The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-12
BOGUS NICKELs.

CeunterfeIt Five-cent Pieces In Circulation
The Result of an Assay Mt the Nrint-Loek
For months past the New York Sub-treasury
has been redceming the nickel hve-cent coin at
the rate of several hundred dollars per day. Mr..
John o. johnson, of the Treasury Department,
observed, a few days ago, that considerable
number of suspicious pieces were daily offered
for redemption. A further examination con-
vinced him that they were counterfeit and he
decided accordingly, though the dies were so
well executed and the metal SO skillfully aloyed
as 90 deceive the Oldest and most experienced
coin experts, even when submitted to them for
critical examination.
From SO to $S nominal value of this coin is
offered daily at the Sub-Treasury in New York
for redemption, from various sources. Only two
or three days ago Mr. johnson rejected ten of
these pieces In a bag of $50 from the Atlantic
Bank, of Brooklyn, N. Y, and they are found in
larger proportion even than tkis, many of them
new and much improved on former issues.
There Is, evidently, much Of it in circulation,
and the public would do well to scrutinize the
coin carefully.
The Assistant Treasurer at New York, Mr..
Folger, suggested few days ago that some spe-
cimens of the counterfeit nickels be sent to the
United States Mint in this city for examination.
Accordingly four of the supposed counterfeits
and four of the genuine coins were forwarded
to Ex-Governor Pollock, the Director of the
Mint. The eight coins were submitted by him
TO Mr.. Eckfeldt, the Assayer, who gave the fol-
lowing result of the assay to which they were
subjected, with some hints as to the means of
detecting the counterfeit coins, which will prove
useful 50 the public
MINT OF THE UNITED STATES, PHILADELPHIA, Feb
8, lszO-Hon. James Pollock, Director, etc., ETC.
Dear Sr:-The five cent nickel-copper pieces sent by
Mr.. johnson, OF the U. 8. Treasury at New York,
have given occasion TO an interesting and important
examlnaton-the first OF the kind that we have been
called on to make. Hitherto the counterfets of this
coin have usually been casts, but we have here a
coinage with dies
There were eight pieces At first sight the general
lQ6 thn
belief that four were genuine and four counterfeit,
which, on further trial. proved to be the fact Our
most ready test with all kinds OF coin is the weight
which counterfeiters can seldom bring out right.
The true weight is u 6grans. Three OF the pieces
suspected piece happened to be Just right. This
last piece was subjected to assay and proved to
tain IA per cent Nickel instead of rs per cent the
lawful proportion.
1t also contained q large proportion OF zinc;
making In fact the usual German silver" The dies
were the same as in the other three except the date,
1859; the others being 6s and 81. All these four
pieces have yellowsh tint. and the engraving is
false and coarse but not sufficiently so to be detected
by hasty Inspection on the whole, it is a dan
gerops issue, and proves that, with more skill in
engraving and alloying. great frauds could be
practised.
The genuine pieces were close to the legal weight.
In this respect we have always found an admirable
have had occasion to try 1t. The specific gravity
the good pieces is SOS, or might be called goo, OF
the bad pieces S12, which in the hands OF careful
weigher would be sure and conclusive test. The
pieces, except the one assayed, are returned. Re.
spectfuly yours, j. X. ECKFELDT, Assayer.
Director Pollock, in forwarding the report Of
the Assayer to New York, wrote as follows
'In addition to what Mr.. Eckfeldt has said, may
say as further test, you will find the motto, In
God we trust good deal larger in the counterfeit
than In the genuine. The yellow color OF the coun
terfeit will also afford some test etc. This appear
ance is caused by the presence OF zinc, which is
In the genuine"
| 1t is to be hoped that all persons through
| whose hands any considerable quantity of FIVE
| cent pieces pass will examine them in the ligh
| of the suggestions given above, and use theiI
endeavors to trace the counterfeits to theil
| source. The counterfeitng of five-cent piece:
is about as small piece of disreputable business
| that man can engage in, and all who are en-
1 gagged in the business should be brought to grie
| as soon as possible. There is doubtless quite as
| much of the bogus coin in circulation here as ir
4 New York. NV. EE