Part 7

The Trade Dollar was made a trifle more valuable than the American and Mexican dollar, thus not only affording a market for the surplus silver of the mines of the Pacific Coast, but furnishing merchants and importers from China with silver in a convenient form for payment for commodities, instead of their being obliged to purchase Mexican dollars for that purpose.

When its coinage was authorized it was inadvertently made a legal tender to amount of five dollars, but this was repealed by section 2, Act of July 22, 1876.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE STANDARD SILVER DOLLAR.

Authorized to be coined, Act of April 2, 1792. Weight, 416 grains, standard silver; fineness, 892.4; equivalent to 371¼ grains of fine silver, with 44¾ grains alloy of pure copper.

Weight changed, Act of January 18, 1837, to 412½ grains, and fineness changed to 900, preserving the same amount of pure silver = 371¼ grains, with ⅒ alloy.

Coinage discontinued, Act of February 12, 1873.

Total amount coined, from 1792 to 1873, $8,045,838.

Coinage revived, two million dollars per month required to be coined, and issue made legal tender for all debts, public and private, Act of February 28, 1878.

Total amount coined, February 28, 1878, to November 1, 1884, $184,730,829.

PACIFIC COAST.

The semi-official coins of the Pacific coast present quite a glittering array of monetary enterprise, and signify the great wealth and daring spirit of that part of the world. The fifty-dollar octagon gold piece, issued in 1851, is a very beautiful coin. “Gold slugs” are novelties; are oblong gold pieces, and are valued at sixteen dollars. The Utah coins also attract attention. They are of gold, fine. The device is an “all-seeing eye” and two clasped hands; reverse, “a bee-hive,” with inscription, “Holiness to the Lord.” Some have for legend, “G. S. L. C. P. G.,” which the initiated receive as “Great Salt Lake City, Pure Gold.”

The series of the United States coins is complete, and can be readily examined. The changes have been very gradual. The motto, “In God we trust,” was introduced in 1866.

There is one specimen which illustrates how a coin may become famous without the least premonition, and also is a witness of the positive law which protects and governs coinage. A law passed Congress in 1849 ordering twenty-dollar gold pieces to be issued. One piece was struck. Something intervened to delay the work, and the year closed; then, of course, the dies had to be destroyed, as no more could be lawfully issued of 1849. The coin just beside this, marked 1850, of same value, is not worth the collector’s consideration, while “1849” cannot to be purchased. It is marked “unique,” and is really the only one in gold. One specimen exists in brass.

COINS OF THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY.

It has been said and repeated as a historical fact that the Southern Confederacy had no metallic currency. After a lapse of eighteen years the following official document from the Confederate archives explains itself, and substantiates the fact that silver to a limited extent was coined at the New Orleans Mint by order of the Confederate Government, in the early days of the rebellion, and only suspended operations on account of the difficulty in obtaining bullion for coinage.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE, WASHINGTON, _March 27, 1879_.

DR. B. F. TAYLOR, _New Orleans, La._

DEAR SIR:—The enclosed circular will explain to you the nature of the duties upon which I am now engaged; I would like to have from you, from file with confederate archives, a letter stating when you were appointed Chief Coiner of the Confederate States Mint, instructions received copies of the originals of any official papers, sketches, descriptions, etc., of all the coins made, etc. This will make a valuable addition to Confederate history, and I know no one but you can give it.

Very truly yours,

MARCUS J. WRIGHT.

NEW ORLEANS, LA., _April 7, 1879_.

TO HON. MARCUS J. WRIGHT.

DEAR SIR:—Your favor requesting a statement of the history of the New Orleans Mint, in reference to the coinage under the Confederate Government, is received. That institution was turned over by the State of Louisiana, the last of February, 1861, to the Confederate States of America, the old officers being retained and confirmed by the government, viz.: Wm. A. Elmore, Superintendent; A. J. Guyrot, Treasurer; M. F. Bonzano, M. D., Melter and Refiner; and Howard Millspaugh, Assayer. In the month of April, orders were issued by Mr. Memminger, Secretary of the Treasury, to the effect that designs for half-dollars should be submitted to him for approval. Among several sent, the one approved bore on the obverse of the coin a representation of the Goddess of Liberty, surrounded by thirteen stars, denoting the thirteen States from whence the Confederacy sprung, and on the lower rim the figures, 1861. On the reverse there is a shield with seven stars, representing the seceding States; above the shield is a liberty-cap, and entwined around it stalks of sugar cane and cotton, “Confederate States of America.” The dies were engraved by A. H. M. Peterson, Engraver and Die Sinker, who is now living in Commercial Place. They were prepared for the coining press by Conrad Schmidt, foreman of the coining room (who is still living), from which _four pieces only_ were struck. About this period an order came from the secretary suspending operations on account of the difficulty of obtaining bullion, and the Mint was closed April 30, 1861.

Of the four pieces mentioned, one was sent to the Government, one presented to Prof. Biddle, of the University of Louisiana, one sent to Dr. E. Ames of New Orleans, the remaining one being retained by myself. Upon diligent inquiry I am unable to find but one piece besides my own, that being in the possession of a Confederate officer of this city, who transmitted it to his son as a souvenir of his father’s in the Confederate cause.

So soon as copies are made I will take pleasure in sending you a specimen for the archives you represent.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. TAYLOR, M. D. _Formerly Chief Coiner C. S. A._

The most notable and valuable silver coin is the dollar of 1804. It is said that the scarcity of this dollar was owing to the sinking of a China-bound vessel having on board almost the entire mintage of the 1804 dollars in lieu of the Spanish milled dollars. It is believed that there are not more than seven, possibly eight, genuine 1804 dollars extant. The rarity of the piece and the almost fabulous prices offered for it are patent facts.

SKETCH OF THE 1804 DOLLAR.[16]

This coin among collectors is known as the “king of American rarities.” But seven or eight pieces are known to exist. The 1804 dollars are of two classes, to wit: first, originals, which are from but one obverse and one reverse die,—draped bust of Liberty facing right; the head bound with a fillet; hair flowing; 6 stars before and 7 behind the bust above LIBERTY, upper right hand star almost touching letter y; reverse heraldic eagle bearing on his breast a broad shield, in his beak a scroll, inscribed E PLURIBUS UNUM; 12 arrows in right talon, a branch of olive in left; above, an arc of clouds from wing to wing of eagle; in field beneath 13 stars; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; edge lettered ONE HUNDRED CENTS, ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT, which are lightly struck in some parts. The first specimen in the Mint Cabinet weighs 415.2 grs.; second, Mr. M. A. Stickney procured from the Mint in 1843 in exchange for other coins; third, W. S. Appleton bought, at an advance of $750, in 1868, from E. Cogan, who purchased it from W. A. Lilliendahl, who bought it at a sale of collection of J. J. Mickley, 1867, for $750; fourth, L. G. Parmelee bought, at sale of E. H. Sandford’s collection, 1874, for $700, who obtained it in 1868 from an aged lady, who got it at the Mint many years before; fifth, W. B. Wetmore bought of Mr. Parmelee, 1868, for $600, from sale of H. S. Adams’ collection, 1876, at $500, from sale of M. J. Cohen’s collection, 1875, at $325 (in fair condition); sixth, present owner unknown to us, formerly in possession of collection of Mr. Robert C. Davis, of Philadelphia, and recently sold for $1200; seventh, S. H. and H. Chapman purchased October, 1884, at a sale in Berlin, and resold to a Mr. Scott, a dealer in coins, for $1000 at their Philadelphia sale, in May, 1885.

_Restrikes._ There were struck at the Mint in 1858 restrikes with plain edges, of which three were recovered after diligent search; two of these were destroyed in the Mint, and the other placed in the Cabinet, where it remains. The difference between these and the originals are as follows: obverse, the original die was re-cut in the word LIBERTY, the stars and date, which made them larger and deeper, especially noticeable in the stars, which are broadened; also in the date, it making the outline sharp and square, whereas in the originals they are somewhat rounded; reverse, not having the original die, they used another, which differs in many respects, most easily noticeable in that the A touches the eagle’s claw, the OF much nearer of the end of eagle’s wing than S in States (in the original it is equally spaced); edge, plain; weight, 381.5 grains. One specimen is in the Mint and another in England,—struck between 1860 and 1869, as in the latter year all dies remaining were destroyed, same as the above, but endeavors were made to letter the edges in the absence of a complete collar by using pieces of collars which did not contain all the letters, but repeated some of them several times. There was one of these pieces sold in the Berg collection in 1883 for $740, and showed all the peculiarities mentioned, and its weight was said to be inaccurate. The dies were destroyed in the winter of 1868-69. No counterfeit dies of the 1804 dollar were ever made. After the close of each year all dies are now destroyed.

DOUBLE EAGLE.

Among the rare coins in the Cabinet at the Mint is a Double Eagle. The dies for this piece were made in 1849, and only one was struck. “UNIQUE” and beyond price. There is also a Quarter Eagle of 1842, and the only one known extant at the Mint.

SELECTIONS.

Having referred many times to this case, it may be as well to append the entire list of its contents, as they, almost without exception, are rare, spanning the world from remotest antiquity to the present day, beginning with the gold Daric of Darius, and ending with the twenty-mark piece of Kaiser William.

GREECE.

1. Four drachma, Athens, B. C. 500; 2. Oboloi of Athens; 3. One-half obolos, 1⅓ of a cent; 4. Daric, Darius, of Persia, B. C. 520, value, five dollars and fifty cents; 5. Silver Daric; 6. Brass Ob. Berenice, B. C. 284; 7. Ptolemy and Berenice, copy; 8. Maneh of Ptolemy Philadelphus, B. C. 284, value, $17.70; 9. Drachma, Cyrene, B. C. 322; 10. Coin of Syracuse, copy, about B. C. 300; 11. Silver coin, Bactria, B. C. 126; 12. Brass of Bactria, B. C. 180; 13. Cleopatra, B. C. 30; 13_a_. Denarius of Cleopatra and Mark Antony; 14. Alexander the Great, B. C. 36; 15. Philip, B. C. 323; 16. Stater of Seleucus; 17. Alexander Balas, B. C. 150; 18. Antiochus VI; 19. Philip, King of Syria, B. C. 93.

ROME.

20. Roman aes, B. C. 500; 21. Denarius of Augustus, B. C. 31; 22. Tiberius, A. D. 14; 23. Simon, Bar Cochab, false Christ, A. D. 133; 24. Vespasian, A. D. 49; 25. Gold bezants, A. D. 610; 26. Justinian, A. D. 527; 26_a_. Kingdom of Cyprus and Jerusalem, Peter 1, 1361 to 1372, testoon, Kingdom of Jerusalem; 26_b_. Amaury II., 1194 to 1205.

ENGLISH.

27. Gold of Britain; 28. Carausius, Roman Emperor of Britain, A. D. 287; 29. Penny of Ethelbert, King of Kent, 858 A. D.; 30. Harold the Dane, A. D. 1036; 31. William the Conqueror, 1066, A. D.; 32. Edward the Confessor, A. D. 1041; 33. Robert the Bruce, A. D. 1306; 34. Elizabeth, Double Ryal, A. D. 1558; 35. James I, 1603, Ryal (30 shillings) and sovereign; 36. Charles I, sovereign; 37. Siege pound of Charles I, 1642; 37_a_. Gold sovereign of Oliver Cromwell; 38. Crown, and half crown and shilling, Oliver Cromwell, 1658; 38_a_. Farthing, Queen Anne; 39. George IV; 40. Coins of Australia.

FRANCE.

41. Deniers of Charlemagne, 806; 42. Medalet, Marie Antoinette; 43. Five francs, Napoleon I; 44. Gold, Napoleon I, 1851; 45. Five francs, Paris Commune.

GERMANY.

46. Bracteats; 47. German Crown, Ob. St. Stephen; 48. Ducat, Ob. Luther and Melanchthon, 1730; 49. Crown, Maximilian, A. D. 1615; 50. Ducat, Nuremburg; 51. Ducat Hamburg; 52. Monument, Bavaria; 53. King’s family, Bavaria; 54. Coins of Prussia; 55. Silver piece, Frederick William and Augusta.

SPAIN.

56. Ferdinand and Isabella; 57. Charles II., Spain; 58. Alphonso, Spain.

ITALY.

59. Silver of Venice under the Doges, twelfth century; 60. Ducat of Venice; 61. Copper of San Marino; 62. Silver piece of Lombardy; 63. Gold twenty lira piece; 64. Swiss crown, ob. St. Vincent; 65. African shell money; 66. African ring money.

ORIENTAL.

67. Siamese coins; 68. Chinese tael; 69. Widow’s mite; 70. Jewish shekel; 70_a_. Herod the Great, 37 B C.; 70_b_. Herod Archelaus, 4 B. C.; 71. Glass coin, Egypt; 72. Gold of Alnaser, A. D. 1222; 73. Dirhem of Mahomet V., A. D. 854; 74. Dirhem of Walid, Caliph of Damascus, A. D. 713; 75. Haroun Alraschid, Koran text, 806; 76. Fire Worshippers, A. D. 300; 77. Gold of Japan, 1634; 78. Gravel stone of Burmah; 79. Late coin of Turkey; 80. Mexican dollar used in China; 81. Coin of Cochin China.

The most notable coin in this case, and perhaps the most celebrated coin in the world, is the “Widow’s Mite.” Its name bespeaks its commercial insignificance. Yet visitors every day, upon entering the Cabinet of the Mint, ask first to see the “Widow’s Mite.”

The following letter from Wm. E. Du Bois, will be found of interest to the reader.

THE WIDOW’S MITE.

SIR: The curators of the mint cabinet do not consent to the intimation in a statement recently made that their widow’s mite is not the real coin.

The expression of a doubt as to any received fact is thought to be a sign of superior insight. Hence we have so much “destructive criticism,” a good deal of it being fatal to the critic himself.

The widow’s mite in our showcase of specialties, always attracting much attention, is precisely what the Scriptures speak of—a _lepton_, the smallest of Greek and Syriac coins. The name comes from _leptos_, very small. The word “mite” is English, and was formerly a weight representing the twentieth part of a grain, but has long fallen into disuse. It was employed in the translation of the New Testament to represent the word _lepton_, simply because it was so very small.

It is pretty certain that there was no Jewish or Hebrew coin so small as the _lepton_; that people depended very much upon outside coins for their circulation. Even their money terms had changed to those of the Syrian-Greek Empire and of Rome, as we see from all the instances in the New Testament. What few copper or bronze pieces they had, struck by local princes for a limited time, and now very rare, were large enough to bear a show of devices and inscriptions, for which the _lepton_ was too minute. The one in our cabinet has a diameter of only three-tenths of an inch, and weighs but ten grains. On one side nothing is discernible, on the other a mint monogram, such as were common in that era, occupies the space. It is much like the letter x, with a line crossing it near the top. Whether it is Samaritan, or Syriac, or Greek, we cannot be sure; nor is it of any consequence. It is enough to show that it is a coin, and belongs to the age shortly before and after the advent of Christ, and its size proves it to be a _lepton_.

It is an interesting and confirmatory fact, that this piece was found among the rubbish of the Temple grounds, by Dr. Barclay, long resident in Jerusalem, and author of “The City of the Great King.” By him it was presented to the mint cabinet. The objector may soberly doubt whether this was one of the identical mites offered by the widow; for the rest of his doubts they are of no value.

We are often asked how much this famous offering amounted to? There is some obscurity and confusion about their coin-tables, and, therefore, some variety in the estimation. We may say, however, that the current value of the _lepton_, or mite, was about one-fifth of a cent in our money; being eighty to the drachma or denarius, which was 16 or 15 cents.

But as the purchasing or paying power of a drachma was probably as great in that day and country as a dollar is in ours, we may say that the value of a lepton, judged by our ideas, was about one cent. As the treasurer would not take a less gift than two _lepta_, it follows that the poor but very liberal woman contributed fully two cents, which is more than some persons—neither poor nor in widowhood—throw into the church basket.

It is worth while to add that a visitor at the mint saw a similar piece in Jerusalem, and tried to obtain one, but on account of its rarity did not succeed.

W. E. D.

DONATIONS OF OLD COINS.

_Extract from the American Journal of Numismatics, April, 1884._

Under the head of donations, we have from Quartermaster General Meigs, a half-dollar and pistareen of Carolus and Johana of Spain. These pieces were presented to General Meigs at Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1870. The special interest attached to them, is their having been found on the beach of Padre Island, off the southerly coast of Texas. The supposition is that they were washed up from a sunken treasure ship wrecked on the coast, while carrying funds to the Army of Cortez, who entered the City of Mexico in 1519. Their good condition may warrant our accepting this briny romance _Cum grano salis_. Antiquarian stories must expect to stand the test of the chemist, as well as of the historian. This reminds me, however, of some specimens of the Mint Cabinet, from the wreck of the San Pedro, some account of which may not be uninteresting here.[17] “Early in 1815, a naval armament was fitted out in Spain, by Ferdinand VII., for the purpose of reducing the Rebellious Colonies in South America. The military force of this expedition amounted to ten thousand men, of whom two thousand were on board the flag ship “San Pedro.” The vessel was also freighted to a large amount with gunpowder, cannon balls and specie.”

The account then goes on to state that the fleet touched at the Island of Marguerita near the coast of Venezuela. After leaving the island, the vessel took fire, burnt four hours until the magazine caught and exploded, and the wreck went down with four hundred men. The right of working the wreck, was granted about thirty years after, to a Baltimore Company, known as the “San Pedro Company.” Divers were set to work, and the wreck found in sixty feet of water on a hard bed of coral. Over this there was a deposit of mud, and again over this a layer of coral, which had to be pierced to arrive at the treasure.

The Spanish dollars recovered were sent to Philadelphia, and (up to September, 1848) about seventy-five thousand dollars had been recovered and re-coined. The dollars were much corroded and encrusted, the coating having first to be removed, to bring the pieces into fit condition for minting; the loss from corrosion was considerable; one dollar with the impression still visible, being reduced to thirty-four cents in value. In the light of these and other facts, it is difficult to conceive how the pieces found in Texas, could have come so clean from their reputed berth, of over three hundred years, but they are worth keeping for all that, and General Meigs has the thanks of the Republic for them.

COLONIAL COINAGES.

[Illustration: PLATE I.

NOVA CONSTELLATIO “QUINT.” 1783.

NOVA CONSTELLATIO “MARK.” 1783.

NOVA CONSTELLATIO, IMMUNE COLUMBIA.

SOMMER ISLAND SHILLING. “HOGGIE.”

NEW JERSEY IMMUNIS.

CONFEDERATIO INIMICA, ETC.

See description.]

[Illustration: PLATE II.

CONNECTICUT CENT, 1787.

NEW ENGLAND ELEPHANT TOKEN. VERY RARE. 1694.

GOOD SAMARITAN SHILLING, MASS.

MASSACHUSETTS HALF CENT. 1787.

MASSACHUSETTS CENT.

NEW YORK.

See description.]

NOVA CONSTELLATIO.

Obverse: An eye, the center of a glory, thirteen points cross, equidistant; a circle of as many stars. Legend: “NOVA CONSTELLATIO.”

Reverse: “U. S. 500” inscribed in two lines, a wreath surrounding. Legend: “LIBERTAS JUSTITIA 1783.” Border, beaded; edge, leaf work. Known as the “Quint.”

No. 2.—Obverse: An eye, around which a narrow, plain, circular field; outside a glory, thirteen points cross, equidistant; a circle of as many stars. Legend: “NOVA CONSTELLATIO.”

Reverse: “U. S. 1000” inscribed in two lines, a wreath surrounding. Legend: “LIBERTAS JUSTITIA 1783.” Border, a wreath of leaves; edge, leaf work; silver; size, 21; weight, 270 grains. Known as the “Mark.”

THE IMMUNE COLUMBIA.

Obverse: An eye, on a small, plain, circular field; from the outside of the field radiates a glory of thirteen blunt points, crossing, equidistant, the spaces between as many stars in a circular constellation. Legend: “NOVA CONSTELLATIO.” Border, serrated.

Reverse: The Goddess of Liberty, seated upon a paneled cubic pedestal, facing right; her left hand is well extended and balances the scales of justice. A short liberty staff, crowned with a cap and bearing a flag, rests against her right shoulder, and is supported by the right hand. Legend: “IMMUNE COLUMBIA.” Exergue: the date 1785. Border, serrated; edge, plain or milled; size, 17; weight, gold, 128.8 grains; silver, 92 grains; copper 148 grains.

BERMUDA SHILLING—(“HOGGE-PENNY”).

Obverse: Device—A hog, standing, facing left, above which are displayed the Roman numerals “XII.,” the whole surrounded by a beaded circle. Legend: “SOMMER ISLANDS” around which is a beaded circle like that enclosing the device.

Reverse: Device—A full-rigged ship under sail to the left, a flag flying from each of her four masts—enclosed in a beaded circle, the beads larger than on the obverse. Copper; size, 19; weight, 177 grains.

NEW JERSEY IMMUNIS.

Obverse: Goddess of Liberty, seated upon a globe, facing right; in her extended left hand the scales of justice; right hand staff of liberty bearing a flag and crowned with a cap. Legend: “IMMUNIS COLUMBIA.” Exergue: “1786.” Border, serrated; edge, plain; size, 18; weight, 160 grains.

Reverse: A shield argent, six pales gules, a chief azure. Legend: “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Border, serrated; edge, plain; size, 18; weight, 160 grains.

CONFEDERATIO AND INIMICA TYRANNIS.

Obverse: A circular central field, size 6, covered with a cluster of thirteen small stars; around this device a glory of fine rays, presenting a corrugated outline of sixteen points. Legend: “CONFEDERATIO 1785.” Border, serrated.

Reverse: An Indian, standing beside an altar or pedestal, his right foot upon a crown, an arrow in his right hand, a bow in his left; at his back a quiver full of arrows. Legend: “INIMICA TYRANNIS AMERICA.” Border, serrated; edge, plain; size, 18; weight, 112 grains.

CONNECTICUT CENT, 1788.

Obverse: Identical with one of 1787.