"Mysterious 1889 Voucher Turns Up", Sault Star Clipping, 1971

In a little shop without a sign without even a name, there sits Ferdinand Douville amid coins dating back to Rome. His store at 340 Albert Street West is no bigger than a closet but it contains invaluable riches to a money collector.

One day a friend walked into Mr. Douville's coin store with a money voucher dated 1889 from a lumber manufacturer in Garden River. Since then Mr. Douville has been trying to trace the history surrounding this mysterious little piece of paper, originally worth only 25 cents to the bearer.<.p>

The front side of the paper reads, "Garden River. Ont., Jan. 1st, 1889. Due to the bearer Twenty-five cents in goods at retail prices at our store, on demand."

The back side reads, "Hollister Jewell and Co., Garden River, Ont., Manufacturers of Lumber, Lath and Shingles, and dealers in general merchandise."

Mr. Douville searched his many books on Canadian money but came up with nothing to start the ball rolling towards discovery of the origin of the voucher. "I got it from a friend of mine and he got it from someone in Garden River." That, is all Mr. Douville knows.

Among Mr. Douville's collection are coins from Rome, one with a bust of Constantine. He has others dated from the 17th, 18th and 19th, centuries and two Canadian 1942 coins, the first coins minted in that series.

Mr. Douville, who has run his shop since 1958, has worked with both the public library and the Old Stone House in finding material. He said he would be very happy to add some coins to the library's project, Window on the Sault.