World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector

Malta, ‘Sherry Girl Tokens’, Egyptian Queen, obv. EGYPTIAN QUEEN MUSIC HALL around a flag with three crescents and stars, rev. C. BONAVIA / MALTA inside an ornamental boarder, aluminium, 20mm (Lyall 1026); Empire Music Hall (3), obv. EMPIRE MUSIC HALL SLIEMA around C. GRECH, rev. 3d, brass, 18mm; similar but in aluminium; obv. EMPIRE MUSIC-HALL . SLIEMA. around C. / GRECH, rev. 3d, cupro-nickel, lozenge shape, 16mm (Lyall 1027, 1028, 1029) [4]. First fine with some surface corrosion, second fine with an edge knock, others very fine, first rare, others very rare only 2 or 3 known for each example £100-£120

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector.

View
Collection

Provenance: Various sources in Malta

The Egyptian Queen was a Music Hall on Old Theatre Street and the business was operating before 1939 until it closed in 1984. The Empire Music Hall was at the Gzira side of the corner of the Strand and Manoel Dimech Road, opposite Sliema Creek. It is thought to ahve closed in 1946 with the decline in the number of Royal Navy ships anchored in Sliema creek after the war. As these tokens have a value on them they may have had a different purpose prior to World War II