The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-03-10
HOW MONEY Is MADE.

Thero appears to exist considerable
amount of misconception as to the manner
in which money is made-not in the Bar
mum sense, but literally. Many persons
imagine, for instance, that coins are, us it
were, soldered together in two halves, and
that tho head is struck at one press and the
tail at another; but this is quite mistake,
the impressions being given to plain disc
of metal, or "blank, and the edge milling
at single blow. 1ngots Of gold or silver
are first thrown into melting pots and redu-
ced to fluidity. After this, they are cast
into bars Of various sizes, proportionate to
the kinds Of coin to he produced from
them. These bars are next passed forward
to rollng-m'lls Of great power 1--WE speak
here Of the English Mint and laminated,
or drawn cut by pressure to state Of at
tcnuity, marvclously different to the rigid
form in which they left the moulds. The
bars, in fact, are now converted into
ribbons, flexible as the wand Of Harlequin
and these, being beautifully adjusted in
thickness for the pieces TO be obtained from
them, are passed to set of punching
presses, where they are crforated-honcy-
combed-from end to end. The discs of
metal thus obtained are blank sovereign,
very much resembling slankless brass but
tons, or blank sixpenscs, as it may happen
to be sovereign or sixpcnny "riLbons
which are being dealt with, and arc then
carried forward to the weighing machines.
These select the sheep from the goats-the
light and heavy from the medium, or stand
ard blanks. The accepted candidates for
coinage arc now taken the marking room,
whilst the rejected arc doomed TO the pur-
gatory of the crucible again. The marking
machines raise partially the protecting
edges of the future coins, which arc then
again submitted to a fiery ordeal in the
shape of an annealing oven. This opera
ton softens and tempers them. They are
made-as young ladies arc said to be-sus
ceptible to impressions, and arc then sick
led, or blanched, in weak solution of sui
phuric acid. This gives them bright sur
face, and removes all impurities. Drying is
tho next process, and this is performed over
hot iron platc-a la muffin and crumpet.
The blanks are now ready to receive the
''image and subscription =" of the Queen
God bless her! This finishing touch is
given in the press.room. The pieces are
now weighed out to number of boys, who
attend and feed the presses with them.
On one side of the presses, blanks are put
into tubes, and on the other they are
thrown out coins. They get, however, q
mighty hard squeeze in the "middlc pas
sage between two beautifully engraved
head and reverse dies, and are, at the same
time, prevented from expanding unduly. by
means Of collar of steel, fluted or miIlcd,
or its inner circumference, which encom.
passes each individual piece, at the moment
the dies strike it. Tic outer circumference
of the piece of gold or silver becomes thus
serrated, or millcd, at the instant of com
age. The finished sovereign or sixpenccs,
or whatsoever coins may be in process of
manipulation, now tumble out from the
presses in rapid and gistening succession,
and slide down inclined planes into trays
placed to catch them. They are cxamin-
ed on the surfaces and edges to ascertain ii
they are perfect, and then sent out into the
"wide, wide world" to do their mission of
good or evil, as the good or evil disposi.
t'ons of their possessors may determine
London Artizan.