© EnrxH910 (CC0)
© EnrxH910 (CC0)
20 Centavos (The Colorado Nitrate Company - Oficina Carmen Bajo) ND
| Bakelite (Ebonite) | 2.1 g | 25 mm |
| Location | Chile |
|---|---|
| Period | Republic (1818-date) |
| Type | Trade tokens › Work encampment, mine and wage tokens |
| Value | 20 Centavos (0.20) |
| Composition | Bakelite (Ebonite) |
| Weight | 2.1 g |
| Diameter | 25 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-11-13 |
| Numista | N#409321 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
Face value
Script: Latin
Lettering:
20 c
✤
Translation: 20 cents
Comment
This token was used as currency in Carmen Bajo, a nitrate mine located near Pozo Almonte, a little town in the middle of the desert, 55 kilometres away from Iquique, in Chile.
The name of this kind of tokens is "fichas salitreras" in Spanish, which were used inside the nitrate companies and mines. Miners and workers were paid with fichas salitreras, and they were only accepted in the stores owned by the same company.
Carmen Bajo Nitrate Mine.
Photo source: http://lavozdelapampa.cl/wp/2020/05/19/reglamento-de-oficina-salitrera-carmen-bajo/
