Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-10-29

fdence, led to steps being taken by
several CT them to issue their own
"coppers." Change of every descrip-
ton at this period Q7s5) was extreme
~ scarce ard the Inconvenience great
in consequence. The very limited
number of English half pence, farth-
1ngs and "bungtowns'' "copper" coins
gotten up by individuals for a profit
without authority which found their
way into America were entirely in
adequate for the needs of trade ard
the General Government taking no
decisive action the states themselves
took measures to supply the much
needed coins by issuing under state
authority copper cents of their own.
The old saying that necessity is the
mother of invention proved particular
~ true in this instance, as it has in
numerous others Merchants and
business men of today. for whom a
parental government. with it's Won
derful treasury system, providing
every facility for transacting a cash
business, can scarcely appreciate the
Inconvenience, our forefathers eXper-
fenced with all sorts of fractional sill
yer and minor copper coinage almot
unObtainable.
~ Connecticut.
Connecticut appears to have been
the first Of the states to begin coin
age operations and issue money on
its own account. for i'm 1855 that state
rranted to Saml Bishop, Joseph Hop
kins, James Hilhouse and john Good
rich the privilege 80 establish a mint
and coin money for the state
amount of fine copper specified for
each "oin by St;.tEtn law which also
designated :, Grvi,c =, d: the t:giity
people Of the Nutmeg state, to use Il
modern phrase. made good" at the
coinage business is proven by the Of
fetal record which shows that during
the three years the mint was in oper-
alton 1885. IS and 81. no less than d.
944 pounds of copper was stamped
into coin. More than IA tons weight
One would naturally suppose that
after such an issue Connecticut cents
would be still quite common. but as a
matter of fact after the passing of
125 years they have quite completely
disappeared with the exception of
aassuch as are preserved in collections
and these are growing more valuable
cSeIS udy il III nlle cOHuItlOH.
That these cents. interesting relics
and reminders of early colonial times,
we're strictly authentic and official
and not the work Of mere individual
promoters is proven by the wording
of the resolve under Which the mint
was authorized that the money
was to be coined for the state"
These humble eoppers were the
hrrr 60 t,,,,,
which has since characterized so
strongly the people of Connecticut and
its results have been distributed in
all sorts OF manufactures throughout
the world
Descrption--17S5. The coins of the
first years mintagc bore on the face,
or diverse. a bust. facing left in coat
of mail head laureated and legend
"AuctOri Conncc" (by authority of
ConnccticuD and on the reverse Il
Goddess of Liberty seated on globe.
liberty pole in left hand and olive
branch in right surrounded by leg
end. "Indc ct Lib" Independence and
Liberty and the date.
The coins of the following years.
1861, vary but little from the first
original except that in 1877 there are
so called. l. G.. hair tied or confined
by fillet
That graft" as it is known today
>. is not strictly modern institution is
well proven by the fact that while the
weight Of each copper cent was fixed
y by law at 6 dwt equal to IA grains,
thousands left the mint weighing less
tlIan 95 grains. but for which the
l4cx, ftl1I ~ n
the last year OF coinage the haste
'wtth whicl, dies were prepared and
tho great quantities struck Oft at the
RICHTER weight '.eeinced' as one
, writer pat it. IAN energy of purpose
allied closely with gain which taking
into consideration the varying weights
Of from % to 1A grains must nave
been amply gratitied.
Note.-'There are. so called, Conncc-
ss1tSut cents. bearing date 1888. but they
were coined out of the state as the
mint was closed in June 1877 and the
advent of these coins WAS formerly
investigated by the state authorities.
;, Vermont
'rhe state of Vermont was not one
" hit behind its more southern neigh
Dor in its efforts to give relief to its
HpOu pCOIic III tblS iiuSh NiSN'''~'
matter of small change. for its legis-
lMture. also in 17S5 authorized one
Reuben Harmon. Jr.. to coin copper
money Tor two years and the mint
WAS established at Rupert. Vt. from
which copper cent was issued bear
ing date the same year.
In 1856 Harmon's right to coin cop
pers was extended for eight Years by
tie Legislature and unuCr the
strength of this second grant he as
ISOLATED himself with others aud two
hints were soon in operation, the
original. at Rupert. and the second
near THE great pond in the county OF
Ulster.
DescriptiCn.-The coins of 1888 bear
on the diverse an All Seeing Eye, re-
flecting it's rays upon Is siN-pointed
stars, emblematic of the Is original
states of the Federation. surrounded
by the legend, "Quarta Decima
stella" {The Fourteenth starr refer
ring to Vermont as the 14th state in the
constellation. IN the reverse tby
some considered the obverse). the sun
rising from behind mountains with
-:llow in the foreground and legend.
ssrermonts Res publica" tThe repub-