Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-04
HISTORIC EXHIBIT
IS SELDOM SEEN
Interesting Medals Placed
In Treasury Building
Are Passed BY.

not appreciate It. but in the lobby Of
the north entrance Of the Treasury
Building Is one of the most interesting
exhibits In the National Capital.
There, displayed in glass cases, are
the bronze medals COMMUNICATING the
80 Presidents Of the United States, ex-
ceIlent examples Of the art OF the de-
signer and die cutter. Struck at the
Philadelphia Mint, it Is not generally
known that citizens may purchase the
entire series or any individual unit OF
the series at that Office Of the Treas
ury. The price Is 81 for each medal,
ESQ for the complete set.
These presidential medals are uni
formly three inches in diameter. They
were formerly called peace medals, !"
from the practice of the War Depart
ment In giving them as q token Of
friendly peace to the Indian tribes ond
chieftains. The designers of the John
Adams and John Tyler medals are I'M
known; the others were the work OF
Du Vivier, Reich, Furst, Morgan. Ellis,
Wilson, Paquet, w. Barber and @. Bar
Der.
Others on Display.
In adjacent cases are medals of sim
flar character in remembrance Of the
IL Secretaries of the Treasury and of
the Is Directors Of the Mint, designed
by the same craftsmen. These also are
for sale at the Philadelphia Mint at 81
each.
A fine series OF Army medals Is like
wise on exhibition in the lobby. These
include the first eight issued. Struck
In France, they commemorate Gen.
Washington, Gen. Gates, Brig. Gen.
Morgan, Lieut.. Col. Howard, Lieut.. Col.
w. A. washington, Count De Flelry,
Maj. Gen. Wayne and Maj. Henry Lee.
The first Army medal struck by an
American workman was that of Maj.
Gen. Nathaniel Greene. Later medals
In this series are In remembrance of
Maj. Gen. Harrison, Maj. Gen. Taylor,
Maj. Gen. Grant and others. The price
of the individual units Of the series
varies from 81 to IS.
The Navy medals In q neighboring
case are Of great interest. The series
begins with john Paul Jones. Capt
Truxton. Capt. Preble, Capt. Hull, Capt.
Jacob Jones. Capt. Decatur, Capt.
cambridge. Capt. Perry. Capt. Law
among those l1onored. There Is a fine
medal for the United States Coast Sur
vey "for gallantry and humanity"
Prices range from so cents to SIS.
Honor George washington.
A special series in remembrance of
George Washington includes nine units,
the prices varying from is cents to 81,
In relation to difference In size.
There also are many miscellaneous
medals on display, including those for
the Valley Forge Centennial, the first
japanese embassy, the Pacific Railroad.
the Emancipation Proclamation and
the Lincoln Centennial, the prices of
which vary from Is cents to So. In
this connecti0S 1t should be mentioned
that the medal struck in honor Of Col.
Charles A. Lindbergh is TO be seen.
In other cases are shown the proc
esses Of silver and minor coinage, in
Guiding Emelters' bars, Merchants bars.
silver. nickel and bronze ingots and
the rolled strips from which the plan
chefs are punched. A nickel ingot
weighs ala pounds and produces 1000
nickels. From q bronze ingot Of 23
pounds 2,l00 pennies are obtained.
On the walls above these cases are
frames containing o beautiful series of
steel-engraved portraits Of Presidents,
cabinet members, mint directors, treas
urers and others: D collection OF proofs
OF various examples Of paper currency
ana postage stamps and series Of
patriotic buttons.
One frame contains sample pages from
the expense account Of Gen. Washington
during the Revolutionary War. He
would accept no salary from Congress,
but ne kept careful record Of all the
money that passed through his hands
and rendered an exact sccountinr to
the proper authorities. The record Is
IN his own handwriting: it Is stil dis
tinctly legible.
$ze0.oeo for Lafayette.
In an adjacent case Is the warrant
Tor 100000, dated January 8, 1925.
and signed by William A. Crawford.
Secretary Of the Treasury, granted TO
Gen. Lafayette for his services in the
Revolution. At the same time Congress
gave him q handsome allotment Of
public land, which he later sold at a
good profit. This warrant Is Of par
ficular interest because Of the fact that
within recent years It's existence has
been denied.
The warrant In payment for the
Territory Of Alaska Is also shown. It
Is dated August ], 1858, and signed by
Treasurer Spinner. -Four warrants in
payment for the Philippine Islands,
April 29, 1899. are signed by Ellis H.
Roberts. Three for the Panama Canal
and Canal Zone. dated April 2e-May 10,
1904, include an allowance OF $1,000
900 TO the firm Of J. p. Morgan &
Co. for attorney fees.
In another case are samples Of paper
currency submitted to the Treasury for
redemption. Here are bills mutilated by
mice, bills retrieved from domestic
washing machines. bills trampled by
pigs. bills run over by street cars, and
finally, bill torn into q hundred pieces
by an insane woman. On ali Of these
the claimants were idemnified.
In the west lobby of the building are
models Of the new Government build
tngs in process Of construction or plan
ned for the Capital Here also is shown
the commission issued 10 Capt. Hopley
Yeaton Of the Revenue Gutter Service,
March rs. 1891, signed by both George
washington and Thomas Jefferson and
said 70 be the first commission issued
TO an American officer afioat.
Serves as Guide.
William J. Haner, for 10 years q
guard ct the north door. is COM
petent guide TO the entire exhibition.
He has had many amusing expert
ences at his post Of duty 'You would
hardly believe It, he said, but people
do not always know the Treasury
Building when they see It. They come
in here laden with suit cases and ask
me, Which way to the Pennsylvania
trains?' They come in to inquire,
Where do you get the marriage