World Coin Clinic: Defining Jetons: Coins, Tokens, or Both?
Neither true coins nor medals, jetons began as calculation counters and evolved into versatile pieces that blurred the line between money, gaming token, and accounting tool.
What is the difference between a jeton and a coin?
A jeton (French) or jetton (English) was originally used to make calculations on a counting board similar to an abacus. Counting boards were in common use throughout Europe, roughly between the 13th and 18th centuries. A counting board is a lined board that works as a hand-operated calculating tool. Over time, jetons evolved into artistic, highly collectible works.
Should I consider jetons to be coins or medals?
A token, by definition, is a numismatic object that at one time was used as a substitute for coins as money. A medal was never meant to be used as a monetary substitute. A jeton is somewhere in the middle, since its true function was as a gaming piece or a counting board counter. However, it was periodically used as if it were legal tender money.
Were jetons ever used as money?
Much of Europe’s population was illiterate during the Middle Ages and early modern times. If something was like a coin: round, made of metal, and/or had attractive iconography, as far as most people were concerned, it was a coin. Jetons have been found in New York City at sites dating to the time when the city was New Netherlands, indicating they were accepted as money.
Were jetons ever intentionally made to mimic real money?
Jetons resembling coins are known as far back as the mid-13th century. These originated from the fiscal offices of the royal government rather than through some enterprising individual. By the end of that century, jetons were being minted in England that resembled contemporary Edwardian pennies. These penny jetons are composed of brass and typically are indented at the center so they cannot be silver-plated and passed as silver pennies. The English jeton production became more ambitious over time, with these being issued of sufficient diameter to mimic the English silver groat.
Are England and France the only sources of jetons?
The true center of jeton production was Nuremberg, in what is today Germany. The Nuremberg jetons could be made more cheaply than those elsewhere and, for that reason, came to dominate production. The Krauwinckel family was one of several prominent jeton-making families. Once the counting boards became obsolete, these families shifted their production to making jetons for use as toys, on gaming boards, or to publicize political agendas.
Why did France make tokens on which its North American colonies were highlighted during the mid-18th century?
New France coins that circulated in French Canada date from 1670. This was an issue of New France Gloriam Regni 5- and 15-sol coins. The Department of the Colonies, established by King Louis XV in 1750, began issuing tokens to celebrate and encourage the settlement of France’s North American colonies. The tokens were also meant to raise money for the effort. Some of the top French engravers of the time were employed to make the tokens as attractive as possible.
You may also like:
