Perhaps from a bit bar - selling drinks, cigars, etc at one bit? The 
bit bars in Virginia City, NV seemed to have a reputation for pricing 
everything at two for two bits (still slang for a quarter) and  "no 
change for one drink." For all practical purposes they charged 
fifteen cents for one drink, but only a dime for the second.

Robert

At 03:21 PM 2/2/2011, you wrote:
>Saloons, restaurants, and even brothels in the West  issues their own tokens.
>
>Regards,
>
>Jerry Schaefer
>
>ASM Affiliates, Inc.
>2034 Corte Del Nogal
>Carlsbad, CA 92011
>760-804-5757 (office)
>760-804-5755 (fax)
>http://www.asmaffiliates.com/
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of 
>McMahan, Dave (DNR)
>Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 2:55 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Tax Token Question
>
>I have seen a number of trade tokens with "Good For 2 1/2 cts." I'm not
>sure about the S.H.
>Dave
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ann
>Raab
>Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 1:37 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Tax Token Question
>
>I have been excavating a site in western Missouri that has confirmed
>occupations
>in the mid-19th century as well as the late 19th century and early 20th
>century.
>I wouldn't be surprised if there was a component that went into the
>1920s and
>1930s, but probably not much later.
>
>I have an item which looks like a tax token, but it doesn't fit into the
>mold of
>a typical state-issued token. It is copper, very thin (about 1mm) and is
>27.2 mm
>in diameter (roughly a little more than an inch). The front of the token
>is
>stamped "Good For 2 1/2 cts." The back of the token simply has an S. H.
>stamped
>into it. There is nothing that identifies it as being from a particular
>state
>and there are no other graphics or decoration. Also, in the research I
>have done
>(very cursory) I have not found any state tokens worth 2 1/2 cents.
>
>The "S. H." made me think of S&H Green Stamps, but I am not sure if they
>had any
>tokens like these. I would think the company name would be more obvious
>on such
>an item. There were also corporate coal mining interests in the area in
>the late
>19th and early 20th centuries. I wasn't sure if this could be a kind of
>"company
>store" token.
>
>Any information or ideas would be welcome!