Anyone Have any info on this?

Another reason to think it may be old. The glue in the dovetails began to fail and someone added screws to draw them back together.

 

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But a great many fewer would fit in the box, tending to even out the weights.

 

I seem to recall having seen it, or one like it, as well. I believe it was finally determined to be a fake.

 

I honestly think this thing screams 1950's-1960's... but that was just my original gut feeling.

 

The dovetails look machine to me and the printing on it and colors are to bright even if it had been holding GSA's in an old building. How did you get it... might give us some help on figuring it out...

 

Looks like box joints to me, not dovetails.

 

Yeah, they do look like box joints, but authentic or not, I think it is fairly old because of the way the wood in the joints has shrunken to some extent. Also, on the one that was sold at auction, it looks like the "Property of......" and the date was burned into the wood. There is one small chip of the wood on the side broken away, and you can still see the imprint on the exposed surface. The lettering on your box looks like it was painted.

Even still, it is a cool piece that I wouldn't mind having.

Chris

 

you are correct, box or finger joints. If they are machine cut, they are cut to mimic hand cut (and poorly at that). That would make it a reproduction. DNA to match other originals and carbon dating to match the wood to the era might tell the story. :kewl:

 

My opinion is this box is just a reproduction and nothing more.
I just have the feeling that boxes back then wouldn't have the vibrant colors like it does on the top, also don't think the wood is that old. That is just me though, it still could be real.

 

Nice trunk & welcome

 

Was that a Type I crate or a Type II crate?

 

heres a email I got from Nevada Museum,Im now thinking its gonna turn out as a reproduction.


CC Mint Morgan Dollar Crates

Friday, June 18, 2010 3:52 PM

From:
"Robert Nylen" <RNylen@nevadaculture.org>

To:
mdunn66

Dear Mike,

In the last eight years since 2002, I have received several inquiries on the CC Morgan crates from different people from around the country. They all ask about the same questions that you are interested in. And my answer is unfortunately I not sure if they are authentic or not. I tend to believe they are reproductions. But let me say also I could be wrong. So I can’t really help you but I would recommend you contact the Historian at the US Treasury Office in Washington, D.C. is Maria Goodwin at [Maria.Goodwin@usmint.treas.gov]. The other place to check is with the Smithsonian. I don’t have a contact but if you check their website I am sure there is a contact address for questions.

Please let me know what you find out.

Thank you,

Regards,
Bob Nylen
Curator of History
Nevada State Museum

 

to that I have no answer

 

edit

 

done! Thanks

 

The fonts don't look 19th Century and the artwork is too extravagant for a utilitarian object like a crate. Plus, wouldn't they have used barrels rather than crates? Barrels, being closer to spherical, are more efficient, and don't have pressure points that are libel to fail like rectangular crates do.

 

I sent Wells Fargo an email asking if they ever carried the coin shipments from the Denver mint. If they did, what type of container was used. They have an extensive museum of their history. Maybe they can shead some light on this.

 

Thanks...lol this is one of the hardest items I ever researched.Kinda fun in a way.

 

Took it to the local pawn shop today to see what he knew about it.He said the were made around 1970s as commemorative crates.They also made many other crates related to many different subjects.

 

I don't have a hard time believing that. It has more of a retro look than an old look to me.