means A small object, sign, or amount that represents something larger — value, identity, a feeling, or membership — standing in for the real thing by mutual agreement.

from From Old English 'tācen,' meaning a sign or symbol, kin to the German 'Zeichen' and tied to an ancient root for 'showing' or 'pointing out' — the same family that gave us 'teach.' At heart, a token was always something that points beyond itself: a mark that says 'look here, this means more.'