World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector

Malta, Various tokens and tags (8), M. M. D. Staff Club, uniface, incuse M.M.D. STAFF CLUB, copper, square with rounded coners, 26mm (Lyall 1043); National Pharmacy, discount check, obv. THE NATIONAL PHARMACY- HAMRUN-around S.V., rev. *, aluminium, 25mm (Lyall 1053); Joseph Sarona, obv. JOSEPH SARONA, MALTA, rev. 23462, brass with a central hole, 30mm (cf. Lyall 1064); Kicker, machine token, obv. KICKER . Aachen ., rev. Automatic . Counter ., brass, 21mm (Lyall 1041); Malta Casino, Fruit Machine token, both sides, Casino De Malta around a design that looks like two retrograde S’s, brass, 25mm; Circolo Maltese, Fruit Machine token, uniface, CIRCOLO MALTESE, brass, 21mm; La Valetta Apartments, St. Georges, Laundrette token, c. 1994, uniface, COIN / METER / TOKEN, brass, oblong, 24 x 18mm; War Department, property tag, (found in Malta), uniface, incuse W broad arrow D, brass, holed as issued, 29mm (the last 4 pieces not listed in Lyall) [8]. Generally very fine or nearly so £60-£80

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector.

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Provenance: Various sources in Malta between 1985 and 2003

The M.M.D. token was obtained from a former member of the club, but sadly he did not recall the use. The National Pharmacy was founded in the late 1920’s by Sav. Vella on Strada Reale in Hamrun. Later the business relocated to 194 High Street, Hamrun. These are discount checks given to customers who spent a specific value and could later be redeemed for goods at a subsequent date. These passed out of usage prior to 1975. The use of the Joseph Sarona token is not known. He issued a smaller token that apparently was a Fruit Machine token. Nothing is known for certain about the Kicker token, but a number have been found in Malta on different occasions; the legend suggests it is a machine operating token.