The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-03
BARRELS OF BOGUS PENNIES
Small Coins Are Favorites With the
Counterfciters.

OF the 100000 pennies that were re-
ceived by the minor coin division Of the
I United States sub-treasury IN New York
in 1901, over III. 600 were counterfeit.
or the s2.02s.ooO received in minor coins
-nickels. three cent bits. coppers and
pieces.
Where does this coin come from. VIVA,
profit is there in its manufacture, how is
il detected. and what becomes OF it?
New York has for years been a favor
tie manufacturing center for spurious
coin. though the activity of the secret
service bureau has greatly decreased its
production in the city In fact. the total
number Of bad pennies in circulation
has been greatly decreasing in the past
few months. as is shown by the figures
OF the sub-treasury.
The spurious coin receipts now run
about $50 a month said J. n. jenkins.
teller OF the minor coin division. 70 a
Sunday World Magazine writer They
are not likely to get much below this.
The amount is really very small. Some
new gang may start operations and get
rid Of a large amount Of coin before they
are detected. ef course. and this would
send the receipts up again. but the Sc
eret service people are vigilant and II
is not likely that We viii ever have the
same trouble that We did a year ago.
The government penny is. Of course.
IN alloy. while the commercials are IN
variahly Of pure copper. and this is one
Of the things that enable Us to detect
the spurious pieces. A pound OF copper
viii make about 10 pennies"
The operation OF the minor coin div
sion Is exceedingly interesting
IN 1901 7412a0oe pieces Of money mick
els and smaller coins) were received IN
the division. or this 81 SIS 90 was IN
nickels and $4,000 IN pennies. The re-
ceipts were thus s.. aes00o The pay
ments Of minor coins were LITTLE more
business done by this department Of the
government treasury work. DEPART +
nent that consists Of but eight men
was sf12sO0o.
The handling az this amount ~ smar 4
coin means a great deal % labor. The /
-oins are received in sacks. Every sack. +
10 matter from how reliable source Il 1
r5ay have come. IS opened and the coins {
are counted. At the same tine the I
counter has a keen eve open for com 4
erfeit-. and they are constantly turn
ng up
The man accustomed 70 the work spots
bad penny il the fraction Of a second.
Counting az speed almost too fast fos
he unframed eye u follow. Re seldom
ever misses ore that IS q color Or
hat lacks the Sharpness II outline II
re modelling C the genuine one
The expert. however. Is seldom able
o tell yoG what are ne tniugs TIA,
mark Tor him particular coin as spun
-. His senses are s. highly trained
0 the work that he ai-s-entiates au-
hooses almost instfnctfvesy Il = mere
r matter OF unre7if;lng vigilance and
ing experience
There = always = remarkably stIr e.
sari fer pennies so-e CT ths hsE g.
arrnezt stores take thousands q do
rs worth every week TIE PRINCIPAL !
spositors are ne proTrsctors q re
snzy-tn-the-siot machines. VIZ DEPOSIT Z
unareds - pounds q pennies 4 DAY n
axe large deposits through thss-
znks- Two sacks with q thsusana pm
IS n each make gcoc stze5 load -
mar 20 carry. - K car - izzzEs-ez
lat a large amount az heavy work
.s-s 3 n place where tso1san5z = :
'iizrs' worth q coins are nz7elea II :
".
u 5 a familiar BELIEF tszt IRE erz-
syes q tie s1o-trezx-v 1z1 il -ecss- :
~ % wear zutlss7ssc si1ves % r<.-
IL contamination <-oz re Gems Tsis
szerer Is 30 rHe raas a. 80 -
as Ct THE sivlssoa say tAzt TIE srnzss :
tns coHe Z n = surprisingly ciszn :
zcittoz-
Acccrsl7g 70 present. zrrzzr-rze-.x