The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-12-06

ly we'll with the eagle of our earlier coin
age to deceive the unpracticed. Thi
fraud. however. is one that cannot be ex
teusively perpetrated. at the present time
since our Colds and silver coins differ frou
each o.ber,in their dime nsions and design:
more widely than formerly.
VIII. The saving and inserting fraud
This fraud is practiced by saving apart
the two faces of a gold coin. and inserting
between them planchet of base metal
BY solder, in place OF the precious metal
thus removed the circumference being
gilded to conceal the interposed metals.
How far couDterfeits of this description
have been circulated, we have been una
bic to ascertain.
TX. The drilling and plugging fraud,
This method of impairing coin is per
formed by drilling the coin edgewise, and
plugging the perforation with base metal.
the outer extremely being closed with pre-
cious metals. Upon the larger denomi-
nation of coin and especially of gold,
there is much temptation to this fraud,
since it is easily accomplished, and may
be made highly remuner ative.
K. The evicerating fraud.
This very lucrative mode of importing
coin. without appreciably diminishing its
weight or affecting either the upressions
on its face, its dimensions, or its appear
ance, is performed by rem owing one Of
the faces Of the coin by means of the lathe,
as far as the headed circle, or even the
edge, and turning out so much of the con-
tents as will leave mere shell. The
corresponding thin face Of another simi.
lar colo, exactly fitting the coDical aper
ture left by the removal of the other,
is then soldered on, the cavity having
been previously filed with fu>ible alloy
of platinum 30 exactly to preserve the
correct weight. A counterfeit of this de
scriptiop has been recently circulated, and
can be detected by those only who are
expert in examing coins.
XI. The peripheral fraud.
This fraud consist, in removing from
the rcunierence of coin more or less of
the metal by means Of the turning lathe
and cbisel, or the file. Several dimes
worth of precious metal may be thus re-
moved from the larger gold coins, and
yet the reading be SO perfectly restored
by the simplest mechanical devices, that
the loss cannot be discovered, except By
means of measurement or weighing. 1t
is process easily executed, and one which
We have reason to believe il practiced to
g very considerable extent
XII The galvano-plastio fraud.
By means of the electrotype process,
one OF the faces, and the periphery Of the
coin. are deposited quite thin in precious
metal. The other face is made in like
manner, aud OF the exact size. and the
hollow portion being filed with plan,i
NUN alloy. of proper weight. the two are
adjusted and soldered together. The &C
curacy and economy of this mode of copy
ing the designs, of coins, renders it fraud
Dot difficult to accomplish. and offers to
dishonesty the incentive of large profits
XIII. The sweating fraud.
This method of reducing the value o.!
coin consists in sbstractlng portion of
precious metals by means Of mercury
If the process be csrefully conducted and
not carried too far, the coin may be rob
bed to a very seriou. extent, and yet the
90 its faces not be observably
impaired as to awaken suspicion.
XIV. Chemical reduction.
This fraud, sometimes also called
sweating" is performed by exposing
coin TO the action of dissolving liquids;
for silver, nitric acid is usually employed;
and for gold, the mixture of nitric and
hydrochloric acids. This process is great
ly more lucrative than the one with ner
curry, and is, indeed, in our opinion, by
far the most dangerous of all the methods
By which our coinage is tampered With.
The 6fth method, or "encasing process"
is that by which the coins found in the
possession Of Duval and Ball, who were
arrested sometime ago, are made. DIR.
Barclay is of opinion that be can provide
checks by which these frauds may be