Connecticut western news., 1892-12-15
COMING SOUVENIRS.

How the Worlds Fair Half Dollars Were
 Struck on with Few Poor Ones.
 The preparations had been subject of great anxiety and interest to Superintend- ent Bosbyshell and his assistants at the mint for some time past, and 10 o'clock found all arrangements fully completed in accordance with carefully prepared plans. When the hour arrived Superin- tendent Bosbyshell was summoned to the pressroom by Chief Coiner William S. Steele, while Engraver Charles Harber, who designed the famous coin; Chief Clerk M. H. Cobb and others assembled as witnesses.
 They gathered around an improved automatic, toggle jointed coining press "a noiseless, powerful, highly polished and wonderfully accurate machine which excites the admiration of all visit ors. Two dies, one bearing the impress sion to be stamped upon the obverse face and the other the reverse, and the only pair in existence, were already in place. Beside the press stood receptacle con- taining hundreds of shining planchets- blank silver pieces, polished and milled, ready for stamping. No power was ap- piled to the machine for the first test. Instead Foreman Albert Downing placed one of the blank planchets in the receiver and grasped the lever which raises the lower die, while Edwin Cliff, his assist ant, stood at the balance wheel. Then came the critical moment. In another second the blank coin which had been prepared might be worth $10,000, or, if imperfect, about thirty-ive cents.
 The first attempt was failure. Just & little flaw in the planchet or perhaps a little speck of dirt or grease smeared upon its face caused the coins rejection. Cliff picked it carefully from the die, for such coins are not allowed to drop into the box beneath, lest they be marked by the fall. To an ordinary observer it might have appeared perfect, but the coiner and designer examined it under a glass. One glance was enough. A fatal flaw was revealed, and the verdict which consigned the prospective $10,000 beauty to the scrapbox was pronounced. A hammer was at hand, and what might have been the most famous coin in his tory was battered into comparatively worthless metal
 The next attempt was made more care fully, for the reputation of the coiners was at stake, and they had resolved that the first souvenir of the exposition should be marvel of perfection and beauty. The planchet before being accepted was examined under the microscope and found without blemish. For the second time the two workmen turned the press by hand, while the spectators waited in suspense. Again the coin was lifted from the face of the steel die and crit ically examined by Coiner Steele, En- graver Harber and Superintendent Bos- byshell. Every line was sharply de- fined, and the strong features of the dis coverer of America which adorned the face of the coin seemed to look approv. ingly on the work. Columbus himself could not have done better, and Uncle Sam's reputation as an artist was vindi- cated.
 Cardboard boxes had been prepared for the reception of the coins very much like those in which pills are soldi Nc finger touched the first. of these sou venirs, but the pliers gently clutched il by the rim and conveyed the $10,00C lump to the box, which was immediately sealed and handed to the Worlds faiI commissioner Philadelphia Cor. W ash ington Post.