L.G. REEVES

Jagdpanther

Sr. Member
Jun 22, 2005
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The Edge

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Your token is listed in the Oregon book where they give it a rarity of R2 (common) so I'd guess it's probably worth no more than $10. But that's just a guess!
 

The 1910 Census for Independence, OR lists Louis G. Reeves, 57, born in MO, with occupation "Retail Merchant - Groceries", his wife Nannie G. and son Asa. He also shows up in the 1870 Census in Chillicothe, MO with his parents and siblings, in the 1900 Census in Custer County, CO with his wife and two sons and a daughter with occupation "Grocer". I don't find him in the 1920 census or in any death indexes. Without access to any OR business directories, it is tough to date it any closer than 1910, but this type of token was in common use 1910-20. There were probably other denominations used in his business also - 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, and $1 usually constituted a "set". These tokens were used to purchase produce from area farmers and/or when local customers needed to make grocery purchases on credit. The customer might ask for what was essentially a loan of say, $10, and Reeves would note the loan in his account book and give the customer $10 in tokens. The customer would then spend the tokens at Reeves' store just like cash.
John in ID
 

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