Co-op tokens issued by Co-operative society Vooruit (Gent)

[Medalstrike]

Gent
Broodpenning (Broodkaart) (Bread Penny)
"Vooruit"

5 Frank 1921 and 1928 (the 8 was struck on the 1)

"DOOR SAMENWERKING TOT VERHEFFING DER WERKENDE KLASSE"
Motive: 'de samenwerking' from J.Van Biesbroeck

The bread penny is a form of Ration card to obtain food. Bread cards were mostly in coin form
(they also called it Bread Tokens) made of an inexpensive metal such as zinc and aluminum.

This is a medal of the socialist consumer organization (or cooperative) Forward (1880-1970), in 1880,
first as a cooperative bakery Come on, the factory was set up to protect the lability of big business.

Nickel, 16.7g, 38mm

Dietmar

[Figleaf]

The legend

Door samenwerking tot verheffing / der werkende klasse (Durch Zusammenarbeit zu Erhebung / der Arbeiterklasse)

is the core thought of the co-operative movement. The worker class will not be assisted by another class, it must help itself. Solidarity among workers means using workers' shops that distribute their profits among its clients. Theoretically, the concept works. If there is no profit margin your prices are lower. In practice, the co-ops were run by amateurs, who couldn't compete with pro sales and distribution techniques.

The social and solidarity aspect of the co-ops competed with the traditional role of the Catholic church. They reacted to the threat with traditional means, ex-communication, vilification, exclusion, monopolization. In some countries, like France and Britain, the church lost out. In others, like Spain, Portugal and Italy, it won. Sadly, Belgium remained in-between. The rich remained loyal to the church, the poor went for socialism. Unfortunately, that distinction coincided with the languages spoken: the Flemish went towards socialism, the Walloons to the church, so that the tension between the two language groups was further aggravated.

Peter

[Arminius]

My pieces are made of copper-nickel and certainly not of pure nickel as they are all non-magnetic and show a reddish patina after 90 years.
They significantly vary in weight: 14,95 - 17,80 g as there are bigger changes in material distribution at the reverse edge rim. So the production plant was not very experienced in making homogeneous uniform looking coins or tokens.

Can someone explain the punchmark SMv (?) -monogram below?

[malj1]

I notice too, the date 1921 has been altered to 1923 in the second image; the '1' is still clearly visible.

[Arminius]

... the date 1921 has been altered to 1923 in the second image; the '1' is still clearly visible.

According other sources this should be an overdate 8 punched on 1 - may look as 3 on 1.

[malj1]

Yes I see the eight; strangely misread it before.  thanks for correction.

[Figleaf]

Can someone explain the punchmark SMv (?) -monogram below?

I cannot, but I think it is rather SvM, as the letters are in that order left to right. The monogram likely represents the designer, so small v would stand for van, as Gent is a thoroughly Flemish town. For the record, my specimen is 16 gram, 37.4 mm.

I appreciate the reference to Jules-Pierre van Biesbroeck, who hailed from Gent and was involved in the early socialist movement.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Here is a more modest and perhaps the most common token issued by Samenwerkende Maatschappij Vooruit (Co-operative Society "Forward").

obv: a draped seated female with laurel(?) branch, holding a cogwheel, with an opening in the centre, surrounded by J(oseph) FISCH Tokens with A FISCH exist. Industrial building right, machine left, beehive right below, hammer left below. Legend: DE NAMAKER ZAL VERVOLGD WORDEN - the counterfeiter will be prosecuted. Exergue: 1880 (date of establishment of the co-op)
rev: 1 (frank?), around: BROODKAART (bread ticket) and decorative elements.

A similar token, mentioning GEWEST DENDERMONDE, was struck in aluminium.

Peter