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During the Great Depression, hobos carved nickels using simple hand made tools. They would trade these nickels for food, lodging, mending or any of the other needs they had. Over the years the art of coin carving has all but disappeared. In 1999, Mike Pezak discovered this wonderful artform and fell in love with carving coins.
Mike studied old carvers and their work and began a quest to revive this old folk art. Mike carves many of the old styles so people can see a part of lost history but has also created new concepts in coin carving with his picture nickels. He created a character called Hobo Harry and through Harry's adventures give a better understanding of the history of Hobos and their lives.
Hobos are still around, still catching an outbound to someplace else, telling stories of where they have been and where they are heading.
A Carved Coin done by a hobo
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