Miami Valley Coin Club

Have You Ever Been Given A Wooden Nickel?

The proverbial wooden nickel has been around since the 1930’s. As a matter of fact they are a direct result of the Great Depression. Read on!

Due to the failure of a bank in Tenino, Washington on December 5, 1931, a severe shortage of money occurred in the region. To replenish their cash drawers, merchants would have to travel about 30 miles across treacherous mountain roads in cars ill suited to that purpose. The average round trip took up to four hours. A meeting of the town’s Chamber of Commerce resulted in a local newspaper printing up the first issue of wooden money in the U.S.

The first wooden “coins” were issued in 1933 in Blaine, Washington when the town’s bank also failed. Soon after that the issuing of wooden coins in the Pacific Northwest gained momentum.

As our country moved ahead in the later 1930’s, and the Great Depression continued, the use of wooden money “grew” if you’ll pardon the pun. In Chicago in 1933, the first use of wooden nickels as souvenirs occurred. In 1934 wooden nickels began to be used as advertising pieces. In 1938 the J. R. Roger’s company of Fostoria, Ohio obtained a copyright for their design of wooden money. Even Canada got in on the act. Among their wooden money was the Spruce Dollar from British Columbia.

Today wooden nickels are everywhere. Beer companies use them. Fast food companies such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Church’s, and even Burger King issue souvenir “wooden nickels”.

And speaking of King, there are even wooden nickels with “The King”, Elvis Presley on them.