New-York tribune., 1877-05-02
WASHINGTON.
MINT OPERATIONS
MONEY COINED FOR vENEZUELA-GOLD ACCUMU-
LATING-sUPERIOR COINS.
InX .nu In 1LLE I

MONEY COINED FOR vENEZUELA-GOLD ACCUMU-
LATING-suPERIOR COINS.
TBY TELEGRAPH THE rRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, May 1.-Gen. Butler is re-
ported to have said in recent interview that Sl2OOO
900 worth OF United States silver coin had been pur-
chased this country to South America. He
spoke OF this alleged transaction as by which the
United States Government had experienced a consdera
Bile loss Dr. Linderman, Director Of the Mint believes
that Gen. Butler must have obtained his impression
about the exploration OF silver from the tact that
there has been recently stamped at the United states
Mint l20O00OO nickel copper pieces for the Venezuelan
Government The blanks for these coins were made by
private firm in Waterbury, Conn, but assayed
and stamped al the Mint in accordance with law allow
ing such work 10 he done there Their total value was
Sl5OO00 and both the work done az III" Mint and by the
priva'e firm at Waterbury well paid tor by the Ven
ezuelan Government
There has been no large expectation of United states
silver coin since il placed in circulation more than
year ago. Occasionally small lots OF a few thousand
dollars each exported from san Francisco TO some
Central South American State, whore 1t Is used as
money but II the expectation Of silver half
jcct of eongratuation rather than of regret No silver
com is paid out by the Government except Mt It's nom
Dal value, while the cost of manufacturing II is only
about 80 per cent Of thl value that the United states
Government would make profit OF rom 20 to % cents
every dollars worth OF It's coin thus exported Theie
would be IN addition tie advantage thai must accrue To
national trade by tlc Circulation o our money ~ loIrlSh
quantities of our silver CONS win he exported because
any South American State desired To oman silver CONS
for currency 1t could buy xcau dollars IN open MR.
ket in London for from 53 to % pence per ounce or rom
20 to - per cent below the AT which our subsidiary
silver coins are issued.
About S4O,OOO.ooO worth OF gold has been coined in
the muts OF the United states since the lst or 7 JhY
Adding this the of silver coinage during the
period, the aggregate VIII he greater than thc
amount Of coinage ever done la the United Sats minis
in the length of time since organization. Ihe
only during which the amount OF work was neary
great two InrCe Immediately succeeding the
discovery Of gold in Cain, ruid aHd Australia: and even
in those years the number Of p actually made was
much smaller than during the present is the greater
portion " the gold then coined was made into double
eagles, While during the present year an Immense qua-
tity of silver CONS has bryn turned out The aCcuIu!d
of gold IN the United states during the current year
VIII probably be greater than dtng previous year
OF It's history This country Is not only etanng all tLe
gold produced, between SiO,O0U,0OO aud FjO.OOOOoO
but in the first eight months OF the present nscl year
our lnpOrtajIuns OF g,t aud silver exceeded the
poratiUns by about 600 600 From p sent indications
1t would be surprising Il the HnOuht Of - d ana
silver accumulated this country dumg the present
year from production ana import sIOuld amount To fully
S5O0UOOO0, more than the amount sent out oil the
country during The 1862, result OF the suspch
sion OF specie payments.