New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-13

conditions A heavy storm or n sudden coming
Of cold weather-snything. in short that keeps tho
penny spending part Of the population at home
- accurately reflected IN the falling OF OF tho
cents coming to the sub-treasuries for exchanges
and redemption During periods OF dulness pennies
accumulate at sub treasures but when trade re-
wives they begin TO circulate rapidly again
The stream OF cOppers flows out continually from
the Philadelphia Mint. where they are made but
their history Is like that OF many rivers IN the
Western deserts. which finally lost IN tho
sands Anybody who wants cents may get then,
by sending check for the amount desired TO
the superintendent OF the mint who viii ship tho
coin at the expense OF the government
Up to date the United States has coined So
1853 cents. 4fo0ee 900 nfckels Sst dimes 30a-
100000 quarters so0ooOO half-doIars and 59sss7s9s
dollars.
The silver coins which are sent % the Treasury
are treated In exactly the same way az are the
nicSels and cents. All vermont pieces are melted
for recOiRage. and on every s. GEO thus reuinteR
the government Loses nearly So. The life OF a.
dime is only four FIVE years because it changes
hands ten times while a half dollar is moved
once from one persons pocket into the till OF
another. Take ten silver dimes as one happens "a,
get them in change. pile them up with an equal
number CT brand new dimes alongside OF them I'm
another stack. and will find that the pile OF tho
old ones is hardly than two-thirds the height
OF the new pile-so much do the pieces lose in
thickness after a short time.
Many years agO the government issued 450O 600
are still outstanding. But nearly all OF them. ir
is thought lost fnasmuch as IL IS seldom that
turns up for redemption The same IS true OF
the nickel three-cent pieces OF which nearly 2O0-
coo unaccOunted fer. Somewhere in the world
are 100000 big copper cents but it would be hard
10 ind any OF them. barring the few in the hands
OF the collectors. What mas become OF them Is a
mystery. and the same may be said OF the old hale
cents. corresponding in value 20 the English farth-
ings- OF these half cents 10000 were minted. and
none have been returned for recOinage or are held
by the Treasury. Save for a few IN the possession
Of curio hunters. they seem 70 have vanished from
the earth.
There is another coin. OF which the government
IN 1904 made coco pieces but OF which, as has been
ascertained- not even known be In circula-
ton That coin IS the American silver dollar OF
the mintage Of 1904 Two Of these most precious
OF all American coins are in well known collections
and are valued at s2Ooo each. Speaking OF these
coins well known numismatst said:
1T has been determined TO the satisfaction OF
every numismatist that these two dollars were not
coined until 1928. although they were struck from
the original 1904 die. They secretly made
although such a procedure IS a penal ofence-for
some one high IN influence and authority who de-
sired them for certain coin collectors II has never
been positively sscerteined how the surreptitious
work was accomplished. but there is no doubt that
1t was done.
why the dollar OF 1894 was never seen in circll-
lston after leaving the mint one OF the unsoIved
government mysteries.
"A still sreater mystery surrounds the half
dollar Of 1904 OF that coin nearly 10000 were
struck Not ever discovered in circula-
ton The quarter dollars OF 1894 are numerous
enOugh-so plentiful in fact. that fair specimen
can be bought for g. and their coinage amounted
20 1000 pieces.
"A curious thing has been discovered regarding
the half dollar OF 1so5. which IS not a rare COIN
except n the case OF those possessing the rare
curiosity speak Of which increases the vaue ten
fold This is that the figure O. in 1875 has been
struck over a SgIre - showing that the coin was
really one OF the undiscovered minting OF 1s04
What became OF the large issue Of 1894 half
dOlIars2 No knows viii know but IL
Is evident that all OF them were not issued from
the mint. and this belief that there
for not desiring the coin t0 circulate is
strengthened By the mint Obliteratluz the date on
what was left By making 1905 half dollars OF them
There were silver dollars issued from the
mint In fsO5. yet 81 coined and are IN the
hands OF collectors to-day, just as they came from
the die. No dollars coined By the govern
m.nt after that until 1870"