COSTA RICA, hacienda token
$10.00
COSTA RICA, ALAJUELA, token, no date (late 19th century), Obverse: star, D.S. SABORIO, Reverse: dot in toothed circle, lead alloy, 15mm, R-Ala2a, VF
3 in stock
Description
Use of tokens was big in Costa Rica from the mid-19th century to the 1920s. There was a perpetual coin shortage that the government was unable to address.
The reference used is Latin American Tokens, by Russell Rulau.
A token is used like a coin but is not a coin. Rather, it stands for a coin without the value of the coin. Maybe its copper, but says its value is the same as a silver coin. Usually tokens were made privately, but sometimes governments got involved.
The word “exonumia” is used to describe all kinds of things that are “like” coins but are not coins. I wrote a blog post on that subject. Basic categories: 1. used like a coin but not issued by a national government, 2. looks like a coin but not made for spending, 3. other things that we are interested in.
