Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-13
NEW YORK LETTER.
An INTERVIEW WITH AN EXPERT
ABOUT COUNTERPART COINS.
How the "Quserr 10 Made and Handled
Italians in the Businers-ship.Building
Promoted BY Mr.. Webb
Correspondence Of tho Richmond DisDatch.l

Italians in the Businers-ship.Building
Promoted BY Mr.. Webb
tcorre,pondence OF tho Richmond Dispatch.l
NEW YORK. April II, 1888.
"You would be surprised il | should
give YOU some idea OF the kinds o.
queer coins circulating in this city,
said Mr.. William Dickerman, an ex.
Treasury employee, but now publisher
of THE United States Treasury Coun
terfeit Detector."
"Most people," continued Mr.. Dick
erman. "do not pay the same attention
to small COINS as they pay to bank notes
/ IL the bogus coin looks all night 1t II
taken without any examination. Then,
again, spurious coins are made more
easily thap notes. Besides requiring 6
large amount OF skill, it takes even {
good engraver five or six months to finist
the plates of a bank note. But moulds
OF various kinds can be made within @
week or two at very little expense. Mos
OF the counterfeit silver is made from
moulds The most dangerous counter
fcits are those struck from a die, but
these are mostly among the bogus gold
coins.
BEST SAMPLES.
al will show you best samples o.
queer gold and silver coins. Now
strange to say, there is no first-rate coun
terfeit Of the double eagle. There is {
fair counterfeit of the eagle, bearing
date 1855. 1t has a very fine appear
ance, but as you see here, when the
gold-pIating is worn of, 1t leaves the
white metal underneath exposed. o.
the s. gold-piece there are severa
very dangerous counterfeits. The
1914 counterfeit was assayed and found
to contain SAT- worth of gold.
Consequently it resisted acid test
about as well as the genuine. Per
haps the most dangerous counterfeit 81
gold-piece is the one dated 1881 and
1882. This counterfeit coin failed to pass
the sharp eyes of John II. Vassar, Of the
Boston Sub-Treasury. 1t was sent to the
United States Mint and there Analysed.
It's ASSAY value is SAB. The reeding
and milling are exceedingly well done.
Most of the coin counterfeits are made
in moulds, but this one was, without
doubt. struck from n die prepared from
what is known as the drop process.
QUARTER EAGLE.
There are a great number Of very
clever counterfeits of the quarter eagle,
or $3.50 piece. The one bearing the
1852 date is the most dangerous. 1t con
tains only twenty-seven cents worth OF
gold, and vet its size and weight is cor
rect The best acid tests have failed to
reveal its bogus nature. The other
counterfeits are mostly composed OF
brass or platinum, and then heavily gold
plated.
"Whst are some of the best counter
feits of silver money!"
"Here, for example, is a trade dollar
dated 1877, having mint marks ). and
G. c. 1t is only three grams lighter
than the genuine coin. Its composition
is silver, mercury, and German silver.
The very best way to detect these coun-
terfeits is by the ring. A good ear will
distinguish the sound at once.
THE STANDARD DOLLAR.
"Then. again, there is the Bland or
standard dollar, first coined in 1873. A
number Of clever counterfeits OF this
coin have come in my possession, which,
although made in a mould, have a fine
general appearance. They all come
nearly up to full weight, averaging from
$50 to 40 grains. They are composed
of anthony and lead, and plated heavily
with silver. The ring is almost tho same
as the genuine.
"Listen to this keen, sharp ring, "
said Mr.. Dickerman, as he threw down a
silver half dollar. Doesn't that sound
as if it contained glass ?"
"Well, that is counterfeit Of 1876.
This coin is nearly full weight and size.
But the milling and reeding, and espe-
cially the lettering OF the word liberty
on the shield of the goddess are some
what detective.
SMALL COINS.
"Of small coins, there are more
queer nickels than any other kind.
All the counterfeiter has to do is to read
the Act of 1886 to find the composition
of alloy, and then he can strike oil coins
of the same metal as the genuine nickels
at profit of three and three fourths Of
a cent each. Those bearing the date Of
1875 are we'll calculated to deceive
although the lettering in the words
United States is imperfect, and the
stars surrounding the figure - are not
well done.
"The devices used to make these
small coins are often exceedingly inge-
NOUS. Last year the Chief of the Secret
Service captured a moncy-making ma
chine that turned out nickels almost as
fast as a nail-machine turns DIT nails.
it would seem as if every one Engaged
in the queer business had a different
way of fixing their stamps and making
their composition.
PLUGGING.
ais there any other way OF making
coins queer besides using dies or
moulds?"
"Ies, there are several ways Of doc
toring coins. The most common pro-
cess is plugging This is done by
boring holes III the coin, extracting the
gold. and then filing in the cavity with
cheaper metal. Only the larger gold
coins are used for this purpose. The
holes are bored into the com from the
edge or reeding, and aiterward covered
with gold. The reeding Is then re-
touched where it has been removed by a
file or machine for this purpose. A coin
that has been plugged Is well calculated
to pass the sharpest eye. as it has per-
feet appearance only the edge showing
the least sign of being queer.
SWEATING.
Another process is called sweating.
This is done by removing portion Of
the gold from the surface of the coin by
an acid bath. The reduction in value of
such coins is from one tenth to one fiji
teenth. OF course the coin subjected 10
such process has fair appearance, the
weight only being short.
There is still another process called
filling This is often done by saving
the coin through the edge or reeding,
removing the interior, and putting In
cheaper metal. Filling is done by
saving the coin partly In two from the
edge or reeding on one side, leaving a
-, l. 80