IL, Chicago • IL-150-AG-7f • S.A. Ingram • R: Obverse of OH165-GX, Joseph Zanone • Silver PE • High R-9 •MS-64 (PCGS)

Description

IL, Chicago • IL-150-AG-7f • S.A. Ingram • R: Obverse of OH165-GX, Joseph Zanone •
Silver PE • High R-9 •MS-64 (PCGS) •  This is one of the most rare, most interesting, and most important tokens in my collection. It combines two different merchants in two different states and cities, is struck in silver, and one die if for Joseph Zanone (also spelled Zanoni), one of the most famous numismatists of the 1860s. The surfaces are brilliant prooflike. From Richard Hartzog, probably earlier from George J. Fuld. The only specimen known to me.  Notes: Several Ingram die combinations are known in silver and were probably made for numismatic or display purposes or to entice some
business to Cincinnati from the Windy City. All are exceedingly rare. These tokens represent a somewhat unusual instance of a Cincinnati maker preparing tokens for a Chicago merchant, deep in “Childs’ territory.”  As to Joseph Zanoni, much can be learned about him by tapping theNewman Numismatic archive on the Internet.