For those who enjoy speculating about "bank wrapped rolls" this might be fun
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
This is a letter from the Hauck & Windisch Beer Brewing company in Cincinnati, Ohio. They shipped two boxes of small coin to the Philadelphia Mint for redemption. Of note is that the company packed its coins in rolls of specific denominations. This quantity of small change likely came from direct sales of beer to individuals.
3
Comments
Why in the world would a company be sending ordinary coinage to the Mint for redemption instead of just depositing it in their local bank?
Now we know a roll of 2c pieces contained 50 coins, and a roll of 3c silvers contained 100 coins.
I would liked to have seen what was in those 31 rolls of 3c silvers!
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Cool numismatic history! Thanks for sharing.
Probably 3 cent nickels.
The 3-cent coins were CuNi. 3-cent silver pieces that were submitted were returned to the sender. One sender, J. Libby & Co. Fancy Bread Bakers, described the 3-cent silver thus:
"...the little, nasty, mean and worthless bits of silver ought to be [redeemed]....these are the most trifling...."
A few others redeeming base coins also mention rolls but they are not all the same content, so I doubt there was any "accepted standard."
Redemption was necessary because the coins had been issue in huge quantities and the Mint refused to accept them back in deposits. They piled up in banks and merchant's stores. There are many deposits of over $1,000 in these coins. Merchants wanted the newer 5-cent CuNi coins and bronze cents, plus silver coins.
I think others can better address the base coin redemption situation.
Here is a typical redemption request. This is from a street railway company, aka streetcar or trolley.