The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-22

.TMrSNATIC science says tho American
~ Journal OF Eumfsmatics. has been called
the handmaid Of history. and like mis-
-- t-ess like maid" II Clio has her myths.
II would 20 singular indeed II Mcneta had none.
MoSt IL not ali Of these exposed In the jour
nal, but there others. CT which the
most persistent in It's regular appearance s the tale
Of 1so4 dollars Like comets, they turn up
expected times and In most unexpected places. now
emerging from the darkness OF old family
hoard In Virginia; next wandering TO aphellon in
q bsrroom In Chotsau, Northern Montana. to be-
passed by mistake" for a dr.nk-'to what base
may come az iast'-and turning up In
a sort Of meridian blaze BY the sale Of a mint OFF,
calls cabinet just comes detailed account
OF woman shopping I'm Racine, Wis. who paid
clerk by Newspaper report, Of these priceless
coins Tor yard OF cotton. perhaps spool of
thread The good iady who passed IL did not know
Its value, Of indeed, from ts condition,
by circulation for nearly century, with no one TO
iosc. hone 10 csress IL In all that period ~ she
had some doubt, the reporters tell us. whether
his opportunity. pockesed 1t and turned good sill
yer dollar to his employer: and we told he has
since been offered 1850 for it by Chicago coin
dealer. For some reason. which does not appear
In the printed account In the Transcript he did not
sell. and his employer puts In 81 sort of double
headed claim the wauderer. II either belongs to
the store the woman The clerk replies II Is not
the property of the storekeeper. for had II CHANGED
10 be bad the loss would have fallen on the re-
cefver and ITS 81 poor rule etc. Whether the lady
has made claim does not appear. but the article
from which clip the story says that both clerk
ana employer nave employed attorneys and q law
suit seems Inevitable yet 1t Is doubtful IL the dol
lar sells for enough to pay for the litigation
and leave profit for Its owner, II the incl
dent actually occurred as described.
II In pity that when the question OF ownership
comes Ia legal decision cannot also have with
It judicial opinion the Legitimacy of the pedi-
gree of these dollars. For many years esteemed
correspondent. Mr.. Nexsen of Brooklyn. y. Y, has
made careful and exhaustive study of them. and
years ago he gave readers list Of all that
had respectable pedigree: he has. believe.
fully traced the history Of the various pieces which
have since appeared. and shown them tn be aitera-
lions, Spanish. Mexicans frequently British
tBmnk OF England five shilling or dollar piecet-any-
thing except what they pretend To be Whether he
has Investigated this latest revival of the ancient
myth cannot say few weeks since sent
20 the Boston editor OF the Journal for opinion
II proved Mt sight to be altered coin II seemed
not worth while 10 trouble friend with this but
we were told II bought by come who was
willing to risk it for $50
AZ to the value of iso& dollars. there fl the old
proyerh "A thing IL worth what II will oring" and
80 long there people who sincerely believe
tina. there Is such thing genuine dollar Of
that date unaitered pieces with a pedigree which
can traced to the mint will bring large amounts
hut n the buyer really thinks he is purchasing a
genuine issue of the United States mint struck In
1904 we have no doubt that he Is mistaken In the
Journal for July 1897. Mr.. Nexsen shows that pre-
slous is42 the nsntnge Of such a dollar was prob
iematcal; nothing be proved by the mint