1932 Tenino Washington 25 Twenty-Five Cent Wooden Money Script #4543

Description

Last one sold on eBay for ,000 (out of Canada) please read below
about this wonderful piece of history:
This is a
1932 wooden 25 cent Tenino, Washington circulated script S/N 4543 -
second series issue of June 1932 redeemable until January 1st 1933.
It has slight warping with age and someone put a piece of tape on it years ago to deter splitting, the tape is still there as shown in the scans. The stamped wording is in very good shape, though the ink has faded a touch over time. The corners are in great condition for the age.
This is an incredible piece of history, reminiscent of people’s amazing ability to adapt and ultimately survive a difficult period in time.
I have included below a small narrative if you are interested in learning some of the
history of Tenino’s wooden currency
– which was the first in the United States.
“Tenino’s Wooden Money on December 5, 1931, the Citizens Bank of Tenino failed. The local Chamber of Commerce held an emergency meeting to discuss how local businesses would be able to survive during the Great Depression if no one had any access to their money. The bank had been assigned a liquidator who would eventually pay out a certain percentage of everyone’s frozen accounts from the remaining assets, but that would take time.
Don Major, the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce and publisher of the Tenino Independent Newspaper, proposed a plan to use his newspaper press to print the town’s own money or local scrip. Citizens could then assign up to 25% of their bank account to the Chamber in exchange for that value in locally printed certificates. Local businesses would then accept this currency and redeem it through the Chamber once the liquidator paid out.
The Chamber appointed three Trustees to oversee the project: Dr. Al Meyer, Chamber Treasurer and local dentist; Dr. F. W. Wichman, the town’s doctor; and Don Major.
The first issue of the new currency was printed on paper stock in December 1931. About 80 was circulated among the citizens of Tenino and about 80 was eventually redeemed.
Don Major had been using his newspaper’s press for other printing jobs as well. That December he had begun using a new stock called “slice wood” to print novelty Christmas cards. Slice wood was made from spruce and cedar shaved into 1/80 of an inch slices produced by Eckersly of Aberdeen. This novel printing stock was being marketed by Albert Balch of Seattle. Don used this wooden material to print 40 twenty-five cent certificates in late December 1931. This was the first Tenino Wooden Money.
In February 1932, a large print run of wooden money, in , $.50, and $.25, was printed. News of this unique solution to local banking woes reached the newspapers of Seattle and Tacoma. Their stories quickly became national news! Washington State Senator Dill had the story entered into the Congressional Record. Pathé News came to Tenino and produced a newsreel.
Collectors from across the country and around the world wrote to Tenino asking for pieces of this unique wooden money. The Chamber of Commerce would continue to print several more issues throughout 1932 and into 1933. By the end they had produced ,000 worth of wooden money, of which only was ever redeemed. Many still reside in numismatic collections around the world.”
“Tenino’s Wooden Money”, Richard A. Edwards, Tenino City Historian
“Eventually, demand for the wooden money went national and even international. Demand for Tenino’s unique wooden money came from around the world. Contemporary accounts indicate would-be collectors included King Farouk of Egypt and Benito Mussolini, dictator of Italy.”
Scott McArthur, Tenino, Washington: The Decades of Boom and Bust (Monmouth, Oregon: Scott McArthur, 2005)
Shipping is $FREE via USPS in firm padded envelope with tracking to
USA
addresses only. Longtime eBay member with 100% positive feedback. Questions welcome - see my other auctions to take advantage of combined or reduced shipping. Wood is Good ☺☺