I’m writing a novel that takes place in Virginia, USA.
One male character in 1813-1815 embezzles and stashes cash from his very rich family’s fortune/business. He hides this away in, say, a trunk in a basement room of the family estate.
Then in 1899, the trunk is found.
My question is: what forms of cash, currency, gold bars, or whatever would have likely been put in the trunk in 1813-1815? and how could the character in 1899 convert it into usable cash (not necessarily legitimately).
I know that many types of legal paper tender from the early part of the century wouldn’t have had any value by the end of the century.
Were gold bars something that anyone could have gotten in 1815? How easy would it have been to convert gold bars to usable cash in 1899?
Could coins from 1815 be melted down and sold for metals in 1899?
Other suggestions or ideas?
Thanks,
Mary.
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