Coffin Collar

By Crusader1307

As we have seen, the theft of bodies (Body Snatching) and of valuables (Grave Robbing) – became a popular endeavor for many 18^th thru 19^th Century Criminals. Conversely, We have seen the invention by necessity of various mean to deter such ‘’crime’’. From Morte Safes (and Houses), to Guards – even automatic ‘’Cemetery Guns’’. But one seldom known method invented in Scotland around 1820 was truly ‘’unique’’. It was The ‘’Coffin Collar’’. A circular piece of iron or neck collar – was placed around the neck of the ‘’recently deceased’’. This in turn was simply bolted down – either to a piece of wood which was then bolted into the actual Casket. The theory (in practice), was to secure the corpse in such a way, as to make it too difficult to ‘’pull free’’ a corpse for ‘’Snatching’’. Rather effective, the practice of Coffin Collars ceased in the 1860s.