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Large Size English Sovereign Changer

1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

Large Size English Sovereign Changer Patent number 22067. William Henry Ell created this English gold coin exchanger to provide change for gold sovereigns and half sovereigns. Ell was born in London, England, about 1849, and he was a cabinet maker per the 1891 England census and a till manufacturer per the 1911 England census.

This machine has 46 brass cups that hold change for sovereigns and half sovereigns. The glass door has slots for those denominations, and a reject slot is located between the change slides above the locked drawer.

Excellent condition. Accompanying this lot are a sovereign and a half sovereign. Approximate dimensions: 21.5 x 7.5 x 6.5 inches. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Heritage Auctions 11/2018 (Newman XI), lot15097 (realized $3600). Heritage link: http://www.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=1283&lotIdNo=11917

Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

Bad transactions with : nobody to date

Comments

  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 9,288 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wonder if these were bank owned or franchises? Very interesting. Peace Roy

    BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall, coinsarefun, MichaelDixon, NickPatton, ProfLiz, Twobitcollector,Jesbroken oih82w8, DCW

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Way Kewl! I wonder what breakdown of coins it dispensed?

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • WeissWeiss Posts: 9,942 ✭✭✭✭✭

    OMG that is awesome. That is totally killer.

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Kind of like an ATM of yesteryear :)

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • carabonnaircarabonnair Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Eric P. Newman had some of the coolest stuff.

    Gawain

    Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here's a smaller version :)

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Namvet69 said:
    I wonder if these were bank owned or franchises? Very interesting. Peace Roy

    78Sovereign change machine W.H.ELL'S PATENT SAFECHECK. A Mahogany cabinet with brass change cups on either side of the centre and brass drawers below, cabinet stamped 2601. In very good condition complete with key measures 8in x 7in x 11in tall.

    These machines were located in large stores for people to change a gold Sovereign into 20 Shillings or a half Sovereign into 10 Shillings.

    Sovereign change machine W.H.ELL'S PATENT SAFECHECK. A Mahogany cabinet with brass change cups on either side of the centre and brass drawers below, cabinet stamped 2601. In very good condition complete with key measures 8in x 7in x 11in tall. These machines were located in large stores for people to change a gold Sovereign into 20 Shillings or a half Sovereign into 10 Shillings.

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks like this one is in a "Railwyana" auction this month https://www.gwra.co.uk/auctions/sovereign-change-machine-w-h-ell-s-patent-safechec-2021mar-0078.html

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CaptHenway said:
    Way Kewl! I wonder what breakdown of coins it dispensed?

    These machines were located in large stores for people to change a gold Sovereign into 20 Shillings or a half Sovereign into 10 Shillings.

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,727 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wonder if they tried to steal those as they do with ATM machines today? ;)

    All glory is fleeting.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭✭

    So how does that work? You drop in your gold coin and one of the brass cups drops down onto the pull-out tray and you pull it out, take your change and honestly place the brass cup into the large drawer at the bottom?

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CaptHenway said:
    So how does that work? You drop in your gold coin and one of the brass cups drops down onto the pull-out tray and you pull it out, take your change and honestly place the brass cup into the large drawer at the bottom?

    I'll post another pick, I think there is a 'shelf' where you leave the 'cup'

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 9,288 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @1630Boston thanks for the additional info. A so very proper gizmo for the times. I guess a big honking sovereign was too much currency between the haves and the have nots. Peace Roy

    BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall, coinsarefun, MichaelDixon, NickPatton, ProfLiz, Twobitcollector,Jesbroken oih82w8, DCW

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This would be a pre-cursor to the modern Coinstar machines... :D Cheers, RickO

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What a Sovereign or a Shilling might have bought you when this was in use:

    https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Coinage.jsp

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • SwampboySwampboy Posts: 13,127 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A machine replacing a human teller. Good thing that idea never took off.

    "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso

  • DrBusterDrBuster Posts: 5,438 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Neat. Would like to see it work/in action.

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 29,394 ✭✭✭✭✭

    that would be totally awesome to have. nice

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 29,394 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 5, 2021 11:07AM

    duplicate message

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For a young boy chopping wood the going rate was 1 ½ pence per hour,

    Interesting article @CaptHenway , thanks_

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I was driving, and thinking, I wonder if there was a fee involved with getting change for your coins with this device :)

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I doubt it. THis would probably have been in a posh store or a gentlemen's club where a well-to-do customer might need to break a Pound in order to have cab fare home.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great thought @CaptHenway :)

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,727 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Namvet69 said:
    @1630Boston thanks for the additional info. A so very proper gizmo for the times. I guess a big honking sovereign was too much currency between the haves and the have nots. Peace Roy

    A sovereign was worth 1 Pound. To the have nots of the day 1 pound was a lot of money.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • coinsarefuncoinsarefun Posts: 21,761 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 5, 2021 6:05PM

    That is crazy cool, would love to see it in action

    CoinsAreFun Pictorials Album
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