"Vintage- DEPRESSION-HOBO NICKLE Coaster" Coaster

The carved nickels that many Hobo's used to produce by hand by using any tool that could gouge out and reform a regular nickle face. If you look closely at a regular nickle and then the hobo nickle you'll see the shape of the face is the same as the Indian face on a regular nickle. The engraving took skill and dexterity; and the 'Boes' would carve these, in their spare time, and sell, or trade them off, for necessities. Many Boes while serving time in prison, or on chain gangs, used to carve them in their cells and give them to guards to gain some favors. The guards, in turn, would sell them and pocket the money.