Democratic messenger., 1892-12-17
COMING SOUVENIRS.
How the Worlds Fair Half Dollars Were
struck or with Few Poor Ones.

How the Worlds Fair Half Dollar. We're
struck or with Few Poor Ones.
The preparations had been Il subject OF
great anxiety and interest to Superintend-
ent BosbyShell and his assistants nj the
mint for some time past, aud 10 o'clock
found all arrangements fully completed
in accordance with carefully prepared
I plans. When the hour arrived Supcrin-
/ tend,nt Boshyshell was summoned to the
/ prcs~room by Chief Cuiner William s
/ Steele. while EngraVer Charles HIrber,
who designed the famous coin; Chief
Clerk NJ. II. Cobb and others assembled
i as witnesses.
They gathered around an improved
automatic. toggle juintcd coming press
4 IA noiSeleSS. powerful. highly polished
and wonderfully accurate machine
/ which cxcitcs the admiration of all visit
ors. Two dies. one bearing the impress
sion 10 bc stamped upon the diverse face
and the other the reverse, and the only
| pair in existence. were already in place
/ Beside the press stood a receptacle CON
i tanning hundreds of shining planchets-
/ blank silver pieces. polished and milled.
/ ready for stamping. No power was APP
4 piled To the machine for tho first test
! Instead Foreman Albert Downing placed
one of the blank planchets in the receiver
and grlsped the lever which raises tho
/ lower die. while Edwin Cliff, his assist
ant. stood III tine balance wheel. Then
came the critical moment. In another
, second the blank coin which had been
prepared might be worth $4,000, or. if
4 imperfect. about thirty-five cents.
The first attempt was a failure. Just
little flaw in the planchet or perhaps
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 il
might have appeared perfect, but the
conner and designer examined it under a
glass One glance was enough. 4 fatal
flaw was revealed. and the verdict which
consigned the prospective $4,000 beauty
10 the scrapbox WAS pronounced. 4
hammer was at hand, and what might
nave 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 ut stake. and they had resolved that
the first souvenir Of the exposition should
he 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 tho coin was lifted
| from the face of the steel die and crit
ically examined by Coiner Steele. En-
gravcr 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
Sans reputation as an artist was vindi-
Gated
Cardboard hoxos had been prepared
for the reception of the coins very much
hike tnose in which pills ara sold. No
finger touched the first of these SOU
venIrs, but the pliers gently clutched it
/ 10y the rim and conveyed the $4,000
| lump To the box. which was Immediately
sealed and handed 10 the Worlds fair
commissioner. Philadelphia Cor. Wash
inston Post.