Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-24
THE MINT TO EXPERIMENT
To Test Nickel and Aluminium for Five
Gent Pieces.
Results of Last TriaIs-Object of n
House Resolution-The Differ.
emit Alloys Used.

The Secretary Of the Treasury will soon
order the Philadelphia mint to resume ex.
per1ments In the use of alloys in the 5-cen;
ana l-cent pieces. This will be done under
House resolution. The test will be to de-
| termine whether it is advisable to subst,-
tute pure nickel in these coins in place OF
the alloys now used. The Swiss and Ital-
nan governments use pure nickel in their
minor coins. and they have proven salts
factory. Pure nickel is much harder than
the alloy now used, and, it is said, would
not abrade SO quickly. Whether it would
| retain the color better must be determined.
but those competent to Judge are of the
opinion that coins of pure nickel after be-
ing in circulation for short period. could
not be distinguished from the present s.
cent piece. 1t is also thought the nickel
COINS would he more difficult to counter
feit, one reason being that they are high
ly magnetic. and another that the cost to
the counterfeiter would be much greater
than now.
The present alloy of the -5-cent piece is
. per cent nickel and 10 per cent copper.
Under the new process there would be
about 81 per cent nickel in the coin. The
1-cent pieces have 80 per cent copper and
. per cent of tin and zinc.
Experiments are also to be made of
aluminium. Heretofore these experiments
have failed to produce results. The last
II,
Prior to that the last experiments were in
1864.
In 1868 the director of the mint called at
tention of the Treasury Department to the
propriety of substituting coins manufac-
tured of aluminium of the denomination of
and 10 cents, to take the place of the
fractional notes of these denominations
i'll circulation at that time. In 1864 a num-
Der of experiments were made with an
aluminium alloy containing 80 per cent of
silver and 1 Of aluminium, with view of
ascertaining the fitness of the for
cCins of the denomination of ) and 10
cents. The alloy however, did not work
satisfactorily, as it was found that it not
only discolored rapidly, but was difficult
to work
An alloy of thirteen parts copper and one
Of aluminium was also tried, as well as an
other of nineteen parts copper and one of
aluminium.
These two alloys gave the coins a gold
color, and the metal was found to be very
hard and it was difficult to procure perfect
Impressions.
At the request of the National Academy
of Science, and by direction of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury number of other
experiments were made in 1864, with alum
mum, under the auspices of DR.. John Tor
rey, Prof. Bache. Prof. Henry, DIR. Barn
ard and Prof. Gibbs. members of the
academy. For this purpose bar of aloyed
aluminium was furnished, which upon assay
was found to contain nine parts of copper
and one of aluminium. These experiments
were made with view of ascertaining the
adaptability of aluminium alloys for coin
age purposes, also to test the tenacity of
the same as compared with copper. The
composition was found to be very rigid
under the rolls, requiring many annealingS,
and proved very refractory in working, so
much so that perfect impressions Of the
coins were not obtained
No further experiments were made after
this date with aluminium alloy for coinage
purposes until the experimental pieces CALI,
ed for by the resolution were struck
The Austrian government makes its minor
coins of 9I.37 per cent nickel, 80 cobalt. 81
copper, 80 iron, II silicum and % carbon.
Too much cobalt darkens the color, and an
excess of iron and carbon makes the metal
too brittle.