Mardi Gras Collectibles

Collectible doubloons are collectively called heavies by those who seek them out. 

The bronze, often antique bronze, doubloons are made by many krewes, although there is no requirement as to what a krewe must have in its doubloon minting.  These are usually like the parade doubloons depicting the krewe logo on one side and the parade theme on the other side.  It is common that the year would also appear on the doubloon.  In some cases, copper is used in lieu of bronze.

Silver oxide is often applied to give some heavy doubloons the illusion of being silver.  Of course, they do not command the price of silver, in most cases.  Rarity can drive the price of some doubloons up, but as a general rule even the silver oxide, called oxis, are affordable.

Multicolored doubloons, called multis, are often bronze doubloons that are colorized.  Two methods are used to colorize these doubloons, thin colorized plates are attached to the face of the doubloon.  Others are enameled.  Some have both faces colorized, others have just one side colorized which is usually the krewe logo side.  Some have fixed colors year after year applied to the logo side, others vary the colors annually, and might even have multiple issues for the same year in different color schemes.

Doubloons are also minted by krewes with no parade.  A ball with a theme can serve as the theme depicted on their doubloons.

Many krewes have silver doubloons minted.  Some are an ounce of fine silver, but neither the weight nor the purity is required to meet any standard.

The parade floats are themselves works of art, and some krewes issue posters depicting their parade floats for a year and perhaps the court of the king, queen, and maids for that year.  These can be framed and displayed as works of art. 

Invitations to krewe balls, including krewes that have no parade, can be quite ornate and collectible.  Some, those from the 1800s and early 1900s, can be quite valuable.  These can be mounted and displayed.

Most beads are bought in volume, and worth little or nothing.  However, beads with a krewe logo, especially those in a clear bags, are good, inexpensive keepsakes, and do have a collector market.

As aluminum has risen in price the chip has become more popular among some krewes.  This keeps production cost down in making a version of the doubloon, and allows multicolored chips to be produced inexpensively to be thrown.  There are only a few krewes currently throwing chips, but the move to having more use them is likely as the cost of aluminum continues to rise.

Plastic cups usually have the Krewe’s name and are dated with images reflecting the parade.  These can be collected, but are so plentiful that they become drinking cups by those who frequent parades.  Cups were the inexpensive alternative to doubloons, but they have not totally eliminated doubloons from many krewes.  However, some krewes have abandoned doubloons, or have many members not purchasing doubloons to throw.

Pins and badges are designed for members of krewes, and some are worn at krewe functions.  These can range from a multicolored doubloon with a loop to the ornate ducal worn by certain people at a ball.   Usually, these are more expensive than doubloons.

There is no limit what a krewe can use as favors.  Some issue silver plated cups, some issue useful items such as women’s compacts.  Many have the krewe’s initials, such as K of X, leaving collectors to determine which krewe of many with the same initials issued the favor.

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