The Osceola times., 1880-04-17
ABOUT PENNIES.

and Tlx1L. anu HThulcu.
ABOUT PENNIES.
Where They Circulate and by Whom Most
Used.
Philadelphia Record.
Pennies are scarce, and the Mint can
not turn them out fast enough TO supply
the demand. Coins of this denomlna-
ton are turned out only at the United
States Mint in this city, and from here
the whole country is supplied. The
penny is a most important factor In the
commerce Of the country; much more
than most people imagine. The Mint Is
six weeks behind in Its orders for the
supply of these small coins, which Is, in
part, owing TO the fact that all the avail
able material is being used for other
purposes, and but small part can be
put 10 psnny-makine.
Where do all the lennies go?' asked
4 RSco-i reporter Of Mint official yes
ierd&y.
well. the horse-c2r companies take 4
good part Of the supply, but we limit
each company 10 so worth per day.
Then they are Obliged to patch out with
ihree-cen, pieces, Of which they zlsays
secure large quantities. But the mer-
chants make the hesyies; demands upon
US, the grea, retail dry goods houses
taking all they can get, and then crying
for more"
Where are pennies most used?" ques-
toned the reporter.
well, there is no part Of the United
States hardly where they are not used,
was the reply; but there are some sec
tons where they are strangers, and as
rare as gold dollars are here. In the
South the penny is almos; unknown, the
smallest coin being five-cent piece.
Recently, however, there has been some
demand for them from merchants in
Georgia and Alabama. In the far West
there is but little demand for the penny,
but when one gets to St. Louis, or east
of that point, then the penny becomes a
familiar friend Wherever there are
six cent fares on the street-cars then
there is a demand from that city for
pennies. Now, Louisville seldom, il
ever, calls upon us, while Cincinnati is
continually crying for the one-cent piece.
New York consumes big lot, and so do
the Eastern States. The two-cent piece
was a good help to US for time, but
none of them have been coined fer ten
years, and all that are sent in and re-
deemed are recoined into one-cent
pieces"
at is a somewhat remarkable thing,
but such is the fact" continued the ofh-
Ger, that competition in trade induces
and increases the demand for pennies.
Whenever trade is briskest, then the
penny is needed most-that is, retail
W. ~ tho honDc taGa from, ps
although large, does not fiuctuate like
the calls from the tradesmen. The East
ern States are the great penny centers.
and it is only as the population of the
West increases that il wants pennies.
The fve.cent piece is the standard coin
in the West, but the penny is making
inroads on it and great ones, too"
Are you making many Bland dol
lars?" was the next question the reporter
put TO the official.
Don't call them Bland dollars, but
standard dollars" replied the Official, in
language which could not be mistaken.
They are not Bland dollars, and it is a
popular mistake people make to call
them by that name. Now, put that back
of your ear where you will remember it.
They were not created by the Bland bill,
which was for free coinage, but under
another act"
After this kindly correction the Record
man determined that hereafter, that II
any of his friends come TO borrow Bland
dollars of him they would not get them
not by that name, anyhow; perhaps not
by any other.
This has been one of the busiest years
ever known at the Mint. and Colonel
Snowden has had his hands full. Most
OF the time the machinery has been al
work night and day. The value OF the
coins turned out for the calender year
ending yesterday was: Gold, 1914 Gas
silver, SASS, ,235; base coins, SIG, 5,003
The number of standard silver dollars
coined was IA, ,S07, 100 and the number Of
gold one-dollar pieces 5000. The Off
cial year Of the mint does not close uni
the 30th OF June.