The National tribune., 1902-03-27
(To be continued.)
Counterfeit Pennies.
Qiarper's Weekly)

A ton of pennies piled high in one wag-
on-load is unique, but not uncommon
sight on lower Broadway. To an enIight-
ened observer the wagon and its burden
| present no unusual appearance. The pen
nies are in 20 well-filled canvas sacks. The
vehicle trundles along as jauntily as if
loaded with salt or onions or any other
commercial commodity.
Back Of the bulky accumulation of cop
per coins is the curiosity of the American
public. Trifing tributes to the number of
1860 dropped in 800 slots 20 to make
up the load, which, after all. is some
what of an embarrassment of riches.
Pennies in any great quantity have but
one outlet, the United States Sub-Treas-
ury. Unless they have been previously
counted and wrapped in paper, banks re-
fuse them admlttance. Obviously, with
so great an accumulation of coin, this is
impossible. 1t would necessitate the en-
plOyment of too large a force of expcr-
fenced clerks. Whatever profits might
accrue from the machines would be seri-
ously curtailed.
For long time this counting of pennies
was a serious problem for the various pen
ny-in-the-slot machine manufacturers. At
last it was solved by the construction of
special scales which weighed the small cop
per pieces, not in pounds and ounces, but in
dollars and cents. OF course. the accu-
Idty VI lHe DTDceSS ueneUuS entlrelN uDOn
the weights. Six months of careful exper-
imenting was done before satisfactory re-
suits were attained. The smallest meas
ured weight is 30 cents; the largest 81
In appearance the scales are not unlike
those seen on any grocery counter.
a copper penny is seemingly a piece
within the limits of even the humblcst
purse. Yet the tricks people resort to in
order to delude the ingenious machines
are unbelievable. An odd thing about it
is that their efforts are usually barren
Of results. The wheels obstinately refuse
to go round unless they are fed with
genuine penny or counterfeit of the
same size and weight
After the accumulated mass has been
collected from the machines, and before
it is weighed, all apparent refuse matter
is carefully sorted out. Because of the
extremely dirty condition of the stuff, as
well as to escape infection from germs
the boys who do the sorting wear anti
septic gloves.
The refuse itself is valuelcss. except as
an example of the small meanncsses (or
weaknessesb inherent in human nature.
Wher the real, natnral-born cheat desires
to swindle any person or institution in
stlnctlvely he uses aS n first means an
article closely resembling the genuine.
Barring the fact that some may be
dropped in the slot through ignorance
liilS ACCOUNTS lDT Int nuliItuS
Of German pennies found in the machines
Only carelessness can account for the
valuable objects, such as small gold
pieces, antique coins and bits of jewelry
which are now and then dropped into the
slots. Bangles. gold and silver, of all
sizes. nearly always bearing tender in,
scriptions, such as Darling" or Dear
est are often sorted out Cs the original
mass.
The percentage OF loss from waste mat
ter is small as compared with that re-
sulting from the immense number of coun-
terfeit pennies in existence, whose gen.
uineness can be established only by the
Treasury experts. Manufacturing queer"
cent pieces is a profitable industry. A
pound of copper costs 16 cents. Its value
made into pennies is $1.47. The probable
cost of making is At cents, clear profit
OF 81 cents
Detection OF these coins is difficult. 1t
is only by the exterior finish it can he
done at all The copper used in their