Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-02-01
COUNTERFEIT CONS
Aa IAtsrsSew vita as Expers New Ysl
MsAes Handler.

circulating in this city," said NJ William
Dckerman. IA ex-Tressury eml~ ,ye, but
now puhrshercf the CnitSd Stats Treasury
CoanIerSea Deteetor.
Most people" continued Mr.. Dicker-
man, do rot pas the same attenticn 10
small coins IS the, pay TO bank notes II
the bogus com looks all right it IS taken
without anv examination. Then. again,
spurious coins are MADE more easily than
Loies- Besides lequirng a large amount Of
skill, it takes even a good engrayer five on
six months &c haisb the plates OF a bank
note But moIdg Of various kinds ear be
made within week on two at very little
expense Most of the counpeIf felt silver is
made from molds. The most dangerous
ccUEterfeits are those struck from die,
but these are mostly among the bogus gold
eoins.
iI will Show you the best samples Of
queer gold an I silver coins. Now, strange
TO say, there Is 40 frst-rate counterfeit OF
the double eagle. There is a fair counter
felt OF the eagle, bearing date 1885. IL has
n very fine appearance. but, as you see
here, when the gold-platinS is worn on 1t
leaves the white metal underneath exposed.
OF the S. gold-piece there are sey-
eral very dangerous counterfeits. The 1874
counterfeit was assayed an6 found to con-
tain 81. Al worth Of gold. Consequently 1t
resisted acid test about as well as the gen
uiua. Perhaps the most dangerous coun
terieit IS gold-piece is the enc dated 1881
and 1852. This counterfeit coin failed &c
pass the sharI eyes Of John II. Sassan OF
the Boston sub Treasury II was sent TO
the United States mint, and there analysed.
It's assay value is si.4S. The reediug and
milling are exceedingly well done Most Of
the com counterfeits are made in molds,
but this one was, without doubt, struck
from die prepared from what is known as
the drop process
There are great number Of very clever
eounterfeits of the quarter-eagie, or $3.50
piece The one bearing the 1872 date is the
most dangerous II contains only "a cents
werth 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"
What are some Of the best couRterfeits
OF silver money!
"Here, for example, is trade dollar
dated 1871, having mint marks and L. G.
1t is only 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. A
Then, again, there is the Bland or stand
ard dollar, first coined in 1873. A number
Of clever counterfeits Of this coin have come
into my possession, which, although made
in q mold, have fine general appearance.
They all come nearly up TO full weight,
averaging from $50 to 40 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 a silver
half dollar. Doesn't that sound as il 1t
contained glass; Well, that is counter
felt of 1876. This coin is nearly full weight
and size. But the milling and reeding, and
especially the lettering of the word lib
erty' on the shield of the goddess, are some
what defective.
"Of small coins there are more squeer
nickels than any other kind. ali the coun-
terfeiter has to do ia to read the act of 1885
TO find the composition Of alloy, and then he
can strike OF 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 ara not well
done.
"The devices used to make these small
coins are often exceedingly ingenious. Last
year the Chief of the secret service cap
tured money-making machine that turned
out nickels almost as fast as nail machine
turns out nails. 1t would seem IA If every
one engaged in the queer business had q
different way Of fixing their stamps and
making their composition"
g Is there any other way OF making coins
queer besides using dies or molds.i
"Yes, there are several ways of doctor
ing coins. The most common process is
'plugging.' This is done by boring holes in
the coin, extracting the gold, and then fill
ing in the cavity with cheaper metal Only
the larger gold coins are used for this pur-
pose. The holes are bored into the coin
from the edge or reeding, and afterward
covered with gold. The reeding lie then re-
touched, where 1t has been removed, by q
die or machine for this purpose. A coin
that has been plugged is wen calculated to
pass the sharpest eye, as it has perfect
appearance, only the edge showing the least
sign Of seing queer
Another process is called sweating
This is done by removing portion of the
gold from the surface of the coin BY an acid
bath. The reduction in value Of such coins
is from one-tenth to oDe-ffteeEth or
course, the coin subjected to such process
has fair appearance, the weight only beng
short.
There is still another process, called tflll-
ing This is often done by saving the col
through the edge or receding, removing the
interior. and putting in cheaper metal
FILLING Is also done by saving the coin
partly in two from the edge or reedin2, on
one side, leaving thin and thick portion
The thin side Of the coin Is turned back, and
the gold taken out from the thicker side
The cavity Is filed with cheap substitute,
and the sides pressed back and brazed TO-
gether. Thus the coin may lose over one.
half Of it's value, and still present 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, tho
bogus coin will be light weight, and viii
usually have bad ring.
SIT Is surprising said Mr. Dickermaa IN
conclusion, " how many Italians are engaged
In passing the queer The chief Of the Sc
cret service told me short time ago that in
making his replies for the annual report he
found they outnumbered all the other
classes. They are not clever counterfeiters.
They make, usually, only small coing aud