Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-08-12
THE SACRED BRASS POUND.
Standard Weight for Weighing Coins
Is Carefully Preserved at the
United States Mint.

| iso JOu again
What is the Sacred Brass Pound? Well
1t looks like duck egg in plain brass
with the point shaved off to serve an 9
! stable base for it to rest on, and with 9
rather neatly ornamental fat top, like
those you see sticking up from the pound
or halfpound weights near the drug
store scales, rising from the upturned
butt.
This Sacred Brass Pound of the Uni.
ted States Mint at Philadelphia, is the
last resort in determining the correct
weight of all the money minted in the
United States.
The Government of the United States
was fairly prompt in deciding that it had
to work from fixed standard for its
coinage, yet it was nearly half century
or so late iu reaching the conclusion that
any absolute standard was necessary.
A dozen years or 80 after the war Of
1872 had ended and peace showed itself
as indefinitely assured-in 1827-in-
structions were given the American min
lister in London to procure there pound
weight of brass which would be of the
exact standard of twelve ounces, troy
exact to the smallest fraction of grain.
In 1923 the practice had been instituted
of having a Government commission
examine and weigh sample coins made
during the year at the mint, so that all
Government currency could, in itself,
support the guarantee Of the Govern
ment that it contained precisely 30 much
gold, or silver, as was specified by law.
In compliance with the behest there
came from London the brass pound
which has ever since been the ultimate
standard for the comparison of all our
coinage, the little duck egg that was
destined ultimately to end the once
common crime of sweating" coins. So
long as there was any possible doubt, to
the fraction of grain as to the weight
Of gold piece when it was mint.
ed, just so long would it be impossible
to prove that any appreciable quantity
had been taken from it.
So important was every grain of metal
in the fundamental brass pound destined
to be, and 30 keenly was that import
ance appreciated, that its very shape
was made to entail the minimum
amount of friction when handled, and
even while standing in it's mahogany
box. The duck egg shape allows only
the outer rim to touch the chamois lin. |
ing of the case, and it constitutes what
seems TO be the original discovery and |
application of the principle of ball-bear-
ing machinery.
This supersensitive pound weight was
never touched by human hands. A
carefully designed litter, or so-called
hook was provided, and that, too, was
covered with chamois, lest it scratch
the surface.
But as time passed on it was realized
that even the meager utilization of the
original pound might entail certain
amount of attrition; the use of it for
the Standardization of the weights in
daily service at the mint would be sure
to wear off grain or 30 in the course
of century. So second brass pound
was made at the Philadelphia mint, cor.
responding to the sacred one in every
dimension and every hair fineness of
weight.
Then the second pound, like wise kept
in a chamois lined mahogany case and
handled with chamois-covered hook,
was used for the perfecting of all the
regular mint weight, for the Standard
zation of all the mint scales, and was
itself compared once year with the
original Brass Pound, to make sure it
hadn't fallen off 80 anybody could no
tice it.
AS the assay commission does its work
now the original Brass Pound figures
about as much in visible ceremonies as
the Grand Lama of Thibet used to be-
fore the British used their swords on
that coveted oyster.
Ellis Pugh, the adjuster of scales and
weights at the Philadelphia mint, where
the commission meets on the second
Wednesday of February, solemnly ad-
iusts the mint's great scale, known as
Saxton balance, while L. A. Fisher of
the Bureau of Standards, in the Treasury
Department at Washington as solemnly
deposits the sacred old pound against
the common everyday one which Mr..
Pugh made years ago. The fact is noted
that they balance and the ordinary
standard pound is good for another
years duty in regulating all the weights
which regulate all the coins made in all |
the mints of the United States.
The assay commission is appointed by |
the President himself, for one year only.
The Comptroller Of the Currency, the |
Assayer of the New York assay Office |
and the Judge of the United States Dis
trict Court at Philadelphia are always
members, and there are, Is others of
greater or less expert knowledge, includ- |
ing sprinkling of Senators and Repre-
ssntatives. They come to the Philadel-
phia mint and usually put in two rather
strenuous days, for the examination of
the years coinage is by no means any
mere formality.
The way the calculations are made is
this: At all the mints now operating,
as we'll as the Philadelphia mint, when
ever the coiner makes delivery Of coins
to the Superintendent, one gold piece
for every 1000, and one silver piece for
every 1000, are taken at random from