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As with most collectors, I have sometimes become side-tracked with what I have started to collect. I started with coins and was then introduced to currency, elongated cents, tokens, and wooden nickels. These are all areas that most of us are familiar with. But, if you branch out further, you can find a ton of fun in festive items brought out usually for an old holiday in an iconic U.S. region.

I got introduced a few years ago to Mardi Gras Doubloons. Like many retired people I was down in the Florida Panhandle during Mardi Gras. Although most people think of New Orleans regarding this event, most cities along the Gulf Coast area hold Mardi Gras parades. Doubloons are thrown from floats in them and are some of the most coveted “throws” I first discovered in Pensacola Beach.

Mardi Gras Doubloons were first used in the 1960 Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. They were tossed by the Krewe of Rex (a krewe can be any club or organization with a float in a parade) and most are named after Greek and Roman gods. In the years since, many of these names have been claimed and as a result, other deities have been used, and, just as this borrowing has occurred, so too have other krewes begun to throw out Doubloons of their own production.

Mardi Gras Doubloons are made of aluminum. They are larger than a silver dollar but lighter to not hurt anyone when they are thrown from a float and their size is closer to a Spanish “doblon,” which is why they have their anglicized name. Originally, they were also all silver in color and undated, but, today they can be found in any color and some are multi-colored. Most are round, but other shapes one is likely to see are shields, treasure chests, hexagons, and assorted others.

There are collectors and clubs specializing in Mardi Gras Doubloons. Most of them can be bought for under 25 cents which makes it an inexpensive hobby for kids. They are very colorful and eye-catching, are available on eBay and some coin shows, and can also be collected by date, color, shape, and the krewe, too.

I have a collection of different Doubloons by date from 1966 – 2023. I have a collection of 74 different krewes. Some Doubloons are advertisements. I have 12 for Coors, Falstaff, Schlitz and Anheuser-Busch. One for each of the military branches and fourteen for famous people. There are also advertisements for politicians, newspapers, radio stations, grocery stores, and even a coin club.

Wisconsin Valley Coin Club President Terry Kafka and I run an after-school program in the Wausau School District for students in the third through fifth grades. One of our classes is on Doubloons and the students are always excited when they see all the different shapes and colors. We hope this comes to coins.

As I wrote above, most Doubloons are made of aluminum. However, in recent years some have been appearing as .999 silver rounds minted for collectors. These bring prices of $40 to over $100, so, if you are looking for something to collect for either fun or for profit, consider getting into Mardi Gras Doubloons.

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