Arizona republican., 1911-02-21
A HALF EAGLE AND HALF DIME.
Two Finds of Rare Coins Made by
 Collectors in 1910.

One of the record premiums for coins
 paid in 1910 was $500 for five dollar | gold piece made by the assayer Chris | topher Bechtler who for at least tWen- ty years conducted a private mint in
 Rutherford county, North Carolina. 1 The price is all the more remarkable when it is considered that thirty years ago such coins were not even worth their stamped value.
 It is its unique design that gives this coin it's high value. IL is thought to have been the first coin of the denom inatlon made at the assayers office. It Is good deal larger than the regular United States five dollar goldpiece and does not at all resemble iI in design. l On the obverse. around the border is inscribed. "C. Bechtler. Assayer" In the center of the field. in the form of circle. are the words Rutherford County" The reverse contains the in- scription. in three lines. in the field. a Dollars. 20 Carats." while around the border is North Carolina Gold
 The weight of the coin is 145 grains, although the five dollar piece of the United States of the period weighed only 135 grains. but the governments
  it is probable that the Belchtler coin had a value not in excess of $4.90. as the gold of which it is composed was strongly alloyed with silver.
 This coin came to the notice of col Ilectors for the first time last year and was regarded as the best preserved ex- ample of the Bechtler coinage known: The design is similar to that of the other very rare Bechtler five dollar gold piece: in fact. the new variety differs from it only in the omission of the inscription ..'I5O CTS" which ap- pears just below the line "2O Carats." The coin containing the weight in grains has a premium record of $7S5. but there are at. least fifteen speci- mems known.
 Among other finds made by coin col lectors in 1910 was still one more specimen of the tiny silver half dime of 1892 which date is by far the rarest and highest in price of any coin of the denomination. All the 1902 half dimes are held at a high premium, while an unusually fine specimen brings an ex- traordinary sum. A specimen which was only very fair brought $4O0 at a sale last year in this city. High priced as are the 1892 half dimes they are not really excessively rare. for there are at least sixteen specimens known. But the old time collector held the piece in the highest esteem and this estimation has been maintained by collectors of the present day. The mint records show tthat 13.010 silver half dimes were made in 1902. and why they are now so rare cannot be explained
 The silver half dime probably owes much of it's special interest to the fact that it was first coin of any denomin- ation to be regularly made at the Unit- ed States mint in 1792. when expa
 ments were being made with desi4 for the new coinage. Dies were made for a half dime that represented an original design of striking character and quaint inscription.
 On the obverse was a female head of Liberty. said to have been modelled after that of Martha Washington, but which by no means flattered her Around the border was Lib. Par. [Lib- erty Parentl of Science & Industry" On the reverse was poorly executed representation of small flying eagle. underneath which were the words Half Dime." and around the edge United States of America" The coin was made Eof silver and had diameter about half to that of the present dime.
 ?, These dimes were struck in October,