Warner Talso has written a series of articles on a rare and interesting numismatic periodical called The Emergency Money Collector. They are being published in the MPC GRAM, an electronic newsletter for collectors of Military Payment Certificates and other war-related numismatica. With permission I'm republishing them here for E-Sylum readers. This article appeared in the March 17th, 2010 issue (Series 11, No. 1909).
Thanks, Warner! To subscribe to the MPC Gram, write to MPCGram@yahoo.com.
-Editor
This issue increases the size of the publication from 8 to 10 pages. There are hopes to eventually increase to 24 pages. As a result, effective immediately, all future subscriptions will be entered at the rate of 25 cents per copy and $1.00 per year.
There is a long discussion regarding foreign subscribers and advertisers. I image transferring and converting currency was an issue at the time.
Alrie again calls for the creation of an Emergency Money Collectors Club. He offers this publication as the official organ of the club. He offers to print membership application forms, membership cards, etc.
The Question Box: Has the United States Government ever issued emergency money? Answer: Yes. The Demand Notes and Fractional Currency of the Civil War were both emergency issues. More recent are the 1943 steel cents and the 1942-45 composition five cents piece. (One assumes the Boise Idaho cardboard one cent piece did not qualify since it was not an USG issue.)
There is an article on the "Emergency Wooden Money of Tenino , Wash. " by Emil Di Bella. The first issue of wooden money to make an appearance in the U.S. was during the "bank holiday" of 1931 (actually, the FDR-mandated bank holiday was March 6, 1933-Warrner.) Many bank depositors found their assets "frozen" and there was an acute shortage of currency to carry on normal daily business. The Chamber of Commerce in Tenino, Washington, devised a unique scrip plan. They issued scrip made from wood slices of the Sitka tree. A total of $11, 582.50 worth of scrip was issued in 1931, 32, and 33. The system is credited with keeping trade moving in Tenino.
The feature article is entitled "Russian Emergency Paper Money" by WladimirOushkoff. (This is the first installment of a series.) Paper money existed in Russia since 1769. A few local issues, printed on paper or leather appeared in the 19thCentury, but were considered too few to be discussed here. Emergency issues, as discussed here, did not appear until late 1917.
Coins, made of precious metals at the time, disappeared as a result WWI and the civil war which began in 1918. This catalog lists all the notes and local issues made in Russia from 1769 to 1948. Noteworthy were local issues in Alaska made of walrus hide, prior to the sale to the U.S. in 1867.
A major advertiser appears to be Charles Klander of Cincinnati , Ohio . He advertises many kinds of obsolete paper money for sale.
Arlie notes that there was no Fall issue of 1948 nor Winter issue for 1949. He could not find a printer. His temporary solution is a local newspaper that lets him use their printers in off hours. A very resourceful man!
To read the previous E-Sylum article, see:
THE EMERGENCY MONEY COLLECTOR, VOL. 1 NO. 2
(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n11a16.html)
Wayne Homren, Editor
The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.
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