The sun., 1909-02-28

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unique piece was discovered many years
ago among a lot Of old coins that had beer
purchased from a New York money broke
by one Of the ptonser American ooin col.
lectors. Matthew A. Stickney Of Salem
Mass. He in turn exchanged the coir
with an official Of the mint az Philadel.
phia about isi3 for the first specimen Of
the 1904 dollar That came into public
notice. The gold coin in question had
been struck over an English guinea
Its value is very great ia com mparison
with many Of the other Colonial issues.
This Immune Columbia diverse die
seems TO have passed from hand to hand
among the early makers Of coins in diff
| ferent States in this country around the
period of 1885, 1880 and 1887, for il is found
muled with a number of the coin designs
OF the Confederated States. and there is
/ one specimen with a reverse OF the "Con-
federatio' series similar 10 the one on the
Higley coin above mentioned.
/ The Immune Columbia" diverse was
muled with one side of copper coin that
was issued by the State of Vermont and
dated 1885. This contains q laureated
bust in mail on the diverse surrounded
by the words Vernon Auctori" H. was
about the same in diameter as the old time
copper cent. How these dies came
together il not clear The dies for the
Vermont cents were engraved by James
+. Atlee ard the coins were struck at the
town of Rupert, VT, where a small mint
was established in 1888. Another very
rare mule" shows the Immune Col
umbia" diverse on the reverse. while the
obverse is occupied by laureated head
tion of -Georcivs III. Rex" This diverse
design was also the work Of Atlee and a
product Of the Rupert mint. Why at
this time coin bearing the bust OF George
III. should have been struck in the in
dependent State Of Vermont is a mystery,
but the inscription clearly proves Atlee's
authorship owing to the use OF a &C" for
a "g." the engraver's punches lacking
the first named letter. for which he always
substituted a &c" and endeavore to make
it look like "g' by retouching by hand.
The early copper coinage Of New jersey
embraces very rare mule with the I'm
mune Columbia" diverse The date OF
this coin is 1888. and on the reverse is the
familiar New Jersey shield and motto.
This coin is somewhat larger in diameter
than some of the other mules OF the
series and weighs 100 grains, against 106
grains the weight OF the Vermont I'm !
mune Columbia.
A mule dated 1857 that may be asso-
ciated with the New York State issues
shows on the reverse the same kind of
spread eagle as that used on the well
known New York Excelsior cent OF the |
same date. with the motto -E Pluribus
Unum.' az borne by the New York FIX
celsor' coin. but the date instead Of being |
placed under the eagle, as on the latter. !
is shown below the figure Of the female
on the Immune Columbia diverse.
This cent was a little larger in diameter !
than the old time copper cent and weighed
135 grains,
Another rare mule included among |
the New York series of copper cents shows |
Al. g 4 -aI l.wr
Atlee and pla ced on the Immune Column !
ha" of Vermont as above described |
used as a reverse for the very rare cent |
called the "Liber Natus Libertatem De-
fendo." This latter cent was Of two |
varieties. both supposed to have been
made for use in New York State in 1887. |
On the diverse is an Indian crowned
and the left supports a bow.
Hut one specimen Of this diverse with the
George LII. reverse exists and that in un-
circulated condition was at one time in
he possession of prominent New York
Charles j. Bushnell.
The practice Of muling coin dies was
not by any means confined to the Colonial
lays. Some Of these coins are Of COM
recent date. Numerous speci-
mems Of the pattern coins which have been
ssued at the mint are known extensively
nuled, and some OF them are extensively
are There are also few regular United
states coins which show muled designs.
)ne specimen OF the latter class that has
ttracted good deal OF attention il a
'nited states half dollar with double
diverse. On one side Of this coin is the
lesign Of the seated figure OF Liberty
s shown on the regular half dollar Of the
7Os and the date 1875" below. The other
it'll the dste 1875" From all Appearances
hacoin IN ma from tho limited States Mint /