The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-03-26
THE KENTUCKY CENT.
Description of a Coin Which VIII Interest
< ~ All Americans,

A very common error prevails con- |
cerning the Kentucky cent, which, in |
deed, is not q coin in the genuine sense
of the term, but a token or medallet. It |
has been spoken of as if struck in Ken
lucky, and for purposes of currency,
and so rare as to be held at great prices.
etc. The truth concerning this speci-
men is very simple. 1t is termed 'sThe
Kentucky Token, =" or "Ketucky Trian-
ANGLE" because of the letter '.K'' at the
apex Of star, representing the word
''KentuclSy." There are three sets of
them, struck both in copper and silver,
and they form, it IS admitted, one of
most beautiful series of the great variety
of tokens produced in English work
shops for use in America. They also
bear the names Pyramid Token and
"Myddeton Token.'' They are quoted
anywhere from rs cents to S1.75, and
there are doubtless tens of thousands of
them extant in Great Britain and Amer
ica. Fu @
At the close of the revolutionary war,
when trade and commerce began to
revive, woeful deficiency of specie,
and especially of small change, for med
serious obstacle to business. 1t threw
the people upon the Oldest fashion, viz:
barter, which is the most ubiquitous of
all methods. Connecticut issued cop
per coins in eight type Cor patterns) in
1885 to 1888. Massachusetts, followed
with eight type, cents and half-cents, at
about the same period. New Jersey did
the'same, stamping horse-head upon
her money. Vermont struck many cop
per pieces.
But these were money, current as such
and redeemable by the respective States
in gold and silver, if presented in proper
quantities. In 1888 goldsmith at
Annapolis, Md, gave utterance to a
mass of tokens in silver, which were
eagerly seized upon in the absence of
genuine coins. In 1888 Congress au-
thorized an issue stamped NovG Constel-
latio, and in 1884 our present decimal
system (the simplest in the world) was
authorized.
The English mechanics were not slow
to take advantage of the crying demand
for small currency, and, in 1885, one
Thomas Wyon, of Birmingham, sent
over large numbers of what dealers style
Immune Colatnbias, one side bearing
thirteen stars. Tokens of the same class
were struck for New York, New jersey
the Kentucky cent. Kentucky came into
the Union in'1792 as the fifteenth State
Four years later we find the Kentucky
piece. The diverse (front side) shows
a hand grasping q sword. with the in
J scriptions: sour Cause is JUST and
"Unanimity is the Strength of Society. y
! The reverse side has triangular pyra-
! ! mid formed Of fifteen shining stars united
by rings; the initials of State inscribed
on each star. The one at the top has
''K, for Kentucky. The legend is ''E
|, Pluribus Unum.n The borders are hand
somely milled. The size is 18 to 20
; Eve reckon in sixteenths of an inch)
and the weight 155 to 1872 grains. Not
all the edges are milled; some
are plain; some are lettered ''Pay-
able in Lancaster, London, or Bris-
! tol, y Payable at Bedworth." etc. In
those days such things passed for money
in the scarcity of coins. So have we
seen at the time of the great panic
in 1886 to 1910, and again at the break
ing out of the civil war, an almost IN.
!. Vulnerable emission of copper tokens
from business houses, bar-roo44.s, bar.
ber shops, etc., etc.
. One Of the s.Myddeton takens'' of 1876
is in silver. On the diverse is Hope
with her anchor, presenting two chill
: dren to another female, who accept:
the charge by holding out her righ
hand toward them. In her left hand i.
the Phrygian cap resting ON the vudr
Qiberty staff. Before her is an oliv,
branch and wreath, and cornucopia il
in the rear. The legend is s'Britisl
a Settlement, Kentucky" In the exergue
II or at the bottom, is 1876.
Q The reverse side presents Britanni;
v seated disconsolate facing to the left
,, Her head is bowed. In her right han,
: is an inverted spear, the head pene
/ trating the ground in front as sh
bears heavily upon it. On her right
a on the ground, is the fasces or Roman
e bundle of rods, and near it the liberty
"a cap. The scales of justice are unde
! : her left foot. The sword of justic
y lies there with its blade broken
q Her left arm is supported b
!, large shield bearing English crosses
= The legend is Payable by P. P. T
Myddeton. The border is milled, tn
>, >. edges plain, the size is 1S; weight 32
y grains. viz: of siver, 175; copper, III
) The first coinage made by authorit
= of the United States was of copper
- They are called Fugios by dealers, an
;. posti pii5 utbc VI 1901. lHGy are VeI
v, numerous, few collectors but that hav
y one more. They are sold from Is to 8
!. cents. Of this money 345 tons wei
u struck under one contract with Jamt
Jarvis. Jarvis coined them successful
u u at New Haven, Conn, New York, Ri
= pert, VT, and other places where col
p per could be had ON the best term
:, There are 81 varieties.
~ On the diverse side are 13 rings linke
IS IS in uniform order, and making a circul;
~ chain. Around the center (within I'll
a. rings) is ''United States; We Are One.
Z, The reverse side is a sun-dial, aboy
- which is the radiant sun. On the left
~ ~ "Fugio'' CT fy''), on the right .17S7.
70 Below is ''Mind Your Business - III
VI " border is milled; the edge plain; size
- to 18; weight 126 to 178 grains.-D
or Robert Norris. IN Louisville Courie
journal.
Sc -"A "Colonel" who gave his nan
is as Nelson has been doing numbers
n ruralists in parts of the South out
k five or ten dollars each, by representa-
: himself as agent of the American al
|