The Washington times., 1923-04-06

dividuals and local banks that the
Government seriously considered
farming out q minting privilege
to California concern. This was
obviated, however, by the estab-
fishing OF the mint at San Fran
cisco.
How the various minting acts
| effected American coins is plainly
shown by the specimens In the
collection. While specimens of
overweight coins, whose bullion
value was in excess Of the In.
Quoted face value, are numerous in
the collection, the latter contains
nothing to indicate that the. Gov.
ernnent ever attempted to add
| fiat value to the bullion value by
stamping a coin with fictitious
value. The mistakes made In the
first instance cost the Government
thousands Of dollars during the
| early coinage Of gold and silver
when the minted coins were melted
down and resold to the Government
at bullion value. or reminted by
other nations who thus increased
their gold circulation at the ex-
pense of the United States.
Transfer Date Secret.
Just when the transfer of the col
lection from the Philadelphia mint
to the National Museum will be
made Treasury officials refused to
say. Such information, they de-
clare. is strictly confidential, as IL
is not deemed advisable to make
public the dates for the transfer of
large sums OF coined gold and sill
yer. That 1t win take place within
the next two weeks, however, It Is
said. Is certain as the Treasury Of
| ficialS are anxious to place the
collection and open it to the public
at the earliest date.
Visitors at the Treasury build
| ing, hundreds Of whom arrive daily.
are. assuming a decidedly critical
attitude. They declare a visit to
the building Is little less than
waste of time. Arriving in groups
| Of from a dozen to hundred they
are permitted to wander aimlessly
through half-lighted corridors, un.
escorted by guides, where they can
amuse themselves peeping through
latttced doors or viewing a mis-.
cellaneous collection of revenue cut.
| ter models. The few other exhibits
found in the corridors are declared
to be uninteresting and in many
instances impossible of identified
ton because of lighting conditions
which prevent the reading Of
legends printed, or written, on
faded cards.
The complaints, 1t is known, have
| reached certain officials who admit
they are not entirely unwarranted.
| Advantage should be taken of the
opportunity, they say, to educate
the public in the betters care OF
paper money through an exhibit or
| series of exhibits in properly lighted
| corridors.
Plan Currency Exhibit.
I'VE are employing between 1900
| and 1,4OO persons who put in their
time in the redemption of dirty,
worn or mutilated bills" said one
of the officials. There should be
an exhibition Of paper money and
somebody appointed to deliver a
short education lecture on it's care.
| 1t Is an activity that should be
| carried on in this building. for this
Is where thousands of visitors
| come each week expecting to learn
| something about the Treasury or
the currency. Now they go away
| with a mental picture that Is made
/ up of badly lighted corridors and
the country's greatest financial unit
worth anything to them except as
it prevents their wasting more time
on a second visit"
ACCESSIBILITY of establishing q
paper currency exhibit and provid-
| ing the services of a lecturer COM
petent to carry on a propaganda
campaign in the interest of properly
caring for paper money will be
taken up with Secretary Mellon, it
is said, by local citizens who
| realize the importance of pleasing
visitors to the Capital.
The removal of the coin collec-
tion from the Philadelphia mint in
dicates, 1t is said, that the mint
closing order is of a permanent
character, or will remain In force
until precautions can be taken to
protect the minis from desperate
footing attempts like the Denver
robbery