Found a box marked "Navaho Trade Tokens, 1890's/Sterling

I found a sealed box that is marked "Navaho(sic) Trade Tokens\Sterling 1810’s 3429B(a catalog number?)

Appears there is a crude Bull, a Donkey, a Kneeling person, 2 heads that look like Native American person on a buffalo head nickel, 3 other (female?) heads that remind me of a liberty dime & about 12 stick people. The figural items look like Milagros. See attachments.

The 12 stick people have similar marks on the front of them like a number sign # but with only 1 vertical line. They are all a little different with expressions on their little faces. I did find a current Hopi artisan using a symbol nearly identical (less the sterling) that is the Lakota sign for Rain(see attachment #1).

On the non-stick people, didn’t see any marks on either side.

I’ve never seen such things before & wondered if anyone new anything about them.

Looks like there is 21 items in the box. It is sealed so I didn’t think I should open it as it looks very old itself. I am not confident that the person who put the items in the box knew what exactly they were. Trade tokens generally look like coins & the hallmark would seem more likely a Hopi mark. Hopefully they really are Sterling!

Any info is appreciated!


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The images did not come through, would like to see them. I don’t imagine what you have is from 1810, a few years after Lewis and Clark return from their expedition. Look forward to seeing the images.