The Folsom Prison Counterfeit Nickel Gang, 1898
JCH22
Posts: 171 ✭✭✭
Folsom Prison is known for many lasts and firsts (as well as a legendary Johnny Cash Concert). It was the first electrified prison, first with a commercial ice-making plant which spurred development of California’s fruit-growing industry, and, apparently the first prison with its own mint:
Contemporary articles from surrounding towns do contain reports of circulating counterfeit nickels.
A picture of Folsom Prison circa 1900:
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Comments
What a fitting name.
Young Numismatist • My Toned Coins
Life is roadblocks. Don't let nothing stop you, 'cause we ain't stopping. - DJ Khaled
Cool story.
They should be locked up!
I noticed that as well! Haha!
Do we know if any of these prison nickels have been preserved, authenticated and graded?
10 pounds of opium! Musta been a convict zombie fest.
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They were undoubtedly making counterfeit V nickels in 1898 - which is a date that I have personally found very difficult to obtain in PCGS MS64! My MS V nickel collection is complete except for the 1885, 1886, 1890, and 1898!
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/alltimeset/71874
Been nice if they made a few V's for 1913.
How bogus 👍
I have searched everywhere online that I can think of, and as far as I can tell, not a single example has ever been graded, and locating ANY actual examples has proven to be extremely challenging. I am sure there have to be some preserved examples out there, but I have been unable to locate even a single one.
FP has a museum. I made an inquiry to determine if they have any of the 1898 nickels on display. And a request for pics of an example. We shall see.
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
It is spelled as Cayne elsewhere in the article.
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FP responded to my inquiry with "We do not" 😐
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
That part would be incorrect. He was a private detective, and his true name was Harry L. Coyne, and in life, he went by "Jack". I found an article detailing how he ended up in prison to begin with.
https://lavenuesproject.com/2014/01/04/hero-or-huckster-harry-coyne-the-dynamite-fiend/
A very interesting thread! Thanks for posting this. I enjoyed the read
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"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Darn. If they don't have a single example, they may no longer exist. They may have been destroyed, although some were rumored to have made it into circulation in the Folsom area.
Worthwhile post that's for sure!
👍
Would have been hard to pass in 1898.