The New York herald., 1878-03-13
Where and How the New Coin Ii
Manufactured.
a VISIT TO THE PHILADELPHIA MINT.
How Tons Of Gold and Silver Are Melted, AS
sayed, Rolled, Milled and Coined.
An Interesting Description Of the
Various Processes.
PHILADELPHIA, March II, 1878.

PHILADELPHIA, March IL, 1878.
While the community is awaiting the temperance
ofthe dollar OF daddes" public interest turned
toward the workshops IN which Uncle Sam is manu-
featuring tho now coins. The HERALD the other day
briefly described the manipulation OF tho dies and the
preparation Of them for the work of stamping the coin
ut the Philadelphia Mint To-day, inasmuch
the CONS to be ready for do
livery Thursday next your correspondent has
thought that careful description Of all the intricate
and delicate processes to which ingot OF precious
metal is obliged to be submitted before it emerges as
bright would have some interest. espe-
ciay tho officials OF the Mint me that there
has never yet been published IN newspaper full
aud accurate account Of how money Is made. II tho
brief sketch which follows is trustworthy and correct
tho credit belongs Professor James Booth. meer
and rehner; Nj. E. Du Bots, chief assayer, and O. Q.
BosbyshelL chief coner, and their assistants, who
have Afforded the HxaALD every facility.
THE PHILADELPHIA
The United States Mint IN Philadelphia Is hand
poine white marble, two storted structure, with an
imposing Grecian portIco, supported by high Dorc
columns, and approached by flight OF wide marble
steps Tho Philadelphia Mint founded April 2,
l7o2, the nrst director appointed oy President
Washington April IA, 1892, and tho present building,
which situated the plcasantost part OF Chestnut
street, Broad, first occupied on the 23d of
May, 1888.
RECEIVING
In the centre OF the building Is the receiving room.
II 10 surrounded by the Offices OF the director, tho
chief assayer and the smelling department, with
which 81 has easy access. Much depends upon the
absolutely exact and nice working OF tho receiving
department, through which all the material used in
ths Mint arss passss Tor II 10 only from the perfect
ADMINISTRATION OF this department that tho
and gains OF the minting process can be
fxod Ih. nf eho da ru1a MT
must at monihs balance tally with the receiving
regisuy, ana II thore IL deficiency in the accounts
inveslg alton follows tho discrepancy is dis
covered. The nugget pure mixed with quartz;
old unused or worn out plates ancient jewelry bars
from the assay Offices OF the government and from
orstgn countries and refuse metal In every conceiv
able form received at this point, to DO trans
mu,ed beautiful bright coin, to be sent upon Its
srrand good evil, the medium Of exchange for
the business Of the world.
SCALES TO wEoH GRAIN OF DUST.
Tho consignment, whether IL be small or large, Is
hrss carefully weighed. aud weight. character Of
metal aud number OF the consignment entered
upon the books Of the receiving department and also
upon tabalsted statement of each days proceedings
A. exacuds Is OF paramount importance IN this, the
initial OF the work, requisite that the officials
on duty should te painstaking and trustworthy men,
ssd that they have At their command means OF
weighing their valuable receipts to perfect nicely.
In this room three sets OF scales, varying in
capacity from 100 ounces to 5000 ounces, and SO
perfect the adjustment of these beautiful pieces of
mechanism that the largest scale will indicate with
the weight OF the nundrcdtn part Of ounce 1t
viii actually weigh gram OF DUST breath will tip
tbe beam, and ight glass necessary to
enclose the Instrument II you put piece of blank
paper on tho scale aud then write your
name tho paper these balances will in
scate the difference In weishL These scales
sre the very perfection OF mechanical workmanship.
The arms Of The Instruments hang agate pinions,
she metal portion having been made of hardened
Steel and, although they have been in constanIus
tor lh,ytwo years. are as accurate their indica-
tious when FIRST placed ia position. They are but a
portion Of the work OF the late FrsnKnn Peaie, the
well known mecnanician of his day. who Tor the best
portion Of his ITO DEVOTED himself to the perfect.ng
Of the mechanical appliances OF the Mint. Each
package - received 10 kept separate, and as soon
weighed and reesssred 70 sent 20 the deposit netting
room.
Here 70 commenced the process OF testing the In
trnsic value OF mesaI rcceivec. IL the package
~ small ~ sent in bulk. but II large portion only
10 taken for refining In this room are four furnaces,
kept in constant use "a the refining process II Is
tine province Of the management oi TINS room
10 take IRON ihe rod siver received tor rchning
all rciase matter or bascr volatile metals. ~ order
that TIE assaycr may reach by assay mp
proclamation ci the Inherent value Of the con-
coal 10 solely usea IA order 10 avoid tho presence
OF suiphur when destructive TO the hDer metals.
ana At s,.aes powasroS charcoal Sometimes. bu,
rarely. other means have 20 DC rcsortei TO- inns N
wnen % the lars come 10 the Mint from private
pube assay ,fnces, ~ iouna thai the suphidss OF
the basef metals have been permitted Go remain IA
tho uss. IN such casss the empleyment OF corrosive
suonate must lie rcsoftsd Ca. Tho excess OF oxygen
this material acts wi,h lightning rapidty upon
exsrspe.us matter, and the purlncaton Il thorough
must os asca wsh great osfc, Tor " ~ 80 active an
agent THAI n NOT quickly oeicately handed voia
uiizsuou a me metal wsii be the result and conse
queDt loss
Tho condition OF the mels must be watched at reg
sisr Intervals an Greer .nsI Al ths lssiaa. o parn
cation the l,qud metal may be poared The contents
o toe cfucbie are poured into shoe or open mould,
sna ~hen eoelsa ise rlss, o. nngsct - separated
from tnis piece sshcsut quantiiy taken 70 make
an exact s-sas OF as saise. si.ser by aed or eure
pross ana upon ths percentage value OF ins test tho
depoasor is paa Tor hls consignment.
AL tns desoslts after assay are thrown INTO one
oosk. Que VI ~hch large uosts afc made tor tto main
MEETING rooms, ana from each msn again takcn-a
separate ssssy ~ aud thfoagh wuch The chef
ss.s'',n.' s"s .s.ss q, s'ssasrs sss s,ny o. me
process tnst saeh ana csefy ingoi y sgsser gold o.
copper h bscsshs 70 the standard of huensss sct
BY ia~.
THIS form of deiee,lea u tne true yaluo of the
nysssfy. ssd leo ssrmitssa 90 the opcfai.on
ne eenaurtsd az the Mat giain ststemeut d,yoid
Of tcci caltses ~in ~ oF lnisrest those
not Eas, secess me woFsas oi thls ss,.ssh
nsnl
AAaArlsa ooLn
The ricce OF Foia wush tskon from Tho bar H.
bestsn qua sud fpilsd thln plate aaa rom "a ~
~.sssa I. haa sr.mme sbe eesgem.fy quan.ty Tor
loia being about ~ krsns, tfoy. lhs weghta used
% allrox ailns tbu 4asntites ~ stamped oo0
AL zoe 'ssssr ss.sn.s sfs aeei@a. asisisas Of this
ssm dopn . Tea .theusanass part silver A. next
weighed ont iof te elipy of the sod piece ahDald
eossss iooo q sola The sissr assd bs lhfss
tsmss shls proportion. 90. IteI ees Fne lead aacd
protsss t1n shcsts c.t into slasre pleccs,
wesghing Ten times a. much as tDs sod snaer assay
Ihls sheet OF lead y ma4e Dt0 the form Of hollow
cone isgfoaueed the psece of Rolu Do
ssssyea aud sbs proper pFopufton o siiver Ihs
bsnafon metai liaeea IN eos "a % small dish
made OF bone sss, srfcis eaphDie Of sosorbng
eassr mstsl<. aaa placed "a iafnaec heated TO .
brigat heat Ihg cup ~ lefhfi,ted 10 fcinaln
unth she ssrlscs OF tne meite1 metal has become
bright This Indicates th4t the wnoie Of tbe base
metals nave besn converted isto OXIDES and are
sorted BY sbe eupeL fhs sutton thus Produced is
when eoot pressed into q sheet oe,~eea eynnder