When I opened the container on this token for the first time in about 40 years, I initially thought it was one of the tokens my Dad left me.� Then a couple of months ago I was talking to an old friend from years past & he asked me if I still had the "Old Train Coin" & did I remember the day I found it.� Bells started ringing in my head.� You see in 1979 I was a busy feller, I was in college at Auburn University Montgomery, while working full time at a Cotton Mill & part time at a Stop & Rob (early southern Mom & Pop country store), all while trying to date a purdy gal.� Why is Youth wasted on the Young?� Lol!

Hi everyone hope you are all well. Today is a token about St. Andrew. Who was he? He was the brother of Peter.. It was made in 1792. It's a half penny,made of copper. It weighs 11.1 gems 29 mm� thickness is 2mm. . This token is what is called a double rarity. There is only one rarer than this.� You notice the two pieces of wood he is holding. They are to be his cross. He said I do not deserve to be crucified like Jesus.. The cross is called� de cussata or x shape. It states No one provokes with impunity!� � � � The reverse is the It or arms or Edinbourgh. The edge says Payable at the warehouse of Thos & Alex R Hutchison . He was crucified on November 30 60 A.D. Being St. Peter's brother he was the first follower� of CHRIST. .� � � � � �He preached the word of God and said "I would not preach the honor and glory of the death s of the cross if I feared the death of the cross" .So he was sentenced to death for denying the religion of the Roman gods. His words were "I Cross Most Welcome And Long Anticipated! I Come To You With A Willing Kind With Joy And Desire A Fowler A Student Of The One Who Died For You. I Have Always Embraced You". He was not nailed to this cross instead he was tied. It has The same effect.� � � � � You might say Why is he writing about a Saint. Well I'm actually writing about a token and the man who died on his� �cross.. If you look at the flag of Scotland it was made after the cross of St. Andrew. The country loved him. As a religious man and a man who stood up to the Roman Empire.. One man. He knew he didn't stand a chance. Knew that eventually after the interagations� that� the Romans would sentence him to death. Besides there's nothing wrong with a little religion now in the situation we live in today. Who Ever we pray to. Pray.�� � � � � This is a small blog. The man was sent out to preach the word of God by the Holy Spirit. They spoke all the world langues. He is also the patron Saint of other countries he preached in . When the House or the Senate is called to order in Washington it's opened by a member of one of the many Religions in this country .� He says a small prayer that God will direct these men to a favorable decision. That doesn't happen all the time. Everywhere there is Justice we see in God we Trust.That's a reference to your God not the Catholics.� � � � .So politics does have a place in our history. The Druids had many in Ireland.St. Patrick witch is also a token here in the colonies.. He took there Sun God combined it with the Christian� cross and the Celtic cross was.born. So Conder tokens� have animals ,people famous people.who started the industrial revolution. War hero's just about every famous person in the 18th� century. The political section has one of George Washington. In MS 61 it sold for 25,000 dollars. So you see there are many famous people.�� � � � This was a way of recording there history.. These tokens grade very high. They were taken care of better than some coins today. The biggest I have is a MS 66 many of them. Proof like red and brown and the detail you can count the bricks or the links in a fence. These were masters.� � �So� I decided to write about this man Andrew. Yes an ordinary man who preached. Your not made a Saint the next day . Sometimes it takes centuary's. It's a remarkable process. So it's not a holy day just a normal day in the middle of a pandemic. A little religion won't hurt . It might save lives.� I hope.you enjoyed this story of a simple man. Who influenced� an entire country. Just like the people of the Mayflower. Looking for.religious freedom. So in this day of a virus taking million s.if lives ask St. Anthony for a quick cure . Thanks�

Hi every one. I hope your all well. The token you see at the bottom is one of Peter Kempsons London series.. He made 36� pennys. Now there were much heavier and bigger. This token has edge writing. It says " I Promise To Pay On Demand The Bearer One Penny X" . Now there were two different dies to some of these. Die A on the reverse and die B this one is die A.� There was not that much difference between the two. A word that was it.� � � � � The Guildhall� in London if your there can be seen from King street. The building was built in 1411,but only the very fine crypt remains from the original structure. The fire of London in 1666 destroyed the roof and caused such damage that considerable repair was needed. A new roof was installed in 1669.� � � The old hall was used as a bazaar by booksellers and vendors of various articles.� Now I said the roof was put back on in 1669. However that was temporary and the roof on the token was added by George Dance in 1789..In 1870 a new council Chamber,Library,and Museum were added and the older parts were restored.. As if it had had luck it was badly damaged in air strike� in the second world war,the original council Chamber and the roof again� the great hall were destroyed.�� � � � � � One thing I learned about the British� is there resolve.� They never let them famous� buildings lay in rubble. Now remember it was built in 1411. It was rebuilt in1952 by Sir Giles Scott. Now many are amazed how good the shape of these tokens are. . Well I said in the first one they were sold to collectors and the public. Those sold to collectors were stored in a table like the one below. It has a marble top and many drawers to store the tokens. This one below was sold at Heritage ,don't think I didn't consider buying it. But my wife would throw me out. . It stopped the environment from damage to the tokens. They had a bed of felt that they laid on and stored like a safe. You look closely you will see the poles coming up. So when it was closed it looked like any other table. That's why I can buy� a token with the rich color of red brown. They were taken very good care of.�� � � � � I have been lucky to be able to buy this art. I can't imagine how long it took to make a die of these buildings. Now here is something I found out. Kempson limited these to 200 A piece. Talk about low mintage. But it's a series I do not see anyone compleating. Not with the age and mintage. But think what it would look like. I have seen some in bad shape that gets me upset when I see so many in great shape. This token was bought before my set. And it still has that bright red color. I only wish the pictures could give them justice. Thanks for reading this I hope you enjoyed it. Stay safe . Mike

Hi my friends i hope all of you are well. I decided to write today on the token York. York was in the north of England and has a rich history. We will get the false stories we have been led to believe in. That William Wallace saked York. No. Not close. It made for an ok movie but again we have fiction and non-fiction. They do that allot .� � After the Norman conquest William the Great built a wooden castle. However in 1609 the north of England rose in revolt.The Norman Garrison� was massaquerd . William returned and rebuilt another castle to rebuild the town. So who sacked York? The Vikings. It was Ivar The Boneless and his brothers Ubbe and Hvitserk..It was easy since York was boult by two rivers. The town was slaghterd.. York was important to them because they had a mint.�All the Vikings coinage came from York.� Before i go any further William Wallace did beat the English at the historic battle of Stirling. Wallace defeated Edward the 1st otherwise known as Lonshanks.�� � � � Who founded York before William. The Romans.in 70A.D.� They founded it between the two rivers named Ouse and Foss. The Romans left in 1190 but before that the Jewish population was slaughtered some committed suicide. Rome had settled most of England when they left it was a mess. Now many things happend it York.during the time of the Romans ,the Normans the Vikings. It seemed like Wallace was the only one that didnt sack York. The towns people stayed the same and continued to rebuild.this wonderful town its mane export was wool. There was a big demand for it and wool was made all over England. Many tokens have the machinery on the reverse.. They also built one of the largest Cathedrals in Europe its called The Metropolitcacl Church of St.Peter. Commonly known as York Minister. It is the seat of The Archbishop the third highest office of the church of England..� � � � � Now York has a great story. They made thes tokens so we would� remember the history of England. Yes they tell stories and there fascinating. Braveheart was an ok movie but the real history is so much better .The token the obverse has a view of the Cathedral York 1795 .The reverse has a view of the castle and drawbridge. The edge says York 1223 Cathedral Rebuilt 1076A.D. . Its half a penny the diameter is 28.7 mm 1.8 thick. And weighs 7.18 grm.. Its a wonderful token and as i say read the history. Why did they make such a beautiful token . Because the English are probably one of the best in record� keeping. I could not put every detail� every name. But i told the tokens story. Thanks stay safe.

Hi my friends . Now hope I� you all are ok. This blog was written before but a new token and more information is always welcome. Matthew Bouldien was the general manufacturer in Birmingham. In 1762 he bought and rebuilt some works at a place called SoHo. Little did we know what would be coming . Its on the outside of the town. Now he didnt do this alone a gentleman by the name ofMr. Fothergill was his partner. Now he wasnt done they became aquainted with� Mr. James Watt. He was the man made.famouse by inventing the steam engine. He moved to Soho in 1769.�� � � He knew a good thing when he saw it. He hooked up with the other partners. Now Boultin was not done in 1773 he had an Assay office to his bussiness. Everthing was getting bigger.. In 1788� he added a coin machines and a coin� mill was built. Now what we have is the Soho mint. Beautiful coins and wonderful tokens like the one below. I know NGC is busy but that token is a proof you cant get better. They made a mistake on another one. Back to the blog. Now these machines were putting out 60 to 80 coins per minute. And they were taking care of.� � � � I now the made a few items for the Royal Mint. In 1857 there were no more coins tokens . It was dismantled and the machinery sold toMr. Ralph Heaton and the TheSons of Soho. . Now all good things come to an end the old mint was one.� There are no remains of the old mint. It produced some of the words best tokens and coins you have seen most of my collection. I still have raw tokens� that i like that way. But when you come accross a beautiful token whats the crime in trying to protect it. You hold this token up its remarkable. How they missed this i will tell you. NGC is using other graders in different sections. I will not send another coin or token till this virus ends and it will the other mistake. The token said erected in 1794 they used that as the date. It wasnt. It was made sometimes in the 1700's.� I will send it back . Then again i like� to learn the history is a lesson the reserch all teaches. I hope you enjoyed this one the next one will say proof. The obverse is a view of the Soho Works . Legand, is Soho Manuufactury. Erected in 1764. The reverse is Kempson crest and Birmingham. Thanks i hope you enjoyed it Mike