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Date: | Thu, 25 Jul 1996 11:20:45 -0500 |
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Chris Clement <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>I'm looking for references and other information relating to locally
>produced coinage. Specifically, working on slave sites on the Caribbean
>island of Tobago...
>One token appears to be made on a coin dating to 1789, but in size and shape
>is similar to the others, which have no indication that they are on coins.
>Measurements are 2-2.2cm in diameter and less than 2mm thick.
>Has anyone encountered these artifacts or artifacts like them?
I have come across very similar coin/tokens on the islands of St. Maarten
and St. Eustatius. The one I recall from St. Maarten was found on the
surface during a survey of a slave cemetery site, near a slave plantation
village. The piece had a date of 1789. As far as I know, it should
presently be in the museum in Philipsburg on St. Maarten.
On St. Eustatius, a number of similar tokens have been recovered. These
often have the the name of the island, and name of the merchant
who issued the token. One I've seen has a date of 1771. There
should be some held either in the museum on Statia, or at
William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA for conservation.
Unfortunately I know of no references to point you to on these, but
they are appearing on Dutch islands of the period.
Bryan P. Howard, PhD
[log in to unmask]
Texas A&M
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