Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-09
BREAKING THE 1ss. MoULDs.
PrecautiOn that il Taken ~ the Mil
at the Close OF Each Year.

From the Phil sdelphia Press
little roll of metal red with flre was placed
upon the anvil, q sledge-hammer fell twice upon
It, three tiny sparks shot into the air, and the
moulds of the old years double eagle gold coins
and all the happiness and misery they brought to
people In whose hands they fell was wiped out for
ever. 1t was a thousandth part OF q work that
lasted all day az the mint yesterday the destroy.
ing OF the 1887 dies This is novel form OF de-
struction that falls to the lot OF the money
ing establishments blacksmiths at the end Of each
calendar year, and it is the only sure way OF pre-
venting the willy counterfeiter from making
spurious coin without regard to date. The dies of
the Mint are the stamps that imprint upon the
coins all that fancy business that, when rubbed on
BY time gives the street-car conductor a chance
to insult the holder by refusing TO accept it. For
beautiful lady encircled by stars, and makes a
strong contrast on the other side by printing game
looking eagle, perched on arrows, under ain God
steel about three inches long, Sloping or at the
top, which makes 1t look like miniature milk
cut the face OF the coin 1t manufactures, with the
date OF the year, and something to think about
when you look at them is that the die OF penny
makes precious the SEQ gold piece The conclu sion
that Uncle sam, then, might sell his SO gold
pieces cheaper Is human and anarchistic, but does
not follow.
1t was O'Clock yesterday morning when Coner
Steel OF the Mint signed the death warrant OF the
OlQ years dies. IL meant the destruction or q
thousand OF 1875 money makers Every stamp,
from double eagles to dollars In gold from dollars
to tencent pieces in silver the fves In nickel and
the pennies In copper, that bore the date OF the
year That tried to give back the rebel flags and
had a big constitutional centennial were doomed
The four brawny blackSmithS or the Mint were
the eXecutiOnerS, their anvlS the scarold, their
sl.dgeS the instruments or death, and Superln-
tendent Fox, ASSayer Ecktield, and Press repOT-
gloomy shop In the basement, werdly lit by hun
cry freight. AT $3.50 O'Clock the dies were taken
from their cells up stairs and conveyed thither in
black cOn1n-like pans Coined gold jingled on all
sides as the procession passed. What regret had
gold for the steel that gave 1t power to ruin souls?
so the dies OF 81 passed to their fate unwepn
The snthy's fire was roaring hot, and gave the
pathos. The little cOnerS OF big money were first
sacrinced. The dies OF gold were flung by hand
fuls into the flames There they lay until the
steel grew red, and the face OF Columbia bluShed
crimson. They were not taken out by hand, but
with iron tongs and placed right end upward on
the anvilS. Then the Smithy raised his siedge
hammer alOft and struck each one full in the face
shower Of sparks, smashed sound, and the
agony was over. The ring OF the steel had gone,
the face vanished like magic, and the die OF the
past was but crushed unShapely metal.
In like manner disappeared the dies that
make the cost OF theater seat, the cost OF q
nights lodging and the price OF an oyster stew,
until almost evening when the dies OF the pennies
were reached. The copper heaps melted In grief
up stairs, for the pennies are the poor mans
friend. "Philadephias mint makes all the dies
said COiner Steel. 81 wish you a happy New Year.
What do you wish?" said the usher, as the re-
porter left the scene 81 wis.," he replied 18th a.
they would work the new dies harder this year."