1935 Fun Token

21mm, br

About this token:

• Bob Reis has a token and medal inventory list which includes a possibly related token: 20mm red oxidized brass, 1937 female bust facing, 1937 / blank in toothed border. He includes the note "possibly intended to be Amelia Earhart." According to Wikipedia, "On January 11, 1935, Earhart became the first person to fly solo from Honolulu, Hawaii to Oakland" and her attemped round-the-world flight was in 1937, so the dates make some sense, although this identification must be regarded as tenative and even if correct doesn't shed much light on where and how the token was used.
• Bob Butler sent a scan of one in better shape. Obverse is the same, reverse is blank. He also writes: "There's also a similar looking Madame Hendren Doll token of this same era, which I have had, but have sold, which was/is much like this one. I tried unsuccessfully for almost an hour to dig up an image on the internet." (I found a couple Madame Hendren tokens on eBay that looked nothing like this one, but there may be other varieites I haven't seen yet)
• Madame (Dame) Hendren Dolls were part of Averill Manufacturing Co. which made dolls under a number of different names. The Hendren name appears to have been used on dolls introduced between about 1916 and 1928 (though the doll were likely produced later), so the 1935 date on the token seems late for a connection, but so far this is one of the only leads I have.
• Alan writes: I have one identical (except 1937) on which face highlights are only moderately worn. Reverse is also quite clear though token is somewhat stained on both sides.
• Allyn writes: I am a South African collector. Way back in 1966 our local museum in Johannesburg - the Africana Museum - produced a catalogue of the tokens they had in their collection. This, for the most part, comprised two collections that had been left to them in the Thirties by two early researchers and also the collection that had been put together by Lt Col. Knobel whom we recognise as the Father of token collecting in this country and who died in the Fifties. Their catalogue was compiled in 1966 and in the "Unknown" section this particular token is listed - U.74 (yes, there are a large number of unattributed pieces). The description is as follows:
  Brass. Diameter 21,2mm Thickness 1,9mm
  OBVERSE : Smiling female bust. In exergue : "1935". Milled border.
  REVERSE : Centre field blank. Legend around "AMUSEMENT ONLY' 'FUN TOKEN' Milled border.
  EDGE : Plain REF.NO. 65/1225
  Sadly, what was "unknown" forty years ago is still unknown today. In the Thirties, as you know, the old slot machines abounded. They doubtless came from the States where they could be activated with a cent, but as our old pennies were considerably larger, these "fun tokens" might have been the means devised to allow the locals to sample the joys of the Peep-show or whatever. This, of course, is only speculation. I set about putting into an album all the tokens that were then listed as "Unknown" and this is how I happen to have these oddments in my collection. As with most issues, varieties abound, and mine are as follows : (Incidentally none of them reflects the ravages of time as well as yours!)
  (a) As described above (and I imagine similar to yours)
  (b) Similar obverse, but plain reverse.
  (c) Similar obverse, but dated 1937. Plain reverse.
• Daniel writes: my uncle found a similiar 1935 token while we were metal detecting a month ago. The design on the front is the same, but it does not have anything on the back.
• Jerry writes: There is a similar token (below) dated 1938 has the woman's face, and is from Lawton Novelty Co. (Oklahoma, Lawton), back has for amusement only. [There is definately a resemblance, but the style of the head is very different. We'll need more information to tell if these tokens are actually related or not.]
  

Know anything about this token? Please send me a note: pineconeforge(at)gmail.com

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