Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-13
COUNTERFEIT COINS.
An Interview with an Expert Now York
 Money Handler.

"You would be surprised if should give you some idea of the kinds of queer coins circulating in this city," said Mir. William Dickerman, an ex-Treasury employe, but now publisher of the United States Trcasu,I Counterfcit Dctcctor.
 "Most people," continued Mr. Dicker- man, "do not pay the same attention to small coins as they pay to bank notes. Ii the bogus coin looks all right it is taken without any examination. Then, again, spurious coins are made more easily than notes. Besides requiring large amount of skill, it takes even good engraver five or six months to finish the plates of Q bank note But molds of various kinds can be made within week or two at very little expense. Most of the counterfeit silver is made from molds. The most dangerous commercials are those struck from a die, but these are mostly among the bogus gold coins.
 II will show you the best samples of queer gold and silver coins. Now, strange to say, there is no hrst-rate counterfeit of the double eagle. There is @ fair counter | felt of the eagle, bearing date 1855. It has 1 very fine appearance. but, as you sec here, when the gold-plating is worn off 1t leaves the white metal underneath exposed. Of the s gold-piece there are sev- eral very dangerous commercials. The 1S44 counterfeit was assayed and found to con- tain A A worth of gold. Consequently it l resisted acid test about as well as the gen. l uine. Perhaps the most dangerous coun- | terfeit 6 gold piece is the one dated 1881 and 1882. This counterfeit coin failed to pass the sharp eyes of John H. Vassar, of l the Boston sub-Treasury. It was sent to l the United States mint, and there analysed. Its assay value is H.43 The reeding and milling are exceedingly well done. Most of | the coin commercials are made in molds, but this one was, without doubt, struck from die prepared from what is known as the drop process,
 l "There are great number of very clever counterfeits of the quarter-eag or $2. 50 piece. The one bearing the 1852 date is the most dangerous. It contains only 27 cents worth of gold, and yet its size and weight are correct. The best acid tests have failed | to reveal its bogus nature. The other coun- terfeits are mostly composed of brass or platinum, and then heavily gold plated" l What are some of the best counterfeits 1 of silver money2"
 l "Here, for example, Is a trade dollar dated 1877, having mint marks 8. and C. c. It Is only 3 grains lighter than the genuine coin. It's composition is silver, mercury 1 and German silver. The very best way to detect these counterfelts is by the ring. A good ear will detect the sound at once
 "Then, again, there is the Bland or stand 1 ard dollar, first coined in 1873 A number l of clever commercials of this coin have come 1 into my possession, which, although made 1 in a mold, have fine general appearance. They all come nearly up to full weight, l averaging from SSO to 40 grains. They are composed of antimony and lead, and plated | heavily with silver. The ring is almost the same as the genuine.
 "Listen to this keen, sharp ring" said | Mir Diokerman, as he threw down silver half dollar Doesn't that sound as if it contained glassa Well that is a counter felt of 1876. This coin is nearly full weight and size. But the milling and reeding, and especially the lettering of the word Eb- erty' on the shield of the goddess, are some what defective,
 "Of small coins there are more 'queer nickels than any other kind. All the coun. | terfeiter has to do is to read the act of 1886 to find the composition of alloy, and then he can strike off coins of the same metal as the genuine nickels at a profit of three and three-quarter cents each. Those bearing the date of 1875 are well calculated to de- ceiVe, although the lettering in the words United States is imperfect, and the stars surrounding the figure 'five' are not well done.
 1.-The devices used to make these small coins are often exceedingly ingenious. Last year the chief of the secret service cap tured a money-making machine that turned out nickels almost as fast as a nail machine turns out nails. It would seem as if every cue engaged in the queer business had { different way of fixing their stamps anG making their composition"
 "Is there any other way of making coins queer besides using dies or moldss"
 "Yes, there are several ways of doctor ing' coins, The most common process is plugging This is done by borin g holes il the coin, extracting the gold, and then fill ing in the cavity with cheaper metal. Onl, the larger gold coins are used for this pur pose. The holes are bored into the coi1 from the edge or reeding, and afterwart covered with gold. The reeding Is then re touched, where 1t has been removed, by . file or machine for thls purpose. A coil that has been plugged is well calculated t. l pass the sharpeSt eye, as it has perfec appearance, only the edge showing the leas
 sign of neing queer
 "Another process is called sweating
 This is done by removing a portion of th'
 gold from the surface of the coin by an acit
 bath. The reduction in value of such coin
 is from one-tenth to one-ffteenth. o
 course, the coin subjected to such proces.
 has fair appearance, the weight only bein,
 short.
 "There is still another process, called tfll
 ing This is often done by saving the coil
 through the edge or reeeding, removing th
 interior, and putting in cheaper metal
 Filling is also done by saving the coil
 partly in two from the edge or reeding, ol
 one side, leaving thin and thick portion
 The thin side of the coin is turned back, an,
 the gold taken out from the thicker side
 The cavity IS filled with cheap substitute
 and the sides pressed back and brazed to I gether. Thus the coin may lose over one
 half of it's value, and still present goo
 appearance. Platinum is mostly used t
 replace the gold extracted, both being o
 the same weight. When other and les
 costly filling than platinum is used, tn bogus coin will be light weight, and vii
 usually have bad ring,
 'tIt Is surprising," said MT. Dickerman il } conclusion, "how many Italians are engage
 in passing the 'queer.' Tho chief of the SC cret service told me a short time ago that il making his replies for the annual report h
 found they outnumbered all the othe } classes. They are not clever counterfeiters 7 They make, usually, only small coins, an try to pass them off on some newly y-arrive
 emigrant or some frult vender." TWN---