The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 46, November 14, 2004, Article 8

HOLED CENT A SLAVE COIN

  On November 13 the Free Lance-Star of Fredericksburg,
  VA published an article about a holed large cent, which,
  according to curators of the U.S. National Slavery Museum
  scheduled to open in Fredericksburg in 2007, is a "slave
  coin."

  The article states that "masters gave the coins to slaves as
  a reward for some small act of loyalty. Slaves apparently
  made holes in the coins to wear them around their necks.

  Damron said the museum is in the process of doing research
  to learn more about the coins and the people linked to them.
  The topic is one that is also of interest to archaeologists, who
  have varying theories about their meaning and significance."

  The cent, discovered some time ago near a creek bank,
  is being donated to the museum.  It will be the second one
  in the museum's collection.

  The first came from Gerald Foster, a volunteer scholar in
  residence with the museum and husband of the executive
  director. He said the 1846 coin was passed down through
  the family from his great-grandfather Elijah Chisolm.

  Foster found the coin about five years ago as he was looking
  through a box of coins saved by his family. He asked family
  members and acquaintances about the piece to learn about
  its history.

  He presumes Chisolm--who was born about 1858 or 1860
  -- was a slave, but he has not yet been able to document
  that as fact."

  [We've discussed slave badges before, but is anyone aware
   of references to the wearing of holed coins by slaves in
   numismatic literature or elsewhere?  -Editor]

  Slave Coins

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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