MTFCA Forum

I'm hoping for constructive input from the forum since many attendees are historically minded folks. I recently obtained a 1920's era National Cash Register Model 720 that resembles what I've seen in period photos of 1920's counters at auto parts store, auto service centers, or other auto rest stop businesses. As I looked into my NCR I discovered that the cash drawer is set up for 1920's era currency, the large note format which was discontinued by the 1930's. There are four equal coin bins along the front drawer edge, two additional bins along the left edge and then two large bill compartments side by side each equipped with stainless steel bank note wire and barrel hold downs. Also my NCR has a limited transaction based on the maximum denomination of the keys being $1.99 . Meaning that the $1 key, 90 cent key and 9 cent key all would need to be pressed at the same time to enter the total. Although there are cash register related websites and videos, historical information details are limited. My guess is that this cash registered may have been intended for use in a candy store or barbershop where transaction amounts were limited. Judging by the prices shown in the Western Auto Parts catalog from 1920, although many items sold for well below $1.00, the combined total amount of purchase which the shop clerk would enter into the register would exceed the individual transaction amount. So I guess my questions would be could an NCR 720 be used to register gasolene sales? ; How would the drawer compartments be organized? ; Assuming pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters occupied the front bins, would dollar coins be kept in the left edge bins?, maybe IOU's? (Floyd Clymer commented about the presence of a strong barter culture in the early days of the automotive market): What denomination of bill would have been found in the two bill compartments? I'm considering setting this cash register up in my garage along with a period payphone to display by my 1921 Runabout and would like to install fake currency in the drawer. Thanks all.

I think, most retailers would have set it up for their own needs. All sales open the drawer, correct?

Allow me to add the complication of a coin unknown to many Americans today — the half dollar. When I was learning money in the forties it was still quite common. Silver dollars (Morgan and Peace) were more plentiful than paper singles in Nevada until 1965.

My father has owned and detailed a few nickel over brass National Cash Registers over the years - he still has one of them. The inner workings of those machines are the same as your slightly later 720. I go to a lot of estate sales and I've also examined a number of the them over the years.

Remove the drawer and flip it over (there's a L-shaped pin inside of the back of the drawer that you need to lift to release the drawer). There should be a large paper label affixed to the underside of the drawer (this is the first thing I look at when I run across an old NCR cash register).

If the label was filled out, it will tell you when it was originally sold and to whom, including the address or at lest the town/city.

If it was ever refurbished by a local NCR dealer and then re-sold, sometimes that information is also on the underside of the drawer or there is a decal on the glass.

Along with paper currency, including $2 bills, there were also different gold coins used up to 1933.

Here’s some photos off the web.

Cash drawer filled with silver and some folding money too

No pennies as the counter had 1cent candy jar for minor change. Same as what will happen today as the US Mint obsoletes that coin.

I assume this is the one you have. $1.99 limit fro the web. There are also several NCR Model 700's with $2.99 limits and different key layouts
However the back draws don't match your description --
The average price of gasoline in the United States in the 1920's was around 21 to 30 cents per gallon. Some signs of prices may have been created during the common gas station gas wars. 8 gallons at 25 cents/gallon = $2 so doubtful if it would be used at a filling station. Also other products like oil may have been available for purchase.

The red line is "adjusted" for inflation rate in 2010 not Today
---

....When money had actual value!!!!

Here is a link to some catalogs which are a bit earlier but show some of the key configurations that were available. They don't feature the 700 series, but its predecessors, the 300 series registers.
https://www.brassregisters.com/ncr-docu ... atalogues/

I'd imagine for an auto parts store, with the large price difference of the individual items, something like this would be more practical?

Herman Hollerith, the guy who saved the census, made his punch cards the same size as US currency so the wallets of the time could be used to carry the census cards.

So, the IBM cards I used to keypunch for WATFIV programming were the same size as the dollar bills for your old cash register.

Here's similar register on a parts counter, seems like it recored a $5 ? sale.

There is National cash register in a general store in Streaky Bay, South Australia that has multiple cash drawers. Each assistant was assigned a drawer, and was responsible for balancing their drawer at the end of the day. Each drawer had a different bell ring on opening, so if you heard your bell and it wasn't you at the register, you knew something was afoot.

National cash register wanted to buy it back, but as far as I know it is still extant in its original position in the shop to this day.

Allan from down under.

I have one that is similar to the model 720- illustrated. And two narrow ones. Plus one large one. All are available for sale. must be picked here in Minnesota. (Near Minneapolis)