Featured civil war toy called a whizzer (1851 Large cent with two holes)

Now I'm wondering if this rare 1797 NC-5 (R6) is a whizzer.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I have several, here is an 1850 LC.
They could have been made for other uses also.

 

I used to play with these too and it made me think of making a "tractor" out of an empty thread spool, with a wooden match stick and rubber band. We would cut notches in the rim of the spool and rub bar soap on the end of the spool to make it go faster and then we'd have races.

https://novelty-toys.wonderhowto.com/how-to/make-self-moving-tractor-from-spool-thread-329669/

 

Thank you for showing that. Many folks today have no clue what that is now they can make their on to get in trouble with and get a friction burn or two. I know I got mine lol

 

Kids today have no imagination. if it don't have batteries or plugs in a wall they are lost. I kinda feel sorry for them. we played "mumbly peg" and ran the creeks and woods. they might get dirty doing that lol

 

I wonder if someone was going to make a whizzer from this coin and gave up:


Portugal 10 reis 1764 with two holes
Copper, 33 mm, 11.02 gm

 

Whizzers date back well before the civil war.

And on that last piece the attempted holes are really too close together to make a good whizzer. Optimum would probably be to have the holes about halfway between the center and the rim. Too close and it reduces the torque for the rotation, too far out and it will dampen the vibration that makes the "whizz".

 

Another use would be to chain them together for a bracelet.

 

Seems that I remember something like that contraption from Disneys' 'Westward Ho the Wagons' back when I was a wee lad..........

 

No,no, no...not going to say anything snarky...

 

It was in a scene when they met up with some Indians........totally going on vague memory.

And please note fellows: I didn't say Injuns.......politically correct pukes can go fish.

 

Thanks Southernman, you just solved a puzzle for me. I have two cwt's that I purchased in a small group at a local coin show late last year. One is an "Our Little Monitor" the only cwt I collect. The other a common variety. I will photo them (when I find them in my safety deposit box material) and post them. What a story they could tell.

I had forgotten all about "whizzers", thanks for the memory reload. Happy New Year.
Cheers.

 

Very interesting! I've seen this on coins dating back to the 1700s.

Also notable is that some large cents were made into pie crimpers. These are very collectible.

 

Yeah, I remember the large button version of that. My mom had a box full of old buttons (hey, who knows when you'll need one). Remember those old wooden tops with metal tips? Heck, kids today would be losing eyes everyday!

 

We did the same thing with buttons. Some of the old coin as used were also some were used as dog tags, as well as a game tool. We also use them with a wire, and placed them in an envelope. Fun!

 

I heard that sound just fine. Heard that first on Crocodile Dundee Movie

 

well heard the bullroarer just fine anyway.