Market Watch

It was an active month of auction activity on ebay despite the cold weather just about everywhere in the USA. All told, there were 257 CTs that crossed the block in February.
   Nearly three-fourths of the CTs sold in the C range, that is priced below $20. As I always say, there were (and continues to be) many collecting opportunities out there each month. As compared to other token categories, CTs are a bargain. And with all the guidebooks available and websites that detail the churches that issued these fascinating pieces, it is a great pursuit that does not force you to skip meals. One-hundred eighty-four CTs sold in the lowest range. Next, in the B range, there were 71 sales between $20 and $49; and above that, only two pieces sold above the $50 mark in the BB range. I should add that two of the B category CTs sold for $49 -- very close!
   The top CT was sold by cobwrightfortishe at a BIN price of $62. The piece was a cut-rectangle from Walls Parish on the Orkney Islands, dated 1856 (cataloged as KL42-1290 and BZ7120). Orkney is a small series of about 67 pieces with two from Walls. There is no way of knowing how scarce this piece is except to note that this relatively high price for a late date CT was paid in full with the CT selling quickly after listing.

Here is one of the large size pieces from the
44th Street UPC in NYC.

   The second CT was sold by comtok at auction with a hammer price of $51. This one was a USA piece from the 44th Street United Presbyterian Church (UPC) in New York City, NY (Bason-109 and BZ7033). Three bidders spotted it, casting six bids; the winner waited until the last and cast a single bid to take it home. Wish I had been there, as this was a great deal! There are two sizes for this one according to the catalogs: Burzinski lists one at 28x19mm, whereas Bason has it at 12x18mm. Otherwise, the design is the same with incuse RPC on a rounded corner rectangle with blank reverse. The one that sold was the smaller variety. Here is the link: USA CT from 44th Street NYC.
   Of note, there was a group lot of twelve so-called "antique post-medieval" CTs sold on February 18th for nearly $50, but this was a misattribution. Instead, it was a grouping of eleven jetons (counting tokens) from Nuremburg and one lead piece that I could not decipher. Although they were made in Germany, several of them were produced for use in France, hence the fleurs de lis. They are not CTs, not a one, but they are old (1500s and maybe a bit earlier) and sold for market price.
   Finally, there is talk of a get together for CT collectors in Baltimore, MD -- maybe at the 2015 Fall Expo or the Spring Expo the next year.