TOKENS OF THE CHISANA GOLD RUSH

PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE FULL ISSUE

V21 2018 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 21, Number 1, January 7, 2018, Article 29

The January 2018 issue of Alaskan Token Collector & Polar Numismatist (published by Dick Hanscom of Fairbanks), has a nice article by Jacques Etcheverry on the of the Chisana gold rush. With permission, here's an excerpt. -Editor

Having never been one to collect anything (other than wild game for the freezer), the purchase of a token off eBay was in fact a shock to myself and began my token collection. That first token was a Bank Coffee House aluminum 50 cent piece and over the past few years I’ve been constantly searching to acquire a full set of tokens from the Chisana area.

I have been visiting Chisana (pronounced Shoo-shaan-ah) since I was a child. Luckily for me my uncle, who has been exploring, prospecting and hunting in Chisana since the late 1960s, loves to share this place with family and friends. My grandparents bought property in Chisana after their first visit; built a home and lived there full time for over 30 years. I also own property and am currently building a cabin of my own.

Over the years I’ve heard many great stories about the “old days” in the Chisana area. They always involved tough, adventurous people braving the elements to chase their dreams, be it dreams of gold, fur, or in the case of my grandparents, retirement.

The mystery behind the tokens sparked my interest and had me digging deeper into the history of the area. Chisana was the center of the last great gold rush in Alaska. Not long after gold was discovered in the hills east of town in 1913, Chisana was known as the largest log cabin town in the world.

Thousands of miners flocked to the area hoping to strike it rich. General stores were quickly built along with saloons, diners and brothels to support the prospectors. The first store was built by Sam Shucklin. The rush was short lived, only lasting a couple years, but evidence of the bustling past of Chisana can still be seen if you look close enough.

As for my collection, it’s still not complete. I’m on the hunt for a Bank Coffee House 25 Cents and a Simons $5 brass if anyone has one for sale. I never thought I’d be a token collector but now I can’t deny that I enjoy the hobby and the way it has inspired me to learn more about a place that is dear to my heart.