Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-06
NIutilating Silver Coin.


Coin sweating" by which portion Of the
metal is taken away and Its absence only ascer-
tanned by carefully weighing the coin, has long
been device of cOunterfeiters and those who
make sweating business. Until a few
months ago the gold coins were the only ones
that were mutilated for fraudulent purposes.
The case is different now. 1t is evident that the
various silver coins are being tampered with.
Complaints to this effect have been received at
the Treasury department. 1t is almost 1m-
possible to detect the mutilators as long as the
people take the coins. They have been so &C
customed to pieces Of silver with holes bored In
them that they go on taking them. A great
portion of the silver In circulation during the
s e eon nSs eoI II
proper thing to wear them as watch charms or
around the neck. For this purpose holes were
bored In them.
MUCH OF THE SILVER
now in circulation with holes bored through
was the silver of the war. They are not, how
ever, worth their face value. The Treasury Will
not redeem them, which is the test of their
valuation. The government will only take
them back In its purchases Of silver bullion. AS
the coined pieces represent greater value than
on their face than the bullion in them will
bring, the holder of every one of these coins
is, In fact, out from one to thirteen cents,
stih iDs the mutilated ted coins 0aei increase Fhe ne
d
they have no reason for it now. 1t is the work
of professionals" They go at it as busi-
ness, and are making very good thing out Of
it. They can cut good-sized hole into every
coin that comes to hand, and still pass the coin
at its full value The standard silver dollars
have been attacked. Nobody can possibly want
to wear one of those as a "charm;" but still it
Is becoming apparent to everybody that the
dollar OF our daddtes is being cut and hacked
for the bullion that is taken from it. The Tres
y ury has been urged to stop this, but as long as
BILE to stop the practice. 1t is not like counter
feiting. 1t is stated that some dealers who han
die great deal OF coin make practice OF cut
ang little s3, out OF each unmItiated and Of
for fraudulently mutilating coins is fine of not
more than $4,000, and Imprisonment for not
more than two years.
WHO ARE THE SUFFERERS
Large manufacturers seem to suffer most from
this practice, as they are the most frequent COM
plainants. Everybody does not know that the
Treasury will not redeem coin whose value is by
any! any means a impaired For long time such coins
partment for redemption. The rapidity of the
growth OF the evil cannot be better shown than
by the fact that the receipts of packages of such
division OF redemption. They are always shipped
back, at the expense of the sender. One Of the
complaints that have been received at the Treas
rather singularly. The cashier OF large man
ufacturing establishment took in a silver
quarter dollar, with big hole in it. Upon
name Date @ and address 1 sa eater 1a
He sent the coin to the chief of the secret SER
vice, and suggested that this was chance to
arrest man for mutilating coin. Chief Brooks
request that he inquire into the case. The post
master found the man whose name was on the
coiH. He was delighted to hear about it. Dur
ing M the ne war war young lady had given the coin to