Market Watch

This market watch reviews all ebay auctions from September 22 thru 28. There were 32 CTs sold this week in 28 sales (two of the sales were group lots of two and four tokens). Although, 28 sales reflect only a medium level of activity, several rare and high condition tokens crossed the block -- consequently, quite a few dollars changed hands.
     Fifteen CTs sold for under $20 with another eight finding buyers under the $50 mark. This leaves nine CTs that sold for more: two of them sold for over $100 with another four being contested beyond the $75 mark -- that leaves three CTs in the high-middle range. These are big sales: two HD and four D tokens!
     All of the HD and D tokens came from the September 27 auction of 16 pieces offered by cobwrightfortishe as part of the Andrew Macmillan collection. It was interesting group this week, as the dates ranged widely from the eighteenth century to 1966 -- yes, 1966! The hammer prices in this auction also ranged widely from $16 to $119.
     The "star" of the auction was an upright oval from Edinburgh (B7538) in excellent condition. This CT from about 1820 pictures a chalice on the obverse and a pelican feeding its young on the reverse. The verses are blunt on each side: "My flesh is meat indeed" (obverse) and "My blood is drink indeed" (reverse). Certainly, it is a striking design on a broad piece measuring 28x33mm. Five bidders entered 15 bids pushing the price to $119 before the seconds ran out on the clock. Here is the link: Edinburgh CT.
     Not far behind in the bidding action was a beautiful square dated 1789 from Kilpatrick-Craig in Dunbarton with delicate scrollwork on the obverse and reverse. This piece was superb with uniformly smooth surfaces and lustrous patina gently softened by light gray toning. Here is the link: Kilpatrick-Craigs CT.
     The scrollwork on this piece represents a short-lived regional influence (same maker?) in the midlands near Glasgow that is very popular -- similar pieces are known for Port Glasgow, Lochwinnoch and Houston & Kilellan in Renfrew. This CT from K-C attracted 15 bids from seven bidders; it sold for $106. I am surprised that it did not bring more, as dated eighteenth century squares are popular to start with, plus this one was described as "very rare" -- it is not pictured in Burzinski. Remember also that a similar square dated 1797 from Houston & Kilellan (B3226) sold last April for $174. In a thin market, just one more bidder is all that was needed to wager a wallet war -- it could have been you!

Here is one that is not so pretty.

     Another great CT sold was a diamond from Glasgow that was dated 1783; this piece, too, was a lustrous gem of a token -- more shiny than the last. Diamonds are popular for their angles, and this one is a true diamond with acute and obtuse angles (versus wannabes that are squares rotated 45 degrees). Six bidders vied to take this one home, entering 14 bids overall and pushing the price to $97 (just shy of the HD mark). Here is the link: Glasgow Diamond CT.
     Two other CTs sold for over $75 in cobwrightfortishe's auction. A single-sided square with two Cs separated by a "dagger like cross" (per Burzinski's description), attributed to Edinburgh (B1371), sold for $88. This is somewhat of a mystery piece that appears to be from the mid-eighteenth century. In contrast, a much newer CT, an oval dated 1926 from Euclid Crescent in Dundee (B2145), was hammered down for $82.
     The latter CT was not the newest piece however, as a large square dated 1966 (B7228) ended the auction with a solid price of $36. It was a big square at 26mm adorned with a fish and made of nickel -- I suppose it was a celebratory token from the Wishaw congregation in Lanark, as a silver one is also listed by Burzinski.
     There were other nice CTs sold this week. Two Canadian CTs from Hamilton in Ontario sold at strong BIN prices. Also, two group lots of Glasgow-styled squares (always popular) sold relatively inexpensively.