The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-03-27
ABOUT THE COPPER CENT
ONE OF THE PROBABILITIES OF
"CURRENCY REFORM"
Medical Men object to the Present
Penny-Experiment to Find IA
Successor to Begin Soon.

1t Is among the possibilities of the Tu-
ture that the minor coins of the country
win be cast in nickel and alloy. Recent
experiments with aluminium and various
alloys having proved unsuccessful, the at
tention Of the house committee on coin
age has been turned toward finding some
substitute which would answer the pur-
pose. as 1t has been decided that It would
be unwise to continue the use Of copper
as at present.
It Is not the intention to use pure nick
ell, OF course, for the coins. The United
States five cent piece OF toaAy really con-
tains only rs per cent of nickel, the bal
ance being of copper. This seems difficult
Of belief on account Of the bright appear
ance of the coin. but the fact is due to
the nickel giving more than any other
metal its own color to an alloy. Only one
country in the world uses nickel for COIN
age without combining 1t with any other
metal-Switzerland. a It Il found in the
coming Of the metal there, that the ope-
ration Is very slow and expensive This.
therefore, puts an end, according to The
belief OF the coinage committee, to the
project of coining any United States
money out of the metal without alloy.
G. w. Stone, chairman of the house
coinage committee said when questioned
ceived information that the experience of
Austro- Hungary and Switzerland, as far
as pure metal was concerned was of
such a nature that the coinage without
alloy would only be carried on to a lin
tied extent. That nickel, however, will
form a large component part of non-silver
United States coin OF the future, seems
beyond question.
Aluminium Unsatisfactory.
To be sure, the experiments with alum
mum were not satisfactory, but 1t is not
altogether certain that aluminium may
not yet be found useful when combined
with nickel. The metal has never yet
found a place In the currency of any ma
tion, although there has been any amount
of talk concernig 1t, and the experiments
in tine Philadelphia mint we're watched
with the keenest interest by the repre-
sentatives OF foreign nations in this coun-
try. 1t was held by those who caused the
experiments to be made that the very
light weight OF the metal would give the
cents made decided advantage over the
coins constructed Of copper,
OF all the alloys to be obtained from
copper, tin, nickel and aluminium In diff
ferent combinations, not more than 10 or
20 were found entirely satisfactory. 1t IS
barely possible that one or two OF these
bllOyS may Dc huVallLhBeouSAy uIlllAeu III
general coinage. With the aluminium,
however, great difficulty was found, dur
ing the experiments, because 1t was ex-
ceedlngly hard to anneal. When heated.
1t would suddenly run like butter, in
stead of becoming plastic. There was
trouble In rolling 1t into the long strips
from which the disks were cut out pre-
paratOFy to stamping. Like the nickel,
It was found that It could not be worked
with SUFFICIENT ease and rapldity to make
It practicable for coming on a large scale.
Mint Experiments.
The mint experiments include combina-
lions Of nickel, copper and zinc, forming
the alloys known under the head of Ger
man silver, copper and tin, which pro-
duce bronze; aluminium and copper which
make aluminium bronze. German silver
has been used for coins by one of the
small South American states and proved
fairly we'll adapted TO the purpose. This
was what led our own government to ex-
pertinent with German silver. 1t has
been for centuries the custom In various
countries Of Europe to use bronze for
small coins. In the series of experiments
which has been carried out. bronze was
utilized and 1t Is possible that in the ex-
periments which are likely to be tried be.
fore many weeks, 1t win be given anoth-
er test IL is Sate TO say, however, Judg-
ing from past experience, that aluminium
bronze, In any form win be found exceed
ingly difficult to work. The complexion
OF the coin formed OF such a combination
Is not one which lends itself to the APP
proval OF the ordinary coin expert. 1t
hasa yellow brassy appearance which re-
sembles gold, and this, Of course, is high
ly Objectionable and something to be
avoided in all coins OF small denomlna-
ton
1t Is a fact not generally known thai
for long time past, careful study has
been made by government experts of the
coins OF various nations OF Europe, to see
Il In any way the small coins of the
United States government might be Inn
proved No little carping criticism of
these coins has been heard. There are all
sorts OF charges made regarding them,
one "a particular Is In reference to the
copper cent, which certain medical ex-
perts claim Is frequently the cause of
spreading contagious diseases. The Gus
tom OF many persons OF placing coins in
their mouths, Is far more widespread
than would at first be believed. Invesn
CATION shows that at least Is per cent
that Is the minimum-of the coins of the