An old coinpurse?

[Charmin]

Is this some sort of coin purse? It has little slots on it and they say 5,10,25 and also a "PAT. APLD. FOR" "M&L". It looks like it was mounted on top of something and there is a little hinge to open the coin part away from the ring it sits on. I think its brass or copper material. Thanks for looking and any help with ID will be appreciated!
kind regards~~sandcreek4

 

[NGE]

Have you tried inserting coins of the stated denominations into the slots?...........NGE

 

[Charmin]

Have you tried inserting coins of the stated denominations into the slots?...........NGE

NGE---the slots are bent really bad and I can't get a coin slid into them, but the are the right size. I just wondered if anyone had seen a coin purse like this before? or what it could have been on?

Thanks for the comments!!
regards~~sandcreek4

 

[cntrydncr1]

That is a very cool relic. I have never seen anything like it.

 

[Charmin]

That is a very cool relic. I have never seen anything like it.

Thanks cntrydncr1! When I found it I was all excited and hoping somebody had left money in those little slots but there wasn't anything in it.
regards~~sandcreek4

 

[Likely Guy]

I've never seen anything like it either. My guess is that it would be a man's coin purse or 'pocket locket'. I don't think that the coins were supposed to enter the slots, but when you pulled it from your pocket you could tell at a glance what denominations you held.

Sandcreek, can you tell what the writing is over the 25 cent slot? "PALAPS....?"
I can't read it this far away!

 

[Charmin]

I've never seen anything like it either. My guess is that it would be a man's coin purse or 'pocket locket'. I don't think that the coins were supposed to enter the slots, but when you pulled it from your pocket you could tell at a glance what denominations you held.

Sandcreek, can you tell what the writing is over the 25 cent slot? "PALAPS....?"
I can't read it this far away!

Hey Likely Guy--I think that word you're seeing is the Patent Applied For "PAT. APLD. FOR" and right under that it says "M&L". It may have been a man's coin purse--I found it in the yard of an old cowboy bunkhouse--the ranch dates to the early 1900's.
Thanks so much for your input, Likely Guy!
regards~~sandcreek4

 

[SFHunter]

Looks like a coin purse. The top rotates and you rotate it to one of three position to put in or pull out that denomination. the slots on top allow you to see what coinage you had in each of the thee areas. Very cool looking peice.

 

[Kansas]

-I found it in the yard of an old cowboy bunkhouse--the ranch dates to the early 1900's.

Do you think it might be off of a belt buckle ?

~KANSAS~

 

[naturegirl]

or a brooch of some sort?

naturegirl

 

[Likely Guy]

Searched some patents, this one's similar.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=T4...n+holder&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0_0#PPA1,M1

Will keep looking. But if the patent wasn't granted, it may not be there.

 

[naturegirl]

I found this, no picture though, the dates are about right.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3996766.html

ng

the date i referred to was march 1911, patent 0986158, Florshiem

 

[Charmin]

Looks like a coin purse. The top rotates and you rotate it to one of three position to put in or pull out that denomination. the slots on top allow you to see what coinage you had in each of the thee areas. Very cool looking peice.

Thanks SFHunter! I think you are right about it being a coin purse.
regards~~sandcreek4

I found this, no picture though, the dates are about right.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3996766.html

ng

the date i referred to was march 1911, patent 0986158, Florshiem

Searched some patents, this one's similar.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=T4...n+holder&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0_0#PPA1,M1

Will keep looking. But if the patent wasn't granted, it may not be there.

Thanks Likely Guy and Naturegirl~~both those look and sound like this one! I took it apart last night and found little springs inside that were used to pop the coins up. I think this thing was on top of something, though because it has a hinge the opens the coin part away from the ring thingy it sits on--does that make any sense ? I'm just glad to know it was a coin purse of some sort and can put an approx. date on it! Thanks for all the research!!
regards~~sandcreek4

-I found it in the yard of an old cowboy bunkhouse--the ranch dates to the early 1900's.

Do you think it might be off of a belt buckle ?

~KANSAS~

I think its probably just a coin purse--but I have to wonder if these cowboys [who used to live at this bunkhouse] were hiding a "girly" fetish or maybe it belonged to one of their sweeties ?! . Thanks Kansas!!
kind regards~~sandcreek4

 

[NGE]

The hinge part may be for, if ya got yer money stuck, you could open the bottom to get it un-jammed.......NGE