This item is a vintage brass cigarette case (or pocket money case) from the late 1920s or 1930s, designed to look like a folded Series of 1928 A U.S. $10 Gold Certificate.

Because exact reproductions of United States currency were strictly illegal under counterfeiting laws, the manufacturer cleverly integrated intentional spelling errors throughout the relief work. If you look closely at the text along the top, it is stamped "TES OF AMERICA" instead of "United States of America," and the word "CERTIFICATE" is uniquely misspelled or cut off at the top border.

Features & Value

Material: Stamped brass or bronze with an artificial patina / blackened finish to make the lettering pop.

Dimensions: As shown next to the ruler, it measures roughly 3⅛ inches by 3½ inches when closed, which was a standard pocket size for carrying unfiltered cigarettes or folded bills during the era.