BOOK REVIEW: CHARMS AND CHARM BRACELETS

Charms and Charm Bracelets: The Complete Guide, was written by Joanne Schwartz and published by Schiffer Books. Love token bracelets seem to be among the earliest of the charm bracelets pictured in the book. There is one chapter dedicated solely to love tokens, but there are also mentions in other chapters. The chapter on "Making and Embellishing Charms" has a subsection on engraving that also delves into love tokens.

Another section on WWII charms shows an engraved coin bracelet made from coins cut into heart shapes. The bracelet is made up of eight coins, all of which are engraved. The final mention of a love token is in a chapter titled, "Hooray for Risqué". Here there is a love token with the engraving, "Kiss and Makeup" and it is accompanied by an engraving of a chaise lounge or day bed image.

Most of the information in the book is spot on, but there are two things I would have changed. The first is a reference to when love tokens were made. It said that love tokens from colonial America could be found in museums but that most love tokens were made from 1876 to 1900. I am wondering if the author is thinking of the Peace Medals that were engraved and presented to the Indians. They are not considered love tokens by definition. I am also wondering what the names are of the museums that house American colonial era love tokens. Perhaps the author is thinking of the early English engraved coins? The text raised more questions than it answered. Also, a number of years ago I did a study on engraved dates on love tokens and I seem to recall that 1874 had a substantial number reported as well. The author's definition is a bit different than our ideas of the Civil War examples and the numbers escalating by the 1870s, 1880s,and 1890s and then slowing down post Columbian Exposition with just a spattering of love tokens in the early 1900s.

The other discrepancy was in a caption of a coin. It said it was pin pinched but I disagree with the author's evaluation. It appeared like normal engraving to me. All in all, any new book in our library on love tokens is a great addition. There is such a small group of love token collectors that appreciate anyone making the effort to include us in numismatic references.

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web