The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-09
THE MINT REPORT.
Production and Coinage of Gold and Silver
in the United States.

WASHINGTON. Aug 8-Dr. James P. Kimball,
the director of the mint has completed his re-
port on the production of gold and silver in the
United States during the calendar year 1855.
The production of gold is estimated at
$3l, 100000, an increase of ST. 900, 900 over the
estimate for the calendar year 1884. The pro-
duction of silver for the calendar year 1885,
calculated at the coming rate in silver dollars,
is estimated at SOL 60O0 900. against $4S, 100000
in 1884, an increase of So, 100000
Colorado still retains the foremost rank as the
largest producer of precious metals, California
retaining second position. The most notable
changes have been in Montana and Idaho, the
production of the former having increased from
So UOOO 600 in 1884 to nearly $l3, 800 600 in 1885,
and the latter from So, 900 in 1884 to
$3,3OO, 600 In 1885. Nevada, Utah, Now Mexico
and Dakota still hold their own, while the pro-
duceion of Arizona has slightly decreased.
The coinage during the calendar year at the
coinage minis consisted of 47,544.52I pieces of
the face value of $780, So OF this amount
3,002.3l3 pieces valued at $27, 773 OH, consisted
of gold coin, and 81, 925, 544 pieces, valued at
$2S, 962, ITO, of silver coin; the remainder minor
coin. The number of silver dollars coined dur
ing the calendar year 1885 was 28.697,767. In
addition to the coinage, gold and silver bars of
the value of $27,490,095 were manufactured by
the minis and assay Offices during the year.
The total value of the bullion and coin import
ed into the United States during the calendar
year was $41, 418, 100, of which SIS, 1922, 500
sisted of bullion and $33 095, 100 of coin. OF the
total imports. $23, 645, 81 consisted of gold and
SIT, 772, 718 Of silver The total exports of gold
and silver from the United States during the
same year $44, 697, 749, of which Sill 417,2 07
was gold and $685. $50, 542 silver While the
United States lost by net expectation during the
year $l5, 5O7 824 in silver, it gained $12 228 1O4
by net importation of gold.
The report contains an elaborate review of the
coin circulation of the United States The di-
rectors' advance estimate of Jan. l. 1886, is re-
viewed. as well as the estimates of his prede-
cessors. Some errors in still earlier estimates
have been corrected. A deduction from the
stock of gold coin Of SIS 669 981 is made for bull
lion in the Treasury July l. 1873, heretofore in
cluded as CON- and for an error in exports of
gold coin, as reported for 1874, $4654,714 total
of 800 34, 695 This, with the $50, 900 de-
Quoted in his annual fiscal report, makes total
deduction of $50 324, 695 from the estimates by his
predecessor of the stock of gold coin in the
United States.
The director estimates the amount of gold coin
In the United States on Jan. /, 1885, to have been
$685. 485, 483; of silver dollars, 1918 259 76l; sub
sdary silver, $50, 034, Ill; total stock of coin
of 1926, 779. 1926 OF the stock of gold CON- the
United States Treasury had over and above out
standing gold certificates $75 434 49, and the ma
tional banks $156, 353, 592 including Treasury
and clearing house certificates. One thousand
and fifty State banks and trust companies held
Nov l, 1885, $751; 255 789, which left in the hands
of the people and other banks, 1910, AL, 693.. OF
the silver dollars which have been coined, the
United States Treasury owns mot represented
by silver certiicates $72, 538, 725; the national
banks Sc, 940, 628. The amount owned by private
individuals and other banks tincluding those in
the Treasury represented by certificates
outstandingl was $685. $780, 408 OF the
subsidiary silver, about $27,000,000 was
in the Treasury and $47 000 900 outstanding.
latip0 h$vyarious private and public writers, and
adduces facts and figures in support of the cor
rectness of his estimates
The report also contains statistics in regard TO
the consumption of the precious metals. Circu-
lars were sent to about 5000 individuals and
firms whose business led him to suppose that
they were consumers of gold and silver in the
industrial arts. Responses were received from
4372 firms, of which 200 proved to be con-
sumers. The value of the gold used by the
2,70O firms during the calendar year 1885, was
reported as $l0,837, 944 as against Ia, 500. 600
reported by about the same number of
firms to the Director of the Mint in 1884
OF this amount, about So, 10000 consisted
of United States coin and about Sc, 600, 900 of
stamped United States bars. The foreign coin
used amounted to $178, 900. and old jewelry to
$4,000 leaving only $467, 900 out of native
grains, and $559,0OO of wire and rolled plate
me SHNor consumption reported ny the same
firms was 49, 470 0O0 of which 1924, $40 consisted
of United States coin. So, 1895 of United
States refinery bars, $4,000 of foreign coin. and
$219000 of old jewelry plate. etc, leaving only
$94, 600 of native grains, and about $2l7, 900 of
wire and rolled plate. The result of this inquiry
leads the director to the conclusion either that
the consumption of gold and silver in the indus
trial arts has fallen off since 1883, that there
is less duplication In the returns than hereto
fore as between original and secondary manu-
facturers.