World’s Fair Beer Garden

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The phrase “things aren’t always what they seem” is certainly true of a token issued by O.G. Frederick. Its obverse inscription is simply his name, with the words WORLDS/FAIR beneath it, and the reverse reads GOOD FOR/12½/CENTS/IN TRADE. There is no indication of the issuer’s location, which makes this token a maverick. The term comes from a 19th-century Texas land baron named Samuel Maverick who refused to brand his cattle. Whether he did this because he didn’t want to hurt his animals or so he could claim other unbranded cattle as his own, depends on the account you read. Unbranded cattle became known as mavericks, and token collectors have adopted the term.

One Bit

The 21mm brass token’s 12½-cent denomination indicates that it was very likely issued by a saloon and was good for a whiskey, or perhaps a cigar. Some examples, including the one illustrated herein, have been counterstamped with a large number “5” over the denomination. Frederick probably did this when he needed a 5-cent token but didn’t want to pay to have a second token struck. 

If you aren’t a “good for” token collector, you might consider 12½ a strange denomination. However, its use, not only on tokens but also on privately issued currency, can be traced back to the early 1800s, when Spanish coins circulated freely in the United States. The denomination 12½ cents, which is often referred to as one bit, is equal to ⅛ of a dollar. A 1778 North Carolina colonial currency 12½-cent note even states that it is equal to “One Eighth of a Spanish milled Dollar.”

It might seem logical to assume that the token was issued by a saloon owner in Chicago in 1893 during the Columbian Exposition. If that was your guess, however, you would be more than 1,200 miles off the mark. Frederick did own a saloon, but it was located in Helena, Montana. 

Norwegian Immigrant 

Ole Gundersen Frederick was born in Norway on September 10, 1855. When he came to America isn’t known, but by the late 1880s, he and his brother, Oliver, were living in Helena. Oliver was in business as early as 1888, but the first newspaper mention I found for Ole was dated November 21, 1891, when the Helena Evening Herald announced that he “will give a grand opening tonight at his new place opposite the Cosmopolitan hotel.” 

Ole either opened a new business or renamed his existing one. An article in the November 21, 1893, issue of the Helena Evening Herald gave a descriptive account of his establishment, reporting that 

“one of the popular places of resort is the World’s Fair Beer Garden at Main and Wall streets, of which O. G. Frederick is the proprietor. The garden was only started a few months ago, but Mr. Frederick fitted it up in good style, stocked it with the best goods, and has provided many attractions for his customers. [The article also stated that] every evening there is music by competent performers, and while everyone is expected to enjoy himself the best order is always maintained. The bowling alley in connection with the garden is a great attraction and it enjoys a large patronage. Well lighted by day and night, clean and roomy, with polite attendants, the garden will be found a pleasant place to pass an evening. Kessler’s beer is kept on draught and the finest liquors and best cigars are kept in stock.”

Musical Entertainment

During the next few years, Ole continued to allure new patrons to his beer garden by featuring a variety of musical groups. For example, in August 1894 it was stated that Professor Genke’s famous orchestra would be appearing every evening. In 1895 one of the attractions was the Vienna Prater Ladies’ Orchestra of San Francisco, which was described as “a musical aggregation of unsurpassed excellence, that has won many flattering comments on the Pacific coast.”

Business Expansion

The brothers expanded their individual and joint businesses during the early 1900s. The June 27, 1903, issue of the Montana Record-Herald announced that Oliver and Jake Knudtson, “the well known and popular proprietors of the North Star saloon, have leased the Combination saloon” in Helena. In April 1905 Ole leased Central Park, where he planned to offer high-class vaudeville acts during the summer. Later that year, he went to Lewistown, Montana, where he planned to reopen the Tivoli theatre. However, because of the venue’s past bad reputation, instead of granting Frederick a license, they raised the fee from $2 to $10 a day, making it prohibitively expensive to operate.

Hotel & Drug Store

In 1909 Ole and his family moved to Kalispell, Montana, where he and his brother owned the Hotel Norden. A year later, in partnership with Albert Anderson, he opened a drug store in Bigfork, Montana. On November 21, he died while he and his wife were visiting Seattle, Washington. His body was transported to Kalispell, where he was buried. 

In addition to the 12½-cent token, Ole issued a similar 10-cent piece. He also issued tokens that simply have O.G.F. on one side and CENTRAL/5¢ or 10¢/PARK on the reverse. Both are 21mm and struck in brass. The tokens are all listed in Montana Token Collectors Reference Manual, a catalog compiled by Roy D. Rubick and published in 2008.

I welcome readers’ comments. Write to me at P.O. Box 2866, La Plata, MD 20646. If a reply is desired, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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A version of this article appears in the February 2026 issue of The Numismatist (money.org)