The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-09-07
RARE AMERICAN COINS.
A Good "BermHda" Twenty-ShiliiEE Piece
VIII Bring $4,000 or More.

n
VIII Bring 100000 or More.
Although the American people enjoy
the distinction of being the best-in-
formed people on the face of the globe,
there are, perhaps, not to exceed five
persons in every thousand who have
anything like correct idea of the
early coinage of this country. All are
familiar with the gold, silver and cop
per coins now in circulation, and per-
haps few remember the large coppers
and half-pennies in vogue few decades
ago, but further than that their knowl-
edge does not extend. Yet there were
scores of varieties of coins in circula-
ton in the early years, some of which
have now become so scarce that for
tunes are offered for single specimen
by numismatists, as, for instance, the
gold twenty-shilling Bermuda piece, "
as it is technically known, for which
twenty thousand dollars is offered for
single specimen in good condition.
Nearly every one who reads the daily
papers has heard of the dollar of 1904,
and the majority of readers harbor the
idea that this is the most valuable coin
searched for by collectors. This is not
the case, however, by far, as there are
dozens of coins which command a much
greater premium than the 1904 dollar,
for which from seven hundred and fifty
to twelve hundred and fifty dollars
have been paid By various collectors.
The conditions of coins has nearly as
much to do with the price as their age.
Numismatists classify coins as proof,
uncirculated fine, good. poor and mu.
tilated. Proof coins are struck from
polished dies at the mint especially
for collectors and present FURNISHED,
mirror-like surface. Uncirculated
coins are those which retain the origi-
nal luster, just as they come from the
mint. Fine coins are those which have
lost this original luster, but which dc
not present the least appearance OF
wear. Fine coins might be furnished
or blackened, but the least scratch
would prevent them from being thus
classified. Good coins must show every
feature plainly, especially the date,
and must not be scratched, hammered
or in any way mutilated. Fair coins
may be scratched, but every feature
must be visible plainly. Poor coins
are those which are much worn and on
which the features are almost illegible.
1t is not surprising that there are in
existence many counterfeits. of rare
and valuable specimens. These count
erfeits may be divided into five classes.
There are re-strikes, which are coins
struck from the original dies but at
later dates. Among the rc-strikes of
American coins are some of the early
colonials, the 1904 dollars half cents
of 1881, 1886 and 1S40 to 1919. These do
not command the prices offered for
genuine specimens. Formerly it was
the practice of the government to pre-
serve all the old dies, and on several
occasions employees of the mint surrep-
titiously coined counterfeits of rare
specimens But all the old dies were
destroyed some twenty years ago, and
the present practice is to destroy them
yearly, so there is no more danger OF
this sort of spurious specimens, There
are also counterfeits which have been
struck from false dies, but no expert is
deceived by them, as they lack the
characteristic appearance of the origi-
nails, and, as rule, are much sharper
and more distinct. Casts from origi-
nails are also made, but they are al
ways much lighter than the true coins
and the imposition may be detected by
weighing. Electrotypes are found oc-
casionally, but they are necessarily OF
false weight, and the edge shows the
marks of joining the two sections The
fifth class of false coins are those on
which the date has been changed,
either by skillful engraving or by Dor
ing out the obnoxious figures and in
sorting in the hole thus made plug
that has been cut from another coin,
bearing the desired figure. The micro
scope readily discloses the trick and no
expert is likely to be deceived in this
manner.-St. Louis Globe Democrat.
Louis Napoieon's sympathy With the south.
An old friend of the Princess Murat
contributes reminiscent article re-
garding the life of the prince and