LINCOLN PROFILE PORTRAIT BUST OF MACERATED GREENBACKS

LINCOLN PROFILE PORTRAIT BUST OF MACERATED GREENBACKS

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$295.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1202-1990

Shipping: Determined by Method & Location of buyer

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Call 717-334-0347,
Fax 717-334-5016, or E-mail

Souvenir portrait bust of Lincoln molded from macerated U.S. currency still showing small flecks of ink. Instead of burning old currency taken out of circulation, which still left some fragments floating around that might be found and redeemed, the government switched to maceration in 1874, which ground it while wet into pulp. The prospect of seeing many  thousands of dollars destroyed was a novelty tourists of the nation’s capital and the resulting pulp itself, containing small bits of paper and traces of ink, became the medium for molded souvenirs in the form of portrait busts of notables, patriotic Lincoln or Uncle Sam top hats, miniature buildings like the Washington Monument, and also a wide variety of knickknacks like small animals, shoes, etc. They remained for sale in Washington souvenir shops well into the 1920s, but lost a lot of appeal after 1908 when the government added chemicals to the pulp, destroying the bits of color, though a few entrepreneurs then added their own bits of paper. These often came with a label or tag indicating the dollar amount of the currency destroyed in making the batch of pulp from which it was molded to increase their impressiveness. This is a nice example in good condition, mounted on a black background, creating something in the form of a mourning portrait, perhaps even purchased by a Civil War veteran or someone who had seen Lincoln in person.   [sr][ph:L]

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