Yellowstone Trail of Minnesota

The Yellowstone Trail of Minnesota is producing a series of collectible wooden nickels that travelers can find along the Yellowstone Trail. They will be available May 1. The locations and more details will be posted on this page at that time.

Here are some examples of the Yellowstone Trail collectible wooden nickels that will be available –

In the past, a wooden nickel was not legal tender but instead more of a novelty coin often redeemable for an item such as a drink issued by merchants or banks as part of a promotion. Wooden nickels became popular in the 1930s though they may date back as far as the 1880s. Here’s an example from northern Minnesota in the 50s –

Wooden Nickels were also used by bars as a type of coupon to return later for a drink.