Coins in an old movie - The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

Coins in an old movie - The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

Thanks to DVD technology, it is now possible to "freeze" frames on an old movie.

These two pictures are from the 1941 RKO film "The Devil and Daniel Webster", also known as "All That Money can Buy".

The story starts in 1830 when poor Jabez Stone (James Craig) sells his soul to the Devil (Walter Huston) for riches.

At the beginning of the film Jabez says "I'd sell my soul to the Devil for two cents" and finds two coins in his hand which look like US large cents.


Much is made in the film about Jabez and his neigbors being Americans and "good New Hampshire men".
However, the left "cent" appears to be a Canadian 1858-59 large cent and the right appears to be a British 1838-59 half penny.

The Devil then appears, they complete the bargain, and the Devil reveals a cache of "Hessian Gold" coins to Stone.

The coins appear to be imitation Roman "SC" or Greek curly head coins.

One wonders how Hessians (German mercenaries) acquired ancient Roman coins.

By the way, if you can't see the pictures, that means that:
Your computer is possessed and needs an exorcism

 

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There are two possible explanations:

1) The coins were pulled randomly from the movie studio prop room and this is what they had on hand at the time.

2) Back in 1941, the prop guy, art director and possibly even the director himself got together over a poker game one night. The art director predicted (acurately, it turns out) that in the future there would be these things called DVDs. People could go frame by frame through the movies and pick out even the smallest detail.

The beer was flowing and luck was running out for the prop guy so he came up with a plan. Hey guys ..what if we mess with the people in the future? What do you mean, replied the director. The prop guy continued, I bet you that 65 years from now ..some guy is going to get the DVD to the movie we are making now. He will stay up all hors of the night watching it on this lighted box called a computer. He will search every frame and try to pick it apart and find out where we messed up.

No, way said the director ..you are fooling with us. No really, said the prop guy. I bet they will even have this thing called the Internet. Where people from all over the world can type stuff and everyone will be able to see it. Now, I know you are drunk, said the director.

No really, ..lets really mess with them. Let's not use the right coins in the movie. What are you talking about? You think some guy will care about what coins we use in the movie? I'm sure of it, said the prop guy. Hmmm...let's go for it, said the director.

The only problem, said the prop guy, is that we won't know if it worked. We all will most likely be dead by then or to old to remember. Yeah, well...lets do it anyway. Yes, I think it's a grand idea. Are we all agreed? ..yes..ok...go find some Roman coins and use those for the Hessian Gold, and try to toss a Canadian coin in there as a homage to our neighbors to the north. Cool...let's do it.

And thus 65 years ago ..the grand plan was hatched. I wonder if any of them are around to read this thread? ..Hmmmmmm...maybe.

 

Most of the coins in the second photo are Roman Sestertiuses (sesterti?) bronze coins issued by the Senate (SC) with a couple of silver denariuses (denari?) thrown in,but probably are all cast repros.
By the way,I love these "old movie" posts.Keep 'em coming.