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13

Indian Wells Trading Post 50-cent Trade Token

Currency:USD Category:Western Americana / Collectibles - Tokens Start Price:20.00 USD Estimated At:NA
Indian Wells Trading Post 50-cent Trade Token
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Indian Wells Trading was near Winslow, Arizona. Trade tokens were an active part of their business.
The store was in a cluster of trading posts (5) within a 20-mile radius of one another. Across the road was Bitahoochee Trading. The area was prodigious for saddle blankets. Each week the area stores could provide as many as 150 saddle blankets for our company. I made regular trips in a station wagon and hauled as many as I could fit, including the outside luggage rack, and blankets rolled under my legs.
Saddle blankets could be woven relatively quickly and efficiently by weavers. The sizes were always 30x30 or 30x60. The designs were simple horizontal stripes with occasional corner patterns. A weaver could make a saddle blanket in a few days as opposed to rugs that took considerably longer. The prices were equally consistent. For years we paid $6 each for singles and $12 for doubles. The blankets were desirable because the wool absorbed sweat and they were durable. Nowadays many saddle blankets are sold as old rugs. The tell is the consistent size. We used to handle thousands of saddle blankets each year.
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