The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-29
CENT COINS POPULAR.
Pennies Being Turned Out La Larger
Numbfr- Than Ever.


From the Springfield Republican.
The l-cent copper coin OF the united
States Is enjoying an increased popular
demand II Is a significant fact that the
coinage of this piece has OF very recent
years taken up more OF the time OF the
Philadelphia mint than ever before.
Three presses are now at work there on
copper coinage. turning out l5o.VVo cents
day. This rate has before been equaled
or exceeded, but Il is worthy of remark
now in view of the previous great output
Of the copper coins within the past dozen
wears Since the foundation of the mint
in 1928. lO66.67 sos l-cent pieces have
been struck. and It Is estimated that
some 7S0O0O.OO0 pieces are now outstand-
ing
But the great bulk Of this coinage has
taken place lately. From 1898 TO the be-
ginning OF the clvn war the coinage of
the cent piece did not average much
above $4,000 worth a year. or 2.bOo.OoO
pieces Just prior TO and during the war
the coinage became unusually large. out
fell off during the time OF inflated prices
to a marked extent. But In 1880 the pen
ny coinage rose suddenly to an unusually
high figure and has kept there ever since.
Within the past Is years almost one-half
OF the entire penny coinage OF the whole
country has been executed. or the
amount outstanding OF 7so.0oo,O0o pieces.
no less than 50i.700,Ooo pieces have been
struck in the Is years. And the public
demand for the coin appears to be una
bated and rather on the increase.
The explanation OF this is doubtless TO
be found in the more general practice OF
cash payments in the retail trade. and the
great fall In prices which has come about
in the past 20 years. Not long ago the
smallest coin known In the general eircu-
lation west OF the Mississippi river was
I ~. nW4fN 10 In Fawx
years the larger ST. Louis papers were
charging cents a copy for their issues.
when 3 cents, 2 cents and even l cent
were the prevailing rates further east.
| Now papers costing only the fraction OF
a nickel are the rule rather than the ex-
I ceptIon In the West. The growth of the
country and the competition In business
would OF themselves finally bring the
cent into active use there: but the down
ward course of prices has operated all
over the country TO make IL a much more
/ active coin than ever before. Odd prices
are now frequent even where purchases
are for round amounts or considerable
I sums. Penny bargain counters In some OF
I the big department stores have lately
I been Introduced. A Scent street car fare
Is not unknown. and no doubt Il Is "a
become better known.
/ In fact so closely II the trade OF the
/ country calculating Its prices that a de
mand may not be far of for the reintro-
ducrion OF the half-cent piece. Fractional
parts OF a cent are now very common In
even retail quotations. England finds use
for such coin IN the bronze farthing
[ France In the sou. which Is. however
more nearly the value of a cent than q
half cent. Our own coinage laws have
authorized the coinage OF a half-cen
/ piece. and from 1913 20 ISL large nun
Der OF these pieces were struck. Al TWO
other periods before the war there wa.
some coinage OF this coin. but In 1881 4
was discontinued and has not since beer
revived The 2-cent piece was dropped IN
1873 and the Scent piece in 1850.
The growing Importance OF the penny
or more properly the cent. has as an Inn
portant bearing ON the economy OF III.
people. IL gives 10 the nickel. the dln'
and all pieces OF money a higher value
IN the eye OF the psossessor than they haS
before. and teaches care In all expendi