World Tokens

Surinam, COMMEWIJNE, Plantage Marienberg, uniface brass 25 Cents, plantage marienburg divided by value, back stamped m, 22 x 20.5mm, 3.51g (Byrne 237; Tankersley 397; Rulau 16); uniface brass 10 Cents, similar, back stamped z, 21 x 19mm (Byrne 236; Tankersley 398; Rulau 15); Telesur Suriname, zinc telephone token, tele sur within incuse telephone logo border, rev. nationaal, 23mm, 4.50g/6h (Tankersley 398) [3]. Fine, second doubly pierced as a distinguishing feature £40-50

Provenance: First Jacques Schulman Auction (Amsterdam), 25-7 September 1979, lot 2139; second bt R. Lyall 1985; last Laurens Schulman Auction (Bussum), 14-15 November 1994, lot 905 (part).

The sugar plantation at Marienburg was acquired by the Nederlandsch-Handelmaatschappij in 1881. The owners paid what was reputed to be the lowest wages of all plantation owners in Surinam, and a labour dispute in July 1902 resulted in colonial troops deliberately opening fire, killing some 25 workers