The Osceola times., 1881-04-23

are consigned 10 the furnace, in order 10
guard against oxidation On the slightest
loss by friction.
The utmost exactness is required in
weight, the law allowing a deviation of
only one-half grain tout of 5lG grains) in
the double eagle, and proportionate va
ration in other coiLs. Consequently the
metals are weighed at various stages with
the greatest nicely; thus it is impossible
to purloin, as the least pilfsring would be
followed within few minutes by de-
lection.
So the next step is to the adjusting
room, where the work is of extreme del
icacy, and is done entirely by ladies.
Very fine scales are used. and each piece
or planchet-is weighed with perfect
accuracy. Ifa piece falls short in weight
it is thrown aside, and must again un-
dergo the entire process from melting
until il once more reaches the adjusting
room. If, on the contrary, the planchet
is little heavier than the law requires,
a small portion is filed off to reduce ii to
the prescribed limit; but if the surplus
weight is more than can be readily re-
moved with file, the piece is laid aside
to be remelted.
Now the planelvets that have passed
this test satisfactorily, are removed to
the cleaning-room. Here they are
cleansed with heat and acid, thoroughly
washed in water, and when dry are
ready to be coined.
As you have probably observed, the
nickel and bronze pieces have smooth
edges, while those Of higher denomina-
ton have fluted or nicked rims. The
milling machines, by which this feature
is attained, are each capable of finishing
from 800 to 200 pieces per minute, and
are operated by ladies.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of
the entire process is the coming osstamp-
ing. There are two presses, beautifully
clean and FURNISHED, that run with ad.
mirable smoothness and regularity. They
require great delicacy of manipulation, a
variation of hairs breadth being suf-
ficient to ruin a coin; hence they are at
tended by ladies. The capacity of each
press is from seventy to one hundred
and twenty coins per minute, but eighty
is the usual rate of speed. Thus, if all
were engaged upon double eagles, sixty
seconds of time would produce S34, 600,
Small presses are used for small coin;
and others in proportion to the size of
the piece to be stamped the larger the
coin the greater the weight necessary to
give correct impress. The requisite
pressure varies from twenty to eighty
tons.
The counting boards are simple but
ingenious affairs, that do their work with
undertaking correctness and speed. A
counting board is flat wooden surface
over which cross and recross a number
of copper partitions the height of a coin,
having number of receptacles large
enough to hold one piece of money; a
coin slips into each compartment, and
little or no calculation is necessary.
Twenty-Five dollars in five cent pieces,
may thus be counted in less than "A min
ute. Now it is put into bags, and packed
for shipment. In the courtyard we see
a number of kegs closed and having
over the end seal. They contain
money about to he shipped; and our
guide tells us that keg will hold $1,000
in small currency, or Sl200O0 in gold
coin.
1t is really beautiful sight-all idea
of value aside-these great glistcning
piles of money. In appearance the cop
per cents equal the gold coin. Rubbing
with alcohol and chamois skin makes
them remarkable brilliant, and in the
great trays of luslrous pieces it is almost
to recognize the dull looking
coins we Southerners are prone to de-
clare "a nuisance" unlike our more pru-
dent Yankee brethren, who never forget
that every little goes to make a nickle."
To-. 20,
prove ofinterest. Pure silver is worth
.l.30 an ounce, troy, while pure gold is
worth S20.67 per ounce the latter, in
pure state, is Il bright straw color, differ
ent alloyage giving it the various shades
seen in jewelry. Deposits of gold or sill
yer, not less than a hundred dollars in
value, will be received from any respons-
ible person, the mint recognizing as the
iepositor only the person who presents
the bullion. A small charge is made
for the work, and the depositor receives
in return the value Vi his deposit in gold
if he presented gold or in silver if silver
was given. Attempts have been made
TO foist spurious or manufactured mug
gets, but the fraud has always been de-
tected before melting time arrived.
There are, as you probably know,
branch mints in San Francisco, Carson
and Denver, the operations of the latter
being confined to assaying and refining,
while the two Others coin only gold and
silver. Thus all the basercoin in nation
al use is manufactured at the Philadel-
phia mint. The coinage of this estab-
lishment up to June 80, 1877, amounted
to 81, ,l32, ,226, ,S90.9j.
During various periods coins of GER
tain denominations were discou nted, in
some cases to be resumed later. Half
cents have not been made since 1857. |
never knew till now that there was such
a coin as a 50 gold piece, supposing that
the quarter eagle $3.50 was succeeded
by the half-eagle 50.
An act of Congress established the
United States mint in 1892, and the fol-
lowing year appeared the first issue,
which consisted of copper cents. In 1874
silver dollars were made, and a year
later gold eagles.
In 1916 steam was first introduced, bat
up to that time the work at the mint was
executed entirely by hand or by horse
power. From accounts still extent we
may judge that affairs connected with
this establishment were rather in primi,
tive style during its earlier days. The
accounts for 1928 show bills for cider,
rum, hay and pasture; and a little later
is mentioned, at is understood that in
future the workmen and laborers find
themselves in diet, drink and lodgings"
The supply of liquor was not stinted, and
is spoken of as fatigue rations."
After making the tour Of the mechani-
cal portion of the mint, our guide bows
himself off, informing us that we will
find many objects of interest in the cab
met" up stairs.