Bank Deposit Token - 50 Cents - First National Bank Portsmouth New Hampshire, USA - Pre-1966 Minting
Bank Deposit Token - 50 Cents - First National Bank Portsmouth New Hampshire, USA - Pre-1966 Minting
One Bank Deposit Token - Near Mint Production Quality - Almost Uncirculated**
- 50 Cents - 4% Interest Rate - Savings Account
- Lettering: "Open a savings account for one dollar or more"
- Weight: 11.6 grams / 0.41 Ounces - (nearly same weight of JFK 1/2 Dollar @ 11.34 grams)
- Diameter: 32mm / 1.26 inches (manually measured) - slightly larger vs JFK 1/2 Dollar @ 30.61 mm
Name of the mint: Whitehead & Hoag
- Location: Newark, NJ - United States
- Dates of operation 1892-1965
- History: Whitehead & Hoag was founded in 1892 in Newark, New Jersey, by Benjamin S. Whitehead and Chester R. Hoag when the two teamed up to combine their expertise and formalize their friendship. A once proud firm that had produced quality medals for 72 years.
The First National Bank of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 325 State Street Portsmouth, NH 03801
- Established: 1824
- Chartered: 1882 (A financial institution whose primary roles are to accept and safeguard monetary deposits from individuals and organizations, as well as to lend money out.)
- Inactive as of 1996-07-01 - Merged into and operated as part of Bank of New Hampshire
- Changed name to BankNorth 2002-01-01
The ship depicted on the obverse has not been identified as a specific ship but is possibly an amalgamation to demonstrate Portsmouth and New Hampshire’s role as ship building centers. The single mast ship may have been used to call attention to the masts that were harvested for ship building from New Hampshire’s forests.
Speculate such tokens were used post WW II time frame, perhaps in the late 40’s and 50’s, possibly into the 60's. Low cost way to brand the bank, incentify (incentive or reward with an expectation of certain action or consideration) people to open a savings account with a 50 cent token. The token value surely speaks to the time period, and the Mint ceased operations in 1965, so the token was produced pre-1966.
Given the near mint production quality, this token was likely stored in a desk drawer for decades, rarely seeing the light of day but for a brief moment here and there. Well preserved vintage token of historical significance.
** Grading is not an exact science. The grade listed should be a good indication of the condition of the coin.
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Description
One Bank Deposit Token - Near Mint Production Quality - Almost Uncirculated**
- 50 Cents - 4% Interest Rate - Savings Account
- Lettering: "Open a savings account for one dollar or more"
- Weight: 11.6 grams / 0.41 Ounces - (nearly same weight of JFK 1/2 Dollar @ 11.34 grams)
- Diameter: 32mm / 1.26 inches (manually measured) - slightly larger vs JFK 1/2 Dollar @ 30.61 mm
Name of the mint: Whitehead & Hoag
- Location: Newark, NJ - United States
- Dates of operation 1892-1965
- History: Whitehead & Hoag was founded in 1892 in Newark, New Jersey, by Benjamin S. Whitehead and Chester R. Hoag when the two teamed up to combine their expertise and formalize their friendship. A once proud firm that had produced quality medals for 72 years.
The First National Bank of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 325 State Street Portsmouth, NH 03801
- Established: 1824
- Chartered: 1882 (A financial institution whose primary roles are to accept and safeguard monetary deposits from individuals and organizations, as well as to lend money out.)
- Inactive as of 1996-07-01 - Merged into and operated as part of Bank of New Hampshire
- Changed name to BankNorth 2002-01-01
The ship depicted on the obverse has not been identified as a specific ship but is possibly an amalgamation to demonstrate Portsmouth and New Hampshire’s role as ship building centers. The single mast ship may have been used to call attention to the masts that were harvested for ship building from New Hampshire’s forests.
Speculate such tokens were used post WW II time frame, perhaps in the late 40’s and 50’s, possibly into the 60's. Low cost way to brand the bank, incentify (incentive or reward with an expectation of certain action or consideration) people to open a savings account with a 50 cent token. The token value surely speaks to the time period, and the Mint ceased operations in 1965, so the token was produced pre-1966.
Given the near mint production quality, this token was likely stored in a desk drawer for decades, rarely seeing the light of day but for a brief moment here and there. Well preserved vintage token of historical significance.
** Grading is not an exact science. The grade listed should be a good indication of the condition of the coin.
