The Chicago Mint

The boys did things differently in Chicago back in the 20's and early 30's.There were all kinds of schemes on making money. Prostitution, the numbers racket, booze and protection were all ways of making easy money if you were a gangster but the easiest of all was to just print your own. This diorama shows the set up in an old, well guarded warehouse in Cicero.
Although the Franklin Printing Press was invented nearly 300 years ago, Al and the boys found a unique use for it in the roaring Twenties.

Many thanks go to Hugh Monahan of Gourock, Scotland, who supplied the plans for the printing press.
Hugh, a master craftsman built a full size working replica which can be seen at the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock, Scotland. His project was part of a celebration to honour Robert Burns, the Ayrshire poet. The famous Kilmarnock Edition of the great man's poems was printed on a similar press in July 1786.

I had in mind a diorama showing Robert Burns, publisher John Wilson and sponsor Gavin Hamilton, but I don't think that I could do the great man justice.He is, after all, one of a kind.