Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-12-17
E1Eg1daaEpNS
VIZ G.EsfIC
~
CENTS OF ALUMINIUM.
,ests at the Mint to See If This Use of the
Metal Is Practicable.

Tasts at the MINT 10 see III HIS Use OF tne
Metal Is Practicable.
In the short period that will elapse
sefore congress convenes again in De-
ember q series Of interesting expert
ments in coinage will be conducted at
M mint in this city Metals and alloys
heretofore untried for the purpose will
n tested and stamped into token coins.
Their availability as substitutes for the
allows Of which the minor coins-nickels
and cents-are now made will be ascer-
aimed and samples submitted to con-
gess.
OF all the countless possible alloys to
he obtained from copper, tin, nickel and
aluminium in different combinations
perhaps 10 or 30 may be found fairly
satisfactory. 1t is possible that one or
NO Of these may advantageously be
brought into use for general coinage.
No fault has been found with the pres
mt cent and cent pieces. The ex-
periments are merely ordered to keep in
ouch with the times and to gain a
knowledge Of resources. The Philadel-
mia mint, while having no regular ex-
perimental department, is well equipped
10 make the tests.
Aluminium. which has never yet
found a place IN the currency of amy ma
ton, is to be worked up into trial coins.
Il is also to be given chance i'll new
alloys Aluminium is a metal of which
nt little has been known until recent
II. and it has been found useful III so
many ways that popular idea prevails
that it would be good for coins, Chief
among its advantages would be its very
light weight Gents made of it could
readily be distinguished from coins Of
the same size by this remarkable light
ness alone.
Dr. d. X Tuttle, the chief refner at
the mint, who knows all about the prop
critics of metals, is somewhat skeptical,
however, as to whether aluminium Will
come cat of the proposed tests with fly
Ing colors. It is extremely difficult to
'anneal. and when heated will suddenly
ran like butter instead of becoming plas-
uc There would be trouble in rolling
4 into the long strips from which disks
are cut preparatory to stamping. OF
course it can be worked, but not with
saiiicieut ease and rapidly 70 make it
practicable for coming on large scale.
Pure nickel has recently been coined
in Switzerland, but it has been found
just as difficult to handle as aluminium,
Though for different reason. Such
great heat is necessary to bring it into
condition for coming that the operation
is slow and expensive. While pure nick
q coins might satisfactorily be made
in the minis of Switzerland. it does not
follow that the same would be true at
| the Philadelphia mint, which is called
upon to turn ont 80 times as many 5
nnt pieces az the minis of that country
| and could not spare the time to work
over them.
The cent coin now in use contains
only % per cent of nickel, the remain
ing rs per cent being of copper. Nickel,
more than any other metal, has the
property Of giving its color to an alloy.
Even an alloy of 90 per cent copper and
10 per cent of nickel will be nearly
white. The advantage Of using a great
er proportion Of nickel in the cent
| piece is therefore not apparent, espe-
cially as more than 20 per cent of it
makes the alloy refractory.
The experiments at the mint will in
clude different combinations Of nickel.
copper and zinc, forming the alloys
known under the head of German silver /;
copper and tin, which produce bronze;
aluminium aud copper, which make alu-
minimum bronze. German silver has been
used for COINS by one Of the small South
American states and proved fairly adapt
ed for the purpose. Bronze is commonly
used for coins Of small value II is
doubtful if aluminium bronze in any
form will be found acceptable. as it is
hard to work and has yellow, brassy
appearance, resembling gold, which is
70 be avoided in all coins of small de-
domination, Philadelphia Record.