Mower County transcript., 1890-04-30
THE SILVER DOLLAR. ]
C0ndonsed History Of the Development q
Uncle Sans Grest Coin.

1V6 oliver OOSIAUs
CONDENSED History Of the Development q
Uncle Sans Great Coin.
Congress having decid I'd to improve
the figure Of the eagle upon the silver
dollar, and having authorized tho direct
or Of the mints of the United States to
procure new designs, visit was made
TO the mint of this city, where h. A. No
clure, curator Of the cabinet and one Of
the best-known numismatists of the
world, gave complete and thorough
history Of tho coinage of the silver dol
lar from its beginning to tho present
time.
''The first silver dollar ever coined"
said Mr.. Mcclure, twas coined under
the act of February IL, 1892, and weighed
40 grains and had fineness of S92.4
which standard was continued for many
years. In 1904 tho silver dollar issued
had on the diverse side Liberty head,
facing right, with flowing hair, fifteen
stars; above the head the word 'Liber-
ty;' beneath, 1894. Reverse side, an
eagle, with raised wings, encircled by
branches Of laurel, with the legend
United States of America around the
edge OF the coin, while the edge of the
coin contained Hundred cents, one dol
lar or unit
''The next year, 1885," continued Mr..
Mcclure, "the design was again changed
as follows: Diverse side-bust of Lib
erty, facing right, hair bound by a rib
bon, shoulders draped, and fifteen stars
showing in the field. Reverse side-an
eagle with expanded wings standing
upon clouds within wreath of palm
and laurel, which is crossed and tied,
and the inscriptions: united States of
America
I'm 1898 the same design was used,
excepting the using of two stars less in
the field on the diverse side. You see,"
said MIR. Mcclure, they began by put
ting in star for each State. and after
putting in fifteen stars they found that
II they continued the policy of adding
star for each new State they would
scarce have room, so they decided to 60
back to the original number, thirteen
stars, representing the thirteen original
States.
ION the reverse side of the 1898 dollar
change was made by placing on it an
eagle with raised wings. bearing the
United States shield upon its breast
and in its beak a scroll with the in
scription e Pluribus Unum' upon it; a
bundle of arrows, thirteen in number,
in the right talon, and an olive branch
in the left talon. Above were clouds
and thirteen stars, and upon its field
United States of America
"From 1905 until 1889, inclusive" said
Mr.. Mcclure, "there were no silver dol
lars coined. but from 1910 to 1865 we
coined what has been called the dollar
of our daddies.' On its diverse side was
Liberty seated upon rock, supporting
with her right hand the United States
shield, across which floats scroll in
scribed Liberty and with her left hand
supporting the staff and liberty cap; be-
low, the date of coinage.
lon its reverse side an eagle with ex-
panded wings, bearing the United
States shield upon its breast and an
olive branch and three arrows in its
talons. Legend, United States of
America, One Doll.,' reeded edge, size
"A. From 1856 to 1873 the same design
was used, the words In God We Trust
oeing added above the eagle.
From 1874 to 1877 none were issued,
and the next design accepted was the
present one in use, which was struck of
for general use in 1873. On the diverse
side We have the Liberty head facing
left, upon which are cap, a wheat and
cotton wreath, and band inscribed
Liberty Above the band the words
e Pluribus Unum;' beneath the date
and thirteen stars.
The reverse side of our present sill
yer dollar" continued Mr.. Mcclure,
has an eagle with expanded wings,
pointing upward; in its right talon an
olive branch with nine leaves; in its
left talon three arrows; in the field
above the words In God We Trust;' be-
meath a semi-wreath tied and crossed,
reaching upward to the wings of the
eagle. Legend: United States OF
America. One Dollar
1.-The trade dollars" continued Mr..
Mcclure, ''were coined from 1878 to
1888 inclusive. Upon the diverse side
of the trade dollar was Liberty seated
upon cotton bale, facing left. In her
extended right hand is an olive branch.
In her left scroll inscribed Liberty
Behind her sheaf of wheat; beneath
a scroll inscribed In God We Trust:
and below the date are thirteen stars.
On the reverse. side an n.eagle with ex-
panded wings. In its talons three ar
rows and an olive branch. Above, a
scroll inscribed e Pluribus Unum:
Beneath on the field, '420 grains 90C
hne, United States Of America
''There were," said Mr.. Mcclure, sin
1886, 'SS and 'S9 some designs struck off,
but none of them was accepted or put
into general use. believe that there
were about one thousand of those Of
1886 which got into circulation, but not.
of course, for general use."
If Designer Morgan, whose design
upon the present silver dollars was &C.
cepted, had been allowed his own way
in the matter" said Superintendent
Bosbyshell of the mint, there would
be no crying out 'buzzard,' as under
stand the present design of eagle has
been called, but the dollar would have
upon its reverse side a natural eagle in
stead of the present conventional one."
Times.