Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-14
FACTS ABOUT COINS.
The Government Loses Money Prepar-
ing Gold Currency.
Boston Herald.

Boston Herald.
A strange thing about our coming system
is that the government loses money In coin
ing gold. but makes big pront in coming
pennies. For instance. in a $40 gold piece
there is exactly $40 worth of gold and 10
precious metaI-besides the cost OF minting.
A silver piece of money is about half profit,
but the penny pays Uncle Sam best OF all.
as the blanks are purchased at the rate Iof
81, 300 per million. That is the United States
government obtains for $40 cents the copper
blanks which by the process Of stamping are
transformed into 81 worth OF pennies.
What becomes Of the millions Of pennies
coined each year by the government is an
unsolved problem, To supply the demand
the mint at Philadelphia must keep turn
eOo Soo ne nee" month This psef,,l little coin
has its beginning, of course, in copper
mine. BY the process Of smelling the copper
in the ore and is bought by agents who
sell it to firm in Waterbury, Conn. VINO
under contract to supply the government
with copper blanks-that is, pennies unstamp-
ed. At Waterbury the new copper is melted
and mixed with tin and zinc according 70
ment at Washington. and then hardened into
bricks. These are cut into slices the thick
ness of a cent and the strips passed
through machines with punches that work
UP and down with enormous pressure and
stamp out the little round disks Just the size
Of penny. These blanks are put up In strong
boxes and sent by express to the mint at
the head on one side and the denomination on
In i77s was coined New York cent The
diverse bears n bust supposed to have been
intended for General Washington in the cos
tune of the continental army. encirciing It
Is the motto. Non vi VIRTUE Vici' The re-
verse has the figure of Liberty, seated on a
pedestal, holding in her right hand a stan
the scales OF Justice. Around the coin are
the words 'Neo Eboracensis." with the date
in the exergne, 17s6.
cessive years. One variety has the diverse
an eye with rays extending from II which are
IA 1aA hNF rNGw ~ 81.
words "Quarta Decima Stella:" reverse, the
sun rising from behind the mountains. a pillow
in the foreground. with the legend Vermont
Ersium Res Publica," with the date 1888. An
other type has on the diverse poorly cut head
with the words vermont Auctor, on the re-
verse 'Inde ct Lib, with the date Of 17SS. An
other with the same Segend reads EFT Lib indie.
The Connecticut cents bear date 1885, 1856
and 1877. The diverse has a head with the
words "Auctori Connec." on the reverseA fig
ure of Liberty holding a staff in one hand and
an olive branch in the other, surrounded by the
motto ''Inde ct Lib" and the date. There are
many varieties Of this cent, all of which are
Without date is a cent having on one side
the motto .'Unanimity is the Strength OF So
which is inscribed 'Our Cause in Just" Re-
verse, Is stars in the form of a triangle; on
thte stars indented the initials of the sew
eral states, Kentucky heading the column This
struck at Lancaster, England, In 1871 for
circulation in America and was called the Ken
In 1851 the commonwealth Of Massachusetts,
ordered from It's mint copper coin having on
one side Indian with his bow and arrow,
near his forehead a star and around the coin
he word Commonwealth" on the other side
thte American eagle, holding in his right talon
an olive branch. in the left a bunch OF arr ows.
on its breast a shield on which is inscribed the
word Cent and around the edge Of the coin
Massachusetts,, 1881" Half cents of the same
type were struck. This coinage was continued
for two years. but upon the adoption of the con-
stitution Of the United States, which prohibited
the several states from coming money. the mint
was abolished. The mint was established by
vote of the Massachusetts, assembly In 1IS6, and
$40. 600 In cents and half cents were ordered TO
be made Part of the works and machinery
for the mint was erected at Boston Neck and
part in Dcdham.