Token Time

[mrmastadon]

I haven't posted much in the last couple of weeks because all I've been finding is wheat cents by the handful, and in the inimitable words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!" Yesterday we got deluged with rain which kept the temperature mercifully low, and by late afternoon it cleared up enough that I was able to get out for a short hunt. Was hoping for a little silver and came tantalizingly close but no cigar, with the two clad quarters I dug 1966 and 1967. That said, as I was preparing to wrap up, what I was sure was going to be a bottle cap turned out to be the most interesting find of the day: This token from the Atlantic Radio Company, Inc. It reads "A Square Deal / Service / Reliable Merchandise" and features a map of New England with the word ATLANTIC on the flip side. (I particularly enjoy this find because I'm originally from New Hampshire). I wasn't able to find very much information at all on the Atlantic Radio Company, other than that it appeared to be in business from roughly 1920-1950. The token doesn't seem to be in Tokencatalog, but I did at least find photos of a non-dug example for comparison. Tokens are always a cool piece of living history and I figured it was worth posting here because I didn't see another on Tnet. Thanks for looking and happy hunting!

-Andrew

 

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[Javadroid]

I love to find tokens and you found a nice one! Congrats mate

 

[Red-Coat]

Interesting little token, although I think actually an advertising pocket piece rather than a token as such.

The company was founded in 1919 (incorporated July 1919) and was at these addresses in Boston:

34 Batterymarch (1919-1920)
88 Broad Street (1920-1921)
727 Boylston Street (1921-?)
Branch office: 15 Temple Street, Portland, Maine

There doesn?t seem to much mention of them after that and, although they produced a number of catalogues, they generally aren?t dated. They produced or sold/marketed transmitter keys, headphone sets and microphones plus transmitter and receiver radios and crystal sets for amateur radio hams and small businesses. Here?s one of their ads from ?Radio News? of June 1921:



The token itself was made by Whitehead & Hoag, so we can at least say it?s not later than 1959 since that?s when they were bought out by one of their competitors, Bastian Brothers.

 

[Mackaydon]

Bastian continued to use W&H's name, finally phasing it out in 1964-65.
Don......​

 

[Lenrac2]

I love seeing folks finding old tokens! I hope someday we will luck into a cool one like that!

 

[Trezurehunter]

Very nice token. I like finding those, just as much as old coins.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Nice Token !

 

[jewelerguy]

that's cool

 

[scruggs]

Very nice!

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Tokens are Always Fun!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

love those tokens, very nice