Antique Apothecary Drachms & Scruples Tokens

Condition as per photos.5 tokens in total.

In the book "Tokens and Medals" by Alpert & Elman, is the information that these tokens were used in the United States and in England from about the 1840's to 1940's. It is difficult to date individual tokens, as the same designs were in use for long periods of time. These tokens are relics of times in the past when coins were used as weights. These weight tokens were used to weigh items in small double-pan balances. Druggests were one of the largest users of these tokens, so they are often called "apothecary weights" or "pharmacists weights." They were useful for weighing when high accuracy was not required, but dirt would accumulate in the crevices, reducing accuracy over time. When electronic scales were developed in the mid-20th century, these token weights quickly became obsolete.