens have been given out two and maybe three times. The ones from Shell were aluminun and from the 60's or so but the brass ones are much older. I found my first one in 1973 at an old school and it was woren thin. Nice find,Tony

 

[chong2]

ya it is brass, thank you for the response