The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-23
COINS mi STAMPS.

o. gold and silver called eiectrum. which wa. used
BY the %eneients for coinage PURPOSES proved N;
practicable, and II not why was Its use disconunueot
Elcctrum was a mixture Of four parts Of gold
TO one of silver. While the addition Of silver would
mako gold coins wear better, II would also depre-
ciate the value OF the coins below the bullion value
Of the metal therein contained. because In eaff
mating the value OF such coin the cost Of separsting
the gold from the silver would have 10 be taken
Into consideration. For instance, the gold coins
struck In California In the pioneer days were for
the most part composed Of . natural elcctrurn. the
proportion OF silver contained In them being about
10 per cent. This was also true Of the gold bars,
It being diG,cult In California at that time 70 refine
the gold 10 ordinary standards OF 600 or more.
The California gold bars enjoyed favor because
the local ssssyers stamped upon each only It's vaiue
In gold and did not take into account the proper.
ton Of silver. which allowed the purchaser an added
pront. But oven these bars were refused BY tho
Bank OF England in the early 'sos owing TO the
low grade Of nneness. The California gold coins
suffered q discount when sent abroad, and the re-
suit was that they remained in California for local
use, while the regular United States gold coins were
used for expectation,
In 1870 DR.. W. W. Hubbell presented to the con-
sideration OF Congress q new combination OF metal
called Goloid. TO be used in United States coins.
Goloid wac . mixture Of gold. silver and copper
In such proportions that each coin would contain
It's intrinsic value In metal. Many pattern coins
lNAln ths v ~ W. = N1N
mint. In the case OF tho goloid dollar the proper
t!on Of gold ives not ~suficient to color the metal.
and the coin. about the sire Of Q half dollar. did not
look different from an ordinary silver piece. Tho
plan did not meet the approval Of tho authorities.
principally on account Of the ease with which o
eoloid coin could DO counterfeited. In the case
OF the goloid dollar It was estimated that one grain
OF silver might be substituted for one OF gold With no
likelihood OF detection. and yet q goloid dollar thus
tempered with would be reduced In value TO about
a. a--a-- 49, - g. ----t-.
coinage since the eighth century Al D..
@. B.. New York Gty.-In strictly uncircuiated
condition . 1872 half dollar 10 valued
at IS cents. The Columbian 1893 half doilars do
not command any premium.
MUM ii Z; on :: . s sss ss.a aslis? dated Ss!;l lsss, Win II 'a arrows sss;
at either side OF the dAtef
The rare variety Of quarter OF this date shows
neither arrow heads nor rays.
A. z. X, New YORK city, have 3 Colonial
p peSes q issue. sae ' 81 law 81 tie q Co colo sSi'a q New ! !sr.
sey N the fourteenth rear Of ne rsiEn Of his MAJ
s az E si.n.d ae Sy sh ire T psrson s.isS ns sSi,S a JON ios;
Story and John Smyth. Can you inform me whether
New jersey notes Of this Issue are common.
being sold At q uniform price of from Is ccnts when
In fair condition TO s. cents when well preserved.
q ten dollar gold piece Of 1907
There are two varieties, with large and small
stars surrounding tho head of Liberty. They
range In value from sil 20 ga. according TO con
dit,on.
W. p. H. Washington. D. CT understand that
have one and would like TO dispose Of i, at that
price.
the value of the 1859 flying eagle cent depends
upon the metal In which II Il struck and the state
Of preservation. sixteen dollap has been paid
for . specimen struck In copper nickel. the usual
metal, but this coin was IN proof oonditon-that 10
II had been struck from polished dies. A. the
Leeds sale In 1908 more thnn q hundred isod cents
In different metais md conditions were sold At
prices which ranged from S<-n upward. The
rarest OF these cents were struck In pure copper
and pure nickel. A specimen In pure copper,
showing the red 90 the coins came from the dies,
brought so.
& %is!:: isss e. e ~ ~ SEM .a,s. s IA DC isl 80
OF the Carson City 1878 silver dollan there were
a.ai2.oo pieces struck, an uncirculated specimen
Of which has brought u.a According 10 the
records no half dollars were struck Al the san
Francisco mint In lsss. Are you SURE you have
stated correctly the mint letterf Neither 10 there
any record Of . silver three cent piece struck st
the San Francisco mint In isss.
tell me the value OF United States ten cent pieces,
dating from 1914 to 1850; twenty Ave cent pieces
issss ' Also 70 The ns'S value sHa e Of |. e coin p Which " sppe ss1s ,o
be gold and Is about the size Of q twenty cent piece,
%IiLsa 90 .,s sas: ana dn s. he'd i, x,'A on 5ne ne Ss c!s sMS sias Il
he word california" and the date, ..is1s,. and
and shovel in front q him,
There are many varieties Of ten csat pieces bear
ing dates ranging from 1914 to 1854. None 10 Of
much rarity. Ths value Of the quarters depends
upon the variety. One variety OF the 1903 twenty
nve cent piece In mint condition has brought ga.
vhile another variety In almost a. rood condition