The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-12-01
FRO BE Continued
COINS RARE AND COMMON.
Billion of Cents In Use-COins
for Which High Prices
Are Paid.

Ihe demand for one-cent pieces is so
great that the Philadelphia mint is
compelled to turn out nearly 100000
month to keep up the supply. There
are at present something like 1,00O,-
100000 cents in circulation.
If you want to exchange $10O bill
for cents you would get ten good, large
bags full of coppers. Nickel and copper
coins have no mint marks, neither have
coins issued at the Philadelphia mint
Collectors often pay high prices for
coins bearing mint marks which other
wise would not have been worth more
than their face value.
The first United States cents struck
for circulation bear the date 1898. They
are of six varieties and are valued at
$2.5o@6.25.
Very rare are the New York doub-
looms, coined in 1887, of which only five
are known to exist. On one side of this
rare and curious coin is picture of the
sun rising over mountain surrounded
by this legend: "Nova Eboraca Column
bia Excelsior" ~ ..v is the name of
the designe shc~" The other
side has the CT I'm of the ma
tional motto, Ii Pluribus."
There is an hcI:ld~ on one wing
of which are t, -.ers "E. b." the de-
sfgner's initials. These >:cins are worth
about $500. The las: or Id brought
$527. 1t had belongeF old Mary
land family ever sim. ,ined.
The five-dollar gold 1922 is a
rare coin. At one Il y two were
said to be in existence, one tr t,,e Phil
adelphia mint, the Other III F. but
a third was picked up ork
money cnangerS shop; 10.
II was AFRAID at first / be
a counterfeit" said the of
coins who happened to 81. ..eman
was so delighted to secure it that be-
fore leaving the shop he bought several
other coins which he didn't want. He
paid only six dollars for it, The same
day he received an offer of $3.50; later
$3.50 was offered by another gentleman,
5000 by another one, but the gentleman
at last accounts was holding it for
$1,000. One of the most sought after
colonial coins is the Highly copper. 1t
was struck in 1887 by Samuel Highly,
who was physician and blacksmith
at CRANKY, Conn. He got the copper
from mine near by and shaped the coin
at his forge.
About nine years ago silver shekel
was found in Texas which dates back
to 142 T. c. Its intrinsic value is about
30 cents; its value to collectors, S., coo.
One of the earliest known coins is a
didrachm of ancient Aegina, coined
about 7C0 B. c. Its intrinsic value is 80
cents; its market value, seven dollars.
The coins spoken of in the Bible are
shekels, which We're of silver; the
widows mite, the tribute penny, and
the "Judea capta," the bronze coin
struck by Emperor Titus to commem-
crate the destruction of Jerusalem.
In Japan coins are generally of iron,
and in Siam they are chiefly porcelain.
Whales teeth form the coinage of the
FIJI islands. They are painted white
and red, the red teeth being worth about
20 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 museum consists
OF 250,000 specimens and is one of the
finest in the world. At the Philadelphia
mint is good collection of American
coins, but the government only allows
1t $500 year to buy coins. The British
government spends $4,000 a year for
coins.-N. Y. Sun.