by Jørgen Sømod (numis@vip.cybercity.dk)
As Breton 592 is pictured a mule with obverse portrait king Christian IX of Denmark and reverse a 5 cent token for Gesangverein Teutonia in Montreal. It is told, that only 3 specimens were issued. Together 16 mules are pictured of which the first eight following Breton were issued in each 3 and the last eight in each about 20 specimens. Among the first eight is no. 596 with Alfonso XIII and the date 1891
.In the Breton catalog from 1890 the ordinar piece no. 589 is cataloged as no. 141 and with the note: 8 var. I have no idea of which eight mules were noted at that time.
The glee club in Montreal had the name Teutonia, which in Germany was a very ordinar name for similar clubs and societies. Also German studentclubs in many cities from Vienna in Austria to Hamburg in the north were called Teutonia. The die with king Christian IX of Denmark is from the famous firm L.Chr.Lauer in Nürnberg. It was used first time 1888 to one of the many jetons sold on a nordic industrial-, agricultural and artexhibition in Copenhagen between 18th May and 2nd October 1888.
That jeton was published 1892 by Vilhelm Bergsøe with the note: That the king's name and title are placed slanting under the head is because the seller feared for, that this jeton should be seized owing to its likeness with the circulating 1 krone coins in case the king's name and title as in the the normal manner were placed round the head.
Sources:
Vilhelm Bergsøe, Danske Medailler og Jetons fra 1789-1891 Kjøbenhavn, 1892
P.N. Breton, Le collectionneur illustré des Monnaies canadiennes, Montréal, 1890
P.N. Breton Illustrated History of the Coins and Tokens relating to Canadal 1894
The above article was translated into correct English and published by Leslie C. Hill in Transactions of the Canadian Numismatic Research Society, vol 32, Spring 1996
Copyright © Jørgen Sømod 1996Brought to you by Association des Numismates Francophones du Canada