The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-07-26
COINS N STAMPS.

A I'm hea y III NV ihubhf W. bAtsS tND -
ETrapplinsa me inscIip!Ion reads California Geld
with a whoa, esSeat II his taioas Tho die work
suggests tina. i may hsye been made for S SGlsi n
The die may have been intended for the private
coinage Of gold In the pioneer days Of California.
| But some experts hold that the coin Is one OF Q
numerous series Of circular pieces OF the hze OF
ten and twenty dollars and OF varying design
which did duty % markers or counters In the gam
bling houses. The piece Is now quite scarce and
a specimen in brass, gilded. In hno condition.
brought $50 at a coin sale some years ago.
A. W. New Orleans. lathe ofncial title Of the
I'VE dollar ~goldpiece Is half eagle. The I'VE dollar
g~oldpiece Of 1909 sold for $40 at . sale Q couple OF
years ago. IL was In very nne condition and o
| specimen would be worth less II showing signs OF
circulation. 1t Is thought that all the half eagles
coined in 1909 were struck over nvc dollar pieces
| coined In 1901. Close scrutiny win disclose that q
ngure Il" Is under the -" Of the date. The term
perfect date Is applied TO coins which show the
date Of the year clearly and distinctly and not
struck over tho coin Of another year. As no half
eagle of iso3 has yet been discovered with q per
feet date. one II II exists would command q high
premium.
NJ. A., Bath. N. Y.-There are nearly sixty
varieties OF the cent Of 1874, which range In value
from q few cents up TO $3.50. Worn coins are
worth very little. no matter how rare the variety
may be.
M. G. ", Brooklyn. N. WYNN you kindly
say ,ss I nj J u sset s., e . P I9csl W.. o. I7s scP YsSo. e isoi.
issS7,, 1855, 1851. 1851. issS, issif
The three rarest dates OF United States cents
are not included In your list-those Of i7es, 1889
and 1904. Specimens Of the dates you List. while
not rare. are valued by collectors according to
their condition. There are also many varieties
of the different years, and these differ In value.
Az q recent sale an uncirculated specimen Of the
cent nf 17oA of n r%rtaln vartety hrouRht 40 and
q certain variety Of the 1907 cent sold for So. yet
coin dealers would be glad to sell other varieties
of the same year In good condition for from IS
cents to q dollar.
c. j.. p. Brooklyn kindly let me know the
value Of an English halt guiass; II good sonf SsI 9;
the United States for ten cents. dated is74.
|. The half guinea of William III. is somewhat
scarce. We have no record OF Its sale, but II should
bring so per cent. above face value. and perhaps
more II In nne condition. The fractional note is
worth about Is cents II In crisp condition
struck 4. k q s so%m r1:ns!ssSal SAi Of !hs sf fsli g e. s geS.. %sssl
in 1853. which Is most likely unique In that metal.
T IN. s only oi e .i fpssl% ssa q sd, sh K ii. | he ~ !. sss sSs
Dohrnann sale. On the diverse Is q lion over .
,slIse . SpssI IN ,s ass als s:n1sn' T sISDih n:ori Of ss Il E sisa
llsh reads A.. -h e. life ~ IN hon h. 81 Of !! the .s sSo1 s.ss.
Ct sse s s'l Scv e, : he o isss.. and Ps ,ss Initials i sSa q aFt Tie
makers ~. 4 g" which are also bone by the
sea ,asIon % N sn eagle "a lea dow mi aai he sussisn doSSie
eagle and the French inscription. Manifestation
Can any Of the readers Of THE SUN throw light
upon tho origin Of this medal.
l.. B.. Hawarden. la have two coins which
Anne issued In is isss. the other IS In the shape Of an
octsgon made Of California gold. ! also have 9
cent OF 1919, VIII you kindly tell me the value OF
The half dime OF 1855 Is worth but q few cents over
face value even when In unoirc ulated condition.
The octagonai piece may be a quarter, a half or q
dollar piece of California. These vary In value
from si.5o to s.. according 10 denomination, variety
and condition. In worn condition. the coin Is worth
only face value. There Is no premium on the 1868
cent,
a ffty cent piece OF is2o7
some half dollars ofthis year have defective In.
scripi,ons, certain letters being omitted. such as
FIFTY Cents o a Dollar" FIFTY Cents Z q Dollar"
or Fifty Gents o AN a Dollar" Such coins bear
premiums ranging UP TO, $50 In value. but the per
feet coins are worth not more than face.
spanish eoin: Has / any yainsi me %iniss
o. e, The l ssss q gs e. q Gu sss 'gl ny, y i nGna,e : S,tsssy
OF ! California brass coin. 1850. the yyerse side
& sIs %s,fh i ss sss he { Livery aSse4.. hs { fn s.fn :A missa ; s;ss
pan In hand. WIN you advise me II q has any
H I.nss no @h issue e 81 sSs the Ss! sss.e 81 u I New .wo Y ;slilip pfis sssI
by Samuel London. with the inscription. New
, SSss on ;h ans 2 Ss' 1914 iss.''t Also o. |. = u aSlisr. s.. sss
T IT, Is comes ssr ! ei 81 s,. s,Is'.s' . !. 2. s, ,sR q ss shlss
the name OF one OF the ORIGINAL thirteen States.
sre sea'r and d''s Within G1't this ;"e v Se'1Hs Are One" Also a
note one third Of a d 4 same description as
The nnt coin is q pillar dollar or eight real piece
Of Charles ". OF Spain. II originally had an in
trtnsic value OF 80 cents, but u now held only
at bullion value. The coin slipped In the dies,
which accounts for the irregular imprint. The
brass coin Is a gambling counter used in Cali
fornia In the early SOS. II Is worth but q few
cents. The two shilling note Is worth about twenty
hve cents II In fine condition. The other denomi-
nations Of one third and two thirds OF . dollar
belong to o regular series OF notes OF the Cont-
mental currency issued at Philadelphia February
II, i77e. Dealers value the notes at IS cents In
good and 50 cents In nne condition.
r; v. W: Newbureh N. WIN you kindly
OF the new twenty dollar gold piecesf
There arc several varieties of the Saint Gsudens
twenty dollar gold coins, all Of which command
a premium. Dealers quote the double eagle, with
Roman date. 1907. at SO. the wire edge variety At
RS and the trial piece Of the ten dollar piece with
out q rim. OF which but 500 are said TO have been
coined. at $50. There are two specimens struck
In gold from the nrst dies of the Saint Gsudens
eagle and double eagle which are In the cabinets
OF tuc FHtCIIVdu ~ oii ooStNy VI saie wy
II Is said that when the dies Of the designs OF Mr..
Saint Gaudens were prepared for the two dcnomi-
nations and the models were submitted TO the
Director OF the Mint II was found impracticsbie
to strike the coins In the relief provided by the
sculptor. The models were returned to the sculp-
tor. who executed q new design A die was made
from this second model. but II also was returned.
and the gold eagle now In circulation. OF the last
to be issued. was struck from . third die. The
Director Of the Mint caused two pieces 10 be struck
from each OF the nrst two dies on the condition
that they should go to some n~umismstic society
]. B.. New Bedford. Mass.-None of the coins
you describe 10 held at q premium. The rare bank
tokens Of the Canadian Bank OF Montreal series
are those Of 1888 and 1889. showing . partial View
Of the bank building on the diverse. and known
as the side view pennies; they bring Q premium
OF $50 and more. according TO condition. The coin
dated l7p2 10 q common French issue. which. while
bearing the name Of Louis XVI. was issued under
the Convention. The third coin 10 one Of the Ma
poleon pieces issued In 1900 and the last one Of the
issues OF Louis Philippe.
II. 8. D.. Providence. r. I.-Piease inform ne
II a dime OF 1897 has moro than face value.
Only when In unoirculated condition.. In which
case It would be worth abou, 90 oents.
II a. Southin rton. Conn., read IN THE SUN