Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-11-21

first United states cert described iii !;
nrevirus article was issued therefrom
hin l,s'.
!, new mint was established by ac,
If Congress in 1871, in the city of
Philadelphia and dies We're at once
,tlcred for a one cent piece. 1T " i'll
be noticed that 'copp"rs" were still
upperlnost in the minds of those hav-
ing To do with the, country's coinage
ana that coins of the more precious
metals, silver and gold were as yet
scarcely considered. President WASH
;ncton said in his third annual mes
sage to the House of Representatives
Oct .. 1871. The disordes in the ex-
ist!ng currency and especially >srnall
change Il scarcity so peculiarly dis
+rcssine to the rorer classes strongly
rcro,cn.cnd the. carrying into i.nredi-
ate effect the resolution already en-
tered into concerning the establish
ment o: ii mint. Measures have beer
taken pursuant t" tn" resolution for
proc, ing Somn of the necessary art
lists with the requisite apparatus
Fro.a tIi- ii is evident thar plans
were maturing at this time for carry
I'M. Into effect th" resolution referrc.'
10 bv inviting designs and procuring
dies and getting mp pattern pieces TO
he submiitc to Congress.
In conformation rf this NC lind in
Nashnetnn'S fourth annual message.
Nov. g. l192. In execution of The au-
tnorily given by the Legislature meas
urcs have been taken for cngagin.:
artists from abroad to aid in, the es-
establishment of n mint. Others have
been employee at home. provisions
have been MADE for the requisite
buildings and they are now being put
in proper condition for the, purposes
Of ii. establishment"
Doubtless among the American art
lists referred to by Washington III
l1s was Il Mr.. John Harper OF Phila-
d-pha as il was he who designed and
executed III" two beautiful patterns
for one cent pieces. the subject OF
this article.
These handsome coins are the real
simon PureS'' as one authority puts
it II the many so-called Washington
cents and are differentiated as the
Large and Small Eagle Washington
cents of 1921. the latter being much the
r1rcr %; the two.
Washington Cent 1891, Large Eagle.
j = \ l:'> 's-n'
N :,'".n - icli. i'air in cue. legti.l
"WASHINGTO:I PRESIDENT" and
date 1871
i.cvcrse-The American eagle with
wings expanded bearing on it's breast
h'9rt shaped shield similar to the
massachusetts, cent In the right
talon laurel branch. in the left q
numh,r Of arrows and ~ scroll held
in IT," leak upon which is inscribed.
"fNiM T. PLTRIBIS.' Above the
eagle arc the words. ONE CENT"
ON ia" edge of the coin. inrus". l. @
cut la. is the inscription. "l'NITED
STATES OF AMERICA"
Washington Cent 1891, Small Eagle.
i'ust If Washington in Continental
uaiform similar To the large eagle
cent. but without the date. Reverse
a smaller eagle with wings appraised,
and over its head eight stars. below a
circle Of clouds. In right talon Of
eagle an olive branch and in the left
number of arrows. below the date
"l'?l" ant above the eagle ONE
CENT" On the edge incuse. "UNIT-
ED STATES Of AMERICA"
"hcse coins although early products
are acknowledged to be among the
most beautiful products of the United
states mint and it is greatly to be re-
Grctte' that they could not have been
ISSUED in quantities for general cir
culation.
The device upon them. the cffigy Of
Washington, then president. in imi-
tation OF royal emissions which bear
the mead or bust of the sovereign.
emblematic of authority met with
Washineton's decided disapprobation,
and all arguments and entreaties OF
his advisers and close friends to allow
the device to stand. were of no avail.
and at his suggestion the device was
rejected and the dies subsequently
destroyed
This in brief is the history Of the
celebrated Washington cents of 1891.
The few specimens in existence We're
struck not for circulation but as pat
terms for proposed issue and We're
distributed among Government Off
cials and members Of the Congression-
al committee on coinage and are
therefore rare and much priced and
sought after by collectors. There
variety AMI their value is in conse-
Iuence much greater.
These Washington blue bloods' of
1. :. coinage should not be confound-
ed with the scores of so called WASH
>Egton cents coined by individuals for
purely speculative purposes and hav-
ihg n" acknowledged parentage.
These latter are not without interest,
however. as they passed current as
'"n and formed Il portion of the cir
cuiating medium in those early days
during which the people were patient
iy or impatiently waiting for the long
pr missed emissions of the Govern
ment mint. a few of these pieces
will be described and exhibited with
the authentic Washington cents.
Washington Token or Unity Cent.
Device-Bust OF Washington with
head laureated and facing left, legend
WASHINGTON AND IEDEPEN-