The Racketeer Nickel - Fact or Fiction

The story most collectors know centers on Josh Tatum, a silent trickster who supposedly gold-plated nickels, passed them as five-dollar gold pieces, and walked free from court without ever saying a word.

But that’s not where the documented history leads.

In this episode of The Coinspiracy Podcast, we move beyond legend and into the record. From San Francisco’s red-light district to a federal courtroom, the real story follows Charles Ferguson, the U.S. Secret Service, and a conviction that proves the Racketeer Nickel was not just folklore, but a very real crime repeated across the country.

So how did a real criminal case fade, while a perfect story took its place?

Listen as we untangle myth from fact and take a closer look at one of numismatics’ most enduring legends.

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