Token 7 - Wiegemarke - Woermann Linie and Deutsch-Ostafrika Linie - 1891

Token 7 - Wiegemarke - Woermann Linie and Deutsch-Ostafrika Linie - 1891

Historical background
The token relates to the German colonial shipping network in German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika), principally the East African ports including Dar es Salaam.
The Woermann Line was founded in Hamburg in 1885. The Deutsch-Ost-Afrika-Linie (DOAL) was established in 1890 to operate regular shipping to German East Africa. The two companies were closely connected, and Woermann ships also served the East African routes.

A contemporary 1891 source specifically records DOAL service carrying passengers and goods between Hamburg and ports including Dar-es-Salaam, Bagamoyo, Tanga, Kilwa and Lindi. 

A Wiegemarke was a practical weighing/handling token rather than a coin intended for monetary circulation. This particular issue is associated with the shipping companies and the weighing of goods/cargo.