The term “Hobo Nickel” describes any small-denomination coin (though, normally soft nickels) that people carve to create miniature reliefs of…well, all sorts of things. It started sometime in the 18th century but continues to this day; There’s even an entire society dedicated to the art of nickel carving.
via weareatomik.com
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/cm/p/suffragette-defaced_penny.aspx
It really helped change politics because there were too many of them for the Royal Mint to recall them.
Posted by: Bill Rivers | 11/15/2011 at 09:59 PM