Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-06-28
AN EXPERT MONEY HANDLER
Tells h lie Knows About Counterfeit
Coin-ysrtous Kinds OF Queer"

give you some idea of the kinds Of queer
coins circulating in this city, " said Mr..
William Dickerman, an ex-treasury EN-.
ploye, but now publisher Of The United
States Treasury Counterfeit Detector.
IL will show you the best samples of
queer gold and silver coins Now,
strange 10 say, there is no first rate coun-
terfeit of the double eagle. There is n
fair counterfeit of the eagle, bearing date
1865. 1t has a very fine appearance, but,
as you see here, when the gold plating is
worn oil it leaves the white metal under
meath exposed. OF the IS guldpiece
there are several very dangerous coun-
t~erfeits. The 1874 counterfeit was as
sIyel and found TO contain S4.47 worth
OF gold. Consequently it resisted acid test
about rs well as the genuine. Perhaps
the most dangerous counterfeit s. gold
piece is the one dated 1881 and 1882.
This counterfeit coin failed TO PASS the
sharp eyes Of John II. Nassar, Of the
Boston ~sub-treasury. 1t vas sent 10 the
United States Mint. and there analysed.
Its ASSAY value is SAB. The reedinS
and milling are exceedingly well done.
Most OF the coin counterfeits are made in
molds, but this one was, without doubt,
struck from a die prepared from what is
known as the drop process.
There are a great number of very
clever counterfeits Of the quarter eagle,
or SO. so piece. The one bearing the 1862
date is the most dangerous. 1t contains
only twenty-seven cents worth Of gold,
and vet its size and weight are correct.
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
.'What are some of the best counter
feits Of silver money!"
''Here, for example, is a trade dollar
dated 1877, having mint marks s.. and c.
c. 1t is only three grains lighter than
the genuine coin. Its composition is
silver, mercury and German silver. The
very best way to detect these counterfeits
is by the ring. \ good ear will dis
tinguish the sound at once
Then, again, there is the Bland oil
standard dollar, first coined in 1873. 4
number of clever counterfeits Of this coin
have come into my possession. which,
although made in a mold, have n fine
general appearance. They all come
nearly up 10 full weight. averaging from
$50 10 4l0 grains. They are composed
of anthony and lead and plated heavily
with silver. The ring is almost the same
as the genuine"
Listen to this keen. sharp ring" said
Mr.. Dickerman, as he threw down n
silver half dollar. Doesn't that sound
Us if it contained glass2 Well, that is a
counterfeit of 1876. This coin is nearly
full weight and size. But the milling
and reeding, and especially the lettering
of the word liberty on the shield Of the
goddess. are. somewhat defective.
''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 10 find the composition Of alloy,
and then he can strike of coins Of the
same metal rs the genuine nickcls ut n
profit Of 3 "a cents each. Those bearing
the date Of 1915 are well 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 10 make these small
coins are often exceedingly ingenious.
Last year the chief Of the secret service
captured a money making machine that
turned out nickels almost rs fast as a
nail machine turns out nails. Ii wunld
seem as IL every one engaged In the
queer business lad a different way of
fixing their stamps and making their
composition.
''ls there any other way Of making
coins queer besides using dies or
moldsl"
"Yes. there are several ways of doc
toring' coins. The nos common process
Is plugging This is done 10y boring
holes in the coin, extracting the gold and
then filling in the cavity with cheaper
metal Only the larger gold coins are
used for this purpose. The holes are
bored into the coin from the edge or
reeding, and afterward covered with
gold. The reeding is then retouched,
where it has been removed, by a file or
machine for this purpose. A coin that
la. been plugged Is well calculated 10
pass the sharpcst eye, as it has a perfect
appearance. only the edge showing the
least sign of icing queer
Another process Is called sweating
This Is done by removing a portion Of
the gold from the surface Of the coin by
an acld bath. The reduction in value Of
such coins is from one-tenth TO one
fifteenth OF course the coin subjected
70 such n process has a fair appearance,
the weight only being short.
There Is still another process, called
filling This is often done b. saving
the coin through the edge or reeding, re.
moving the interior and putting IT.
cheaper metal. Filling is also done BY
saving the coin partly in two from the
edge or reeding, or n side, leaving a
thick and thin portion. The thin side Of
tho coin Is turned back and the gold
taken out from the thicker side. Tho
cavity Is filed with a cheap substitute,
and the sides pressed back and brazed
together. Thus the coin may lose over
oDc,half Of its value, and still present a
good appearance. Platinum IS mostly
used TO replace the gold extracted, both
being Of the same weight. When other
and less costly filling than platinum is
used. the bogus coin will be light weight
and will usually have a bad ring.-New
York Cor. Globe Democrat.
Depressing Effects % Fear.