1940 Nickel with Swastika, Nazi Sympathizer?

[Jim Mac]

I was hunting the front yard of a 180+ year old house this weekend. When I was cleaning up my finds I noticed this. I know the swastika used to mean good luck back before WW2, but the 1940 coin makes me wonder. Has anyone ever seen anything like this?

 

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[Argentium]

That's odd ! First I've seen like that .

 

[GaRebel1861]

If it was put on the coin when it was new, the United States hadn't entered the war. So there was not yet hard feeling about the symbol? Its a really cool find though.

 

[ivan salis]

being the war in Europe started Sept 1 of 1939 --with the German invasion of Poland .. and that there was a well known large Nazi meeting in madison square garden ..its clear that there were some Nazi friendly Americans at the time .. pearl harbor (Dec. 7 , 1941) tended to change their point of view for the most part

the USA actually had taken germans as prisoners (as illegal aliens on behalf of the Danish govt ) --before Dec 7,1941 ( sept 12 , 1941 )--since the president had ordered a "shoot on sight" order for german subs --after the USS GREER WAS ATTACKED OFF ICELAND ON SEPT 11TH, 1941 )-- on sept 12th ,1941 the USA TOOK A FALSE FLAG NORWAY FISHING VESSEL AND raided a german weather reporting station in Greenland .. a little known fact

 

[trapperart]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your find

 

[Argentium]

While there's no way to know when the symbol was added to your coin, certainly by the early 30's when Hitler became Reich Chancellor, it was a central figure in the graphic design of the Third Reich , so it would have been widely known for these associations by 1940.

 

[diggummup]

With that swastika being on Jefferson's collar, I'd say it could be from an American Nazi Sympathizer. Just because the nickel is dated 1940 doesn't mean it was carved on there that particular year either. I see a small hole too at the top, looks like to be used as a pendant?

 

[Doc Arey]

It first was a sign of luck believe it or not

 

[Cosmo3]

There was a sizable population of German Americans in New York in the 30s so it is possible that there were Hitler supporters during that time period.

 

[diggummup]

Lest we not forget about the German American Bund either. Then there were their Nazi themed summer camps scattered around the nation in the 30's also. Here's an interesting little read... deadspin-quote-carrot-aligned-w-bgr-2

 

[Jim Mac]

With that swastika being on Jefferson's collar, I'd say it could be from an American Nazi Sympathizer. Just because the nickel is dated 1940 doesn't mean it was carved on there that particular year either. I see a small hole too at the top, looks like to be used as a pendant?

It doesn't go all the way through. It's just a spot on the surface.

 

[against the wind]

A lot of people were fascinated with WWII history. They glorified it through movies and books, and comics. Lots of kids I grew up with had no clue about the horrors committed in concentration camps. I know I certainly didn't. The swastika on that coin was probably carved post war out of ignorance.
Today, you would probably get locked up if you got caught painting or carving a swastika.

 

[WolfmoonX]

Upon doing a search on google for "American coins with swastika", there are several links to other examples, including a couple on this site.