The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-07-31
OLD COINS

Numismatics is the science which
treats of coins or medals, their origin
and technique, history, mythology,
art and value. For most people col
Letting current coin is quite strug-
gle but in many instances the old
out-lawed coins are worth many
times their weight in gold even
though they are made of copper or
some other common metal.
Practically everything under the
sun has been used for money. A
chart for schools, published by the
Saturday Evening Post, is probably
the finest picture study of coins ever
made. The first United States coins
were cents. The oldest of the three
minis in the United States is in
Philadelphia, the others in Denver
and San Francisco. The director of
the mint is the former Governor of
Wyoming, Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross,
and it is of noteworthy interest that
the first silver coins minted were
placed in Maryland bank.
On the second Wednesday in every
February the Annual Assay Commits
sion meets at the Philadelphia mint
for the purpose of counting, weigh
ing and assaying the coin of the
realm made during the preceding
year. AS member of this commits
sion in 1885 your hobby writer saw
$3.50, 100000 in one pile of gold
deep down in the minis vaults. Also,
in the Philadelphia mint is the
original troy pound of twelve ounces
upon which the United States stand
ard troy pound is based.
Money is mentioned in the Bible
eighty times. The first coins were
minted about seven hundred years
before Christ.
With the discovery of gold in the
were minted by the Bechtler Mint at
Lincolnton, N. G. These two and
one-half and five dollar gold pieces
were coined on a two per cent seig-
norage (coin commission) basis and
thousands of them were carried to
the West by the pioneers in the 1910
period. In California gold coins as
small as twenty-five cents have been
minted while the largest United
States gold coin is the $50 octagon.
The last United States gold coin was
minted in May 1888. Practically all
of the present United States gold is
in brick or bullion form and very
soon the majority of it will be trans
ferred from the three minis to Fort
Knox, Kentucky for safe keeping.
The "bugaboo" of the minter is the
counterfeiter.
The J. W. Stowell Printing Com
pany, fredericksburg, is probably the
largest publisher of numismatic
magazines. The best coin collections
in the country are owned by the
Smithsonian institute in Washington
and the Chase National Bank in New
York. These exhibits are open to
the public.
Like the stamp collector, the coin
collector often confines his collection
to one branch of numismatics. These
peninsula hobby riders have valuable
exhibits; Jack Kerr and Jack Stem
pie, Easton; Bernard Barcus, Tony
Moore and Royden Powell, Centre
Vile; Marjorie Ann Chambers, Pres
ton; Mrs. Nellie Fooks and Royce
Reid, Vienna; Harvey Reese Jr.,
Crisfield; Virginia Crew, Chester
town; Clyton Lowe, Stevensville; J.
w. Stowell, fredericksburg; Ralph
Ross and Willis Poole, Pocomoke.
Coin collecting reveals many curl
GUS kinks in the art of minting
money.
Books: The Numismatic Magazine,
Baltimore; Elder Coin Corp, New
York City; Cents of the United
States; Scott Stamp and Coin Com
pany, New York City.
Next Week: Archery.
Autograph Contest Winner: The
Patrick Henry autograph offered by
Forrest H. Sweet autograph collec-
tor, of Battle Creek, Michigan, thru
this column for the best paper Of
two hundred words or less on
Whats in Name" is being mailed
to the Editor of the Sussex Countian,
Georgetown, Delaware, who will pre-
sent it to Miss Faith Dutton, Milford,
Delaware, whose paper was adjudged
the best. Second place was awarded
to s. v. Kilroy, 1873 Johnson Road,
Scarsdale, New York.