Evening journal., 1908-04-30
RARE HALF DOLLARS.
Only Four Of Them Are Known
to Have Been Minted.
COINS OF THE coNFEDERAcY

Three Of This Rare Quartet Have Dis
appeared, and Only One ls Now
Known to Exist-confeders Cents
Were Also Planned, but Not Coined.
That the Confederate government con.
templated the issue Of a metallic cur
rency is certain, though coins distinct.
ly associated with the Confederacy
never appeared in general circulation.
Designs for a half dollar and a cent
were made, dies cut and few coins Of
each denomination struck In various
metals. These coins now rank high
with American collectors.
1t was some time after the war
seventeen or eighteen years-that the
first evidence Of the existence Of al
Confederate half dollar came to light
In January, 1870, B. f. Taylor, NJ. D.,
secretary and treasurer of the Louisi
ana state board of health. wrote to r.
Mason. Jr.. a we'll known Philadelphia
numismatist and informed him that he
had a Confederate coin in his posses
sion. A good deal Of doubt was at first
felt about the coins genuineness, but
investigation revealed the fact that at
least four silver fifty cent pieces were
struck by the Confederate authorities
at the New Orleans mint in 1861.
1t seems that when the ConfederatesI
seized the United States mint at New
Orleans they conceived the idea of an
issue Of Confederate coins. It IS fairly
certain, however. that after the mint
fell into their hands all available bull
lion was used for regular United States
half dollars.
The former officers of the mint were
retained when the state OF Louisiana
turned the establishment over to the
Confederate states, and in April, 1861,
Secretary Memminger Of the Confed-
crate treasury ordered that designs for
a half dollar should be submitted to
him. Several designs were offered for
his approval, 1t is said, although the
accepted one is the only design on rec
ord
This bore an diverse identical with
tire regular United States half dollar Of
1861, the well known seated figure of
the Goddess OF Liberty surrounded by
thirteen stars. with the date 1861. The
reverse design, on the contrary, was Of
an entirely original character.
In the center Of the field was a
shield which bore seven stars, one for
each seeding state. Above the shield
was a Liberty cap, while surrounding
the central design was a wreath COM
posed Of sugar cane and cotton.
Around the border at the top was the
inscription. Confederate States Of
America" and underneath was the de-
nomination. "Half dol"
These dies were cut by an engraver
named A. II. NJ. Peterson, and the
coins were struck by Colonel Schmidt,
foreman of the coming room. When
the dies came to the coiner they were
found to be unsuitable for the regular
press. so four pieces were struck on
the old fashioned screw press.
Dr. Taylor was the chief coiner at
the mint in 1861, and in bis letters TO
Mr.. Mason he stated that one of the
four pieces was sent to the Confeder.
ate government. the second to Pro
fessor Biddle Of the University of Lou
isiana, the third TO DR.. e. Ames o.
New Orleans. while the fourth wa
kept by himself.
The four pieces were all that wer
coined from the dies for owing to Il
scarcity of silver bullion the mint WI
shut down on April 80, 1861. Only OF
Of these original pieces can now b
located. and this when last offered f.
sale brought SS70.
Some time In the seventies the J,
verse die fell into the possession Of
firm Of coin dealers IN New York, VIII
are credited with having struck a
least 800 regular United States halt
dollars Of 1861 from the Confederate
reverse die after having removed the
original United States reverse.
The restruck coins were similar to
those struck by the Confederate gov
ernment, only the closest scrutiny de-
veloping the difference. and this fact
has had a tendency 10 lessen the In
terest In the genuine and original Con-
federate half dollar. But even the
Destruck Confederate half dollars COM
uduu premium OF lIOu 20 70 %
when we'll preserved
That the Confederate government
had planned the issue Of cent piece
came to light accidentally. Some time
between 1865 and 1870 nickel coin
was submitted to coin dealer In Phil
adelphia for examination.
1t was of about the same size as a
United States cent and showed a
youthful head Of Liberty on the OBJ
verse, wearing a Liberty cap. around
the border being inscribed "Confeder-
ate States Of America" Below was
the date 1851" On the reverse were
the words "One Cent" in the center OF
a wreath emblematic Of the products
Of the southern states and composed Of
small ears Of corn and wheat and tiny
hogsheads. with a miniature cotton
bale In the middle Of the wreath
In tracing the origin Of the piece the
fact was developed that the dies were
cut by a Philadelphia engraver OF the
name Of Lovett. who upon being ap-
r.rOo OhoI 1910 .~v.n.v..f..rs kho vr.o<