Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-07
SHORT Talks ON COINS.
The Silver Dollars of the United States
1794-1 1904
FRANK r. NOBLE.
view in window of First National Bank.

such dates Nv" extremely rare.
III 1866, the motto. I'm GOD WE
TRUST, vas added to these rs well
as tho Halves and Quarters. Fl
1873 ".
Ii was ir this year that those in
"afGous coins the Trade Dollar" We're
rst issued from he Treasury, q coin
gotten up 10 make market in the
ar East for our silver which was be-
ing produced in immense quantities by.
our western mines. M
The whole project was radicaHy~
wrong and resulted in blot upon the
pages of tie heretofore spotless pagesh
if our financia! history. 1t was az
DIN issued as dollar by the TreasuryE
Department and yet not redeemable
is I. dollar from the unfortunate hold &"
r. 1t was a Reputation worse than
scandulous. They We're coined from
1878 20 1873 for circulation and in
proof to 1883. .s- ..l.
1878
In 1878 upon the resumption Of.
specie payments the Standard Silver
Dollar or Bland Dollar, made its ap-
pearance-the modern dollar with
which all. both cid and young are
1t may not be generally
known that two designs or patterns"
FOR this ihueh 'iIeraided coin that was
destined to play such an important
part in our Govrenmert's efforts to
resume specie payments. were sub.
mitted 20 the Congressional Committee
having the matter in charge. -,
Orc Of the designs was by Barbour
nt Nv,
ut the mint. TIE writer is fortunate
in having secured nanv years ago at
a cost trihina when compared with
the value To-Day, beautiful proof pat
terms in silver of these two interesting
pieces, which will later be shown and
described IN d separate article such
as tleiI rarity and beauty Ceserv,.,..t
In the competition for acceptance
TIE design by Morgan was chosen and
with g te~ mirror changes became the
type Of issde. "|'
This dollar oc 1878. the Bland dollar.
az il was called, named after that late
statesman Richard +. Bland is the
passing type OF the L. S. silver dollar,
Which although no act Of Congress has
ifferCd its discontinuance is never
theless discontinued probably for all
time. Tie act authorizing it's coinage
is stIll in force, the dies and presses
and workmeh are ready, but the sill
yer bullion purchased for it's issue has
been exhausted and no more can be
obtained without a special act of
Congress. the last one was struck
in 1904 and thus this highly interest
ing series IS brought to a close.
Millions upon millions Of this last
type are now piled in the vaults Of
the Treasury against which our silver
certificates are issued, a condition
strikingly 1T variance with the sit
uation When those early Dollars of
our Eaddies" We're issued only to be-
quickly bought up. and removed from
circulation for their metal value. -
Statistics and figures are as a rule
embarrassing to the average reader.
but food for reflection is offered the
student and economist by little CONF. .
p:lation which Shows that the entire
coinage Of silver dollars from 1893.
when the mint was established up to
Jany. l. 1878, 81 years, was but s,03l.-
23S pieces. while during the first year,
OF the Bland Act in 1878 there VIZ
struck no less than 33495,0 900 of tho
modern silver dollars, and everv vcrr !,
~'"ce 70 tr 1904 and n--c~o~a,ne % 40 : y
- ava" for no ono sfcms to want.
them.
CONTINUED from SsturdovN ~