The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-09-04
SOME FACTS ABOUT COINS.
Government Loses MOncy on
Gold and Bascr Metals arc
PrOfltable.

government loses money or
Cold and Bascr Metals arc
Profitable.
Tho Boston Herald says: A strange
thing about our coming system Is that
the government loses money in coin.
ing gold, but makes big profit III
coming pennies. For instance, in a
$lO gold pieco there is exactly $40
worth Of gold and 10 per cent of copper
put in to harden tho precious metal
besides the cost of minting. A
silver pioco Of money is about half
profit, but the penny pays Uncle Sam
best of all, as the blanks are purchased
at tho rate Of ~ 800 per million. That
is, tho United States government OBJ
talns for $40 cents tho conner
blanks, which by the process of stamp
ing are transformed into 81 worth of
pennies.
What becomes Of the millions of
pennies coined each year by the gov
ernment is on unsolved problem. TO
supply the demand tho mint at Phila-
delphia must keep on turning out now
pennies at an average rate Of 4 900 900
per month. This useful little coin has
lts beginning, of course, in copper
mine. BY tho process CT smelting the
copper is separated from tho iron or
lead or silver in the ore and is bought
by agents, who sell it to a firm in
waterbury, Conn.,, who are undor con-
tract to supply the government with
copper blanks--that is, ponnios un-
stamped. At Waterbury tho now
copper is melted and mixed with tin
and zinc, according TO recipe pre-
scribod by tho treasury department at
and then hardened into
bricks. Those are cut into slices the
thickness Of q cent and the strips arc
passed through machines with punches
that work up and down with enormous
pressure and stamp out the little round
disks just the size of a panny. Those
blanks are put up in strong boxes and
eent by express to tho mint at Phiia-
delphia, whore they are stamped with
the head on one eide and the dcnomi-
nation on tho other.
In l77G was coined Now York
cent. Tho diverse bears bust sup
posed to have been intended for Gen.
In the costume of tho
Continental army; encircling it is tho
motto, "Non vi VIRTUE Vici." Tho
reverse has the figure of Liberty,
seated On pedestal, holding in hor
right hand staff surmounted by
liberty cap and in her loft the scales OF
justice. Around the coin are the words
'' Neo Eboracensis," with the dato in
the exergue, 1896.
The Vermont cents were coined for
four successive years. Ono variety
Las on the diverse an eye with rays
extending from 1t, which are divided
by thirteen stars; around tho coin are
Inc words, "Quarta Decima Stella;n
reverse, the sun rising from behind
tho mountains, plough in the fore
ground, with the legend, Vermont
Ersium Res Publica," with the date
1886. Another type has On the OBJ
verso a poorly cut head with the words,
g Vermont Auctori,' on the reverse
g Indo ct Lib" with tho date 1888.
Another, with the same legend, reads,
'' Et Lib Inde, 1888.
The Connecticut cents bear date
1885, 178G and 1887. The diverse has
a heard with tho words: "Auctori
Connec," On tht sevorse figure of
Liberty holding staff in one hand
an olive branch in the other, surround.
ed by the motto: " Indie ct Lib,n and
the date. There are many varieties of
this cent, all of which are very poorly
executed.
Without date is cent having on
hn (f
the Strength Of Society,"" encircling
hand holding O scroll, on which is in
scribed "Our Cause is Just.'' Ro.
verso ilfteon stars in the form of q
triangle: on the stars are indented the
initials Of the several States, kentucky
heading tho column. This was struck
at Lancaster England, in 1901 for cir
culation in America and was called the
kentucky cent.
In 1887 the commonwealth of Mas
sachusetts ordered from it's mint a
copper coin, having on ono sido an
Indian with his bow and arrow, near
his forehead star and around the coin
the word " Commonwealth" on tho
other side tho American eagle, holding
in his right talon an olive branch, in
the loita bunch Of arrows, on it's breast
shield, on which is inscribed tho
word "cent" and around the edge of
the coin "Massachusetts, 1887" Half
cents of the same type were struck.
This coinage was continued for two
years, but upon the adoption OF the
constitution of the United States.
which prohibite the several States
from coming money, the mint was
abolished. The mint was established
by vote Of the Massachusetts Assembly
in 1880, and $40, 900 in cents and hall
cents were ordered to be made. Part
OF the works and machinery for the
mint was erected at Boston Neck and
part in Dedham.
After more than 400 years it appears
Il