"put Another Nickel In ..."

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Author	Replies: 11 / Views: 1,949
matthewvincent Pillar of the Community United States 3486 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 1:06 pm My article, in a very slightly edited form, appeared in the March Issue of the Barber Coin Collectors' Journal. Look. it is my article. I apologize if I did not stroke all of the powers that be. ---------------------------------------------------------- "Put Another Nickel In ..." "Put another nickel in In the nickelodeon All I want is lovin' you And music! music! music!" To get you in the mood, link to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gUNZAmFfKA and listen to Theresa Brewer sing as you read this little article.* In 1890, Louis Glass and William S. Arnold invented the nickel-in-the-slot phonograph. Just think about how many "V" nickels found their way into that slot to delight the ears of the kids of the day. Friends, this article is written in a lighter vein. It will take a small look at our favorite coins as seen in the context of their time. If coins be a window into history let's take a peek, shall we? Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885) The Brooklyn Bridge was completed and the first Barber nickel appears in 1883. And we all know about how the omission of the denomination on the coin caused trouble. Other trouble? August 26-27, 1883 - Krakatoa, WEST of Java, explodes with a force of more than 200 megatons. Now THAT was trouble! Grover Cleveland (1885-1889) Both the Washington Monument [dedicated on February 21, 1885, and officially opened to the public on October 9, 1888] and the Statue of Liberty [dedicated on October 28, 1886] enter the American scene. Is that nagging hole in your album for the 1885 causing you fret? Blame the bank panic of 1885, one of many panics, which affect the mintage of coins. Fast forward to 1958 to see how a minor recession caused a drop in the mintages of all coins for that year. Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893) Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma were not yet states. Washington, Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota became states between Nov. 1889 and July 1890. On January 1, 1892, The Ellis Island Immigration Station was officially opened. Both of my grandparents landed here from Europe. A day later, the first of the new Barber quarter coins were struck. "Put another nickel in ..." and now a dime and a quarter and a half. Our journey begins in earnest. Grover Cleveland (1893-1897) Back for another four years! Utah and Oklahoma enter the Union. That controversial 1894-S dime. The 1896-S quarter and the coins of 1897. Still looking for an 1897-S half? I am. Some tough years and mints in here. William McKinley (1897-1901) Assassinated while in office. The newly acquired territory of the Philippines, after the Spanish-American War, caused a flood of coins to be sent there. They come back in high grades but cleaned. Just TRY to find nice examples of the years 1898, 1899 and 1900 from San Francisco. Or New Orleans for that matter! You are going to have a LONG search. And we ALL know about that 1901-S quarter! Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) His term saw the introduction of redesigned gold coins. Perhaps no other president had as much influence on the design of US coins. The first section of the New York City Subway opens on October 27, 1904. The fare? A Barber Nickel! Horn and Hardart, America's first major fast-food outlet, opens in Philadelphia in 1902 and reaches Manhattan in 1912. Nickels were plunked into vending machines. Mom took sis and I to one of them in the 1950s and it was quite fun! The Barbers settle down into a decade-long run. Simple, honest and hard-working contributors to the US economy. But, the writing is on the wall. William Howard Taft (1909-1913) Arizona and New Mexico finally join the Union. The Lincoln Cent appears and The Indian Head or Buffalo replaces the Barber nickel after a thirty-three year run. Of course, 34 years if you count the 1913 Nickel! While America continues to prosper the Clouds of War gather in Europe. Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) Perhaps in anticipation of America's destiny to enter into war, truly "American" designs are introduced: "Winged" or "Liberty" or "Mercury" head dime, Standing Liberty quarter and Walking Liberty half. It made sense: stir up patriotic fervor with new coin designs. These coins remain very popular today. But alone we remain steadfast in our devotion to keeping the older designs alive, preserving and sharing the coins and their history. Our favorites coins, designed by Charlie Barber, circulated well into the 1940s and, in certain rural areas, into the early 1950s. Slick as ice, they remain a window into our past, and a way to connect us to our parents and grandparents [or GREAT GRANDPARENTS!] who used them. A phone call, a bus ride, lunch at a diner or dinner at an Automat? These coins, day after day, kept the War Effort going. Folks, as you show your Barber coins to your family consider sharing the history of their times. You, your kids and your grand kids will appreciate it, and each other. Care to be a part of history yourself? Write something! Our Journal began in 1989, but it will only live as long as members such as yourselves keep our history alive with your contributions both great and small. Or consider helping to staff a table as we continue to participate at regional coin shows. C'mon, everybody, put your nickels in and keep that ol' Nickelodeon playing! * and it is INDEED a small world after all! Just today at local coin show a dealer Ron told me a story. On his honeymoon in Bermuda in 1981, he literally ran into Theresa Brewster and knocked her on the floor. About 70 years old at the time, he apologized but did not recognize her until she sang this tune later in the evening. Coins are a SMALL world indeed. Participate, everyone! ----------------------------- Report this Post to the Staff

mysilveryears Pillar of the Community United States 1888 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 4:24 pm That's an enjoyable read. You're quite a decent writer, Matthew. Thanks for posting. BTW there were still the occasional Barber coins to be found in the school change dishes in the early 1960's. They were never much to look at, but teenage coin enthusiasts like me with little or no spare funds available always found them exciting and eagerly swapped them out for whatever was in our lunch money pocket change. Report this Post to the Staff
bpoc1 Rest in Peace United States 4078 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 5:26 pm Matt, great historical reference. A learning experience for me! Quote: BTW there were still the occasional Barber coins to be found in the school change dishes in the early 1960's. They were never much to look at, but teenage coin enthusiasts like me with little or no spare funds available always found them exciting and eagerly swapped them out for whatever was in our lunch money pocket change. Mysilveryears, if I only knew back then! How did you? I was 10 at 1960 Report this Post to the Staff
jbuck Moderator United States 188213 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 5:30 pm A nice and quick tour of Barber-era US History. Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
matthewvincent Pillar of the Community United States 3486 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 5:35 pm Oh WOW, my silveryears, where was this? I guess a rural area rather than an urban area. I have always believed Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana were the last strongholds of Barber coins which were still in circulation. But I can always be corrected! Every time an article of mine makes it passed Eileen, my editor, I thank my English teachers from High School! Report this Post to the Staff
bobbymeru Valued Member United States 285 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 5:42 pm Nice article. I enjoy reading the tie in between historical timelines and coinage. Report this Post to the Staff
matthewvincent Pillar of the Community United States 3486 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 6:24 pm So many thanks, bobbymeru! I remember articles in Coinage Magazines from may years ago which featured a given year, with an explanation of coins against an historical backdrop. I, too, enjoyed these articles and for that reason I wrote mine. I wish that others would write similar articles. I cannot do it alone. Report this Post to the Staff
ExoGuy Pillar of the Community United States 4416 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 6:44 pm Interesting and nostalgic article, Matthew ... way to go! Some of us here do pen articles for other collectors. In a way, all of us on the CCF are writers, eh what? Many of the early, public musical devices of different kinds, utilized tokens that were "good for a tune." Report this Post to the Staff
jeffrose Pillar of the Community United States 1432 Posts	Posted 05/08/2013 9:47 pm Cheers Matthew As for Western PA I can tell you Barbers were still in circulation through the mid sixties. They were few and far between and most were AG-G but they were out there. Report this Post to the Staff
mysilveryears Pillar of the Community United States 1888 Posts	Posted 05/09/2013 1:13 pm Quote: I was 10 at 1960 I have a few years on you. I can feel them each time I reach for the advil. I grew up in an area of eastern PA that was mostly rural back then; not so much now. Treasure hunters love this area. 1700's settled properties abound. The house where I spent my teenage years was built in 1809. But metal detectors weren't around much in the 1950's and 60's. We would occasionally find barely readable large cents and such in local plowed fields while searching for Indian artifacts. Report this Post to the Staff
thusdayclub Valued Member Poland 263 Posts	Posted 05/10/2013 11:40 am Very nice article, I enjoy reading about XIX -XX century history of US. I'm looking forward article about Seated Liberty:) Report this Post to the Staff
matthewvincent Pillar of the Community United States 3486 Posts	Posted 05/21/2013 4:49 pm thusdayclub, I shall get to writing a similar article for the seated liberty series. Great idea! Report this Post to the Staff
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