Steel Checks
June 1932: The winners of an arc-welding essay contest, sponsored by the Lincoln Electric Company of Cleveland, received their prize checks written on steel plates. The plates were a foot high, an inch thick, and two feet long.
The local bank accepted the checks and then used a gun to cancel them, putting bullet holes in them to spell the word 'PAID'. All the writing on the checks, including the endorsement, was done with a welding torch.
There's a community of people who collect unusual checks. So I imagine that these steel checks would be sought after as collectibles. But where are they now?
As of 1940, at least one of the checks was on display in the offices of the Lincoln Electric Company, which is still around. So the company may still have the checks. But after 85 years, who knows.
The local bank accepted the checks and then used a gun to cancel them, putting bullet holes in them to spell the word 'PAID'. All the writing on the checks, including the endorsement, was done with a welding torch.
Steel check made out to H.H. Tracy. Note bullet holes.
image source: The Strangest Cases on Record, by J.A. Duncan
There's a community of people who collect unusual checks. So I imagine that these steel checks would be sought after as collectibles. But where are they now?
As of 1940, at least one of the checks was on display in the offices of the Lincoln Electric Company, which is still around. So the company may still have the checks. But after 85 years, who knows.
Los Angeles Daily News - June 14, 1932
Comments
$7500.00 in 1932 is equivalent to $175,000.00 today. That was quite the prize!
Posted by Patrick on 04/16/25 at 09:31 AM
Both of the first prize winners, Homer N. Wallin and Henry A. Schade, have entries in Wikipedia.
Posted by ges on 04/16/25 at 11:25 AM
Category: Money | Collectors | 1930s