Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-06
VALUABLE COPPER CENTS.
II Uncirculated They May BE Worth
Very Many Dollars.

II UncircuIated They May BE Worth
Very Many Dollars.
From the Boston Transcript.
A coin may be rare, and yet be nearly
worthless, If worn to any extent. The
precious cent of 1879 can be got for 81, or
even less. if in poor condition, but its
value is multiplied a hundred-fold If 1t re-
tains the gloss Of the mintage. The cop
per pennies one sees OCCASIONALLY in circu-
lation are black with age. but the uncircu-
lated cent half century old which has
been put away and carefully kept from in
jury by the collector still, retains somewhat
of the yellow sheen of the newly stamped
piece. This, with it's cameo design unrub-
bed and unworn, is what Is called per
feet coin. So. -.--.-r
All United States coins of dates prior to
1853 are worth a premium, II in perfect
condition. To such point is this matter
carried that piece In a good state Of
preservation is actually damaged by clean
ing, from the collectors point of view.
From the standpoint of the numismatst
an uncirculated coin is something sacred,
to be wrapped in chamois skin and kept
even from exposure to the air. The most
common Of the pennies Of early dates is
that of IDS which may be purchased for
as little as five cents, yet a perfect speci-
men will fetch $40. A perfect cent of 1873
Issued by this government. Plenty Of 1893
cents may be bought for ten cents EACH
but perfect and uncirculated example will
fetch $50. Only half dozen perfect cents
OF 1913 are known. A perfect cent of 1904
has brought $500. One may buy an 1906
worth 500.
In the year 1904 no fewer than fifty-four
dies were used for minting pennies At
that time all Of the coins were struck by
hand. and not as now. by machinery. The
method being defective. the dies were
broken now and then and had to be, re-
placed by others Variations in the cutting
of the dies gave rise to recognizable differ
ences In the minted pieces At present no
complete collection Of the cents of that
each penny should contain exactly one
cents worth Of copper. hence the incon-
ven1ent size of the piece. All cents from
iSs to 1914. with the head Of an Indian.
are rare when perfect-especialiy those of
1909 and 1911. which are worth 80 each.
No pennies were coined in 1875 because of
the burning Of the mint. That Is the only
break in the continuity of the coinage Of
cents. VI
The cents of 1917. 1878. 1919 ard 1920 used
to be rare. but bags full of them were
found In an old bank and flooded the mar
ket. Prices of coins are controlled by the
law of supply and demand. Many pieces
winch ten years ago were scarce are now
plentiful. Perhaps tomorrow the newspa-
pers may chronicle the sale of certain
read 1t go down into their stockings and
look for pennies of that date Maybe a
let of them will be found the result beine
lowering Of the price of that coin. AS for
the folly of paying out good money in the
pursuit Of such fad. chronic collector
said to the writer the other day that it
was all the same whether a man found
pleasure in whisky. or dogs, or bicycles.
If he found enjoyment in the study Of old
coins, and had the necessary means, there
was just as much fun In 1t as In collecting
books, pictures or diamonds