Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-15
Spurious Shekels.
Two MtlIsOns of False coin TN SfrrHtIa-
tfOn-VariOus Modes OF Forgfng.

terfeit silver and gold coin is now afoat
in this country; but such, according to
the estimate of treasury experts, is the
fact. and, moreover, the total is constant
ly increasing. The spurious money pass
es through thousands vi innocent hands,
until it is finally caught in the meshes of
the nets laid by the Secret Service, or is
recognized by a iynx-eyed expert in
some large bank. Then the unfortunate
holder bfcpmes the victim of the coun-
teTei.ers skillful rascality.
In order to initiate coin successfully
: that is, SO that it will deceive, not the
general public. because probably most
persons never take a second look at the
coin they receive, provided its appear
ance seems right, but the clerk or CASH
Ter moderately we'll accustomed to hand
ling money-the counterfeiter must re-
gard execution, size and weight. Tie
last is most important in gold coin, be-
cause the least current weight of the lat
ter is established, whereas in silver a
coin Of Ii hit weight, SO long as the re-
duction is not manifestly too great. will
pass The standard weights of gold coin
are as follows.
$40 pcStandard SIG graz least current weight 5l4 q
$40 pc.Standard 25S least current weight ZEE q
SIS pc-Standard, l29 49,; least current weight l "
$2xpcStandard, 81 grs. least current weight 63 II
ANY decrease IN weight below the latter
figures subjects the holder to loss equiv
alent to the difference. This decrease
may occur by wear, or as is very often the
case, through sundry nefarious processes,
which, though not properly counterfeit
ing, nevertheless belongs of that species
of crime
These operations are perhaps the mcst
dangerous to the community, because as
rule the coin preserves its appearance,
is apparently genuine under the acid test
and in fact, is genuine except in weight
1t it impossible, for example to tell
whether a coin has been ''sweated" OF
not without weighing it, and by sweating
is meant the use OF the coin as the anode
in the electro plating bath, the gold be
ing distracted from it and deposited on
another surface. Of course a uniform
quantity is removed from the entire sur
face, and the imprint retains its original
sharpness. As much as two dollars worth
OF gold is sometimes taken from the
double eagle in this way. A less scienti
tic plan is one too commonly adopted by
constituencies jewelers., who, when they
want little gold, instead of buying the
precious metal, purchase twenty dollar
piece. file off with a dead smooth file {
sufficient quantity, reburnish the place
aud pass off the coin at full value. The
m ost extensive fraud perpetrated on golc
col mage is splitting
The operator uses fine saw TO spill
the coin neatly into. Then he gouges thC
gold out of the center until only a THU
outside she'll is left, and substitutes sill
yer and platinum alloy for the metal thu
| distracted. The two parts are then join
ed with gold solder, and the edge is re
milled. 10 this way gold to the value o
| $3.50 has been taken from a single
piece. The operation, however, generall,
destroys the ring or tone of the coin, leav
ing it, besides, either too light or tot
thick Another swindle is to bore int
the edges. The holes whence the gold i
taken are reflled with silver, covered
with gold solder, and the edges are neat
ly finished; but the light weight reveals
the theft. From SIS TO $3.50 worth 0
gold has thus been taken from one coin
and the pieces OF course have every APP
pearance of being G nuine. Real count
erfeits-that is. coin wholly spurious be
cause of base metal ARE almost invariabl,
below weight. An exception to this, how
ever, exists in the So piece which is o
tt e exact standard weight of 1919 grains
1t is composed OF alloy of gold and silver
and worth from $2.70 to So 40: Its APP
pearance and tone are excellent. bu
it is thicker than the genuine coin, ant
hence may be detected by the gauge
Still it is one of the most daugerou
counterfeits Ia existence.
A silver piece passes current so long a
the imprint is not badly defaced o
weight greatly reduced. A hole through
the coin, however, condemns it. The loy
value of silver prevents any such proceed
ings as in the case of gold, as the amour
which could safely be distracted will no
pay for the trouble of doing it. Conse
quently, all silver conterfeits are tru
limitations. and there is hardly date @
dollar, half-dollar or quarter which ha
not been copied with remarkable &C
curacy. The connterfeiter either makes
mould in plaster from the real coin, ant
casts from it, or he stamps his immitatisl
in dies. As this last process is the sam
as in use In the minis, the counterfeit
thus produced are moro difficult to detect
because, besides being more accuratel
finished, the compression which the allo
receives brings it nearer to standar
weight. A large number of ceuntertei
silver coins are made chiefly of typ
metal. A very dangerous half. dollar ]
composed ofsilve copper and zinc, an
is worth about seventeen cent.
1t is from seven to ten grains too ligh
Spurious half dollars have appeare
which constantly deceive the bank teller
and other experts, because they are c
full weight. They are made of a com
pound similar to German silver. and ar
so we'll plated with genuine silver that tn
acid does not affect them. They are
however, too thick, and the gauge, a
usual, where the balance fails, shows tn
fact. Counterfeits of the quarter dollar
though very plenty, are less dangerou
than those Of larger pieces. They ar
composed of anthony, tin and lead, an
are both too light and too thick, althoug
they have a good ring. A peculiar com
position has been employed, to whic
powdered glass is added to give clea
sound; but this is but clumsy exredi
emit. as the coin is far below proper weigh
a tact easily appreciable.
1t is difficult matter to lay down an
general rules for detecting counterfeit
coins, as it will be seen from the forege
ing that the closest ocular inspection ma
be wholly at fault. In general the mill
ing on the edge OF the counterfeit coin
Il