Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-12-01
How Money Is Coined.

How Money Is Coined.
The process of coming money ls
very much simpler than most people
suppose. When gold or silver Is re-
ceived at the United States Mint for
coinage it must be first assayed-that
is, all impurities must be removed
leaving nothing but the pure metal.
EThls is accomplished by chemical
process, differing with each kind of
metal that is to be coined. Pure gold
and silver are too soft to be used as
money, as the metal in this state will
soon wear away. II is therefore ne
cessary to harden it by mixing in
small quantity of another metal, called
alloy.
The alloy used TOR gold and silver
coins is copper, and one-ninth is ad-
ded to the pure metal-that is, nine
parts of gold, or silver, are mixed with
one part of copper, and are usually
spoken of as 1000 fine" meaning there
are 900 parts of gold or silver, and
100 parts Of other metal in the COINS
This metal, after being alloyed, Is
known as STANDARD gold" or "stan-
dard silver" meaning that it Is the
standard of ineness fixed by the United
States government.
After the pure metal and alloy are
throughly mixed, they are heated in a
crucible and, after becoming thorough
ly commingled, are poured into moIds
and cast into bars. These bars are
then placed in machine, having two
rollers set in a heavy frame. The
rollers are turned by strong machin-
cry, operated by heavy engine.
Thi, operation fattens the barsinto
a strip nearly an inch in width. The
rollers are then set closer together
and the bars run through them again
and again, until they assume the prop
er thickness for coin.
In this process, however, the metal
becomes very much hardened, and it
then becomes necessary to soften or
annsal it. This is done by heating
it in furnace and permitting it to
cool slowly. The bars, having been
properly annsaled, are thep taken to
another machine, which draws them
steadily through round pieces of hard
steel looking like rollers, but which
do not turn. This makes them sbso-
lutely the same thickness at all points.
The bars are next placed in another
machine, having lever platform, or
bed, made of solid steel. In the CEN
ter of this steel plate is hole little
larger than the size Of the coin that Is
to be made. The strips are laid over
this hole and a heavy piece Of steel,
shaped like bolt, is moved down
ward directly over the hole.
1t sjust large enough to pass into
the hole in the steel plate, over which
the strip of metal is placed, and, in
doing SO, it cuts out Of the strip OF
metal round piece just the size OF
the hole itself, pushing it through the
opening plate. This is called plan
chet. These planchets are then taken
to the weighing.room, where number
of women are seated at long tables
their arms bare to the elbows. Each
one holds in her hand a fiat file and
has before her pair of scales. a
leather apron is fastened under the
arms, and also attached to the table
in front of her. This is for the pur-
pose of holding the gold dust, and the
arms are bare SO as to prevent any Of
the dust catching in the clothing.
These women test all coins by weigh
ing them. If they are too light, they
are sent back to be remelted.
If they are too heavy, they are fled
down until the scales show they are
of the proper weight.
The weight having been properly
ascertained, the planchets are next
taken to the milling machine, where
they are dropped into tube, and, as
they fall, they are forced between the
rim of a rapidly revolving wheel and
solid piece of steel, so set that the
space between the rim Of the wheel
and the steel is little less than the
width Of the planchet.
This squeezes the edges and forces
the soft metal into a little ridge at
the edge of the planchet, all around
it Just as 1t is seen in coins. This Is
called milling" and is intended to
protect the figure, and engraving on
the face of the coin, and prevent their
wearing rapidly when they are used
! in business.