The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-11-08
Curious Facts About American Coins.

Curious Facts About American Coins.
There is really no end" said an anna
teur coin collector, "tO the lists of arti
cles collected in cabinets. I collect only
American silver coins, and I know that
there is whole world of absolutely un.
suspected details about this branch of
collecting. 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 ex-
istence 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 surrepti.
Eous and unlawful way for some col
lector who had influence. What can
have become of those dollars that have
disappeared so completely? From time
70 time at auction sales one of the re-
strikes appears, and at each sale fetches
Q greater sum. As high as $1,000 has
been paid for one of them. But what
shall be said of the half dollar of 1904.
OF these no less than 156. $40 specimens
we're coined, yet none has ever been dis
covered. A certain number of half dol
lars bearing the date of 1905 will, if ex
amined closely discover that the i've has
been struck over four. This only sh lows
that a certain number of the 1904 half
dollars was never issued from
the mint, and was converted
into 1905 pieces, but it
does not explain the total vanishing of
those that we're issued. There can be
no doubt that something happened OF q
mysterious character, which caused the
dollars and half dollars to disappear, for
the quarters of that year are not par
ticularly scarce; q fine specimen costs
only $40, and fair specimen can be had
for 50. Yet there was only 673S pieces
Of that denomination struck in that An.
nus Mirabilis for US collectors, and of
dollars there were 1850. There were
only 321 dollars struck the next yesr,
and these were, in all probability, for
the cabinets of collectors, for no dol
lar was issued in 1905. Then the coin
age Of silver dollars ceased, and did not
begin again until 1896. It would be
easy to frame the hypothesis that the
larger American silver coins were over
weight, and that merchants bought them
up and sold them for melting. But a..
though the facts in relation to the dol.
lars bear out this theory. yet the annals
of the mint about the half dollars are
opposed to it, for in 1905 there was q
very large issue of this piece, and so on
every year until 1916, when there was
comparatively . small issue. In 1916
there was no coinage ct all of half dol
lars. Coins Of this denomination for
1915 are rather scarce, so that fue
specimen IL worth from $40 to $50, &C.
oording to its appearance.
1T 10 well to know that before the
mint was Organized there was coined
somewhere . small supply of the dis.
mes and half dismes mentioned by
Washington in his fourth annual ad.
dress. The want of small coins was
keenly felt and the first president was 80
evidently ct one with the popular feel
ing in the matter that Q legend is ex-
tant that these small pieces we're coined
ont OF his silver plate. But in what
mint they we're coined 10 question that
he's been asked but not answered. Some
persons believe that they were coined
in England, but patriotism repels such
. thought. Nor il it necessary to frame
9oOo = OOoJoCtOkCs O0CoUDo t0ok0 were
two localities in the land where ample
preparations had been made for coming
silver, but had been arrested by the for
nation Of the federal Union, which took
from the states the right Of coinage. The
two point whore the 'dismes' and half
dismes could have been coined were
Annapolis, in Maryland, and Dedbam
in Massachusetts,. Tho work was in all
probability done ct the latter place, for
there has Away been . strong tradition
that the first coins of the Union were
struck here. The dime of 1892, or the
Warrington dime, - collectors call il.
hes IN the diverse Of . young mans
bead, with flowing hair. facing to the
left. The date 1892 touches the lower
part of the bust. Around is the le-
gsnd, Liberty, Parent of Science
and industry On the reverse is . small
ea9ls flying TO the left, with the legend,
: Upited States of America Beneath the
eagle IL the word 'Disme.' The first
regular issue from the Philadelphia mint
a dimes vas in 1875, whereas dollars
and half -dollars and half dimes we're
coined in 1874. In 1874 end the sue
seeding ysas IL hsad of liberty on the
noins - H. hnir flowing without any
ron1aain1, bot il 1796, When The quartsrs
~ din0 begin, this had beeo changed,
- II ~ ee3ns hsvs Ne hair eosAnsd