"Riot penny" charred during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

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Object Details

Created by

United States Mint, American, founded 1792

Owned by

George Monroe, American, 1916 - 2001

Description

A charred penny from the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921. The penny is red and brown. The embossing on the front of the penny is still visible. The word "Liberty" is on the left side next to a portrait of President Abraham Lincoln in profile. "1917" appears next to Lincoln on the right side. The back side of the coin is completely melted and nothing is visible.

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Scott Ellsworth

Date

1917

Object number

2012.96.2

Restrictions & Rights

Public domain

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Type

coins

Medium

copper alloy

Dimensions

Diameter: 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)

3/4 x 3/4 x 1/16 in. (1.9 x 1.9 x 0.2 cm)

Place collected

Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Coins and Currency

Exhibition

Power of Place

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 051

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Communities

Race discrimination

Race riots

Tulsa Race Massacre

U.S. History, 1919-1933

Violence

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5566e0968-f39e-4ba4-800c-5b0ec598cd51

Record ID

nmaahc_2012.96.2