Sailor Jean meet Colonial Jack

[bill]

Sailor Jean walked his way into fame and fortune .

 

 

38mm Aluminum

 

One of a number of people around the world who walked long distances and sold souvenirs to support their quests. I don't know if Sailor Jean ever wrote his book, but he wrote one later as Colonial Jack. I'll post that token later.

 

I've managed to piece together a file on this character and I tracked down a copy of his book. I'm working on an article about his exploits.

[marianne]

I'm not sure which I covet more - your token or Sailor Jean's trolleyette. Researching him must have been a lot of fun.

[Art]

That's neat. Looking forward to the article. Hope we get to see it.

[bill]

 

Colonial Jack and Sailor Jean are one and the same. It is the same trolleyette, a collapsable frame and a bicycle wheel. Sailor Jean's trolleyette carried a barrel with his stuff including tokens and doo dads to sell, clothes, etc. He sometimes slept out, but often stayed in hotels. The "sail" atop the barrel is an army tent.

 

Colonial Jack replaces the Barrel with a pyramid (the sphinx). Same idea. Both became billboards for businesses attaching cards for a fee.

 

His book: The Walk of Colonial Jack by John A. Krohn (1910). To quote Krohn:

 

Why did I push a wheelbarrow around the border of the United States?

To make money by selling my story.

But "the love of money is root of all evil."

Yes; still, most of us need the "root."

[Art]

Another great token. Looking forward to your article.

[marianne]

I couldn't wait for my issue of the Numismatist to arrive, so I read your article online and enjoyed it thoroughly. What an odd and charming character (John Krohn, not you, Bill!). Do you think the bet that allegedly prompted his first trek, and the whole "benefactor" angle, was a marketing ploy?

[bill]

I couldn't wait for my issue of the Numismatist to arrive, so I read your article online and enjoyed it thoroughly. What an odd and charming character (John Krohn, not you, Bill!). Do you think the bet that allegedly prompted his first trek, and the whole "benefactor" angle, was a marketing ploy?

 

Thank you.

 

Thank you. thank you! (Although some might say I'm odd, I've never accused of being charming! )

 

And finally, yes, my guess is that it was a marketing ploy, but he kept at it (and it turns out he was both a little odd and a whole lot charming). I wished I had had the chance to meet him by the time I had finished researching and writing the article. Corresponding with his granddaughter was the closest I got. She helped me learn things that I would not have otherwise discovered and I helped her learn things she never knew about her grandfather.

 

Coin collecting is a great hobby when it all comes together as it did when working on the article.

[Ian]

Very interesting pieces Bill, and a great insight as to their `raison d'etre'.

 

Ian

[Waltkey]

I know this is an older feed but I own a interesting thing from Sailor Jean that I can’t find much about.  I have seen his coins here, and on other sites but I own a little tin ashtray with his photo and writing about the trip on the back that I don’t see anywhere else.  It is from his first trip in 1903 and I can include photos if anyone still responds to this feed. 

[Worldmoneyman]

Walt, I would be interested in a picture of this ashtray.  I have found two more medals from Colonial Jack I'll post a little later.