Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-12-09
UNCLE SAM A MONEY MAKER.
Interesting Machines Used in the Gov
eminent Mints-A Million Pennies
Day.

"A million pennies a day-that IS the
capacity Of a strange machine which
Uncle Sam uses In the Phlladelphla
mint to count the coin of smallest value
made by this government The ma
chine. known as a counting table. is ex-
hibited in the government building as
a part of Uncle Sans 100000 display
on the peninsula in Guilds Lake at the
Lewis and Clark exposition.
The counting board Is about as large
as big kneading board such as house,
wives use. The surface of it is wide
enough to hold a row of forty pennies.
When the pennies are to be counted
several thousands are heaped onto the
board, which is placed above a hopper.
Then an operator tips the board back
ward and forward and sideways so
that the pennies slide about, and finally
settle in the grooves made by the brass
partition strips. When the board is
full there are 1000 pennies on it. 1t is
then dumped into a receptacle just out
side the hopper and the pennies which
have slipped off the board into the hop
per are caught by box underneath.
Pennies are coined at the Philadelphia
mint, and the government finds the
coming of them profitable. because the
value OF the metal they contain is only
about three-fOurthS of q cent.
The upsetting machine is another in
teresting mechanical contrivance. 1t
is used for turning the edges of coins.
The coin disks, of the proper size and
thickness, but with their edges still
rough, are put into tubes made to fit
them. These tubes are placed upright
beside round topped. revolving table.
At each revolution of the table one of
the disks drops into a groove between
the table and an outer shell, and the
pressure on the edges of the disks
makes them smooth.
Stamping the coin is the last process,
and this is done by means of a great
machine which weighs fifteen tons and
costs $4,000. There are twenty-four
such machines in the Philadelphia
mint. The disks which are to be coins
are placed in a tube, as in the case of
the upsetting machine. Two steel
fingers take hold of the bottom disk
and move it over the die. Then the
die above presses down on the disk so
that the impression is made on both
sides. AT the same time the edges of
the disk are milled. and when the up
per ole raises the steel fingers push the
finished coin out Of the way and bring
a disk into position
The machine at the Portland EXPOSE
ton, which is used in stamping $40 gold
pieces, has capacity of ninety a min
ute. A pressure of $50 tons is neces-
sary to stamp silver dollar, but 100
tons pressure will stamp double
eagle. Smaller coins require less pres
sure.
In connection with the exhibit at the
western Worlds Fair coins of this
years make in all denominations ex-
cept the silver dollar are DISPLAYED.
None OF the mints is now coming dol
lars, because the government has on
hand 6O0000,000. which are being held
Tor the purpose of redeeming silver
certificates. There is also on exhibit
tlon at Portland the first coming press
ever used by the United States govern
ment-a crude machine, which was
operated by hand and was used in 1893
Tor making copper pennies Chicago
Chronicle.