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Piper Token from the 1960s. These promotions through "Fixed Base Operators" at local
airports brought many people to flying. These routinely sell for $3 to $6 at coin stores
and flea markets and are overpriced at that, but everyone needs one just for old time's sake.
Piper was bankrupted by a downturn in the economy and predatory liability litigation. The New
Piper (a Textron company) arose from the ashes with legendary success.
A nickel alloy to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Kellogg Field, Battle Creek,
Michigan. Little works like this are available at flea markets and coin stores for
a few dollars. While interesting, they have little market value.
Silver mdeal commemorating the new airport in Basel, Switzerland. Very similar to
the "Silver Art Bars" known to Americans, medals like this are often called
jetons ("throws") in Europe.
Dr. Hugo Eckener was the engineer and commander of the dirigible that circled the world. The Graf Zepplin remains the only airship to have achieved that feat. This silver- plated medal was struck in the United States and is fairly common.
Aluminum promotion medal from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Airline collectibles include swizzle sticks, playing cards, air comfort bags, and anything else authentic that can be accurately placed in time. Newsstand magazines dedicated to airliners and transports cater to collectors of airline memorabilia.
Medal authorized by Congress to honor Lindbergh. The designer was Laura Gardin Frazer. She and her husband James Earle Frazer designed several US coins, including the Buffalo Nickel and the Oregon commemorative.
Unfortunately, this image became corrupted. Nevertheless, the aviation motif is still clear.
Bank of Communications, 25 Yen, 1941. Close up of the plane.
Singapore $20 from 1979 honored the Concorde supersonic jet that ties the port city nation to Asia.
50 franc French note honoring Antoine de Saint Exupery: aviator, author, friend of the Lindberghs, and a war casualty. The 1993 error note has an accent over the first E in Exupery by mistake.
Central Bank of China 5 Yuan note from 1942. The plane is most likely a Dehaviland. These notes are not impossible to find for about $10 each in uncirculated condition. The Bank of Communication Notes 25 Yuan with a plane and a zepplin are notably rare, especially in high grade.