The Washington herald., 1909-08-06


initials CT the sculptor, Victor D. Bren-
ner. continue 70 be the all-absorbing topic
Of conversation In Washington and not
less so in New York. the home of Artist
Bremen.
The order Of Secretary OF the9Treasury
MacVeagh. issued yesterday to, the Phil
adelphia mint 10 cease coming the new
pieces until new dies could be prepared.
meets with the strenuous disaproval OF
the designer Of the much-discussed CON.
Secretary MacVeagh orders that but
one initial. "B," appear on the new die.
He stated that there has never been any
objection TO the initial Of the designer
appearing on the coinage, but that here
tofore II has always been confined 10 a
single microscopic initial placed in some
obscure part Of the coin. The initials
". D. B." by reason OF the manner ip
which the new coins are finished. al
though diminutive, stand out consPicu-
ously on the reverse side.
Spectators VIII Lose.
Coin Spectators, who have been buy
Ing the new pennies at a premium. will
receive a setback when they realize
that more than 100000 Of the new pen
MES have been struck, and that an order
for their recall win not be forthcoming.
And now Artist Bremen comes into the
limelight with the statement that ne will
not stand having his initials eliminated
from his work. To him the report OF
Secretary MacVeagh's order seemed in
credible, and he did not think the gov
eminent would take any action Of the
sort without consulting the designer. He
sees no reason for tampering with the
design at all. unless IL be to substitute
his fun name for the initials In the sec
oud instalment
Il shall certainly write to Mr. Mac
Neagh at once said Mr. Bremen. I
don't understand why this order was is
sued. and the least he might have done
was 20 have consulted me beforehand
When my design was first accepted It
had my fun name on II. Secretary Cor
telyou. with whom 1 had most Of my
dealings assured me that the name would
be allowed 70 remain. Mr.. Leach OF the
government mint In Philadelphia. also
understood this. Well. when I got the
first die the name was there. lust as I
had engraved II. But after I had sent il
back, they returned II 10 me a second
time. and It was then that I noticed that
some one had substituted the initials
". D. g.. IN place OF the name.
1T struck me at the time as being a
rather unusual thing 10 do. Neverthe-
less. I decided 10 let the matter drop.
and not say anything about it, But now
II they propose 20 take even the initials
of ] think IL Is time for me to say some
thing. II seems only fair 10 demand that
the original design. accepted when I got
the commission. should be employed in
the making Of these coins
VIII Write TO NIacVeaEh.
Il am going TO write at once to Mr..
MacVeagh. and lay the whole matter be-
fore him. 1 shall demand that he give
me some sort Of an explanation for order
ing the initials removed. II I am able. I
shall insist that my name be inserted In
the new dies. The sculptor ought to have
something TO say I'm a case Of this kind. 8"
The original Lincoln PLAGUE was not
intended for reproduction on currency. It
CHANGED that after Mr.. BrenDer had made
the design. he showed il to Mr.. Roosevelt
when the President was posing for the
head that was TO appear on the Panama
medals.
The work caught Mr. RooseveIts
fancy, and he showed II to Mr.. Cortelvou
then Secretary Of the Treasury. with the
suggestion that Ii might 20 well on the
new l-cent pieces.
Both Mr.. Cortelyou and Frank Leach.
director OF the mint. agreed with the
President, and the design was accepted.
Besides changing the sculptor's name 10
his initials. the mint authorities also
took upon themselves the right Of insert
ing In God We Trust" which was not
on Mr.. Brenner's design. He made no
protest at the time these changes were
made
II was a hard day IN New York for
the subtreasury attaches. In the Wall
street end was a small line made I'D
or messengers from banks. big importing
aud brokerage houses and department
stores, waiting 20 get a chance TO ask
Assistant Treasurer Terry 70 put hiq O.
k. on the slips. which would enable
them 70 get s. or SO worth. The great
trouble was with repeaters Banks that
have several assistant cashiers would
send down two or three boys. each
armed with a memorandum from his
bank signed by a different cashier. Mem
orandum slips were kept. indicating
every bank or firm to which the sums
above the 81 limit for individuals had
been given. and when Il came to check
ing up tonight it was found that not
single concern has been successful in
repeating
Rush nt Subtreasury.
At the Pine street end Il was another
story. There the tellers had no way OF
knowing just who had been there before
The line kept going from 10 o'clock
straight through until the cents were
no longer forthcoming. In round num-
bers 100000 had been distributed in the
three days that the cents have been Of
fered in circulation.
The Treasury was beseiged yesterday
by hundreds OF persons endeavoring to
obtain the coins. Small quantities were
allotted TO all who offered cash in ex-
change. The total supply on hand yes
terday was only $1,000.
Boys hawked the coins about the streets.
some Offering two and some three for five
cents.
B. L. Belden, Of New York. director OF
the American Numismatlc Society. said In
twenty-five years. perhaps. one OF these
pennies might be worth Ave cents bot he
aid not think the premium would be much
more than that.
With two million OF these coins in cir
:ulation,' said he. collectors will be well
supplied for all time"
II fewer coins were issued there might
be some reason for this big demand. But
as business proposition Il is a waste
Of money 10 invest ; cents for a coin
that Will be circulated broadcast for
years to come. Collectors and dealers
VIII be able to lay In a big stock of these
pennies. and aside from that there will
be plenty more in general circulation.
IL would be hard TO say off-hand what
the average life OF a pennyin the United /
states Is, but I frequently come across |
l-cent nlecaa dalad as Or hacIc o..