Public Coin Box using
Boxes, Coin Collecting No. 1

This Coin Collecting box was introduced just as the National Telephone company merged with the GPO in 1912.  The GPO modified the box slightly and it finally became the Box, Coin Collecting No. 1.  These Coin Boxes were made by L. M. Ericsson and non-GPO boxes would have had the Ericsson trade mark on the front.  The Ericsson Catalogue of 1902 advise that these were product number 441.

The BCC No. 1A is used where a large cash compartment is required.  This unit comes with fixing screws, a Baseboard No. 5 and a Box, Cash No. 1A.  Secured with a Key, Lock A.

The box is made of tin plate box and painted black.  This was a flimsy box and can be forced open easily, so armoured cash boxes were installed positioned under the case.

Any ordinary telephone could be connected to these coin boxes.

The mechanism accepts 1d coins and when they were deposited, on the instruction of the telephone operator, and the knob turned a buzzer circuit operated.  This allowed the telephone operator to count the number of coins inserted.  A Veeder cyclic meter inside the casing logged how many coins had passed through to the cash box.

On some boxes the front is embellished with a decorative angular border in gold paint.  At the top of the front is a text panel of instructions:-

USE OF COIN COLLECTING BOX.
WHEN REQUESTED, BUT NOT BEFORE,
INSERT ONE PENNY, OR MORE, AS
DIRECTED BY THE TELEPHONIST, INTO
THE SLOT, AND TURN THE DISC.
INSERT ONLY ONE PENNY AT A TIME
AND TURN THE DISC AFTER EACH
COIN HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE SLOT.

MIS-SHAPEN PENNIES MUST NOT BE USED

Below the text is the royal crest and below that the words: "GENERAL POST OFFICE" in black, on a gold coloured ornate panel.

Older boxes were marked "POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS" which was the original name of the telephone side of the GPO.

On the top is a coin slot made of metal (likely to be brass).  This is secured to the case by three machine screws.  These screws also secure the coin discriminating mechanism to the underside of the top.

This box was used by the GPO with a Telephone No. 1 in CB areas or a Telephone No. 3 or No. 11 in LB/Magneto areas.

After merging with the National telephone Company, the GPO fitted an enamel overlay on the front of the existing Coin Box No. 1's.
 

Pictures
The first two pictures are dated 1903

The above picture shows the cash collection box in situ and and another cash box is show above