Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-27
FAMOUS SOUTHERN COIN.
MIR. Turner, of baltimore, Has
Confederate HaIf-DolIar.
Baltimore Amerlcan)

Mr. G. T. Turner, of No. AIS east Twen-
ty-second street, a travelling salesman
for John T.. Hurst az Co., has in his pos
session a Confederate half dollar, which
was coined in 1861. He obtained the coin
from an old man named Blume, of Nut
tallburg. Fayette county, W. Va. This is
an exceedingly rare coin. In fact. 1t is
said II is the only Confederate half dol
lar in existence, save one. which was,
some time ago, in the possession Oh ). w.
Scott a coin dealer Of New YORK city,
who valued IL at $1,000.
The diverse side of the coin Is the same
as that Of the silver halc dollar of the
regular mint series Of that time with the
Goddess Of Liberty seated, and the date,
1861, beneath. The distinctive feature Is
the reverse side, for which a new dle was
struck. In the centre is shield bearing
the Stars and Bars of the Confederdcy.
The number of stars in the field-seYen-
represents the seven States which Sc
ceded before the inauguration OF Lincoln,
March 4, 1861 A liberty pole is thrust
through the shield, and bears on its tip
liberty cap Twined around the shield, IN
the form of a wreath, are a stalk OF
sugarcane 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 It's three
counterparts is interesting In February,
1861, the United States Mint, at New Or
leans fell into Confederate hands. The
Confederate Government then seated III
Montgomery, Ala, decide TO have some
new dies made, and to start coinage OF
It's own at the mint 1t was determined
to begin the series with the silver half
dollar. In April Mr.. Memminger. the sec
Rotary OF the Treasury of the Confede-
racy having issued a call for designs. Sc
lected the one above described. The die
was made by A. H. Peterson, or New
Orleans, and four coins were struck as
specimen pieces. under the direction or
Or. b. Il. Taylor, "Chief Conner for the
Confederate States of America" But the
southern government then found that
owing to a total lack of silver bullion, 1t
was one thing TO make four specimen
coins and quite another TO issue the
money in quantities. The four coins were
distributed 10 persons who would be most
likely to take an interest in them. one
was sent TO the government, one 10 Pro-
fessor Riddell, of the University of Lou
isiana, one to DIR. T.. Ames, of New Or
leans. and the fourth, together with the
die was kept by DR.. Taylor. who had
charge of the mint when it was struck,
This is the coin which Is now in New
York city About the year 1879 Or. Taylor
sold the coin and the die 10 Mr. Scott.
The latter, in turn, disposed Of the coin
three or four years afterward at a public
auction in New York for $50. The collec-
ton OF which il formed part was offered
for sale; Mr.. Scott bought the rare old
piece back, and has owned il ever since.
One OF the other cOins-prObably that
which was sent to the Confederate Gov
eminent In 1S6l-came> into the possession
OF Jefferson Davis. After the war Mr.
Scott wrote TO Mr.. Davis, asking him II
he still owned the piece. Mr.. Davis re-
Piled, in a letter which Mr. Scott still
has that the coin was taken from him
when he was captured on May TO- 1865.
together with many other things that ne
afterward. Up to the present its where
abouts Is not known. OF the other coin
there Is no definite trace. although one
was reported to be IN New Orleans In 1852.