Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-12
MUTIaATING SILVER COIN

The Practice of "S,ccdttn0" Coin Gn@ its
Penalties DebasiHg the Ccsa Of the
Realm
Washington Star.
Coin "sweating," by which portion of
the metal is taken away and its absence only
ascertained by carefully weighing tho coin,
has long been a device of counterfeiters and
those who make Sweating" business.
Until few months ago the gold coins were
tho only ones that were mutilated for frsudE-
lent purposes. The case is different now.
1t is evident that tho various silver colEs
are being tempered with. Complaints
to this effect have been received at
the treasury department. 1t is almost i'm
possible to detect the mutilators as long as
The people take the coins. They have 'been
SO accustomed to pieces of silver with holes
bored in them that they go on taking them.
A great portion of the silver in circulation
during tho war was thus treated, not for
fraudulent purposes, but as tho coin was
scarce, il became the proper thing 10 wear
them SO watch charms or around tha neck.
For this purpose holes ~ere bored IN them.
Much Of the silver now III circulation
with holes bored through was the silver OF
the war. They are not, however, vorth
their face value. The treasury will not re-
deem them. which is tho test of their value
ton. Tie government will only take them
back in its purchases of silver bullion. AS
the coined pieces represent greater value
on their face than the bullion in them
vii! bring, the holder of every
ono of these coins ls, In
fact. cut from one to thirteen cents,
according to the denomination. Bat Still
the 1nuiiiated coins increase. The people as
a general thing do not mutilate them they
have no reason for it now. 1t is the work of
professionals" They go at it as bust
ness, and are making very good thing out
of il. They can cut z good sized hole into
every coin that comes to hand, and Still pass
tho coin at it's full value. The standard sil-
YER dollars have been attacked. No
body can possibly want to wear one OF
those az a ''charm,'' but still it is becom-
ing apparent 10 everybody that the
dollar of our dadiies is being cut and hacked
for the bullion that is taken from it. Tho
treasury has been urged to stop this, but as
long rs tho people take the mutilated coin it
il impossible to stop the practice. 1t is not
like counterfeiting. Il is stated that come
dealers who handle great deal of coin make
q practice of cutting a little out of each uu-
mutilated one, and of selling tho silver thus
obtained. The penalty for fraudu!ently mu-
tilating coins is fine of not more than 3d.
COG, and imprisonment fcT not more than
two years.
Large manufacturers seem to suffer most
from this practice, as they are tho naost fire.
qusnt compliments. Everybody does not
know that the treasury will not redeem coin
whose value is by any means impaired. For
long time such coins have been sent at in
frequent intervals to the department for re-
demp t:on. The rapidity of the growth of
the evil cannot ba bsttsr shown than by the
fact that the receipts of packages of such
coins are now of almost daily occurrence at
the division OF redemption. They are al
ways shipped back, nj the expense OF the
sender. One of the complaints that have
been received at the treasury growing out OF
coin mutilation has resulted rather singular
| ly. TIE cashier of q largo manufacturing
establishment took in a silver quarter dollar
with q big hole in it. Upon examination he
| found engraved on it name, date and ad-
dress in small letters. lie sent the coin to
the chief of the secret service, and
suggested that this was chance to arrest a
man for mutilating coin. Chief Brooks
sent it to the postmaster of the place, with
the request that he inquire into the case.
| Tho postmaster found the man whose name
was on the coin. He Yves delighted to hear
about it. During the war young lady had
given the coin to him all fixed up, and he
had worn it as watch charm. He lost II
about sight years ago, and had advertised
Offering $5 for its return. He gave good
quarter for the s'momento," and tie good
quarter has been sent to tie cashier of the
nanuractory making the complaint.