Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-10-16

SHIs-PLAsTERs,-The frequent and every
day use TO which this word is put, renders a
brief sketch of the different eras Of shinpasters
not inappropriate az the present Tune The
term, in the war Of 1872, was applied to frac-
tional parts of dollar, used for the conven-
lenoe OF making change in the absence Of small
silver coin, They We're printed on pieces Of
paper generally smaller than those now used
IN the city for similar purposes The origin
of the nickname, "shinplaster, in this APP
plication, We do not know. Perhaps il may
have been applied TO the old worthless Cont
Mental issues of paper-perhaps il may, in
1917, have been original, The banks then,
as now, suspended specie payments; and dur
ing the years 1878 and 1914, il was rare
thing TO see specie of any kind especially sill
yer change, u This, as at present, was care
fully housed up--perhaps in old stockings
TO be brought fourth when the goodtme should
come that would drive out of use the hated
shinplasters, This species of "promise to
pay" was issued by almost everybody, in de-
nominations of one cent, two cents, three cents,
six and quarter cents, twelve anda halfcents,
and so on mp TO seventy-hye cents, Merchants
issued them; village corporations and city cor
poratlons issued them; almost every tavern
keeper on the tumpikes and thoroughfarss,
leading North and South, East aud West from
the city, issued them; in short, the country
was literally flooded with them, aud they be-
came nuisance and drug. In most cases,
however, they were redeemed the ssuers
having made handsome profit from some
being lost, some Worn out, and some used Ia
hight cigars. In 1915, upon the return of
peace, the shinpasters suddenly disappeared,
and silver change became plentiful as usual.
Many persons, now elderly gentlemen, but bows
at that time, remember well this era of shin
plasters. We saw. some two or three years
ago, one for seventy-fve cents, issued by the
Bank of Troy, and signed by d. Southwick,
Vice President. 1t was in a good state of
preservation, and nearly fifty years old, and
had probably been mslaid in book L was
then sent to the bank for redemption. ,.-
The next era Of this delectable currency was
in 1887, when the Banks suspended, and sill
yer change hid itself away. The issuerthen If
we recollect rightly, was limited mostly, to
orporations-only small number of indi-
viduals and firms availing themselves Of the
, opportunity to give the people money The
City of Troy issued few thousand dollars of
them, signed by James A. Zander, City Com
missioner These, except the lost or DESTROYED,
were all redeemed by the city, and in the
course of twelve or fifteen months, like those
of kindred family from other. sources, disap-
peared from circulation.
The next and third era of shihplasters, is
now upon us, and while the war continues,
these fractional parts of dollar will constitute
probably the principal if not the entire, means
of making change in all small, retail transact
tons IN business. The mechanical features of
these bills are, of course, far superior to their
predecessors, andrthe protection against com-
terfeiting-an art which has kept pace with
Improvements in engraving-are incomparably
in advance of either of those above noticed
We leave to some inquiring mind the task Of
prophecying when. where and how the next
issue of shinplastefs will be gived to our com
munity.-1roy Times.