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- Validator for money orders
Validator for money orders
Object Details
- Description
- Validator machines were introduced in the 1870s. B. B. Hill received a patent for this machine's characteristics in 1876. The validator consists of two principal components: 1) the body used by the postal employee to emboss a money order validation imprint upon documents; and 2) a brass die seated over brass month, date, and year wheels. The brass die has the city and state of the post office plus the letters "M O B" (Money Order Business). An opening in the center of the brass die allows a selected month, date, and year to be imprinted. The item to be validated was laid face-up upon the small, circular, rubber cushion under the imprinting area. When the top striker cap was hit with a fist, an imprint was made by the plunging die and date wheels behind an inked ribbon.
- This style of validator, as well as other variations, was also used by railroad, airline, motor-coach, and steamship lines for validating tickets and receipts. Post Office Department usage is distinguished by the die bearing the "M O B" characters at the bottom of the dial, as is the case with this specimen from Port Townsend, Washington.
- The brass year wheel could be removed and replaced with a new one for a decade's use; the earliest year on this wheel is 1891. The gilt ornamentation highlights on the black enamel paint are typical of the era.
- Data Source
- National Postal Museum
- Date
- c. 1871-1901
- Object number
- 1992.2002.869
- Type
- Mail Processing Equipment
- Medium
- metal
- Place
- Washington
- See more items in
- National Postal Museum Collection
- Topic
- American Expansion (1800-1860)
- Customers & Commerce
- Record ID
- npm_1992.2002.869
- Usage
- Not determined
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