Interesting Jeton

[NumisMattic2200]

Very interesting jeton here, "Der Anker Wachet: Alexander von Russland", (The Anchor watches : Alexander King of Russia). Winged anchor one side, bust of what must be King Alexander on verso.

 

Interesting: Blundered legend "Russland" looks like "Ruseland" and is it D.G. Liklach?

 

What does the L stand for under the bust?

 

 

[YeOldeCollector]

I'm thinking that the L stands for Lauer but am not sure.

[frank]

You might ask Constanius and Bill and Ian and elverno and company, in the Exonumia forum. I recognize this as a common jeton, but they could tell you more about details.

[Drusus]

I'm thinking that the L stands for Lauer but am not sure.

 

This is what it stands for. This is in the Lauer style. Some more info on that family:

 

It is a Nuremberg rechenpfennig (reckoning penny / counting token). Probably made by one Ernest Ludwig Sigmund Lauer or another member of his family as it was a family of counter makers that include Johann Jakob Lauer (his tokens often have the initials I.L. on the coin) (1806-1865) Ernest Ludwig Sigmund Lauer (1783-1833) and Ludwig Christian Lauer (1842-1873). They seem to have produced quite a few counters including a series of counters with Roman and Greek themes (minerva, alexander the great) or coins with world leader of the day as well as toy versions of real world coins.

 

These tokens are listed in Michael Mitchiner's work on Jetons, Medalets & Tokens Vol 1 The Medieval Pd. & Nuremberg. A book I do not have.

 

Something interesting I found about this family of counter makers (who also made toy coins of actual circulation coinage of the day):

 

'As the use of these tokens diminished so did the makers. In 1783 there were still 12 masters making computing Pfennigs. In 1830 there were 7. In 1843 it was only one. By lack of sales Ludwig Christian Lauer, the last yielding was forced to stop production and died in 1873.'

[NumisMattic2200]

Well where did all the other Lauers go???

 

Also, is this just a more modern version of Lauffer? continuation of the Krauwinckels???

[constanius]

DER = The, that, which, who, this one, of the

 

ANKER = Anchor

 

WACHET = Guard (the angel's wings with the anchor)

 

D = Abreviated Das (The)

 

GLIK ( Yiddish, German is GLUCK) = Luck

 

LACH = Laughing

 

So in plain english Alexender K. (Kaiser/Tsar) V. (Von/of) Russland (Russia) who is the anchor(Strenght) and guardian angel (protector etc) of our luck/fortune and happiness.

 

Very nice too. Issue circa 1814 for defeating Napoleon

[elverno]

Absolutely spot on info from Drusus and constanius. Almost certainly c.1814 as part of the outpouring of cheap jetons produced for the masses following Napoleon's first abdication. The reverse is commonly matched to other leaders both at that time and considerably before and after.

 

1791

 

1804

 

An 1814 variant

 

c. 1815

[bill]

Actually, the L. Chr. Lauer firm (or a variant thereof) continued making medals, etc. well into the 1900s. The jeton business may have gone bust, but the medal market replaced it and Lauer made medals for the Columbian Exposition, the California Midwinter Exposition, and the St. Louis Exposition among others. The firm continues today making such things as pieces for automobile dashboards, grills, etc.