Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-02
Coming to Coppers.

The striking of more than a million
in 1903 made a new record in the his
tory of the United States mint and its
branches, for never before since the
coinage of pieces of this denomination
was begun, in 1898, had such coins been
struck anywhere but at the parent es-
tablishment at Philadelphia.
AS matter of fact, no need for the
making of coins of this denomination
in the West presented itself until with
in recent years, as the demand for cent
pieces was confined almost exclusively
to the Atlantic and Middle Western
States In the West and Southwest
this minor coin has had no purchasing
value, was not recognized and was sell
dom seen in circulation. Indeed, even
at the present time there are many
Western localities in which cent pieces
are not accepted. ..,.s
In Colorado, for example, if a person
tenders a scent piece to a postmaster
for two-tworcent stamps. he receives III
exchange, together with his stamps, not
one-cent piece, but a one-cent
postage stamp. There are no cent
pieCeS III lJte IlloHey drawer Oh lnC post
master and he doesn't desire any,.
In a: Denver store certain commo-
dity is quoted at say, II cents a pound
But the purchaser must take either L,
or 20 cents worth. Nothing less thar
five cents, worth is sold. Apples may
be four or five cents, but one apple is
also five cents. Just the same.
But the people of the Centennial,
state are now going to have a chance
OF becoming acquainted with the little
bronze cent. for it is the intention OF
the Government to strike cent pieces
at the new Denver mint in 1909.
California had as little use for the
cent as other parts of the West Fol
many years no coin of less denomina-
ton than 10 cents had purchasing
value there, and in the gold days moth
ing less than 25 cents would buy any
thing, miners frequently throwing g
handful of small silver pieces out into
the street as useless weight to carry.
TIE "two-hit," or quarter, being the
minimum current coin.
Times have changed and the people
along tie Pacific Coast have beer
quicker to adopt the cent than those il
the Rocky Mountain district. Now the
coin is used in such quantities that
has teen found advisable to manufac
tUre cents on the ground and thus save
the expense of shipment across tn,
continent from Philadelphia. For the
calendar year of 1908 the United States
Mint report shows that $11, $50 worth o
cents were struck at the San Francisco
Mint and 1923, 27aS7 worth at the Phila
delphia establishment. ~.
Following the custom of placing {
distinguishing mark upon the coins
struck at the different minis the new
cent pieces made at the San Francisco
ard Denver minis will respectively
bear the mint letters s and D.
Tho cent piece is the most profitab,
coin Uncle Sam turns out of his minis
the profit on it's manufacture being cs-
timated at something like S5 cents OF
the dollar when the coins do not re-
turn for redemption. The number
these pieces that do come back for re;
demption is infinitesimal in comparison
with the millions coined every year.
The use of the copper cent has beer
yearly increasing in all parts of the
country. AS an interesting example o
the small proportion of the cent pieces
that are presented for redemption com.
pared to the vast number issued the
report of the Director of the Mint fol-
| 1907 showed thatsthe cents of all kind:
| and dates, including old time copper
cents and the nickel cents that wer,
redeemed amounted to only $27,453 %
| Yet in the same year nearly a million
dollars worth were newly coined.
The ccining presses of the Philadel
phia Mine are always making cen
| pieces. The coinage of gold and .silve
| pieces may stop temporarily, but thu
manufacture of cents seems to go 81
| forever. 8
The making of cent entails alinos
as much work as the coming of sdou
bic eagle. for, while coming press ha
| the capacity of stricking ninety doubl
| eagles minute, yet the same press cal
| make only 100 cent pieces.-St. Loui
| Republic.