The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-08
American Coins.
Prizes Of the Collectors Coins that have
Strangely Disappeared.
N. Y. Tribune.

com collector TO Tribune reporter, ITO the
list of articles collected in cabinets. col
lect only American silver coins, and know
that there is a whole world ef absolutely un-
suspected details about this branch of col
Letting. There, for instance, is the mystery
about the coinage of 1904. A small number
of dollars was struck, and of these coins not
one has ever been found. There are two
specimens in existence of the 1904 dollar,
but there is every reason to believe that
these were restrikes made in 1928 by some
one in the mint at Philadelphia in surrep-
titious and unlawful way for some collector
who had influence What can have become
of those dollars that have disappeared so
completely? From time to time at auction
sales one of these restrikes appears. and at
each sale fetches greater sum. As high as
81 900 has been paid for one of them. But
what shall be said of the haf-dolars of 1904?
OF these no less than 156,519 specimens
were coined, yet none has ever been dscov-
cred. A certain number of half-doIlars
bearing the date 1905, will, if examined
closely, discover that the five has been struck
over four. This only shows that certain.
number of the 1904 half-dollars was never
issued from the mint and was convert
ed into 1905 pieces, but it does not explain
the total vanishing of those that were issued.
There can be no doubt that something hap
pened of mysterious character which
caused the dollars and half-dolars to disap-
pear, for the quarters of that year are not
particularly scarce; a fine specimen costs
only $40, and fair specimen can be had for
81. Yet there were only 6,738 pieces of that
denomination struck in that Annus Mirabi-
lis for us collectors, and of dollars there
were 1850. There were only 321 dollars
struck the next year, and these were in all
probability for the cabinets of collectors, for
no dollar was issued in 1906. Then the
coinage of silver dollars ceased, and did not
begin again until 1886. 1t would be easy to
frame the hypothesis that the larger Anne ri
can silver coins were over weight and that
merchants bought them up and sold them
tor melting. But although the facts in re-
lation to the dollars bear out this theory, yet
the annals of the mint about the half-dollars
are opposed to it, for in 1905 there was
very large issue of this piece, and SO on
every year until 1916, when there was com
paratively small issue. In 1876 there was
no coinage at all of half-dollars. Coins of
this denomination for 1915 are rather scarce,
so that fine specimen is worth from ten to
twenty dollars according to its appearance.
Coins are graded as proof, uncircuated,
fine, good and fair. The thorough paced
collector has nothing to do with dealers or
with auction sales, but hunts for his game
with an eye ever watchful for a chance.
When he passes the cribs where the ferry
men take the toll, his eye glances rapid
ly over the heap of coins spread before
the official Cerberus. Should he see dime,
of suspicious appearance, he says, in a hur-
riad SfaypI1ea mo ,r,ao ooli
and with that brief apology he picks up the
coin, and after brief inspection he replaces
it by one of the same denomination and de-
parts with his prize perfectly needless of the
cutting way in which in which the toll
gatherer insists that he will not have his
money handled by strangers. After few
skirmishes of this character the ferrymen
come to look upon him as an amiable luna
tic, and whenever they receive an odd-look-
ing piece make point of giving it to him in
change.
The great object of collector is to COM
plete series, that is to say, to have one of
every variety of any given denomination
that has been coined. The most desirable
in American silver coins are half-dollars and
dimes, because there are fewer breaks in
these than in any other American ISSUES
The earliest pieces, of course are not In cir
culation, and the collector who sticks to his
programme-an excellent one-of never go
ing near dealer, nor frequenting any auc-
ton sale will not be likely 10 have any spec
linens of these in his cabinet But tits well
to know that before the mint was organized
there was coined somewhers small supply
of the "dismes" and half-dismes mentioned
by Washington, in his fourth annual address.
The want of small coins was keenlv felt, and
The first President was 30 evidently
with the popular feeling in the matter that
a legend is extant that these small pieces
were coined out of his silver plata. But in
what mint they we're coined is a question
that has been asked but not answered.
Some persons believe that they were coined
in England, but patriotism repels such a
thought. Nor Is it necessary to frame such
a conjecture, because there were two locali-
ties in the land where ample preparations
had been made for coming silver. but had
been arrested by the formation of the Fed
eral Union, which took from the States the
right of coinage. The two points where the
"dismes" and half-dismes could have been
coined were Annapolis, in Maryland, and
Dedham, in Massachusetts, The work was
in all probability done at the latter place,
for there has always been a strong local ira
dition that the first coins of the Union were
struck there. The dime of 1902 or Wash
ingtOn dime, as collectors call it, has on the
diverse yonng mans head with flowing
hair, facing to the left. The date 1895
touches the lower part of the bust. Around
is the legend: "Liherty, Parent of Science
and Industry" On the reverse is a small
eagle flying to the left, with the legend,
"United States of America Beneath the
eagle is the word 'Disme." The first regu-
lar issue from the Philadelphia Mint of
dimes was in 1876, whereas dollars and half
dollars and half dimes were coined in 1894
In 1894 and the succeeding year the head of
Liberty on the coins has the hair flowing
without any restraint, but in 1896, when the
quarters and dimes begin, this had been
fined with fillet This lasted until 1907,
when in the latter part of the year was
issued the head of Liberty with the Liberty
cap. This is considered with reason the most
beautiful of American coins, and continued
without change down to 1887 for dimes and
to 1888 for quarters, and to 1889 for half
dollars and 1836-1940 for dollars, when the
beautiful head of Liberty was displaced for
a figure Of Liberty seated. The dollars
struck in 1880 and succeeding years until
1910 were tentative efforts only, the first
large issue being in 1910. You can under
stand that it is very easy to recognize d me
or half-dime with the head of Liberty among
Others; the reverse bears an eagle with a
herRldic shield. This has been retained for
the larger silver pieces, but the small coins
have reverse which is simply insipid.
Dimes as far back as 1914 are in circulation.
but they seldom rank above good. Dimes
OF 1922 are very rare, and one in good condi-
ton is worth So. For fine specimens the
value mounts higher, but it is iniudicious TO
think OF the auction value of piece as tend
ing to pot-huntiDg spirit greatly TO be re-