The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-07

a more valuable according TO It. ag-f
If by M means unless IT is rare an
y in deInan ! ns well rs old. Many old al
= com psratively plentiful Here are corr
. at least :. 900 years old that can h
bought for IS cents 81, or 81"
How do you know they are genu
II ineY''
"Bv the same tests that manuscript
and traditions and historical facts O
all kinds are authenticated. There ar
o societies not only in New York. ia
I in Philadelphia. Boston, Pittsburgh
and other places. where they make
I study Of these things. There is n,
e more trouble in au~theRticating an an
Gent coin than any other object of an
!, tiqui'y."
Have you any specimens of II,
widows mite spoken of in Scripturrf
| Yes they are not very scarce. Her,
is a coin issued by Pontius Plate"
You have never found any of til,
;, silver pieces for which Joseph wa:
soldf'
No. there would be no means ot
identifying them, because they were
not coined or stamped The silver for
which Judas BETRAYED his Master was
coined money. The progress Of the
art Of coming is a fair index of the
progress of the ages. First there Were
only rude stamps on chuncks Of silver
or other metal. Then the stamps were
made larger, but 10 attempt was mad {
TO fill out the mould. The more mod.
ern coins are perfect all over, the orn-
amental part covering the rim as well
rs the faces. Some of the medals that
have been coined to commemorate va
rious events are the NEST beautiful
specimens of die cutting. There is nat
urally more scope for the artist TO pro
duce a design on a medal. Here is a
beautiful medal struck in 1880 to com
memOrate the h'tIeth anniversary Of
the independence of Belgium There
is one of 1887. The subject is the
seige of Breda in the Netherlands.
Here is a double crown with the por-
trait Of Ferdinand III. and his wife.
The original value was 81; ii is now
worth SIS"
What are the chief coins of the
United states that are worth more than
their face v%alue?'
1.-The silver dollar Of 1894, with
flowing hair, is worth So. The silver
dollar of 1904 is worm 500 to 500.
The silver dollars of 1873, is worn SIS.
The half dollars of 1894 are S25; Of
1896, $50; and 1897, $40; OF 1886. With
milled edge, 81. An original hnN dot
Tar struck by the Confederate Suites IL
1861 is uorth 5000. The quarter dol
lar of 1896 is worth 81; of 1923 and
1927, SIS; of 1858, 50 cents. The
twenty-cent pieces of 1877 and 1873
are worth Sl.50 each. The dimes Of
1896 are worth 50 cents; of 1877 1898,
1900, 1901, 1902. 1903, and 1904. are
worth 81 each. In ONE cases there
have been different issues Of the same
coin in the same year. One issue ma,
be a rarity, and the other issue may be
plentiful. The only way to determine
the value is to see what a piece Will
sell for. or half dimes, an issue Of
1894 is worth 81 of l796, 1897, 1901,
1903, and 1905, 81 each. The most
valuable half dime is Of the issue OF
1902, which is worth $l2,75. Three
cent silver pieces from 1863 to 1868
ale worth 25 cents each. Those of 1873
are worth 60 cents EACH"
How about tho famous liberty PEN
%niesl'
There are many varieties, and their
value varies from 10 cents to $40, ac-
cording to the perfectness Of the stamp
There are several kinds Of the issue OF
1898. One has long flowing hair, and
the reverse has a chain with thirteen
links. Another has a liberty cap and
a wreath of a different device. The
rarest nickel penny is the eagle, Of 1886
which is worth 90 cents The newspa-
pers made SO much fun of the device
that it was withdrawn from circulation
very soon, and is now scarce. The
most valuable half cent is the issue of
1896 which is worth IS. The half-cent
issues of 1886, lS43, lS47. and 1852
are worth 81 each. The half-cent is
sues Of 1881. 1911, 1854, and 1916 are
worth 81 each. The half cents of lS4O.
1912, 1915. and 1913 are worth 81 so
each
How abou, American gold pieces?'
"Many are worth more than their
face. The $50 OF 1S49 Is worth 500.
All the $40 gold issues from 1895 to
1901 are at u Premium Of from 80 cents
10 5000 Most of the 30 gold pieces
from 1875 to 1907 are at q premium OF
25 cents to 81. The price varies accor-
ding to the coinage, with the large or
small eagle used ia the Mint in those
years. One stamp of = gold coin Of
1915 is worth s25. \ 50 gold piece OF
1875 sells for 81
What is the most valuable modern
C ,in2'
'Hsa Confederate States s7ver dol
iar, Which IS tdtued ut 81 900. There
were only a few Of these coins struck.
The Confederate Government had the
dies made, and a few CONS were struck
at the New Orleans Mint forthe inspec-
ton of the Con federate officials. They
found, however, that they had no sill
yer, and no more were coined, JEFF
Davis says that he had one of these
coins on his person when be was cap
tured but some one took possession OF
it-he does not know who. Possibly
it may be in circulation yet as a genu-
inc coin of the United States One
side of the coin was in fact made with
a regular de used in the New Orleans
Mint to strike off United States silver
dollars. The other side was specially
devised for the purpose. The legend
reads: Confederate States of Amer
lea There is ashield, with bars and
seven stars, ~surmounted by a liberty
cap. The shield is enclosed by a
wreath composed of cotton and sugar
stalks"
''If this is worth 81. 900, it would
-