The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-09-24
UNCLE SANS COINAGE.
Facts and Figures Furnished by a Coiner
In the United States Mint In
Philadelphia.

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These statistics about United States
coinage have been corrected for the
Philadelphia Recoyd by Coiner w. Z.
Morgan of the Philadelphia Mint
The gold eagle weighs 25S grains.
The SIS gold piece weighs Iao
grains.
The trade dollar weighs 4ao grains.
The $40 gold piece weighs SIC
grains.
The Io-cent piece weighs 1888
grains.
The accent piece weighs 77.I6
grains.
The bronze cent piece weighs 4S
grains.
The gold dollar coin weighs a5.S
grains. y
The cent nickel piece weighs 7a
grains.
The halfcent copper weighs 81
grains.
The silver ,5-cent piece weighs 1872
grams.
The a-cent bronze piece weighs 90
grains.
The common quarter of silver
weighs o6.45 grains.
The 3-cent silver piece weighs
Il.Ss grains.
The scent nickel piece weighs
77.16 grains.
The fneness of our gold coins is
about 90 per cent.
The old.fashioned copper cent
weighs 16S grains.
The quarter eagle, or $a.5o gold
piece weighs CAS- grains.
The 3 cent nickel piece, now dis
continued, weighs 80 grains.
The standard dollar weighs 4I2.I-2
grains the half-dollar 1919 grains.
The nickel scent is exactly four
fifths of an inch in diameter.
The 2-cent bronze piece is compos-
ed of 95 per cent copper and s per
cent of tin ana zinc.
The I-cent bronze piece is compos-
ed of 9S per cent of copper and S per
cent OF tin and zinc.
The silver half dollar was authoriz-
ed April 2, 1892, and coinage was
begun IN 1894.
The Io-cent silver piece was au-
thorized by Congress in 1892, and its
coinage was begun in 1896.
The nickel cent was authorized
February 81, 1857, and its coinage
was begun the same year.
The SIS gold piece was first coined
in 1895, by virtue of an act of Con-
gress passed April 2, 1892.
The first regular silver coinage to
be passed out in the order of business
was in October, 1892.
The $40 gold piece was authorized
by act of Congress, March 3, IS4o,
and its coinage was begun in 1850.
The $40 gold piece was authorized
by act of Congress, April 2, 1892, and
its coinage was begun in 1894.
The quarter eagle, or $a.5o in gold,
was authorized April I, 1892, and its
coinage was begun in 1896.
The silver quarter was authorized
by act of Congress in 1892, April 2,
and coinage was begun in 1896.
The bronze. cent was issued in &C
cordance with law passed in 1857,
and its coinage was begun in 1864.
The cent takes its name from the
Latin word (" centum" a hundred,
this coin being a hundredth of a
dollar.
A copper halfcent is among the
numerous coins authorized by Con-
gress, the law to this effect being
passed in 1892, and coinage begun
the following year.
The first purchase of copper to be
used in the United States coinage
was in 1892, September II, six
pounds.
The dollar gold piece was author
lied by act of Congress, March 3,
IS49, and its coinage was begun in
the same year.
The general fneness of our silver
coins is 90 per cent.
Moses Brown of Boston has the
credit of making the first deposit of
gold bullion to be coined. In 1905
he deposited $5,a76.7a.
" In God we trust' first appeared
on the copper 2-cent issue of 1864,
and is the first use of the word "God'
in any government act.
=" Five years ago, was taken SO ill