World Tokens

Jamaica, Banana and Fruit Trade Work Tallies, United Fruit Co, brass (43), stamped u.f.co, ufc or variations thereof, differing shapes, some with additional letters s, k. f, m, h, g.s.p., g.s.p.w., g.s.w.p, etc, also possible Guatemala issues (2) (Lyall 388 (3), 389, 390 (2), 391 (2), 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410 (3, two off-centre), 412, 413, 415, 416 (4 stamped with letters z, h, k, m), 417 (2, minor varieties), 418, 419, 421, 422, 423, 425; Ford 665-6; Tankersley 360, 362; Prid. 150-3) [43]. Generally fine, some better; a comprehensive group, some very rare
£150-200

Provenance: Lyall 400 bt W.H. Pheatt; Lyall 404 bt NASCA 1980; Lyall 415 gift of R.B. Barker; Lyall 416 stamped k bt H. Christensen 1978; other Lyall 416s bt D. Megill; several others bt R.A. Brandon.

United Fruit Co, founded in March 1899, had a near-monopoly of the Jamaican banana trade until the early 1930s and in its pursuit of business was said to have ‘throttled competitors, dominated governments, manacled railroads, ruined planters, choked co-operatives, domineered over workers, fought organised labor and exploited consumers’ (Lyall, p.138)