The new North-west., 1897-02-26
CENTS OF ALUMINIUM.
Tests at the Mint to See if This Use of this
Metal Is Practicable.

Tests at the Mint to See if This Use of the
Metal Is Practicable.
In the short period that will elapse
before congress convenes again in De-
cemher Il series of interesting expert
ments in coinage will be conducted at
the mint in this city. Metals and alloys
heretofore untried for the purpose will
be tested and stamped into token coins.
Their availability as substitutes for the
alloys of which the minor coins-nickels
and cents-are now made will be ascer
tanned and samples submitted to con-
gress.
Of all the countless possible alloys to
be obtained from copper, tin, nickel and
aluminium i'll different combinations
perhaps 10 Or 20 may be found fairly
satisfactory. 1t is possible that one or
two of these may advantageously be
brought into use for general coinage
No fault has been found with the pres
ent cent and cent pieces. The ex-
periments are merely ordered to keep in
touch with the times and to gain
knowledge of resources. The Philadel-
phia mint, while having no regular ex-
perimental department. is we'll equipped
to make the tests.
Aluminium, which has never yet
found place i'll the currency of any ma
tion, is to be worked up into trial coins.
1t is also to be given a chance in new
| alloys. Aluminium is a metal Of which
but little has been known until recent
| ly, and it has been found useful in so
many ways that a popular idea prevails
that it would be good for coins. Chief
among its advantages would be its very
light weight Cents made of it could
readily be distinguished from coins of
the same size by this remarkable light
ness alone.
Dr. D. X. Tuttle, the chief refner at
the mint, who knows all about tho prop
critics of metals, is somewhat skeptical
however, as to whether aluminium will
come out of the proposed tests with fly
ing colors. 1t is extremely difficult to
anneal, and when heated will suddenly
run like butter instead Of becoming plas-
tic. There would be trouble in rolling
it into the long strips from which disks
are cut preparatory to stamping. OF
course it can be worked. but not with
sufficient ease and rapidity to make il
practicable for coming on large scale.
Pure nickel has recently been coined
in Switzerland, but it has been found
Just as difficult to handle as aluminium,
though for different reason. Sucl
great heat is necessary to bring it into
condition for coming that the operation
is slow and expensive. While pure nick
el coins might satisfactorily be made
in the mints Of Switzerland, it does no.
follow that the same would be true al
the Philadelphia mint, which is called
upon to turn out so times as many
cent pieces as the mints of that country
and could not spare the time to worl
over them.
The cent coin now i'll use contains
only 25 per cent of nickel, the remain
ing rs per cent being of copper Nickel
more than any other metal, has thu
property of giving its color to an alloy
Even an alloy of 90 per cent copper ano
10 per cent of nickel will be ncarl.
white. The advantage of using great
er proportion of nickel in the cen
piece is therefore not apparent, espe
makes the alloy refractory.
The experiments at the mint will in
clude different com mbinatons of nickel
copper and zinc, forming the alloy
known under the head of German silver
copper and tin, which produce bronze
aluminium and copper, which make alu
minium bronze. German silver has beer
used for coins by one of the small Soutl
American states and proved fairly adapt
ed for the purpose. Bronze is commonl,
used for coins Of small value 1t i
doubtful if aluminium bronze in an,
form will be found acceptable, as it j
hard to work and has a yellow, brass,
appearance, resembling gold, which i
to be avoided in all coins of small de
nomination n-Philadclphia Record.