Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-01-25
GOLD COIN BY THE TON.
Work Done Yearly at the Mint in San
Francisco.


Francisco.
Ordinarily people speak of gold bull
lion when quantities are mentioned as
so many ounces, except in San Fran
cisco, where the receipts of gold bull
lion at the United States branch mint
are referred to as so many tons for
certain days. 1t sounds like an enor-
nous boast, bordering on the fabulous,
yet it is true. The mint books show
it; the bullion was received, coined and
turned over to it's owners. One day in
August last four tons of the precious
metal was received at the mint for
coinage, while in October, 1897, the re-
ceipts for one day were six tons.
That exceeds the receipts of any other
mint as far as known, and so does the
| total coinage of the San Francisco
| branch mint exceed that of any other
of recent years and is still on the in
crease.
The coinage of the last fiscal year,
ended June 80, 1899, according to the
report just completed, WIS the largest
| in the history of this mint. 1t con-
sisted of 133,S73,375 pieces, valued at
| 1853 ,S62,2 75. That coinage has been ex-
ceeded in amount in the coinage his
| tory of the government on two occa-
sions only. At the mint in Philadel-
phia in the year 1861 some 1000, 600
was coined, and again in the same
place in 1881 something over S76,000,-
900 was coined. Since then California
| has pushed forward and now holds the
front rank for amounts.
The largest amount heretofore coined
in the San Francisco mint during any
calendar year was in 1878, $50 1856, 900.
This year the coinage is expected to at
| least approximate that of 1898. Prior
to 1897 and for fifteen years preceding
the coinage of the San Francisco mint
averaged about $25, 100000 a year. In
that year the amount took a sudden
leap and went up to $40,OS4,291.
The largest number of deposits for
one month in the history of the mint
was in August, 1899. They reached
1853, aggregating nearly 100000
ounces value about S12,500,O00. For
| the three years prior to that time de-
posits averaged from 500 to 700 a
month, which was considered very
good business. The heaviest deposits
| for one day in that month aggregated
| four tons of gold. A large consign-
ment of English sovereigns arrived
that day from Australia and was sent
to the mint to be recoined; large lot
| of dust and nuggets was landed from
the Klondike, while some gold came
| from Pacific coast mines and Mexico.
This was only exceeded once, as far
as the records show, and that was one
day in October, 1897. The deposits for
the month were 955, and the coinage
| 100000. But six tons of gold came
in one day, valued at about $4,000 900,
rating a ton at $780, 900, which is the
accepted valuation. This deposit con-
sisted largely of British sovereigns
| from Australia, though there was con-
siderable Klondike gold received that
day.
For the first two months of the cur
rent year the coinage wass10, 272, 6S6,
as against the corresponding two
months of the last fiscal year, $40, 1877
SS4. Nearly all the gold from the
Klondike and Cape Nome has found
| it's way of late to San Francisco. Last
year the gold was sent from Seattle to
Philadelphia for coinage.
Now that bulk of the gold product of
| the north comes to San Francisco the
best record of the output is obtainable
here. On Sept. of this year SO, 421. 493
was deposited from that section.
Since that date about 81 5000 more
has been received at the San Francisco
/ mint. making practically $11,000,000
| from the Klondike this season thus far.
Judging from the receipts OF last year,
| ii is safe to estimate the total output
for the year at S14.OOOOO0. If this be
realized il will exceed the output Of
last year by SS,00O,000
While the mint at Philadelphia has
produced a larger number of coins dur
ing the same period, requiring twice
the force the coinage of the San Fran
cisco mint exceeds that of Philadel-
mia. and. perhaps. of any other mint
in value Philadelphia turns out more
subsidiary coins, but San Francisco
has produced more gold coin in TIE az
gregate than Philadelphia.
During the week just passed three
car loads of silver have been received
at the san Francisco mint from Phila-
delphia quite an unusual thing. The
shipment of that bullion TO this CITY is
due TO the great demand for subsidiary
coin The large surplus which has