Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-12-04
ORIGIN OF THE NAME DOLLAR.

FOR THE NATIONAL MrELLIoExcER. -
The Emperor Sigsmund granted to Jasper Sohick the
rank Of Count and the right to coin money in 1882 on
Of the rich silver mines discovered his estates
Of Michelsberg and Joachimsthsl Jasper died without
issue and his brother Matthew continued in
of the same rights with his three sons one Of which
Jasper of Sehakenwerth, had four sons Stephen, Js
rome. Henry, and Lawrence, who, finding the rich
ness Of the silver mines to increase began to coin in
1917 larger pieces Of money called Joachmsthaer GIL
dengroschen terany Gildergroth issnsd from the val
ley OF St Joachim. In the OF time the people
found the name too long, and at first the Of GILL
dengroschen was left ost then that of the saint faally
the pieces OF nearly were simply called
TRAILER, (from Valley Already in 1861 the name
Thaler is to be found alone in the regulations coinage
OF the Emperor Ferdinand IH#
AS the piece OF the Count of Schok struck in 1917 il
the origin Of the Almighty Dollar it will not be out Of
place to describe it in full and bazon ID OF ex-
plain It's armoral bearings:
BOAsnaa. The crowned Bohemian Lion from the left
hand side.
Reverse: ARma DOMInorum SLIeksoyum STEphoui
FhAfrum COmitum De BAsan y st. Joachim in full
STATURE having his head covered and holding travelling
stan in his night hand; the sides s. - (Sane-
tus Joachimus. AT the feet Of the Saint the family
coat Of arms OF the Count Of Schek four-quarered
shield in the first and fourth quarters golden lion hold
ing silver church in blue field for the county of Wei
senkirchen In the second and third quarters in q red
field silver triangle, pointed upwards) with red
ring in it, and two silver in the field for the county
OF Bassan In the middle shield red tower with batte-
ments and open gate, supported each side by Griffin
for the county Of Schck The coin is nearly Of the size
and weight Of French five francs piece
In the same year the Reformation bagan by NJ Luther,
and on that occasion the following anagram was made
upon the inscription of the above dollar:
10 eCCe WALES f Lorent CVM eVangeLao 15I7
II in that remote time the richness Of a few silver
mines could produce such change introduce gene
rally larger pieces Of coin for circulation instead Of the
smaller ones in use till then, what not to be expect
ed from the nexhausble richness Of the mines Of Cali
forna and were not larger pieces Of gold generally
to be expected in place of those small gold dollars
which, through their miniature size and their neatness
better fitted to be kept objects Of curiosity than to
circulate medium for general use?
When published an article the change of the silver
dollar to the gold spoke Of the size Of silver dol
lar that the gold pieces should have taken So that we
should have had pieces of thirty dollars instead Of those
small abortve gold pieces. Never was there coin bet
ter adapted to be counereted they are SO small that
hardly any of the four tests by which counterfeit coins
may be detected be applied to them Ssoht smell
hearing, and feeling familiar Of the genuineness
of money They small that it takes an expert eve
to distinguish the false from the genuine The Sc
cond test, SMELL is generally applied only to silver
Thirdly hearing They are so small that they rive hard
ly any sound from them by ring The last test tseln0
will likewise give very little satisfaction for they are so
small that their weight hardly be ascertained The
public nearly all must take them bndfolded as very
difficult to distinguish the genuine from the counter
felt The smallest gold coin should have been that
Of two dollars and half because the fraction of ffy
cents makes it very convenient and if only that coin had
been kept as the smallest should have had sill
in the country, and should not be placed in
the necessity to take in payment for twelve and half
cents old deaced pieces Of silver worth only seven or
eight cents.
Perhaps in future article may suggest what ought
to have been done to take advantage Of those marvellous
gold sources Of California and Australia in order to in
troduce some better arrangement for the circulation Of
coins D. E. q