The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-18
THE MINT TO EXPERIMENT.
NICKEL OR ALUMINIUM FOR FIVE
CENT PIECES.
Results of Last Trials Object of Il
House Resolution Different
Alloys Used.

The United states Secretary of the
Treasury will soon order the phiia-
dclphia mint to resume experiments
in the use Of alloys in the cent and
I cent pieces. This will be done TN
der Il house resolution. The test wtll
be TO determine whether it is adyis-
able to substitute pure nickel in these
coins in place of the alloys now used.
The Swiss and Italian governments
use pure nickel in their minor coins,
and they have proven satisfactory.
Pure nickel is much harder than the
alloy now used, and il is said. would
not abrade so quickly Whether 1t
would retain the color better must be
determined. but those competent TO
judge are of the opinion that coins of
pure nickel. after being in circulation
for short period could not be dis
tinguished from the present cent
pieces. II is also thought the nickel
coins would be more difficult to coun-
terfeit, one reason being that they
are highly magnetic. and another be
ing that the cost to the counterfeiter
would be much greater than now
The present alloy of the ) cent
piece is % per cent nickel and - per
cent copper. Under the new process
there would be about - per ceut Of
nickel in the coin. The I cent pieces
have 95 per cent copper and ) per
cent tin and zinc.
Experiments are also to be made of
aluminium. Heretofore these expert
ments have failed to produce results.
The last experiments were made ear
~ this year. Prior to that the last eN-
periments were in 1864.
In 1863 the director of tile mint call
ed attention of the Treasury Depart
ment to the propriefv of substituting
coins manufactured of aluminium OF
the denomination of and 10 cents.
TO take the place of the fractional
notes of these denominations in circu-
lation at that time. In 1864 a num-
Der of experiments were made with
an aluminium alloy. containing 90 per
cent of silver and of aluminium.
with a view of ascertaining the fitness
of the same for coins of the denomi-
nations of ) and 10 cents. The alloy
however did not work satisfactorily
as it was found that it not only dis
colOred rapidly. but was difficult 10
work.
An alloy of thirteen parts of copper
and one of aluminium was also tried
as well as another of nineteen parts
of copper and one of aluminium
3. These two allows give the coins Il
gold color and the metal was found
| to be very hard and it was difficult tc
procure perfect impressions.
At the request of the National Aca-
DENY of Science. and by direction of
| the Secretary of the Treasury. a nun
Der of other experiments were made
| in 1864, with aluminium, under the
! auspices of Dr. John Torrev. Profes.
sor Henry, DR.. Barnard and Professor
| Gibbs. member of the academy. For
this purpose bar of alloyed alumni,
mum was furnished. which upon ASSAY
was found to contain nine parts of
copper and one of aluminium. These
experiments were made with a view
of ascertaining the adaptabilitv of
aluminium alloys for coinage purposes
and also to test the tenactv of the
same as compared with copper. The
composition was found to be. very rig
id under the rolls, requiring many an
nealings, and proved very refractory
in working, so much so that perfect
impressions of the coins were not OBJ
tanned.
No further experiments were made
after this date with aluminium alloy
for coinage purposes until the expert
mental pieces called for by the reso-
luton were struck.
The Austrian government makes It's
minor coins of 97.37 per cent nickel,
100 cobalt, .32 copper, so iron. IA ST
licum and or carbon. Too much CO.
bait darkens the color, and an excess
of iron and carbon makes the metal
too brittle.