The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-18
Famous Southern Coin.

Mr.. c.. h. Turner OF No. ils East
Twenty-secOld street, travelling sales
man for John T. Hurst 4, Co. has In his
possession Confederate half dollar
which was coined in 1861. He obtained
the coin from an old man named Blume.
Of Nuttaliburg. Fayette county. w. Va.
This is an exceedingly rare coin. In fact.
IL Is said. a. Is the only Confederate half
dollar In existence, save one which was.
some time ago, IN the possession OF j. w.
Scott. a coin dealer OF New York city.
who valued it az $1,000.
The diverse side OF the coin IS the Same
as that OF the silver half dollar OF the
regular mint series OF that time. with the
Goddess OF Liberty seated and the date.
1861. beneath The distinctive feature Ia
the reverse side. for which new die was
struck In the center is a shield bearing
the stars and bars OF tho Contederacy.
The number Of stars IN the iield-seVen-
represents tho seven states which seeded
before the ina iguration OF Lincoln. March
4. 1851 A liberty pole Is thrust through
the shield. and bears on It's tip liberty
cap. Twined around the shield. In the
form OF a wreath. are q stalk OF sugar
cane and A stalk OF cotton. Above these
devices are the words: Confederate
States OF America" and below them the
denomination OF the coin, HALF Dol"
The history OF this coin and its thres
counterparts ia interesting In FEBRUARY.
1851. the United States Mint al New Or
leans fell into Confederate hands. The
Confederate government. then seated In
Montgomery Ala, decided 70 have some
new dies made and 20 start coinage OF
its own az the mint H. Yves determined
20 begin the series with the silver half
dollar In April Mr. Memmlnger. the SEE
81. r.af 40. ffraa4 EAE lfHy
having issued a call fer designs, selected
the one above described. The die was
made BY A n Peterson, OF New Orleans.
and four coins were struck as specimen
pieces. under the direction OF Or. y. r.
TAYLOR. chief colner for the Confederate
States OF America But the Southern
government then found that, owing 70
total lack OF silver bullion, II was one
thing 20 make four specimen coins and
quite another 70 issue the money IN guam
titles. The four coins were distributed
10 persons who would be most likely -
take an interest IN them. One was sent
70 the government. one 70 Prof. Riddell.
OF the University OF Louisiana, one 70
Or r. Ames. OF New Orleans, and the
fourth, together with the die, was kept
by Or. Taylor. who had charge OF tbs
mint when 1t was struck This Is tho
coin which Is now IN New York city.
About the year 1879 Or. Taylor sold tho
coin and the die % Mr.. Scott The latter.
in turn disposed Of the coin three or
four years afterward az public auction
in New York FOR $50. The collection Of
which IL formed a part was offerel FOR
sale; Mr.. Scott bought the rare old piece
back. and has owned II ever since.
One OF the other coins-probably thar
which was sent 70 the Confederate gov
ernment IN lSol-came into the possession
OF Jefferson Davis. After the war Ar.
Scott wrote 20 Mr. Davis. asking him II
he still owned me piece Nr. Davis re-
piled IN a letter which Mr. Scott sun mas
that the coin was taken from him when
he was captured on May y. 1908. together
with many other things that he owned.
and that he had never heard OF II after
ward Up 10 the present It's whereabouts
are not known. OF the other coin. there
is no definite trace. although one was re-
ported u be IL New Orleans In lss2. Bal
.inore American.