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Obverse Design
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Curving along the top, it has an ornamental large dot and then says
"CO. B. 10TH INF." and another large
ornamental dot. Curving along the bottom it says "POOL & BARBER".
Across the middle in larger font it has "50¢". Close to the rim is a
circle of beads.
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Reverse Design
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Mostly blank with a circle of beads near the rim, and a line making a second
circle inside the bead circle.
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Metal
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Brass.
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Weight
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Unknown.
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Size and Shape
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Round, 32 mm in diameter.
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Dates Issued
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Probably between 1911 and 1917.
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Issuer
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Tenth Infantry stationed at Camp Otis.
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Mintage
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Unknown.
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Rarity
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Very Rare.
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Manufacturer
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Unknown.
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Other Catalog Numbers
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None.
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Varieties
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None known.
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Function
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Used for pool and barber. I'm not sure if pool means billards or swimming.
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Historical Note
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The 10th Infantry was stationed in the Canal Zone at Camp Otis from October 1911
until May 1917. Upon arrival from its original station in Texas, the 10th Infantry
consisted of 33 officers and 813 enlisted men.
The camp was named for Major General Elwell S. Otis (1838-1909),
a veteran of the Civil War and the Philippines. Camp Otis was an old labor camp
named Las Cascadas which was turned over to the US Army in 1911, after there was
no more use for it in the Panama Canal construction effort.
In 1917 the 10th Infantry was redeployed to France as part of the American
Expeditionary Force.
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Population Count
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Two specimens in collector hands are known to me.
Recent sales include:
- Auction sale on ebay on February 21, 2003 for $272 of
the specimen above (VG-8 condition with some corrosion).
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