I would bet that someone knows what this is all about. Other than the fact that it has two faces in one, and appears to be possibly a gambling game of some sort, I must admit to being stumped by it. Pocket sized, and given out as a promo by Boston’s Quality Lunch.
Circa, I have no idea.
Small replicas of such architectural structures as The Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building, The Washington Monument, and the Eiffel Tower are fairly easy to find, and are normally of nominal value. Apparently, replicas of Boston’s John Hancock Tower are not so easy to find and are quite a bit more valuable than the norm. Maybe there were only a handful made. I don’t know. Or maybe the replica derives its value from the fact that that the actual John Hancock Tower was so severely flawed during construction that 500-pound windows began falling from it before its construction was even completed. Adjacent streets and sidewalks were roped off, and large sheets of black-painted plywood were put in place to cover the holes until that design flaw, and others, could be resolved. Hence the nickname “Plywood Palace.”
Here’s a link to a wonderful 1995 Boston Globe editorial that chronicles the early troubles of the Tower.
http://www.pulitzer.org/archives/5826
btw: I purchased the replica for $1 at a yard sale, and sold it for $200+ on line. Who knew?
Odd Yard Sale Finds 