The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-06-22
Answers TO Numerous Inquiries Con.
cerning Them.
THEIR ORIGIN AND VALUE.
Together With Comprehensive History Of
The Coinage OF United States Money
Down TO the Present.

out at their face value, we have
never given the matter much at.
tention. Hon. w. Scott Alexan.
der, of this place, Is considered
the best posted man on this sub.
ject in this part of the State; he
has quite a number of works on
Numismatics, showing illustra.
tons of almost every coin in the
world, and can tell you in what
country any com you may show
him was coined, and the probable
value of it. When interrOgated
on the value of CONS, he said
Foreign coins are seldom
worth more than their face value,
unless they are several centuries
old and are kept simply as relics;
but with American CONS it is diff
ferent, for the reason that some
are so rare that they command d
high price. 1t Is only one hun
dred and twelve years since the
first United States CONS were is
sued; and in recent years, coin
collectors endeavor to secure
complete sets of all the different
denominations, which at this late
day, is very difficult, as com
plete set of the United States
cent Is worth from $4,000 to
$4,000, if in fine condition, and
the half cent, about 5000, while a
complete set of the silver dollars
or other silver coins, is worth {
small fortune. a collector may
lack one piece to complete a set
so you see how valuable that one
piece may be to him and he will
pay a high price for 1.-THE pieces
that are lacking to make com
plete sets are always rare, anC
the rare coins only are those fol
which premium is paid.
Prior to 1892, 1t was the custom
for the Colonies to issue none,
of their own, and we frequently
run across copper CONS made b.
New Jersey, Connecticut, Massa
chusetts, Maryland and the 9th
er Colonies; but by Act of Con
gress of April 2, 1892, the frs
United States Mint was estat
lished in Philadelphia, and /
October of that year the first col
was issued, which was the "hal.
dlsme," and two years later tn
first silver dollar was coined, an
the coinage of the silver dolla
was. continued, large numbe
{ being issued each year, but i
1904 very few were coined, an
the dollar of that year is so raj
that it readily commands 81, ,OO
, The coinage of that dollar wa
then suspended until the yea
, 1886, when it is SAID that only or
thousand were issued ;consequel
ly, those of that year are yer
, rare and at premium. Nor
was issued in 1887; but in Is;
, the coinage was resumed and col
tinued to the present. From 18i
, to 1882 inclusive, trade dollar
= were coined.
The design on the silver dollt
} as well as on other silver colr
has been changed great man
times, and those bearing co
: tain design are more valuab
: than others, even of the san
date. All silver dollars coine
: prior to 1910, il in good conditic
are at premium, and those
: 1904 and 1886 being very rare a
: eagerly sought by collectors AT
command high price.
G The first silver Half Dollar WI
v coined in 1894, and the coinas
n continued to the present time, e
cepting that none were issued
|. 1898, 80, 1900, and 1904. III
}. half dollars of 1901, 1902, Isl
and 1852 are rare and are at
j. premium.
The hefirstsilver rquarter was col
Is ed in 1896, and the supply of til
a year seemed TO suffice until lSC
m when the coinage was resum
s. and continued for four years, aft
which none was issued until lsl