The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-23
COINAGE LORE. +;
THINGS OF INTEREST NOT GEN
ERALLY KNOWN,
Why 1904 Silver Dollars are Scarce
The "E Plurihus Unum" Imprint
Never Authorized-Origin Of the
Motto "In God We Trust"

of the faces of representative statesmen
it bore only the figure of Liberty. Some
few coins were stamped with the face of
Washington, and of course are highly
valued by collectors. The first coins
struck by the United States mint
were some half dimes in 1892, the first
dimes were struck in France from old
silver family plate furnished by Wash
ington, the coins being known as Martha
Washington dimes, from the circum-
stance as noted, and an adaptation of the
Liberty head to that of Martha Washing
ton.
The United States mint in San Fran.
cisco is said to be the largest of the kind
in the world. The process of dime max
ing there may not be without interest.
The silver bullion is first melted and run
into two-pound bars. These in turn are
run through immense rollers and fat.
tened out to the thickness of the coin.
These strips are then passed through a
machine, which cuts them into proper
size for the presses, the strips first having
been treated with kind of tallow to
prevent their being scratched in their
passage through the cutters. The silver
pieces are then put into the feeder of the
printing presses, and are fed to the die
by automatic machinery at the rate of
100 per minute, $4,000 dimes being
turned out in regular working day Of
twelve hours.
As the smooth pieces are pressed be-
tween the printing dies they receive the
lettered and figured impression; at the
same time the piece is expanded in a
slight degree and the small corrugations
are cut in its rim. The machine drops
the completed coin into receiver and it
is ready for the counters hands.
The first silver dollar was coined un-
der the act of February IL, 1892, and
weighed 416 grains and had fincness of
1924, which standard was continued
for many years. The first coins struck
for America, however, are supposed to
have been the Sommer Island shilling and
sixpence; the date of coinage, place and
circumstances under which they were is
sued are unknown. The Somner or Sum.
mer Islands are the present Bcrmudas.
The shilling was called "Hoggs-Peu-
n.y.. composed Of copper. size IS, weight
III grains.
The silver dollar since the first intro
duction of the coin, has undergone many
changes, all of which have had more Or
less effect in establishing a fixed value
among collectors of rare coins. The is
sue of 1904 bears the palm in this re-
spect and has won for itself the name of
tsThe King of American Rarities." Only
seven or eight of the 1904 dollars are
known to be in existence. The :'le.
gend" of the scarcity is that vessel
bound for China had on board almost the
entire coinage (S19, ,570, and was lost
at sea. Another theory concerning this
mysterious coin runs as follows. That
the entire issue was shipped to pay the
Yankee tars who fought in the war with
Tripoll. The sailors drlfted around af-
ter the war closed, and many OF them
went to Africa, where they spent their
money. The native kings collected all
the coins and buried them as trophies.
Perhaps Stanley might throw some light
on the last version of the 1904 dollar.
The national motto, "E Pluribus
Unum," on different United States coins
was never authorized by law to be so
placed. Although the mint was estab-
iished in 1892, the use of the motto on
any of the gold, silver or copper coins
was not authorized or directed by any Of
the provisions of the act establishing it.
None of the coins since 1887 bore the
motto until the standard silver dollars
were coined. It remained on the early
gold and silver coins until 1884. Then
it was omitted from the gold coins.
From the double eagle in 1856 it was
also omitted. In 1886 it was dropped
from the 25.cent pieces, and the follow
ing year from all silver coins, the trade
dollar only reviving its use. The motto
was first used on q half-penny or cent
struck in New Jersey in 1857.
The motto "In God We Trust" has a
curious history. Until 1864 no relig-
ious motto appeared upon American
coins. In November, 1861, clergyman
addressed letter to Mr.. Chase, the Sec
retary of the Treasury, suggesting re.
cognition of the Deity on the coins.
This letter was referred to James Pol
lock, an Ex-Governor of Pennsylvania
and Director of the Mint at the time, but
it was found that the notices could not
be changed Without authority of law. In
December, 1865, the Director submitted
plans for new three-cent, two. cent and
one. cent piece, on which it was proposed
that one of the following lnottoes be in
serted: "Our Country, Our God;"
"God, Our Trust" Mr.. Chase suS-
gested in lieu of these mottoes the one
HIn God We Trust" 1t was upon the
two-cent piece authorized April %, 1864
(since abolishcd), that the motto OF Sec
retary Chase first appeared: 1t was also
stamped on the 1866 issue Of the double
eagle, eagle, half eagle, hall eagle, silver
dollar, half dollar and nickel lve-cent
pieces in lieu of the long standing motto
tsE Pluribus Unum." In the trade
dollar issue 1878 both moLtoes we're
retained, "In God We Trust appearing
on the diverse.
There is popular idea prevalent that
the minute letter an" stamped on the
neck of the Goddess of Liberty just at
the point where the larges. lock Of halr
crosses the neck line stands for mint"
and is an evidence of the gcnuincness OF
the coin bearing it. But this IS ! mis-