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This
hammer or small sledge-type device was initially thought to
be a log-stamping hammer or a blacksmith's tool for severing
metal or scoring an x, but the tool's sharp edges would never
have been retained if it were used in either manner. It has
now been tentatively identified as a currency-destroying hammer
that was used to remove paper currency or sensitive documents
from public circulation.
The material composition of paper bills has varied—today's
American bills are printed on paper composed of 25% linen
and 75% cotton; Canadian bills are printed on 100% cotton.
(Paper made from fibers other than woodpulp has long been
acknowledged as more durable.) Included in the specialized
manufacture of the unprinted sheets are various colored threads
and metal strips that prevent any possibility of illegal reproduction
of currency.
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