We're told that while stationed in Korea from 1950 to 1952, Col. "Buffalo Bill" Quin of the 17th Infantry, had coins like the one to the left made.
In 1954, Captain Jim Harrington, then part of the 107th
Infantry instituted a "short-snorter" roll
with his unit, except, in deference to the Canadian and British liaisons,
he decided to call the activity "The Jolly Six pence Club", prompted by a famous
WWII song. He suggested to the other junior officers that they all carry a
six pence and show-down the coins in the Mess or wherever they gathered. The
more exotic the six pence the better. Harrington's was from Fiji and another
officer had one dating from the Colonial period of America.
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