Engraved Coins, Love Tokens, and Coin Jewelry

Love Token Fashioned out of a 1905-Dated Barber Quarter Dollar.

The reverse of the host coin is engraved with FOUND IN CHINATOWN / D.B. & E.M. / FRISCO 3, 8, 06. Two friends evidently found this coin while visiting Chinatown in March of 1906 and had it engraved as a memento. Little did they know that a little over a month later on April 18th, the great San Francisco earthquake would destroy the area. Fires completely decimated Chinatown, leaving the neighborhood in ashes. This earthquake was one of the most devastating on record. Fires broke out all over the city due to the ruptured gas lines and lasted for several days. More than 3,000 people died and over 80% of the city of San Francisco was totally destroyed. The death toll remains the greatest loss of life from a natural disaster in California's history.

From the Steve M. Tompkins Collection.

Estimate: $ 200