Katarinahissen lift tokens, Stockholm (KF)

[FosseWay]

There's not much literature available online about the lift at the time these tokens were used. In my searches I did discover this in Svenska Numismatiska Tidskriften (issue 7, 2010), which explains that in the early days, the fare for travelling up was greater than for down (1883-1905: 4 öre up, 2 öre down; 1905- unknown date: 5 öre up, 3 öre down). In passing it also mentions that the fare "today" (i.e. 2010) is 10 kronor in either direction. This must have been written just before the lift was taken out of service.

The quoted letter in the middle of the article is from an annoyed passenger who was denied passage in the lift when he wanted to pay with a 5 öre token to go down and two 3 öre tokens to go up.

[malj1]

I managed to read the article with help from Google translate.

.....Perhaps became the female "Elevator Boy" just a little bit cross....

And saved the images of the first two tokens 4 and 2 öre from 1883 for the earlier elevator. = 820 1A and 1B respectively

The Smith's mention:
The Mosebacke Gangbro was a foot bridge connecting the top platform of the old Katarina Hiss (elevator) and a point on a hill. The following tokens were valid for passage over the foot bridge plus the use of the elevator. ...they then go on to list several other types of token used.

[FosseWay]

Those two are also listed in Stockholmspolletter, but the tokens that are the subject of this thread (KF and the coffee bean variant) are not covered. This is my only criticism of that book: it omits many recent tokens that are clearly available and attributable. This is something we're trying to avoid in the Gothenburg equivalent (not that there's any one-up-man-ship or anything like that  ).

For info, the reverse of both carries Sporrong's stamp. There is also a variant of the 2 öre with a hole at the top (obliterating the last S of STOCKHOLMS and the first S of STADS) and a four-digit number punched into the reverse.

There also exist a number of tokens for Mosebacke Gångbro, the bridge connecting the top of the lift with the mountain. I'm unclear of the precise relationship between these tokens and their issuers; logic suggests that the MG tokens were valid for both the bridge and the lift, as there's little point using the former if you aren't going to travel in the latter, but then the question arises of what the Stads Hiss tokens were for.

The Mosebacke tokens are all for 3 öre except a much smaller, triangular 5 öre. (Was going to post them but I think I will start a new topic.)

[malj1]

This is my only criticism of that book: it omits many recent tokens that are clearly available and attributable.

That is inexcusable as far as these two KF tokens are concerned seeing that they were in use from 1953 to 1958 - now over fifty years ago. The first of these at least is common.

[malj1]

See also:

 Sweden: Mosebacke Gångbro, Stockholm