I'm not Joshing you

"Just joshing you" came from the late 1800's and has a very interesting story behind it!
Josh Tatum was a deaf mute, but a very enterprising young man from the midwest. In 1883 the US Mint came out with a new nickel. It was deemed the Liberty Head Nickel and on the reverse side had a large roman numeral V stamped on it. The new nickel did not have the word "cents" or "nickel" stamped on it. Josh Tatum noticed this and the fact that it was nearly the same size as the US $5.00 gold piece, which at the time was used as common currency. With the help of a friend familiar in gold electroplating base metal, they turned these coins into a literal gold mine. Tatum went from town to town going into shops, stores & mercantiles. He was very careful not to purchase anything that cost more than a nickel, where he would hand over one of these gold plated nickels. The clerk would accept the coin, and in most instances give Josh back $4.95 in change, which he happily would take. By the time law enforcement caught up to him, he had visited hundreds of towns & had amassed a small fortune!.

The Law prosecuted him but ironically he was found not guilty on the most serious charges, because he only purchased items that totaled 5 cents, and because he was deaf & could not speak he never represented that it was a new $5.00 gold piece.

The same year, the US mint added the word "cents" to the Liberty Head Nickle in an effort to bring this type of fraud to a halt.

Hence the famous saying "your not Joshing me are you?"

credit where credit is due.

 

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Until now, I did not know the entire story, just a piece of it. Thanks for sharing.

 

This story has been debunked so many times, I can't remember who it was.

 

Darn. And I thought you would respond to the thread title... "Well, can I be Frank"

 

My CT secret Santa sent me an altered 1883 coin. Below that is an 1883 from my collection. Pretty cool legend, fully truthful or not.

 

I also have one.

 

Then there was the story about the farmer who tried to cross a goat with a sheep. The farmer claimed that the offspring was born with the head of a goat on one end and the head of a sheep on the other. I kid-ewe not!

Chris

 

The term Josh, meaning to trick or fool, dates from the 1840's. There is also no contemporary records of a Josh Tatum ever having been prosecuted for passing gold plated nickels. The story is just that, a story.

 

It should also be noted that there have been many of the "No Cents" nickels altered with a gold wash in more recent years.

Chris

 

I believe it. My secret Santa never claimed that Josh Whatshisface ever passed this one. Or that Josh ever existed. Or that the Loch Ness Monster exists.

 

I believe that they call them Rackateer Nickels. I looked at one yesterday.
Although his 35.00 price was way to steep.

 

However Big Foot is real right?

 

Sweet!!!

 

I bought mine about 30 years ago. The dealer called it a Rackateer Nickel back then, too.

 

They've crossed a goat with a spider. Sort of... They put introduced a spider gene that impregnates the goats milk with spider silk protiens which can be harvested.

 

The Loch Ness Monster DOES exist! It is living comfortably in retirement at Crater Lake.

Chris

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard that the Racketeer Nickels were "created" about 100 years ago, and there is very little documentation to prove that any that surface today are the true Racketeer Nickels.

Chris

 

Of course! Does anyone wish to call Queen Elizabeth II or the Canadian government a liar?

Chris

 

Agreed. not many for sale right now, that have over a $1 bid.