Maltese Tokens a collection
Jeanette e Stivala née McLarty, Tony Stivala

This publication is about tokens used in Malta during the British period, mainly from the late Victorian period to the 1960s. The Stivalas have managed to find a good number of tokens since Lyall's 1999 publication, in which 95 different establishments had been identified. This publication identifies no less than 84 new establishments, most of which are new or different to those already identified by Lyall.

These Malta 'tokens', in their various forms and intended use, tell the economic and social history of Malta, albeit, at times, verging on the shady side. Nevertheless, it is a Malta story which these tokens help to commemorate and immortalize. Tony and Jeanette Stivala deserve our compliments for publishing such a rare collection and research for everyone's enjoyment and perusal, a most welcome addition to Melitensia collections and publications.

For more information, or to order, see:
Maltese Tokens a collection(https://horizons.com.mt/product/maltese-tokens-a-collection/)

Tony Stivala and his Scottish wife Jeanette, née McLarty, have been collecting tokens, as well as many other Maltese artefacts, for about 20 years and have recently published a book on their endeavour.

They became interested in these items quite by chance.

said Mr Stivala, who runs Times Gone By in Gzira.

"I was instantly intrigued and being an avid collector of Maltese memorabilia, I thought 'why don't I start collecting them myself'?"

His wife helped him with the research and found, among other things, that tokens were first used in Malta during the time of the Order of St John but became especially popular during the British period. The book, published by Horizons, in fact focuses on the late Victorian era to the 1960s.

"Tokens were used quite profusely at the time. There was a lack of coinage owing to the increase in the number of visitors to the island, especially navy and army personnel, who frequented entertainment spots across the island," noted Ms Stivala, who is from Northfield in Aberdeen.

As Emmanuel Magro Conti, senior curator at Heritage Malta, explains in the book's foreword, the use of tokens instead of the official legal tender issued by the government forms part of 'exonumia', a term that incorporates all numismatic items made of various materials, sizes and shapes other than official coins and paper money.

The couple managed to find tokens of innumerable bars in Strait Street, such as the Blue Heaven, British Crown Rest Bar, Dirty Dick's Bar, which was popular among the gay community, King George VI Bar, Queen Elizabeth Bar, Sussex Bar, Matador Jazz Bar, Piccadilly Bar, Retainer Bar, Roy Bar and The Splendid Bar & Hotel, which is sometimes used as an exhibition space nowadays.

During the 1930s, churchgoers in Zejtun also had to use tokens to pay for the use of a chair in their parish church, while worshippers at St Paul's Anglican Cathedral in Valletta made tokens in memory of deceased loved ones and the money collected went towards the cathedral.

To read the complete article, see:
Tokens that tell a way of life(https://timesofmalta.com/article/tokens-that-tell-a-way-of-life.700450)