The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-02-18
COPPER COINS
M|NTED YEARS
AGO IN RUPERT
Interesting History Written by
w. H. Lathrop
PROCESS IN ALL DETAILS
Writer Describes the Mint House and
Method Of Making Early Yer.
mont Money
PROCESS IN ALL DETAILS

The Banner is indebted to W. H.
Lathrop of Sunderland for an inter-
esting history of the coming of cop
per coins that was carried on in the
town OF Rupert during the closing
years OF the eighteenth century. Mr..
Lathrop obtained much Of the in
formation OF one OF the old residents
of Manchester who when boy lived
near Mount Antoine in the town of
Rupert. Mr.. Lathrop has taken a
keen interest In coin collecting for
many years and in cabinet at his
home in Sunderland are specimens
of near,y all OF the copper coin
made in Vermont Mr.. Lathrop's
contribution is as follows:
From the early history OF the
town of Rupert, Bennington county
Vermont, and also from the folk lore
Of the early settlers the following Is
written. Vermont has the proud
reputation OF having at one time an
Independent government and there
ore possessed of the right to coin
money When the Legislature me
IN the early part OF 1885 it granted
% Reuben Harmon. jr.. who was .
typical Yankee of Rupert, the so {
right to coin copper money within
the boundaries of the state for q
period Of two years He was re
quired TO furnish a bond to the
amount of 5000 pounds on his con
ract and the weight of the copper
coins was set at not less than one
.hird OF an ounce Troy weight
Under the shadow of Mount An.
tone the mint was located on a small
stream called Mil brook in the
northeastern section of the town
ship. The building was 16xlS feet ir
dimensions. was made from rough
lumber and stood on its crigina'
site for many yeSrs. 1t was finally
moved to location close to the
own line and was used for q corn
crih ..
AT the east end of the room wa
furnace for the melting Of the cop
per and a machine for the rolling Ct
he plates which were about 1-16lh v
IN inch in thickness after they wers
trimmed and polished ready for The
stamp. In the middle OF the room
stood machine for cutting and il
he west end was the stamping prrss 5
The stamping press was worked by
means of heavy iron screw attach
ed to large timbers above ant
moved by hand with long lever anC
rope. The lower part of the stamp
ing press frame was set in tn,
yround and came up II inches above
the floor so that the man WHIT
handled the plates of copper sat OF
The floor with his legs hanging dowl
into the pit The machinery wa
capable of turning out 60 coppers ;
minute but ha'f that number was !
good average.
Tho first copper coin was know
rs the Harmon cent and is now quit
rare. 1t is dated 1885, There wer
also two types. The design depictei
4 low range of hills with spruc
trees, the sun rising over them i
he foreground a pillow representa-
agriculture and underneath the dat
1855. The legend was Vermont
Res ,Publica. Another of the sam
date. vermontis. reverse radiate
eye surrounded by 13 stars and IN
legend Quauta Devima Stella.
"In 1856 Harmon was granted a
extension of his privilege to the en-
of the year 1895. N l7S6 a chang
was made in the weight and desig
" the coin. The die had nine tree
on the hills, sun. plow, etc, but tn
legend was Vermontensium Res Pul
lea. A change was also made in I'll
reverse but the legend was the sam
There were Is or more styles {
coppers stamped at the Harmon mil
from a number OF different dies bl
for how many years the plant was
operation no record can be foun
The coins were circulated so e
tensively that there was a great a
cumulation of them In the state an
they lost their value.
I'm 1856 the firm which then co
Quoted the business was composed
; four persons. namely, Reuben Ha
, mon, jr., and William Colby of II
pert. Charles Jackson OF Litchfiel
Conn, David Norhis of New Yol
city. It is supposed that Villa
CODY, who was better known as ]
tie Colonel Colby. who had been
goldsmith in New York city and wi
afterward moved to Rupert, cut mo
: of the dies and assisted in strikil
j. out the coppers.
William Ball. a son OF Able 81
Z OF New Haven, Conn. who later
.. came a man of considerable note
n Rupert, moved to Vermont about Il
r. time and became associated WI
ID Harmon. The YOUNGER BAN broug
y with him the original dies used
n. his father in New Haven and G.
ir neoticut coppers were coined in /
III pert out OF native Vermont copper
'p I'm 1887 six other members We
added to the firm from New fC
e. state and a mint was established
te Great Pond, Ulster county and "
te operated by the New York memb'
BE OF the concern. Harmon havi
~ charge of the Rupert mint Harm
was required. after The expiration
I'D three years TO pay l.2 per cent
his coinage into the state treasury