The London Elephant tokens are some of the most charming pieces collected under the “Colonial coins” category. The issue is listed on page 41 of the 2022 “Red Book,” alongside the rarer New England and Carolina variants, which were struck from the same obverse die.

The London tokens were struck around 1672 to 1694. Despite their popularity among early American enthusiasts, they were not struck for the colonies and probably did not circulate in early America, though the “Red Book” speculates that “a few may have been carried there by colonists.”

Most Uncirculated examples are brown with little original color remaining, so this Thick Planchet variant graded Mint State 66 red and brown by Professional Coin Grading Service with a green Certified Acceptance Corp. sticker is unusual, and is the finest-certified at PCGS. It was part of the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. Collection.

Heritage praises the bold strike, noting “a few tiny flecks on the obverse field” and adding that the surface retains “glimpses of the initial rose-red color.” It sold for $45,600, besting the $27,025 it sold for at an August 2014 sale.

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