The old-timers might remember the town of National, a logging town up the line. There isn’t much left not except for some photos.
Randy Stewart also came across some tokens from the town. Both are from C.C. Ketchum tokens.
Token with the hole in the center was popular in the late 1800s.
Now I’m not sure (I’m taking this off the internet on a forum about tokens) but the token with the hole in it was possibly used for gambling.
“I have read posts [*] that also say they were used in slot or game of chance machines. You would put in a U.S. nickel and the machine would pay out in trade tokens to get around the gambling laws. The numbers are supposed to have linked the tokens to a certain machine.”
Another man said, “I’ve heard that those were used in slot machines in bars. To get around the gambling prohibition, the machine would pay out in those tokens, which were supposedly redeemable only for merchandise. Unofficially, the bartender would give cash for them if he knew you well enough.”
All I know is that these coins were used at National, probably by a bunch of loggers like these.
Thank you Randy for sharing.
Images Courtesy of Randy Stewart.
Click on images to enlarge.
Eatonville To Rainier 