The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-10-19
COINS RARE AND COMMON.
A Billion Of Cents in Use Coins for Which
High Prices are Paid.

The demand for one.cent pieces is
so great that the Philadelphla mint
is compelled to turn out nealy OOO.-
600 a month to keep up the supply.
There are at present something like
| 0O0. 600 600 cents in circulation.
II you want to exchange hun
dred dollar bill for cents you would
get ten good large bags full of cop
pers. Nickel and copper coins have
no mint marks, neither have coins
issued at the Philadelphia mint. Col
lectors often pay high prices for
coins bearing certain mint marks
which otherwise would not have been
worth more than their face value.
The first United States cents struck
for circulation bear the date l193
They are of six varieties, and are
valued at s. 80 to Sc p.
Very rare are the New York doub-
looms, coined in 1857, of which ouly
five are known to exist. Ga one side
of this rare and curious coin is a
picture of the sun rising over a
mountain surrounded by the legend.
"Nova Eboraco Columbia Excelsior
Below is the name of the designer,
"Brasher." The other side has the
original form Of the national motto,
"Unum Z Plurlbus" There is An
heraldic eagle on one wing of which
are the letters "E b." the designers
initials. These coins are worth about
$500 The last one sold brought 1927
1t had belonged to an old Maryland
family ever since it was coined.
The fve.dollsr gold piece Of lS22
isa rare coin. At one time only two
we're said to be in existence; one IN
the Philadelphia mint, the other in
Boston. but third WAS picked up in
New York money changers shop a
few years ago.
Il was afraid at first that it might
be a counterfeit" said the collector
of coins who happened to spy it. The
man was so delighted to secure I
that before leaving the shop he
bought several other coins which he
didn't want. He paid only S6 for It,.
The same ds7 he received an offer of
$3.50: later $3.50 was offered by an.
other gentleman; 5000 by another
one, but the gentleman, at last &C
counts, was holding il for 81 900 Oae
of the most sought after colonial
coins is the Highly copper. 1t was
struck in 1877 by Samuel Highly,
who was a physician and a black
smith at CRANKY. Conn. He got the
copper from mine near by and
shaped the coin at his forge.
About nine years ago a silver
sheke was found in Texas which
dates back to l42 B. c. Its intrinsic
value is about 80 cents; its value to
collectors S. 600.
One of the earliest known coins is
a didrachm Of anciet Aegina, coined
about 700 B. c Its intrinsic value
is 80 cents; its market value 81.
The coins spoken Of in the Bible
are shekels, which were Of silver; the
widows mite, the tribute penny and
the "Judea CAPITA" the bronze coin
struck by the Emperor Titus to com
memorate the destruction of Jerusa'
lem.
In Japan coins are chiefly OF
porcelain. Whales teeth form the
coinage Of the FIJI Islands. They are
painted white and red, the red teeth
being worth about twenty times as
much as the white. These teeth are
worn as a necklace instead of carried
in a pocketbook.
The entire collection Of coins and
medals in the British Musuem con
sists of $50 900 specimens, and is one
of the finest in the world. At the
Philadel phia mint is good collection
of a merican coins, but the Govern
ment only allows it $500 year to
buy coins with. The British Govern
ment spends S., 900 year in coins
N. Y Sun.