The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-06
RARE AMERICAN COINS |
Arranging the Collection at Balti-
more's Woman's College.
Continental Money Well Represent
ed Among the Curios-AE Expert
in Charge of Preparing Them for
Public yieyy-How the Pieces Are
Sometimes Subjected to Alteration.

being put in order at the Woman's College
collection of United States coins and
| medals which bids fair to be the best. If
| not the only public collection OF its kind
in the city. There are also about 400 for
was given to the college.
In the collection of American coins there
| are good number of colonial and CONT
| mental coins and a splendid lot of Wash
ington cents Then there is a fair collec-
ton OF copper haIf-cents and the old large
copper cents. Also at the college is a coli
lection of Chinese and other coins. the
property OF Rev. DR.. Goucher: but the chief
interest lies in the American coins, which
VIII soon be properly arranged for public
view
Edward L. Heinichen has the work In
charge at the college on account OF his
knowledge of coins. He is one of the few
private collectors in the city, and has at
his home the most complete collection of
American coins, silver, nickel, and copper,
IN the city. He has over 700 coins
Mr.. Hetnichen in the course of his COL
lecting came across curious and what he
says Is a rare case of altering coins to make
owner had probably paid good price for
them in the bslief that they were genuine.
he found two uncirculated specimens of the
1898 quarter-Gollar without arroWheads
about the date. This is commonly believed
10 De rare coin. but experts know that
the genuine coin is without the rays about
the eagle on the reverse side When Mr.
HetnicheH turned il over the fata! rays
were there Close examination disclosed
the fact that the arrowheads had been care
fully removed from one of the ordinary
coins of that date, which is without pre-
inium OF course. in that condition it was
mutilated and was not even worth its face
value, let alone a premium
This premium on rare coins varies as
much as the individuality of the collector
and in many cases is limited only by what
the collector will pay The dealer in rare
coins quotes price TO collectors far above
what he will pay for the coin In all cases
the price depends upon the condition of the
coin, one that is not worn by circulation
commanding better price than one that
bears the marks of wear. In some eases
as with the big copper cents, clumsy at
tempts have been made TO change the date
by cutting of with a chfsel OF acid the
last figure and substituting a 8 to make a
100 cent-the rarest of that denomination
But the deception is easily seen by an
expert, who knows that the die could not
go so deep as the altered coin is cut.
Few OF the rare coins get into general
circulation nowadays as the bank clerks
have become familiar with them, and if
one should chance to be passed it would
get no further than the bank before its
value was recognized
Collectors prize the 1904 silver dollar
more highly than any other coin. There is
one other more valuable but il is not TO
be considered, because no one will have an
opportunity TO add TO his collection. That
is the 1873 double gold eagle. OF which
only one was struck at the Philadelphia
Mint 1t is said OF this coin that Congress
ordered new design, the die was made.
and one coin struck as a sample The
year was ended before a decision was
! given. and for that reason no more OF the
coins were made al the mint
The 1854 silver dollar has been sold for
from $500 10 1920, which the last one
brought. There are other dollars which
| are very rare and upon which there is nc
set price, as these known to exist so rare
ly change hands and others very rarely
get into circulation. when their price de-
Pends entirely on their condition These
rare dollars include that OF 1894, of 1886
| OF which there are four varieties, and that
with the flying eagle is worth 81 tc SO:
! the 1888 and 1889 dollars, OF which there
are TWO varieties each: the 1851 and 1852
and the 1866 dollar, without the device
and with the San Francisco mint mark
These mint marks may need explanation
! for those unfamiliar with coins The
| coins struck at the Philadelphia mint
have no distinguishing mark. Those coin
! ed IN San Francisco bear tiny IS, .
! usually under the diverse design Carson
/ City mint is distinguished by &c and
/ New Orleans mint by 20" The diverse
] side of coin is that which bears the
, head. the other being the reverse
| Most CT the rare Gins are what are call
| ed proof coins; that is, they ere struck in
limited numbers from hand presses and
/ with the original die. At the PHILADELPHIA
mint such coins are sold in sets at a
/ slight premium over those struck from
copies of the die and on power presses for
i general circulation.
! These are some Of the rare coins for
| which collectors are always on the look
| out:
Half-cents-Ail proof coins of the years
| in the '40's except that of IS49 with the
| large date are worth about $40 each Coins
of 1898. 1885 and 1897 are quite rare.
Cents-1793 has seven rare varieties. of
which the f.st three are similar and lack
periods in the legends. The diverse bears
| the Blink eDiless chain. The fourth va
| riety has 4 strawberry leaf under the
head. Tie fifth and sixth have a trefoil,
| the enc upright and the other turned to
! the right; No. has liberty cap head
| These are worth from $3.50 up
| The cent OF 1899 is the raTest of all 1t
has no liberty cap, that design ending with
1886, and the head is looking TO the right.
/ The two varieties are worth $3.50 to $50
/ each.
From So to IS is paid for the 1904 cent,
which is similar. The 1909 cent brings 81
30 So.
/ OF recent years the 1856 nickel cent is
| the most sought. It is worth from So to
| 81 Those of 1857 and 1858 are similar in
design but OF no special value After
| that year the Indian head was put Oh
cents Of the present design
Proof coins of the last 2-cent piece
| coined in 1875 the worth from 81 to $50
Nickel and 5-cent pieces. proof, of
/ 1877 are worth from s2.50 to 81.
| The silver 3-cent piece of from 1868
| to 1873 is worth 81 to 81.
! All silver half-dimes that date previous
| TO 1929 are rare, and are worth from 81 80
| to 81
| The silver balf-dime and dime of 1916
| are both rare the former being priced
! at from 81 to So and the latter 81 80 to
$3.50.
| Dimes previous to 1910 are quite rare
and bring 81 to 50.
| Twenty-eent pieces OF 1877 and 1878 are
| worth $3.50 to 81.
| Quarters OF 1896 and 1904 are worth
| from 50 to 81 Those of 1928 and 1897
are worth from s25 70 $50. The 1853
| quarter without arrowheads and rays is
| worth SO to 81. The quarter of 1856 with
I