Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-13
rnn KRNrUCKY OENT.

Description of an Interesting ooI N
vbtoh ygiu attract the Attention OF
All Nunlsmatists.
From, the Louisville CoUrter-Joar'aat'
very common error pevails concern
Ino the Kentucky cent, which, indeed, Is
not coin in the genuine sense oil the
Iarm brt token or medallet. 1t has been
spoken of as if struck in Kentucky, and
for nurposes of currency, and so rare as to
he held at great prices, etc. The truth
concarnins.this specimen is very simple.
II IL termed 1.-THE Kentucky T0ken," or
s.Kentucky Triangle" because OF the
iattar s,K,i at the apex of star, repre-
zentin0 the word KENTUCKY" There are
three sets of them, struck both in copper
and silver, and they form, 1t is aumitted'
one of the most beautiful series OF Ihe
vrest variety of tokens produced IN Ea-
X elisb workshops for use in America. Ehey
also hear the names "Pyramid Token"
and 1Alyddleton Token" They are quot
al anywhere from rs cents to 81 40, and
there are doubtless tens of thousands
ri them extant in Great Britain and
America.
At the close of the Revolutionary war,
when trade and commerce began 10 re-
yive, a woeful deficiency of specie, and
especially of small change, formed SER
ious obstacle to business. II threw the
people upon the oldest fashions, viz;
barrier. which is the most injurious OF all
methods. Connecticut issued copper
coins in eight types Cor patterns in 1873
to 1888. Massachusetts followed with
Nght types. cents and halt-oents, at
ABOUT the same period. New Jersay did
the same. stamping hOrse-head upon her
money. Vermont struck many copper
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 a. goldsmith an An
napolis, Md, gave utterance to mass OF
tokens in silver, which were eagerly
seized upon in the absence of genuine
coins. In 1888 Congress authorized
an issue stamped "Nova COnstellatio,"
and in 1884 our present decimal system
(the simplest in the world) was auth
orized.
The English mechanics were not slow
to take advantage of the crying demand
for small currency, and in 1875, one
Thomas Wy on, of Birmingham, sent over
large numbers of what dealers style I'm
mune Columbias,'' one side bearing thir-
teen stars. Tokens Of the same class We're
struck for New York, New Jersey. etc. !;
and this brings us more directly to the
Kentucky cent. Kentucky came into the
Union in 1902 as the fifteenth State. Four
years later we find the Kentucky piece.
The diverse (front side) shows hand
grasping a sword, with the Inscriptions ::
& sour Cause is just" and "Unanimity is
the Strength of Society" The reverse
side has a triangular pyramid formed of
fifteen shining stars united by rings; the
initials of State inscribed on each star.
The one at the top has tx, !" for Kentucky.
3 The legend is ''E Pluribus Unum. The
borders are handsomely miiled. The size
is IS TO 20 1--WE reckon in siXteenths of an
inch J, and the weight 1855 to 1872 grains.
Not all the edges are milled; some are
plain; come are lettered, Payable in
Lancaster, London, or Bristol, (" 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 breaking out of the civil war, an al
most innumerable emission OF copper
tokens from business houses barrooms,
barber shops, etc., etc.
One of the ''MyddletOntOkens" of 1875 is
IN sisvsr. On the diverse is Hope, with
her anchor, presenting two children to an
0ther female, who accepts the charge by
holding out her right hand toward them.
: Aaifs her left hand is the Phrygian cap rest
ing on the vudri (libeTty STAFF. Before
her is an olive branch and wreath, and
cornucopla is in the rear. The legend is
sBritish Settlement, Kentucky" In the
exergue, or at the bottom, is 1876.
The reverse side presents Britannia
seated disc0nsOlate facing to the left. Her
head is bowed. In her right hand is an
inverted spear, the head penetrating the
ground in front as she bears heavily upoa
it.. On her riglt, on the ground, is the
fasces or Roman bundle of rods, and near
it the liberty-cap. The scales of justice
are under her LETT foot. The sword Of JUS
tice lies there with its blade broken. Her
left arm is supported by a large shield
bearing English crosses. The legend is
payable by p. p. p. Myddleton." The
border is milled, the edges plain, the size
is Is, weight 352 grains, viz; of silver 175,
copper 1T.
The first coinage made by authority of
the United States was OF copper. They
are called Fugios by dealers, and bear the
date of 1887. They are very numerous,
few collectors but what have one or more.
They are sold from Is TO 30 cents. OF the
money 345 tons were struck under one
contract with James Jarvis aJarv.s coin
ed them successivelyat New Haven, Conn.
New York, Rupert, VT, and other places
wherever copper could be had on the
best terms. There are 81 varieties.
and presume your readers have all seen
them.
On the diverse side are 70 rings linked
In uniform order, and making circular
chain. Around the centre (within the
rngs) is Omitted States; We Are One.''
The reverse side is a sun-dial, about
which is the radian sun. On the left is
'.FugiO' ('l hy"); on the right "I7S1."
Below is "Mind Your Business" The
border is milled; the edge plain; size II tC
Is; weight l26 to ITS grains.