Year: 1879

COUNTERFEIT COIN.


How Coins are Initiated The skill of


COuuterfeiters--No General Rules for De-


tecting Spurious Coins.


In order to initiates coin successfully
that is, SO that it will deceive, not the
general public, because probably most
persons never take second look at the
coin they receive, provided its appear
ance seems right, but the clerk or
cashier moderately well accustomed to
handling money-the counterfeiter must
regard execution, size and weight. The
last is most important in gold coin, be-
cause the least current weight of the lat
ter is established, whereas, in silver a
coin of light weight, go long as the re-
duction is not manifestly too great, will
pass. The standard and least current
weights of gold coin are as follows:


s2S STANDARD zig grs; least current VT, 5Is a
s. PC. Standard, 12s grs. least current w.t. 1886
s21S pc-Standard, "a grs least current w.t., SAILS


Any decrease in weight below the
latter figures subjects the holder to
loss equivalent to the difference. This
decrease may occur by wear, or, as is
very often. the case, through sundry
nefarious processes, which, though not
properly counterfeiting, nevertheless be-
long to that species of crime.


These operations are perhaps the most
dangerous to the community, because as
rule the coin preserves its appearance,
is apparently genuine under the acid
test, and, in fact, is genuine except in
weight. 1t is impossible, for example,
to tell whether coin has been
" sweated or not without weighing it,
and by sweating is meant the use of the
coin as the anode in the electro-plating
bath, the gold being abstracted from it
and deposited on another surface. Of
course uniform quantity is removed
from the entire surface, and the imprint
retains its original sharpness. As much
as two dollars worth of gold is some
times taken from the double eagle in
this way. A less scientific plan is one
too commonly adopted by conscienceless
jewelers., who, when they want little
gold, instead of buying the precious
metal, purchase twenty-dollar piece,
file sufficient quantity, reburnish the
place and pass off the coin at full value.
The most extensive fraud perpetrated on
gold coinageis splitting" The operator
uses fine saw to split the coin nearly in
two. Then he gouges the gold out of the
center until only thin outside shell is
left, and substitutes silver and plati-
mum alloy for the metal thus distracted.
The two parts are then joined with gold
solder and the edge is remilled. In this
way gold to the value of fifteen dollars
and fifty cents has been taken from i
single piece. The operation, however,
generally destroys the ring or tone of the
coin, leaving it, besides, either too light
or too thick. Another swindle is to
bore into the edge. The holes whence
the gold is taken are reflled with silver,
covered with gold solder, and the edges
are neatly finished but the light weight
reveals the theft. From five to seven
dollars and fifty cents worth Of gold has
thus been taken from one coin, and the
pieces of course have every appearance
of being genuine. Real counterfeits-
that is, coin wholly spurious, because
made of base metel-are almost in
variably below weight. An exception
to this, however, exists in fye-dollar
piece which is of the exact standard
weight of one hundred and twenty
grains. 1t is composed of an alloy of
gold and silver, and worth from two dol
lars and seventy cents to three dollars
and forty cents. Its appearance and
tone are excellent, but it is thicker than
the genuine coin, and hence may be
detected by the gauge. Still, it one of
the most dangerous counterfeits in ex-
istence.


A silver piece passes current so long
as the imprint is not badly defaced or
greatly reduced. A hole through the
coin, however, condemnsit. The low value
of silver prevents any such proceedings
as in the case of gold, as the amount
which could safely'be distracted would
not pay for the trouble of doing it. Con-
sequently, all silver counterfeits are true
limitations, and there is hardly date of
dollar, half dollar or quarter which has
not been copied with remarkable ac-
curacy. The counterfeiter either makes
a mold in plaster from the real coin and
casts from it, or he stamps his imitation
in dies. As this last process is the same
as in use in the mints, the counterfeits
thus produced are more difficult to de-
tect, because, being more accurately fin
ished, the compression which the alloy
receives brings it nearer to standard
weight A large number of counterfeit
silver coins are made chiefly of type
metal. A very dangerous half dollar is
composed of liver, copper and zinc, and
is worth about seventeen cents. 1t is
from seven to ten grains too light.
Spurious half dollars have appeared
which constantly deceive bank-tellers
and other experts, because they are of
full weight. They are made of COM
pound similar to German silver, and are
so we'll plated with genuine silver that
the acid does not affect them. They are,
however, too thick, and the gauge, as
usual, where the balance fails. shows the
fact. Counterfeits of the quarter dollar,
though very plenty, are less dangerous
than those Of larger pieces. They are
composed of antimony, tin and lead,
and are both too light and thick, al
though they have good ring. A pecu-
liar composition has been employed, to
which powdered glass is added to give a
clear sound; but this is but clumsy ex-
pedient, as the coin is far below proper
weight, fact easily appreciable by mere
handling.


tis difficult matter to lay down any
general rules for detecting counterfeit
coins, as it will be seen from the fore
going that the closest ocular inspection
may be wholly at fault. In general the
milling on the edge of the counterfeit
coin is always poorly executed as COM
pared with the genuine; but wear of the
latter often renders the distinction diff
cult to draw. Another point worth re-
membering is that absence of clear tone
in coin is not necessarily proof of its
falsity, because it may and does happen
that crack or flaw is made in the


metal during the rolling, and that, just


as in a bell, will of course destroy the


vibrations, and make the sound dull and
| fat.