The evening times., 1896-12-11
ORIGIN OF THE DOLLARS
Dates Of United States Coins of
All Denominations.
vARIABLENESs OF WEIGHT
Efforts of Legislators to Preserve
Partly Money of Largest and
smallest Value, With the Inter-
mediaries Double Eagle and Cop
per Half Cent-Acts of Congress.

The total value of all coins authorized
to he used as money, and issued from the
mints by this government since the en-
actmeut Of the first measure of authori
zation. as shownb by recent publication from
official sources, drawn out, doubtless, by
the recent campaign discussions OF the
"crime of '73,'' is stated to have reached
the enormous total Of 81, 467 ,79s, 116.25
which amount, as a means OF erecting cX-
changes, is, Of course, but part OF The
circulating medium with which the country
is provided.
The coins are proportioned among the
several metals, as follows: Gold, ST. 5o,-
Sl3,TO3.00: silver, S6S5, ,O23 yzo1 80; minor
coins, S26, 6,960,7 11.35.
There has been collected an entertaining
array OF statistics, Il compilation or the
figures preserved by tie custodians OF the
nation's treasure, whereby the amounts OF
the several issues are given with eNactness
down To and including the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1895. and the foregoing dggre-
gate is the result.
In the matter OF the redemption OF cur
rcncy, many thousands OF dollars passing
annually through the exchange channel, 1t
is shown that in return for such notes or
certificates as ma be unfit for circulation,
or national bank notes, fractional silver
coin or minor com, the government Will is
sue ne United States notes, Treasury notes
of 1890, or silver certificates.
WHAT THEY REDEEM
Gold coin is issued in redemption OF
United States notes, in sums OF not less
than $50, by the assistant trcasurcrs IN
New York and san Francisco, and i'll re-
demption OF United states Treasury notes Of
1890. in like sums.
Standard silver dollars are issued by the
treasurer and assistant treasurers of the
United States in redemption OF silver GER
tificates and Treasury notes OF 1880. Sill
Yer certificates are redeemable in silver
dollars only, or eXchangeable for other sil-
yer certificates, while national bank notes
are rcdeemable in lawful money Of the
United States by the treasurer, but not by
assistant trcasurerS.
Uncle Sans treasure boxes, tightly bound
and closely guarded, contain the ransom or
many u king, while for a large part OF the
white and yellow metal there Is in actual
circulation its equivalent in gold and sill
Yer certificates, and notwithstanding his
troublein keeping his reserve FUND i'll proper
shape, he is able at any time to pay lis
debts and have somthinS to lay by for
rainy day.
The compilation of this valuable data
upon the coinage la ws, showing the date OF
every act Of authorization for the produc-
ton of the money by the mints, as well as
the amount coined of each since coinage
was first established snder the dominion
OF the Stars and Stripes, will be interest
ing to everyone whose fund OF informa-
ton needs replenishing.
Some of its provisions are as follows:
VALUE OF COINS.
Gold double eagle, coinage authorized by
act of March 3, $40; weight, 516 grains;
fincncss, 900: total amount coined to June
80, 1895, S1.225, s Is, go.
Gold eagle, authorized hy act of
April ., 1872; weight, 2TO grains; fine
ness, .916 2-3; weight changed by act of
June IS, 1884, TO 25s grains; fineness
changedby act OF June 2S, 1884, to s99. IDS,
and again changed by act OF January g,
/ S37, to 800; total amount coined to June
80, 1895, S217 ,Sl4,395.
told hair-eagle. authorized by act of
April =, 1892; weight, l35 grains, fine
ness, .916 %. Weight changed by act
of June 2S, s34, to % grains. Finencss
changed by same act to s99 225, and again
changed. act of June 1S, 1897, to 800.
Total amount coined to June 80, 1895,
$217, ,395.
Gold quarter-eagle. authorized by act
OF April ., 1892; weight, 67.5 grains;
fincness, 91G:223. Weight changed, act
of June rs, 1884, to 64.5, ana finencss, by
same act, changed to SS9.225. FincnesS
restored by act of January Is. 1897, to
1895. S2S,6Sl ,1l5.
Gold three-dollar piece. authorized by
act of February 81, 1888; weight, IA
grains; finencss. 800. Total amount
coined to September &c, 1890, 81 ,6l3.316
when by act of same date, coinage was dis
continued.
Gold dollar. authorized by act of March 3,
1919: weight, 25.S grains; fincncsS 800.
Total amount coined to September &c,
1880. date of act discontinuing its coinage,
19,490,337.
Silver dollar, authorized by act Of A pril
.. 1872; weight 416 grains; finencss,
1924. Weight changed by act of Jan
uary Is, 1897. to 4l2 12 grains, and by
same act fineness changed to. 800. Total
amount coined to February IL, 1873,
date of act discontinuing its coinage
Ss,031 ,23S. Coinage rc-authorized by act
OF February 2s, 1878. and amount coined
from March l, 1878, to June 80, 1885
Si23, ,2S9,219. Total amount coined to
that date, Si31 .320.4 .457.
DOLLAR OF THE DADDIEs.
Silver trade dollars, authorized by act of
February IL, 1878; weight, 42O grains;
fineness, 800; coinage iimitedto export lie
ma nd by joint resolution, July %, 1876,
and discontinued, act of March 8, 1887;
total amount coined, $50, ,965 1924.
Silver half dollar, authorized by act of
apil liSS, weight, SVS grams, flne-
ness, 1872 40 ctofJanuary Is, 1897,
weight changed to 2O6 IA grains and
fineness changed to 900. Weight again
changed, act of February 81, 1853, to
1872 grains, and again, 10y act of Feb
ruary IL, 1873, to 1923 grains Total
coined to June 80, 1895, $780,
S57 ,276.5O