Telegram-herald., 1890-03-18


age n Ths Coaatry.
Coin Clerk vaSsar sat In his little
~ire-work cage as the sub-treasury re-
Gently. To the left Of him and % the
right Of him. and, in fact, al about hin.
were stacks Of yellow, glistsning coin
They Sere Ehs deposits OF the day, and
had come Ia from the banks which had
become overburdensd WITH the precious
metal, merchants and the custom house.
In a big brass scoop were many hun
dreds OF s. pieces. (which, after
being carefully weighed. were dumped
n white canvas bag. the mouth se-
curelY fastened with a heavy hempen
cord, and then taken 10 ono OF the
vaults, where they were 20 remain until
wanted tor commercial purposes. Per-
haps they MT -ht lie FOR twenty years, IL
there vas no extraordinary demand for
gold.
What Is the handsomest coia made?-
inquired the Boston Herald investi-
gator.
We'll. I should say the American
double eagle. or course don't see all
the coins of tho earth here, as we are
not allowed 70 receive those OF foreign
countries. but aS far "a my experience
goes / place our $40 gold piece az
the head OF all others for beauty
Of design; Ia fact, al the gold coinage
Is handsome money. The Government
devotes a great deal OF time 70 perfect
ing IL Tho metal Is Furnished 70 per-
fiction, and IL sheet OF 10 were hung
~
the purposes OF a mirror. From these
sheets the disks, or orplanchettes. as they
are technically known, are stamped,
after which they are placed under the
dies and receive the pattern OF the pieoe
they are 70 represent Sometimes We
get enc or two OF these blanks, which
have escaped the operator. IN an invoice
os gold from the mint"
when IS coin unas for circuls-
ton?-
II VIII take a $40 piece TO aid
me In answering that question. The
Government provides that all coins
Of this denomination shall weigh 5l6
grains when t1ey leave she mint, and
will receive them so long as they tip
ths scales 81 s1s.f2 grains. This Is the
limit OF toleratiOn, or minimum weigh<-
The G lyernment is willing 20 stand this
sss. \ ich means about nine cents on
sdOubls eagle. Il Is the practice. be-
heye. IN some OF the sub-treasuries 20
pay out coins of this weight but we
have made IL q rule here not 70 again
place them In circulation, as Il would
take but very short time 10 wear them
down below the minimum. and the
holder would then have 20 dispose of
them st their bullion value We have
now on deposit 500 600 Of minimum
weight coins. some OF which have been
IN our keeping FOR the past decade await
Ing an appropriation by Congress that
viii admit OF their being melted up and
rcstamped- There Is another class OF
coins that is never paid out. It being
known a. cad pieces. They are the ~
suit OF imperfect metal. and arc abso,-
lutely vithou. sound People who get
bold Of them run here ~ fnd out
vhesher they have been svindled. "a
they believe the vslue Of metal monoy
depends upon its ring
What Is the loss 10 The Government
on its gold COINAGE
About one quarter Of one per cent. or
G. 50 on 81 900
There is . popular fallacy that gold
is not coun I'D by the Govsrnmsnt7-
1t IL not only counted. but every
piece f. carefully inspected. We could
not 20 weight, "a there are many
plugged pieces, and sometimes coun-
tsrfeit finds is way here which Il up -
weight"
What = The 6nest gold cOunterfeit
You have ever seem
EFT was s. picce renemberreceiv-
ing one oS them from a Portland bank
ard sending it back for a good one.
They claimed 7 rad made a very big
error ard were very enthusiastic IN
their criticism of this osioe. The piece
vas fnally forwarded 70 Washington.
and. after careful examination 81 IT,
uus sustained. The Portland hank sent
an apology to ne FOR its hastY action.
The piece vas ono - a number issued
IN 1877. and bore The inprins ~ ths Car
son City Mint Tscontancd 10 grains
of gold and vas fs karat sus instead q
-. tbe legal standard 20 fneuess. and
was worth mst 81 ts. The other ingre-
dents were silver. copper and platinum.
Tie mystery - me- "a how they made
the business pa7. The counterfeitine
81 gold c0in tn this country began in
$500 and has continued until the present.
asY
What "a She life 81 gold coiu9-
About thirty years In the Urlted
etatss. but In England and cther ceun-
triss. where it is largely ased ~ t1e
re~ule a. --e6 f7.r ~ exchancs. it las -
suuch shorter ti-,e- ft costs Enviani
sfao. 00e yesr - keep her sovereigns n
gncd crfer. ard shat NaS Gre - tha rsa-
sors vhv tba report went forta shaf tra
Bark of Enr'1nd proposed issufnx A.
notes come scress p.eces oace IN
a~hfIe that have hsd an existence -
kaffa -rrrurT Cr rcre. ard seek ss fresh
snd h-irhs a. Z the7 haa been lssued but
vesss-iar Here "a 81 80 riece thar
-ras tarnef ous II 1913 that has zoe vei
f'sr ia ~ zs Tr "a Terr rere eef1
an = worta AZ sgctlon So. ls cr55a-