As one online user says, it was popular “back when a dollar was a dollar and you could buy some bread with a nickel.”
That takes us way back to February 1915, when a story in the New York Times read: “5 cent loaf likely to go to 6 cents” – coinage this item had space enough to carry.
Not for monacles
This antique metal case, with two round slots, is rich in history and more valuable today than the content it held almost 100 years ago.
An image of this item, simple in design, created a lively exchange of comments from users, who were baffled over its identity.
Many netizens – likely ones who favor debit or credit cards over actual cash – were completely lost when an online user asked to identify the object.
“[Monacle] case,” offered one. “I think it’s for an ink well and powder container for drying the ink when the fountain pen or quill was used?” shares a second.
A third asks: “It looks like possibly a sewing machine bobbin case??”
One even suggested it was “part of [an] ashtray [and] lighter for smokers.”
Some guessed it could have been used by women for powder and rouge, and others were convinced it was used to hold ground tobacco leaves: “Tobacco Snuff carrier. With a place to spit. Very discreetly Tobacco Snuff carrier!”
Meanwhile, others quickly identified the relic, sharing their own memories of using it decades before. “Have one. It was used to hold coins. My mom always put this in my lunch box for milk or snack money in the 1950s. Yes mine was sterling silver also. Still have it,” shares one cybernaut.
During the Victorian era, coins were a common form of currency for everyday transactions, so having a practical and stylish way to carry them was essential for many people. Coin cases were designed to be compact and portable, allowing individuals to easily access their coins while on the go.
Some Victorian coin cases were simple in design, featuring a basic pouch or compartment for holding coins, while others were more ornate and decorated with intricate patterns, embossing, or embellishments.
Often carried in pockets, purses, or bags, they were used by everyone, from the working class to the upper echelons of society.
While plastic is far lighter to carry, antique coin cases are prized by collectors for their historical significance and craftsmanship, and they serve as tangible reminders of the Victorian era and its cultural and social norms.
It also serves as a reminder to how much society has changed in only 100 years. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section and then share this story so we can hear what others have to say!
