Expert: Neil S Berman - 5/10/2008

Question
I have a quarter-sized or 50cent piece-sized silver coin  with 1854 and a seated liberty on the front.  Rather than a denomination, the other side has a sunflower like rim with an inner circle and some type of initials inside.  The coin's condition is good, but I still don't understand the initials inside.  Are you able to identify this coin and/or its value?

Answer
It is called a love token, and they were popular from about the Civil War into the early 1900s in the US and GB. One side or part of a side of the coin was effaced and initials or a name engraved in its place, and than given by one lover to another, sometime in secret, although often men put them on their watch fobs and the ladies into jewelry. They are actually rather common and collectable.