Token Canada Ships Colonies Commerce 1830 to 1860

Napoleon lamented his eventual defeat at the hands of the British by noting that the British had ships, they had colonies, and British commerce was intense and growing. What better saying to put on a token in Canada?

Canadian coin shortages caused local merchants to produce their own tokens for use as currency. This is one of the most popular designs during the mid-1800s. The tokens circulated on Prince Edward Island and in some of the neighboring provinces as well.

There is a excellent reference page for these tokens at Coins and Canada.

These tokens can be valuable, but only when in top-notch condition. The following price guidance comes from analyzing current auction results for these spiffy items:

worn: $1 US dollar approximate catalog value
average circulated: $15
well preserved: $50
fully uncirculated: $150

Be sure to read our Terminology page so you can understand how these catalog values work.
cqLastNotify