Chris Craft Pennies

[Columbia Fishin']

My title says I have a 16 foot 1970 Chris Craft Runabout. I can't find a pic of another anywhere. I crawled under the dash and embedded in the glass was two pennies from 1969. Does anybody know of the builders putting pennies for year identification on these boats? Also was Hildula Enterprises the original owners of Chris Craft?

 

[blifsey]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

That's a cool find!

 

[veritas honus]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

Never heard of coins being used as year ID, but it's a thought...

Personally, I think someone just wanted to put their two cents in!!!

 

[Tahorover]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

Christopher Columbus Smith started Chris Craft in 1922.

 

[RIDEPATE]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

I'd like to see a pic of those pennies. That's cool.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

Chris Craft is probably the oldest boat brand in the US. The original owner/builder was Christopher Columbus Smith, who built everything from rowboats to sailboats to steam launches until gasoline engines became available. The name 'Chris' Craft arose in the 1920's. The brand has been through numerous owners over the years (my 1999 was built when OMC owned the brand), and there are books dedicated to its hitory if you want to find the ownership details. Some background here:

http://www.chriscraft.com/index.php?category=Video&ref=VideoHistory&src=gendocs&submenu=VideoHistory

I suspect the pennies were some factory tradition, maybe the equivalent of the workers 'putting their 2 cents in'. That's pure guesswork on my part but I like it.

 

[Columbia Fishin']

Re: Chris Craft Pennies



Great information everyone. Thanks for the insight. I wanted to post the penny pic yesterday but was too busy.

 

[gstrom11]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

That is really cool!

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

Shipbuilders have been imbedding coins in the hulls of vessels since the Roman times. Im not familiar with the origin of the tradition or its exact reason. I do know that the ritual is more predominant in wooden boats than other forms of assembly and the coins were historicly placed in the keel beam. An archaeological crew found a coin imbedded in the hull of an ancient ship found during the excavation of ground zero. See heading "Save our Ship" http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39500174/ns/technology_and_science-science/

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

A note in the USCG's Manufacturers Identification Code (MIC) database under Chris Craft indicates that records of CC boats built prior to the OMC bankruptcy in 2001 were transferred to the Mariners Museum at (800)565-6846. Maybe they can help. Good luck!

 

[etracer68]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

I guess ya learn something everyday, cool.

 

[GaryAK]

Re: Chris Craft Pennies

That's just cooler than otter pops! I think I'll research "good luck charms" and install something in my project for the next owner. I got myself well crippled up 2 weeks after I bought my boat in '08...may get it done this summer, but I won't be able to use it for long. Pretty nifty to find something like that!!

 

[twolfkiel]

After reading this I looked under the dash of my boat and found one 1969 penny. Cool.