MadL Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 I am seeking further information on a story I recently heard about: Pirate Gambling Markers A recent documentary (some times also docu-mockery) about the search for the sunken remains of The Fiery Dragon has turned up what they say is a "Gambling Marker". They told that they were "first found at the site of The Whydah" and now half way around the world in Madagascar in a wreckage belived to be that of The Fiery Dragon. The gambling marker is described to be about the size of a postage stamp and bears an 'X' on it; one picture they showed indicates there may be other marking on the opposite side, perhaps that of a coin. The area indicates that the newest one found is from around 1712. They stated that these 'gambling markers' are "Known exclusively to Pirates" - it was said "Since gambling for money was forbbin on ship, to avoid temptations and throat slittings, pirates would use these markers in their games to represent the money they would be paid once on land". As they say these markers where found upon The Whydah and now also upon The Fiery Dragon, I thought I could find further information about their useage, values, etc - but so far nothing has turned up. Anyone else heard this story, anyone been able to track down further information on these Gambling Markers and their use in game? ~All skill be in vain if an angel pisses down th' barrel o' yer flintlock! So keep yer cutlass sharp, 'n keep her close! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPP Tar Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 I think i've seen the same show. It is possible that they actually held no value, treated more like a game piece. But like you this was the only place I have heard of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grymm Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 (edited) Tokens(locally produced 'currancy'), jettons and gaming pieces........ like shingle on a beach, but admitting that won't sell TV progs =o/ For a good overview on Mother of Pearl gambling tokens (We'd prob'ly call'em chips these days) this chap http://chezbill.com/ is very good, obsessed but then no more than we are about different stuff. Ditto about tokens http://www.tokensoci....uk/index.shtml And a random selection of tokens, jettons and gaming/gambling pieces I wonder what a future society will think these were for Only joking =o) But I remember playing poker using these and matchsticks, a McD stirrer was worth 10 matchsticks. Edited April 22, 2012 by Grymm Lambourne! Lambourne! Stop that man pissin' on the hedge, it's imported. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Did anyone else just pee in their pants at the 1666 depiction of an 'anatomie' with an hourglass and a dart? No? Just me? Foxe"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707ETFox.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jendobyns Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Weren't these tokens (when used as local currency) also used by taverns and the like? Seem to remember that from my Annapolis archaeology days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Sterling Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Did anyone else just pee in their pants at the 1666 depiction of an 'anatomie' with an hourglass and a dart? No? Just me? Now Foxe t'is but a shaft embedded in a bush.... of roses...ahem... or some sort of flowers.... "I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers Crewe of the Archangel http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel# http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Did anyone else just pee in their pants at the 1666 depiction of an 'anatomie' with an hourglass and a dart? No? Just me? Just before I saw it, it occurred to me that it could either be the source for BB's flag or the source for the person who tried to draw BB's flag. Although it predates him by a pretty significant span of years. (It also occurred to me that this was one of the years of the plague as well as the year of the great fire in London. FWIW.) Mycroft: "My brother has the brain of a scientist or a philosopher, yet he elects to be a detective. What might we deduce about his heart?" John: "I don't know." Mycroft: "Neither do I. But initially he wanted to be a pirate." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Sterling Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 FWIW the Ft. Taylor ID pod was based on the wooden tokens that were used at coffee houses... "I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers Crewe of the Archangel http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel# http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Just before I saw it, it occurred to me that it could either be the source for BB's flag or the source for the person who tried to draw BB's flag. Although it predates him by a pretty significant span of years. (It also occurred to me that this was one of the years of the plague as well as the year of the great fire in London. FWIW.) Not BB's flag - that's another of those horrid modern inventions - but certainly other pirates had flags with a similar device. My thoughts on the token are that a: it's nice to see an actual period depiction of a device I've only seen written about, and b: the fact that the token predates the pirate flags by 50+ years shows that it's not a 'pirate' symbol per se. I hadn't even noticed the bush that looks like an enormous dangling todger... Foxe"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707ETFox.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grymm Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Thought you'd all like it =o) Lambourne! Lambourne! Stop that man pissin' on the hedge, it's imported. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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