Füleky György

 
 
 
 
 
1893 • World’s Fair
The first elongated coin commemorated the discoverer of America at the time of the Chicago World’s Fair.

1927 • Lindbergh’s Flight
Tokens produced at the time were often pierced so they could be attached to a key ring or worn on a chain.

1963 • The Oswald Assassination
This token, pressed from a quarter dollar, depicts Jack Ruby shooting the assassin of President Kennedy.

1991 • Desert Storm
The floral relief was created by hand engraving, as although acid etching is faster, it produces a less three-dimensional effect.

A Symbol of Loyalty
Vows and prayer were popular motifs. This piece was created in 1954, at the height of the anti-communist movement in the United States.

Commemorative Tokens „At the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, a new souvenir was born that has remained popular ever since – a local jeweler pressed a few one-cent coins into thin tokens, creating (or rather, stamping) a tribute to Christopher Columbus. ‘Today, there are countless coin-pressing machines operating worldwide, from the United States to China,’ says George Strang, manufacturer of Press-a-Penny machines. Just drop in a few coins, and a commemorative token is ready.

Many collectors trade their personally designed and pressed coins online, entrepreneurs use them to promote their products, and they even appear at weddings – a small metal token can make a perfect gift for guests. Although their sentimental value is priceless, it is rare to find a token worth more than a few dollars. ‘One example is a Hawaiian commemorative token, featuring the portrait of a local king on one side and a soldier’s engraved list of World War II Pacific battles on the other,’ says token collector Ray Dillard.” – Marc Silver