1871 MA.05.07 C/M on 1871 Guat. 1C California Farm Token Cent
Strike Type
Coin Details
Auction Record
$528 MS65BN 11-09-2022 Stack's Bowers
Description
This 1871 California farm token is a countermarked piece, with the designation MA.05.07 applied as a counterstamp on an 1871 Guatemalan one centavo host coin. Countermarked tokens involve stamping an existing coin with new markings to create a token for a specific purpose — in this case, identifying the piece as valid for use at a California agricultural operation. Farm tokens were used extensively in California's agricultural sector, where large ranches and farms operated company-store economies for their workers, particularly immigrant laborers. The use of a Guatemalan centavo as the host coin may reflect the Central American origins of some agricultural workers or simply the availability of these small foreign coins in California's diverse monetary landscape. Countermarked pieces occupy a fascinating niche in numismatics, combining elements of both coinage and token studies.
Rarity Notes
Countermarked on 1871 Guatemalan 1 centavo. California farm token. Countermarks on foreign coins are unusual.
Cross References
MA.05.07; PCGS #824868; California Farm Token, Countermark on Guatemala 1C
External References
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