SOLD
500.00USDto 4******************n+ buyer's premium (125.00)
This item SOLD at 2026 Nov 06 @ 11:35UTC-08 : PST/AKDT
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This token is another remarkable surviving treasure, from a short-lived business for a remotely located saloon, out in the desert all by itself, half way between Wabuska and Thompson, only operating September 1913 to October, 1914. As such, this is not a truly Thompson token, it is of its own place, about 2.5 miles roughly north of Wabuska, near the site of the hot springs. The Half Way House was owned by two different people, but only one perhaps the capital to get the token made. Regardless of which owner had the token made, it would have only been used for no more than six months! Pop in 1990: 4.
Thompson (also known as Thompson Smelter) in Lyon County processed copper ore from the Mason Valley, Nevada Douglas (Ludwig NV.) and Bluestone copper mines. The copper smelter was completed at Thompson for the Mason Valley Mines Company in 1912. At the time, 600 men were employed at the mines.
The Nevada Copperbelt Railroad had been built from Wabuska to Ludwig, completed around 1911. It was headquartered at Mason, about 3 miles southwest of Yerington. Thompson was located about half way between Wabuska and Mason. The town was small at first and was reportedly slow to grow with only the Thompson Mercantile Co. reported as the only business there in the 1912 Polk Gazetteer. Initially there was a two block business district, and by 1914 Thompson had grown with several blocks of residences, and a population of 350.
The Half Way House was located half way between Thompson and Wabuska, according to newspaper reports. It’s business history is difficult to trace, but here’s what we know: In September, 1913, Bert and Gertie Davis were granted a license to run the Half Way House. Davis apparently couldn’t pay one of his liquor wholesalers, who sued him about March, 1914. He left town suddenly “whereabouts are unknown.”
Apparently, Mike Morsel took over where Davis left off. In late March, Someone filed to have the liquor license for the Half Way House, run by Mike Morsel, revoked, but the request was denied. Dan Panovich applied for a license to run the Half Way House in April, 1914, and was rejected by the Lyon County Commissioners. He may have entered into an agreement with Morsel, but that venture failed. By late April, the Half Way House was fully in business with a wedding held there the last week of April. Morsel’s Half Way House reportedly burned to the ground about October 30, 1914, with a loss of “$5,500.”
By then, however, the big business of the Thompson Smelter was about to get in trouble. By November, problems at the Smelter arose of an unknown nature. All during 1914, tonnage reports were published by the local press. In July, the smelter was running at full capacity. In October, it was running near capacity. Then the news went quiet… what happened? Management left. The smelter was shut down by mid-December, if not sooner. Rumors abounded that it would reopen anytime, but the key managers were gone to other jobs, without comment. The smelter had processed thousands of tons of copper ores and had more than 60 custom shipments of silver, gold ores from small mines – very typical of a copper smelter that greatly needed quartz as a flux, and the gold-silver quartz veins fit the bill. The same held true at McGill.
While rumors flew like birds during 1915-1916, and copper ores continued to be mined during that period, the Thompson Smelter remained closed. It did reopen in 1917, but only for two years.
Morsel continued in the saloon business. In January 1915, Marsel was operating a saloon in Aurora. In July 1915, he was granted another liquor license in Lyon County, perhaps at Wabuska.
The history here bears further digging. The last smelter production report was for October, 1914. Then silence. The Half Way House burned down near the end of the month. Did Morsel foresee business failure with knowledge that the smelter was going to be shut down, and burn down his saloon? Coincidence?????
Obverse: Half Way Bar/ Thompson,/ Nev.
Reverse: GF 12.5c IT
Shape/Metal: rd, br
Town: Thompson, Nevada
Auction Location:
701 Gold Run Court, Reno, Nevada, 89521, United States
Previewing Details:
By appointment with Fred Holabird (775-843-0229)
or Uwe (775-247-4350)
Nevada State Sales Tax
Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| NSST |
8.375% |
Nevada Sales Tax |
| CSST |
8% |
California Sales Tax |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
25% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
SHIPPING AND PICKUP
Domestic shipping is a flat $15 per successful buyer, regardless of how many tokens are purchased, by USPS Priority Mail. Alternate shipping, including FedEx, is at the buyer's expense. International shipping is charged at actual cost. Purchases will be shipped after the invoice and applicable shipping charges are paid in full and payment clears. Buyers must provide an accurate delivery address. Contact Fred Holabird (775-843-0229)in advance to arrange pickup. Promptly report shipment loss or damage and retain packaging for any carrier claim.
Payment Details:
Due on receipt of invoice. Automatic payment will be processed with the credit card on file 5-7 days after invoicing for any unpaid balances.
Accepted Payment Methods:
- VISA
- Master Card
- AMEX
- Discover
- Money Order/Bank Draft
- Check/Cheque
- COD (cash on delivery)
- PayPal
- Wire Transfer
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Auction Conducted by Holabird Mining, Environmental and Historical, LLC.
1. ACCEPTANCE AND PARTICIPATION
This is a private, invitation-only auction. By registering, placing a bid, or otherwise participating, bidders accept these Terms and Conditions. Bidders must provide accurate contact information and are responsible for purchases made under their bidder account.
2. BUYER'S PREMIUM, INVOICING AND PAYMENT
A 25% buyer's premium will be added to the hammer price of every lot. This premium includes payment-processing fees; applicable sales tax and shipping are additional. Invoices will be sent on the day of the sale. Full payment is due within ten calendar days after the sale, unless other arrangements have been made in advance. Payment may be made by check, cash or PayPal. Purchases may be held until payment clears. Returned checks are subject to a $25 fee, to the extent permitted by law.
3. SALES TAX AND RESALE EXEMPTIONS
Applicable sales or use tax will be collected as required by law, using the rate applicable to the transaction. Dealers claiming a resale exemption must submit valid state resale documentation before invoicing. Nevada and California dealers must provide their valid state resale license and any required resale certificate. No resale exemption will be granted without the required documentation.
3. BIDDING METHODS AND DEADLINES
Bidding is available in person, by telephone, by absentee bid, and through iCollector. Telephone bidding must be arranged in advance. Online bidders must register with iCollector before bidding. Mail bids must be received before the auction begins. Allow sufficient time for delivery and processing; sending a bid does not establish that it was received. Bidders must supply correct lot numbers and maximum bid amounts.
4. BID AMOUNTS AND ABSENTEE BIDS
All bids must be in U.S. dollars and whole-dollar amounts, using the increments published below. Nonconforming amounts may be rounded to the nearest permitted increment. An absentee bid is the maximum hammer price the bidder authorizes, excluding buyer's premium, tax and shipping. Absentee bids will be executed competitively, at the lowest permitted amount needed to prevail against competing bids and meet any stated minimum or reserve, up to the bidder's maximum. Withdrawn lots will not be sold.
From: to: Increment:
$1 $95 $5
$100 $190 $10
$200 $475 $25
$500 $1,450 $50
$1,500 $3,400 $100
$3,500 $9,750 $250
$10,000 $30,000 $500
5. BID CORRECTIONS AND COMPLETION OF SALE
Contact Fred Holabird promptly by telephone at 775-843-0229 to correct or withdraw a bid submitted in error. For online bids, also follow iCollector's procedures. Do not assume a correction has been processed without confirmation. A lot is sold when the auctioneer announces its sale by the fall of the hammer or another customary announcement. The successful bidder then becomes obligated to pay the hammer price, buyer's premium, applicable tax and shipping.
6. AUCTIONEER'S AUTHORITY AND RECORD
The auctioneer may reject bids not made in good faith, determine bidding increments, resolve tie bids and immediate bidding disputes, and reopen bidding where permitted by law. Tie bids are generally awarded to the first bid recognized by the auctioneer. The auctioneer's final sale record controls in the event of a discrepancy with an electronic bidding display.
7. SHIPPING AND PICKUP
Domestic shipping is a flat $15 per successful buyer, regardless of how many tokens are purchased, by USPS Priority Mail. Alternate shipping, including FedEx, is at the buyer's expense. International shipping is charged at actual cost. Purchases will be shipped after the invoice and applicable shipping charges are paid in full and payment clears. Buyers must provide an accurate delivery address. Contact Fred Holabird in advance to arrange pickup. Promptly report shipment loss or damage and retain packaging for any carrier claim.
8. CONDITION, DESCRIPTIONS AND AUTHENTICITY
Bidders should inspect lots or review descriptions and photographs before bidding. Previews are available by appointment. Condition assessments are subjective; descriptions and photographs may not identify every detail, imperfection or item in a multiple-item lot. Ask questions before bidding. Items are guaranteed authentic unless otherwise stated in the lot description. This express guarantee is retained and is not canceled by the final-sale policy below.
9. FINAL SALES AND CLAIMS
All sales are final. No returns for changes of mind, bidding errors, buyer preferences or condition matters disclosed or reasonably apparent before bidding. If a buyer believes an item is not authentic or was materially misdescribed, contact Fred Holabird promptly, preferably within ten days of receipt, with supporting information. Any claim will be reviewed under the express authenticity guarantee and applicable law. Do not alter an item or return it without written authorization. These terms do not exclude remedies that applicable law requires.
10. NONPAYMENT AND RESALE
If payment is overdue, the Company may withhold delivery, cancel the transaction, decline future bids and pursue lawful collection remedies. Unpaid lots may be resold after any notice required by law. To the extent permitted by law, the defaulting bidder is responsible for any recoverable shortfall and reasonable resale and collection costs, with credit given for payments received, resale proceeds and expenses saved. Cancellation or resale does not automatically discharge the bidder's outstanding obligations. Recovery will not duplicate amounts already recovered.
11. UNCLAIMED PURCHASES
Buyers must arrange shipment or pickup within thirty days after the auction unless an extension is agreed in advance. If paid purchases remain unclaimed, the Company will send written notice to the buyer's supplied contact information and allow at least fifteen additional days to make arrangements. Any storage charges must be disclosed in that notice before they begin. Continued failure to make arrangements may result in further action permitted by law, following required notice. Paid merchandise is not automatically forfeited merely because thirty days have elapsed.
12. LIABILITY, DISPUTES AND GOVERNING LAW
Nevada law governs this sale. To the extent permitted by law, the Company is not liable for incidental or consequential damages arising from the auction, and the bidder's remedy for a proven act or omission by the Company is rescission of the affected sale and refund of the amount paid for that purchase. These limitations do not exclude liability or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded. Disputes shall be heard exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction in Washoe County, Nevada, and the parties consent to that jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by law, the parties waive trial by jury, and an action for breach of the sale contract must be commenced within one year after the claim accrues. The prevailing party may recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the extent permitted by law. If a provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain effective.