New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-16
CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT AMERICAN COINS.
PRIZES OF THE CoLLECroRs-cOINs THAT HAVE
STRANGELY DISAPPEARED.

PRIZES OF THE COLLECToRs-CJINs THAT HAVE
STRANGELY DISAPPEARED.
"Tbere is really no end said an amateur
cojn collector to "a TRIBUNE reporter. ito the list OF
articles collected cabinets. collect only American
silver coins and know that there is whole world OF
ahsolutely unsuspected details about this branch Of
collecting There for instance ia the mystery about
the coinage OF 1904. small number OF dollars was
struck of these coins one has ever been round
There specimens In existence OF the lSO4 doar
but there every to believe that these were re-
strikes made IN by ia the Mint at Pma-
d-phia in surreptitions and unlawful way for some
collector who had influence. What have become OF
those dollars that have disappeared so completely
From time time at auction sales OF the restrkes
appears and at each sale fetches greater sam. As
high as has been paid for one OF them But what
shall be said Of the hafdoar of 1904 ofthese no less
than l565l9 specimens coined yet none has ever
been discovered. certain number OF haf-dolars bear
in the date 1S05 WILL II examined closely, discover
that the five has been struck over a four THIS only
shows that a certain number OF the 1904 half dollars
WAS never issued mint aud converted into
1905 pieces but it does not explain the total vanishing
of those that issued There can be no doubt tna
something happened Of a mysterious character wmch
caused the dollars and halfdoars To disappear for the
quarters that year not particularly scarce me
specimen costs only So and fair specimen can be had
for ST. Yet there only 6,73s pieces OF tbat de-
nomination struck that Annus Mrabis for us collec-
tors and OF dollars there 1850 There were only
32l dollars struck the next year. and these were In all
probability for the cabinets OF collectors Tor no
dollar was issued in 1905 Then the coinage OF silver
dollars ceased, and did not begin again until 1896
U would be easy frame the hypothesis that the larger
American silver coins weight and that mer
chants bought up and sold them for melting But
although in relation TO the dollars bear out this
theory yet the annals Of the mint about the hadoi-
lars are opposed It, for in 1905 there was very large
issue OF this piece, and every year until 1873
| tba a
there was no coinage at all of half-doars. Coins oil
this denomination 1918 rather scarce, so that
fine specimen is worth from ten to twenty dollars ac-
| cording TO its appearance.
Coins are graded proof uncircuated, fine, good and
| fair The Thoroughbred collector has nothing to do
with dealers with auction saesbu hunts for his game
with an eye everwa tchul for chance When he
the CRIBS where the ferrymen take the toll his eye
gances rapidly over heap OF coins spread before the
Official Cerberus Should he see dime, or hali-dme OF
suspicious appearance, he says In hurried way Ex-
cuse me- I'm coin collector" and with that brief apo-
ogy he picks up coin and after brief inspection he
replaces IL by denomination and departs
with his prize perfectly needless or the cutting way In
which the erer insists that he will have his
money handled by strangers After few skirmshes Of
this the eryen come to look upon him as an
amiabe lunatic, and whenever they receive an odd
looking piece make point of giving IT to him IN change
| "The great object of collector Is TO complete a
series that say have OF every variety of any
given denomination that has been coined The most de-
sirabe in American silver coins are half.doars and
Dimes there fewer breaks In these than In
any other American issues The earliest pieces, Of
course ere CIRCULATION and the collector WHO sticks
| 10 his programme-an excellent one-of never going
near dealer requenting any auction sale will not
be likely to have any specimens OF these Ia his cabinet
But it is we'll know that before the Mint organ
lied there coined somewhere small supply OF the
| "dismes and hafdismes mentioned by Washington In
4 nal add ress
keenly felt the first President was 50 evidently at
one with popular feeling In tho matter that legend
ID extant small pieces coined OF his
silver plate. But what mint they were coined Is
question that has been asked but not answered Some
persons believe that they were coined In England but
patriotism repes such Thought Nor 1t necessary TO
frame conjecture. because there were Two local.
ties in the land where ample Propositions nsd D9ea
sGe fE5 e OF bs Federal Unon witch took from the
States the right OF coinage The two points where the
.dismes" aud hadismes could have been coined were
Annapolis In Mary land. and Dedham In Mass achusetts
The in all probability done at the latter place
the first coins OF tie Union struck there The dime
of 1897 Washington dime, as collectors cali IT, has on
as S e The dats 7Sa
q the bust Around = TIE legend; Liberty Parent Of
small eagle ng to the left with the The Legend ga
Mssd he s esaT issue cue 1 the
Philadelphia Mint Of dimes IN 1896 whereas dollars
1894 the succeeding year the head of Liberty
the CONS has the hair flowing without any restraint.
been changed and all the coins have the hair confined
with nllet This lasted until 1907 when in the latter
OF the issued the head OF Liberty with the
Liberty cap This Is considered with the most
beautiful of American coins. and continued without
change down TO 1887 for dimes and TO 1888 for quarters
and TO 1899 for ha-dollars and 1s361S40 Tor dollars
when the beautiful head OF Liberty displaced for
a figure OF Liberty seated. The dollars struck In 1896
and succeeding years until 1910 tentative efforts
only the large issue being In 1910 Yoa under
stand that Is easy 10 recognize dime or hafdme
with the head Of Liberty among Others; the reverse
tanned for the larger silver pieces but the small coins
have q reverse which Is simply inspid Dimes as far
back 1914 arc In circulation but they seldom rank
above good Dimes Of 1922 very rare, and one In