1883 USA Joshua Tatum’s Racketeer Nickel 5 Cents Descriptive Story Card

USA – Joshua Tatum’s – Racketeer Nickel – 5 Cents – 1883 – Descriptive Story Card – By placing a large Roman numeral “V” and leaving the words “Five Cents” off the new design for the 1883 nickel, designer Charles Barber did not realize what trouble it would cause. Very rapidly, some people began to gold-plate this coin and pass it off to shopkeepers as a $5 gold piece. It quickly became known as the Racketeer Nickel. Although many men plated these V-nickels, the most famous man was Joshua Tatum. He frequented saloons and tobacco shops mostly, making small purchases and paying for them with the altered nickels but receiving change for $5. When he was finally arrested and brought to trial, he was acquitted! Joshua Tatum was a deaf-mute and never told anyone he was giving them a gold coin so fraud could not be proven! Needless to say, the government had Mr. Barber add