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V15 2012 INDEX       E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 15, Number 17, April 22, 2012, Article 13

MORE ON THE JOHN ORTH 'BIT' DENOMINATION TOKENS

Last week Dave Schenkman described a token from his denomination collection:

This is one of the neatest; a 37mm silver token with one dollar expressed as 8 bits, with a bit on each of the three horses and 5 bits below. The Seattle merchant that issued it, John W, Orth, also issued tokens with one bit (12½¢) depicted.

John W. Orth token obverse John W. Orth token reverse
David Schenkman's Orth token

Dick Hanscom writes:

I was really surprised to see the Orth 3-horse, 8-bit token in The E-Sylum. I have seen it before, but had completely forgotten about it. It is in the "way cool" category.

Which brings me to why I am writing. Last Saturday I received a 1 bit token from an online auction. I bought it because I thought I had the die. Come to find out I have a 1 bit die, but it does not match the token. When I saw the 8 bit token on Sunday, I did a double take. I did not realize that the 1 bit that I had purchased was from the same issuer, and would not have made the connection had it not been in The E-Sylum.

I've attached images of my bit die, a lead impression from the die, and the obverse and reverse of my Orth bit token.

Good for a Bit die Good for a Bit in lead

Good for a Bit obverse Good for a Bit reverse

This is what makes editing The E-Sylum so fun - you never know when some fascinating bit of information (pun intended) will turn up on your doorstep. Neat coincidence, and some great tokens. Many thanks to both Dick and Dave for sharing images of their tokens with us. -Editor

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: APRIL 15, 2012 (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n16a17.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com

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