Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-29
COINS OF THE CONFEDERACY.

presented the hide to the Boston gentle
man for his collection OF rarities.
COINS OF THE CONFEDERACY
An Interesting story of the Confederate
Gold Medalet and the -Four Silver Half
Dollars.
As far as can be ascertained, says the
Charleston Nel1S and Courier, no gold
coin was issued by the Confederate States.
The Richmond Standard IF Aug. 9, 1879,
however, published the following account
of a Confederate gold medalet which was
said 70 have been coined in 1861:
"There is in tie possession of c. +.
Johnston, music and news dealer, 9lS
East Nam street, in this city, an inter-
esting memorial of the late Confederate
States. IL Is a coin or medalet OF fine
gold, eleven sixteenths Of an inch in di-
ameter, with milled edge, nearly One-six-
teenth OF an inch IN thickness. diverse:
Inc head of the Confederate President in
bold relief and in profile to the left, with
the initials e. X. closely beneath and the
title, Jefferson Davis encircling above.
Reverse: The typical wreath of acacia of
tue United States coins, encircling the
date 1851 Legend above, First Presi-
dent c. ). A. Mr.. Johnston states that
be was informed by the lady from whom
be obtained the medalet that il was de-
signed by the late Gen. Charles Dim
mock"
In the American Journal of Numlsmat-
les Of October, 1879, reference is made to
this medalet. Mr.. r. A. Brock, of Rich
mOnd, Va, writes as follows to that jour
nal concerning it:
"Tne e.. ;. A. medalet, it is fair to pre-
sumo, was designed 1.-THE drawing l sup
pOsel by the late Gen. Charles DimmOck,
as l have seen a letter from his daughter
who disposed OF the specimen described,
in which she states that the design was
furnished by her father in 1861, since
which time the medal has been in her pos
session. 1 have no surmise as TO the en-
grayer. The medalet in question l think
not so well executed as it would have been
il prepared since the war and designed
for sale. The metal, tOO-gOld-is against
such a suppOsItiOn, and this specimen has
been worn as a charm, suspended by
loop which was sOldered to the com. 1t
bears marks, too, of an attempt at pierre
ing on both sides near the edge Tor the
same purpose"
The same journal, OF April, 1879, has
this to say on the subject OF Confederate
coinage.
1T has been believed and recorded as
an historical fact that the Southern Con-
federacy had no metallic currency. After
Z "A lapse of eighteen years evidence now
I presents itself to show that four coins
4 We're struck OF at the New Orleans mint,
while that place was IN the possession OF
I tht. Confederate Government. This dis
Z ruyers has been brought about 10y Rec
1rf item. entitled A Craze for Coins,'
which gave the fancy prices placed upon
rare pieces. 4 few days subsequent to
/ tue publication Mr.. Mason, the nums-
matist of 143 North Tenth street, Phila-
I deiphia, who was incidentally referred to,
I "A n
/ Taylor, Md. the Secretary ard Treasu-
rerOf the Louisiana State Board Of Health,
I giving the information that he had a
/ Confederate coin in his possession. In
I reply, Mr.. Mason wrote for a lead pencil
/ rubbing Of the piece, at the same time
+ expressing doubt as to the existence OF
I any genuine coins of the Confederate
/ States. The return mail brought rub
/ bIng Of the coin. The diverse represents
| a Liberty Cap above the American shield,
I the union OF the latter containing seven
/ stars. representing the seven seeding
/ States, the whole being surrounded with
| a wreath of sugar cane and Gotten in
/ bloom and the legend, Confederate States
Z of America above and Half Doll below.
/ The reverse has the Goddess of Liberty
/ with the thirteen stars representing the
states from which the Confederacy spraug
and the date 1862 in exergue. The his
tory Of the coin is briefly as follows
When the New Orleans mint was taken
possession of by the C0nfederates 10 April,
1861, the original dies OF the United States
{ We're Cancelled in the presence Of the Off
cisls connected with the building. The
I Confederate Cabinet, which was then sit
( ting al Montgomery, issued orders for a
Z design for a Confederate currency To Mr..
I Taylor, who was then chief cOiner of the
mint. The above design was submitted
and approved, and orders were issued for
= $50
bali dollars were accordingly coined, and
these. also following the design, were ap.
. proved by the Cabinet. Then came an
. obstacle. The Cabinet found that it had
not control of sufficient bullion to proceed
E with an issue Of coin. and consequently
the matt was deferred and a temporary
issue Of paper money decided upon. The
/ subsequent overthrow of the COnfederacy.
F Of course, put an end TO ali the plans for
. coming money
cot the four coins struck one is in the
I possession of one Of the chiefs OF the Con-
4 Tolerate Government; the second was
+ presented to Prof. Biddle, of the Univer-
sity Of Louisiana; the third to DR.. Ames,
I of View Orleans, aud the fourth was re-
tanned by Chief Coiner Taylor, by permits
sion of the Cabinet"
The NUmism0tic journal adds that it is
I a noteworthy fact that al the individuals
+ who were connected with the coinage, in
+ Guiding the superintendent of the mint,
assaver, cOiner, engraver, die siuker,
down 10 the man who held the chisel and
used the hammer in the cancelling of the
old and new dies, We're, IN April, 1879,
living.
+ The Hon. c. G. Memminger, who was
+ the first Secretary of the Treasury of the
Confederate States, says he has no rec0l-
+ lec.i0n Of any gold dollars issued by the
i COufpdaracv