The Irish standard., 1908-02-22

Of an issue of Confederate coins. 1t is
fairly certain, however, that after the
mint fell into their hands all available
bullion 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 Menmingcr of the Confed-
crate treasury ordered that designs for
a half dollar should be submitted to
him. Several designs were offered for
his approval, it is said, although the
accepted one is the only design on
record This bore an diverse identical
with the regular United States half
dollar of 1861, the we'll known seated
figure of the Goddess Of Liverty, sur
rounded 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
liberty cap, while surrounding the
central design was wreath composed
of sugar cane and cotton. Around the
border at the top was the inscription,
Confederate States of America" and
underneath was the denomination.
Half Dol"
| These dies were cut by an engraver
named A. H. NJ. Peterson, and the
coins were struck by Conrad 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 III his letters to
Mr.. Mason he stated that one of the
four pieces was sent to the Confederate
government, the second to Prof. Bid
die of the University of Louisiana.
the third to DR.. F.. Ames of New Or
leans, while the fourth was kept by
himself.
The four pieces were all that were
coined from the dies, for owing to
scarcity of silver bullion the mint was
shut down on April 80, 1861. Only one
of these original pieces can now be To-
Gated, and this when last offered for
sale brought $50.
Some time in the '7os the reverse die
fell into the possession of a firm of
coin dealers in New York, who are
! credited with having restruck at least
500 regular United States half dollars
of 1861 from the Confederate reverse
die after removing 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 tendency to lessen the in-
terest in the genuine and original Con-
federate half dollar. But even the re-
struck Confederate half dollars COM
mand premium Of from SIS to Sc
when we'll preserved.
| That the Confederate government
planned the issue Of a cent piece came
to light accidentally Some time be-
tween 1866 and 1870 a nickel coin was
submitted to q coin dealer in Phila-
delphia for examination.
| 1t was of about the same size as q
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 zone 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
bale in the middle of the wreath.
In tracing the origin Of the piece the
fact was developed that the dies were
cut by Philadelphia engraver by the
name of Lovett. who upon being ap-
preached in 1873 concerning the mat
ter admitted, with considerable reluc-
tance, that he had engraved the dies
for the coin upon a commission from
the Confederate authorities.
| He said that the whole work had
been conducted with secrecy owing to
the probable unpleasant consequences
to himself should the matter come to
the attention of the federal authorities.
He had struck IL pieces in nickel from
the dies, two Of which had been lost,
and these led to the discovery of the
contemplated issue. The dies were
sent down South ana I, is not thought
that they were ever used there.
| Years afterward the dies were again
| cant 1,ocl, to Db3lor1oI,,b;. ,,l e.,,,, - 6