San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-08-02
THE CRIME OF 1873"
The Gold Dollar Made the Unit of
Value.


Value.
1928. Chapter 131. An act revis-
ing and amending the laws relative TO
the minis, assay offices and coinage
of the United States.
Section 13. That the standard for
both gold and silver coins of the Unit
ed States shall be such that of 1000
parts by weight 900 shall be of pure
metal and 100 of alloy; and the alloy
of the silver coins shall be of copper,
and the alloy of the gold coins shall
be of copper, or of copper and silver;
but the silver shall in no case exceed
one-tenth of the whole alloy.
Sec. IA That the gold coins of the,
United States shall be 81 piece,
which, at the standard weight of 25.S
grains, shall be the unit of value; a
quarter-eagle. or $3.50 piece; 50
piece; a half-eagle, or S. piece; an
eagle; or $40 piece, and a double-eagle;
or 500 piece. And the standard
weight of the gold dollar shall be 25.S
grains; of the quarter-eagle, or $3.50
piece, 641s grains; of the SO piece, I4.4
grains: of the half-eagle, or So piece,
l29 grains; of the eagle, or $40 piece,
25S grains; of the double-eagle, or $40
piece, SIG grains, which coins shall be
a legal tender in all payments at their
standard weight and limit of toler-
single piece, and when reduced in
weight, below said standard and toll
erance, shall be legal tender at val
uation in proportion to their actual
weight; and any gold coin of the
United States, if reduced in weight
by natural abrasion for more than
one-half of / per centum below the
standard weight prescribed by law
after a circulation of twenty years, as
shown by it's date of coinage, and at
ratable proportion for any period
less than twenty years, shall be re-
ceived at their nominal value by the
United States treasury and its offices,
under such regulations as the secre-
tary of the treasury may prescribe Tor
the protection of the government
against fraudulent abrasion or other
practices; and any gold coin in the
treasury of the United States reduced
in weight below this limit of abrasion
shall be recoined.
Sec. 10. That the silver coins of the
United States shall be trade dollar,
a half dollar, or SOC piece; quarter
dollar, or 25c piece; a dime, or l0c
piece; and the weight of the trade
dollar shall be APO grains troy; the
weight of the half dollar shall be l21s
grains: the quarter-dollar and the
dime shall be respectively one-half
and one-fifth of the weight of said
half dollar: and said coins shall be
legal tender at their nominal value
for any amount not exceeding 80 IN
any one payment.
Sec. 16. That the minor coins OF
the United States shall be DC piece,
&c piece and lie piece, ana tne al.
low for the sc and SC pieces shall be or
copper and nickel, to be composed OF
three -fourths copper and one-fourth
nickel, and the alloy of the 1c piece
shall be 50 per centum OF tin ana zinc,
in such proportioned as shall be de-
termined by the director of the mint.
The weight of the piece OF DC snail
be 77.16 grains troy; of the &c piece,
AS grains, which coin shall be legal
tender at their nominal value for any
amount not exceeding 25c in any one
payment.
Sec. H. No coins, either gold or sill
yer, or minor coinage, shall hereafter
be issued from the mint other than
those of the denominations, standards
and weights herein set forth.
(The standard silver dollar was
omitted from the list given IN m, sectIo on
Is. 1t was claimed that this was
done by fraud. This was the so-call-
ed crime of 1881
Sec, q. That any owner of silver
bullion may deposit same at any mint
to be formed into bars or into dollars
of the weight of APO grains troy, ues-
ignated in this act as trade dollars;
and no deposit of silver for other coin
age shall be received; but silver bull
ion contained in gold deposits, ana
separated therefrom, may be paid Tor
in silver coin. at such valuation as
may be, from time to time, establish
ed by the director of the mint.
Sec. %. That the charge Tor con-
verting standard gold bullion into coin
shall be one-fifth of l per centum;
and the charges for converting stand
ard silver into trade dollars, for melt
ing and refining when bullion is below
standard, for toughening when met
ais are contained in it which render
At unfit for coinage, for copper USED
for alloy when the bullion is above
standard, for separating the gold ana
silver when these metals exist 70
gether in the bullion, and Tor the
Preparations of bars, shall be hxed
from time to time by the director,
with the concurrence of the secretary
Of the treasury, so as to equal but not
exceed. in their judgment, the actual
average cost to each mint and assay
Office of the material. labor, wastage
and use of machinery employed In
each of the cases aforementioned.
THE LAW OF 1874.