bust of that famous monarch is attempted; 1068 is about the year it
is supposed to have been made. During the three centuries following,
the condition of England, whether she was at peace or war, is plainly
indicated by her coinage. Every added province is memorialized in coin.
The rose, thistle, and fleur-de-lis, all tell in strange language for
flowers of bloody battles, long sieges, perils by the sea and land; at
last all resistance bowing before the ever-increasing power of Great
Britain.
The first coin of English issue was dated in 1553, being either the close
of Edward VI.’s or the beginning of Queen Mary’s reign. This is claimed
by many to be the first coin dated, though old medals of the preceding
century have been found with date.
In 1558, the ryal or royal of Queen Elizabeth was issued. On the obverse
the queen is grandly enthroned, while the reverse is a large rose, in the
centre of which are the Danish arms of Britain, and the arms of Anjou
quartered. This coin and the pound sterling of Charles I. are in Case
XV., “Selections.”
This pound sterling is one of the famous “siege pieces” of that unhappy
king,—which were often made on the field with hammer and anvil out of
the family plate brought to the closely-pressed Stuart by his faithful
followers. It is to be regretted that so much valuable family plate of no
mean workmanship was thus sacrificed. This “siege piece” is the largest
silver coin known. The legend upon it, rudely inscribed, is, “Let God
arise; let his enemies be scattered;” above are three fleurs-de-lis, with
date, “1642.”
In 1684-88, during the short reign of James II., several varieties of
new coins were introduced, notably, “Maundy Money,” a small coin made to
be distributed by the king on “Maundy Thursday.” Beggars, on that day,
received from his majesty bags containing as many maundy pieces as the
king had lived years.
King James II. also had issued “gun money.” This variety was made out
of old cannon, after the suppression of an Irish rebellion. Though not
even giving a glance towards the interesting series of Queen Anne, it
is impossible to pass unnoticed the beautiful bust of George IV., by
Chantrey, upon a pattern five-sovereign piece. This well-executed bust of
“the handsomest man in Europe,” was said to be the means of Sir Francis
Chantrey being knighted. That vain monarch was as careful about how his
face would appear to future generations as was Alexander of Macedon; and
Chantrey well knew if he placed upon the shoulders of sixty years the
head of forty years, he had given the cabalistic words which would be the
“open sesame” to royal favor.
The gold sovereign of Victoria, Nos. 183-184, has, on the reverse, an
evidence of coins as a deposit of law archives. The shield surrounded by
a crown, and bearing the arms of Great Britain quartered; but the arms of
Hanover _are omitted_. Although Victoria was next heir to William IV.,
she was prevented by the Salic law from assuming the sceptre of Hanover.
On this coin, it may be remembered, are very beautifully presented the
rose, the thistle, and the shamrock.
A recent addition has been made to the Mint Cabinet of a very fine
sovereign of the times of Oliver Cromwell, purchased at the coin sale of
May 14 and 15, 1885.
Scotch moneys of any variety, are very much prized by collectors (see, in
Case XV., “Selections,” “Groat of Robert Bruce, 1602.”) A very rare coin
is the penny of Robert II. of Scotland, said to be the only specimen in
existence of that monarch’s reign. In the seventeenth century the coinage
of Scotland merged into that of England.
ENGLISH SILVER TOKENS,
issued in England, Scotland, and Ireland. During the long suspension of
specie payments, occasioned by the wars with Napoleon, the minor currency
of England was supplied, not with small paper notes, but with silver
tokens, issued by banks and traders, and made redeemable in bank notes.
They were of reduced weight, to keep within the premium, and to prevent
hoarding. They continued to circulate until the return of better times
and of regular silver coinage. There were many varieties, most of which
are here.
PORTUGAL AND SPAIN.
The coinage of Portugal and Spain in the fifteenth century, held greater
sway than that of other countries. Of their coins, there are many fine
specimens in the Mint Cabinet. The “joe and half-joe[12]” of Portugal are
known of all nations, while the Spanish dollar, with its pretentious two
globes under a crown, did not claim too much, and only tells the almost
limitless rule of the great Philip. The coins of these nations became,
through their possessions in the New World, the circulating medium of
that portion of the earth. Spanish and Mexican dollars were almost
synonymous, while the real and joe of South America was patterned after
that of Portugal, which fact can be learned in this Cabinet. As nations
decay it will be seen their coins become inevitably less trustworthy;
even a glance at the cases marked “Portugal,” “Spain,” will give this
lesson. In the Mexican collection there are issues which seem to
contradict this assertion, for the “Mexican dollar” has, for generations,
had a position in the monetary world of almost unchallenged credit, yet
not by reason of the recognition given Mexico, but because of the _United
States using it so extensively_; for, until the introduction of the
“trade dollar,” this country had _no currency_ that would meet the demand
of the Oriental market.
MEXICO.
The Mexicans use only gold and silver, and their national series is full
of tragic interest, embracing, as it does, three and a half centuries
of Mexican history, from Cortez to Maximilian. The “pillar dollar,”
“windmill dollar,” “cast dollar” (the Mexicans are the only nation that
cast money), and the “cob money” (a series so called by reason of its
clumsiness), are all to be seen in this collection.
COINS OF BRAZIL.
One coin, a gold “half-joe,” issued in 1832, with the infant head of Dom
Pedro, is very beautiful. By the side of this, in every way a contrast
to it, is a series of copper coins of a late issue with the head of the
“child” now seated on the throne. The coins of Bolivia proudly present
the bust of Simon Bolivar. Among the West Indies are many samples of “cut
money.” The law permitting money to be quartered had to be repealed,
because the traders of the West Indies made the wonderful mathematical
discovery that _five quarters_ make a whole!
* * * * *
Leaving both the eastern and the western world and their coins, there is
a single piece, of small commercial value, which is yet a light-house in
mid-ocean. This is the one cent of the Sandwich Islands, the only venture
of that kind made by the enterprising little kingdom. The inscription
is “Kamehameha III., one hundredth, Hawaii.” The name of the king being
interpreted signifies “the solitary one,” which is singularly well
adapted to the coin.
COLONIAL COINS.
In 1684, the charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company was revoked, and
the governor recalled; one of the alleged grievances by the crown was
a colonial law concerning the Mint. The currency used by the colonies
was chiefly from England, Spain, and Portugal, but the supply was
limited from these sources, and the mother-country was jealous of any
infringement of her prerogative of coinage. There are various specimens
of the “pine-tree” money of Massachusetts in the Cabinet. Some doubt has
arisen as to the species of tree intended, but it is generally accepted
as the emblematic pine. This is claimed to be about the second colonial
issue, a kind of semi-official coin. The first was from the Bermudas.[13]
It is a shilling piece, stamped by one John Hall, silversmith, of the
city of Boston, 1652, who made a very good speculation of the privilege.
There has lately been added to the Cabinet a sixpence of this rare money.
The work on this species of coins is so exceedingly simple as to present
little save a planchet. On the obverse, a double ring around a pine-tree;
legend, “Massachusetts in;” and on the reverse, a double ring also,
containing the legend, “New England An Dom.[14]”
Charles II., it appears, was easily deceived in regard to the
significance of the “pine-tree shilling.” Sir Thomas Temple, a friend
of the colonies, adroitly presented one of these obnoxious coins to the
irate monarch, explaining that the tree was the “royal oak” which had
saved his majesty’s life. Whereupon the king, laughing, denominated his
trans-Atlantic subjects “honest dogs,” and allowed the coinage to proceed.
During the reign of George I. a new species of coin was issued from the
English Mint, denomination half penny, and it is asserted upon good
authority that this was the only issue ever authorized by the home
government for general circulation in the colonies. It was a coin of
mixed metal, resembling brass. The head of the king was on the obverse;
inscription, “Georgius Rex.” The reverse, a large double rose under a
crown; legend, “Rosa Americana.” Upon a scroll, “Utile Dulci.[15]”
“Peltry,” we learn, was one of the principal articles of currency, and
was known as “pelt,” or Massachusetts currency, and was extensively used
in trading between Indians and whites, sometimes called “Beaver Money,”
“Corne, Wheate, Barley, and Rye;” and a still more quaint currency was
established, as will be found in an old Massachusetts court order, as
follows: “_It is likewise ordered that muskett balletts of a full boare
shall passe current for a farthing a peece, provided that noe man be
compelled to take above 12d. att a tyme of them._”
In Maryland, not only cattle, tobacco, and other produce was accepted
as currency, but powder and shot were also included. Lord Baltimore, in
1660, sent over to Maryland the “Baltimore” shilling. In the colonial
case there is a series of these exceedingly rare coins. They were a
shilling, sixpence, groats, and are all of the same design, differing
only in denomination. They were coined in London, and compare favorably
with any minting of that age. The bust of Lord Baltimore on the obverse
is very well cut; his name “Cecil,” is the legend. On the reverse, the
coat of arms of Cecil, Lord Baltimore, is given; this device has been
re-adopted by the State of Maryland. The substitution of any legal tender
seems to be fraught with danger, and at best is jealously scanned by
the people; and there was trouble to put this coin into circulation.
The people, though demanding coin, did not yield their old currency of
“_wheat, corn, tobacco, powder, and shot_,” without a demonstration.
The Carolinas, Virginia, and New Hampshire all followed Maryland in the
introduction of a colonial coinage.
In the interval of the Revolution, known as the Confederacy, the growth
of the spirit of independence in the people is plainly written on their
coins, especially upon their tokens or individual coins. We notice
one inscription attributed to Franklin, “_Mind your business_;” and
others, such as “_Good copper_,” “_Cut your way through_,” and like
characteristic expressions. The “New York Doubloon” was coined in 1787,
value sixteen dollars. This coin is highly esteemed by reason of its
rarity, and its market value to-day is about five hundred dollars, as
only three or four are known to be in existence.
The Washington cent of 1791 (so-called) was not a coin of the United
States, but was struck at a private mint in Birmingham, England,
(Boulton’s), partly, no doubt, to bespeak the “job,” and partly to
_please Americans_ generally.
It has been said that Washington objected to putting his head on the
coins, and it may be true; but it was also objected that no man’s head
should appear on the coin of a republic, which, whether good doctrine or
not, is still the prevailing idea. The “cent of 1791” is of two types,
one very rare and costly, with a small eagle. The other, with a large
eagle, is more common, and perhaps sells for about five dollars at a
public coin sale.
UNITED STATES COINS.
The first copper coins made by the United States Mint were one cent and
one-half cent issues, of which there were four designs: 1st, the “chain
cent;” 2d, the “wreath cent;” 3d, the “flowing hair;” and 4th, the
“liberty cap,” which was used for a number of years. The “chain” device
was not acceptable to the sensitive American mind, and of consequence the
accidental breaking of the die was not a subject of regret, but “quite
the contrary.” The pattern sections of United States coins are very
beautiful and varied, especially those in gold.
THE TRADE DOLLAR.
This coin bears on the obverse a female figure seated on bales of
merchandise, holding in her left hand a scroll on which is the word
“liberty.” At her back is a sheaf of wheat; this and the bales of goods
indicate the commercial character of the coin. Her right hand, extended,
offers the olive branch. On a scroll beneath the figure are the words “In
God we trust,” and the date below, “1873.” The reverse has a circling
inscription, “United States of America, Trade Dollar.” In the centre is
an eagle, in his claws three arrows and a sprig of olive. On a label
above are the words “E Pluribus Unum.” Below, “420 grains fine,” very
beautiful in design.
HISTORY OF THE TRADE DOLLAR.
The coinage of the Trade Dollar was authorized by act of February 12,
1873, and was not intended for circulation in the United States, but for
export to China.
It was designed to compete with the Spanish and Mexican dollar. That
empire, having no mint for the coinage of gold or silver, depended upon
foreign coin for its domestic circulation, and until the institution of
the Trade Dollar the principal shipments of coin to China were in the
form of Mexican dollars.
The Trade Dollar was made a trifle more valuable than the American and
Mexican dollar, thus not only affording a market for the surplus silver
of the mines of the Pacific Coast, but furnishing merchants and importers
from China with silver in a convenient form for payment for commodities,
instead of their being obliged to purchase Mexican dollars for that
purpose.
When its coinage was authorized it was inadvertently made a legal tender
to amount of five dollars, but this was repealed by section 2, Act of
July 22, 1876.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE STANDARD SILVER DOLLAR.
Authorized to be coined, Act of April 2, 1792. Weight, 416 grains,
standard silver; fineness, 892.4; equivalent to 371¼ grains of fine
silver, with 44¾ grains alloy of pure copper.
Weight changed, Act of January 18, 1837, to 412½ grains, and fineness
changed to 900, preserving the same amount of pure silver = 371¼ grains,
with ⅒ alloy.
Coinage discontinued, Act of February 12, 1873.
Total amount coined, from 1792 to 1873, $8,045,838.
Coinage revived, two million dollars per month required to be coined,
and issue made legal tender for all debts, public and private, Act of
February 28, 1878.
Total amount coined, February 28, 1878, to November 1, 1884, $184,730,829.
PACIFIC COAST.
The semi-official coins of the Pacific coast present quite a glittering
array of monetary enterprise, and signify the great wealth and daring
spirit of that part of the world. The fifty-dollar octagon gold piece,
issued in 1851, is a very beautiful coin. “Gold slugs” are novelties;
are oblong gold pieces, and are valued at sixteen dollars. The Utah
coins also attract attention. They are of gold, fine. The device is an
“all-seeing eye” and two clasped hands; reverse, “a bee-hive,” with
inscription, “Holiness to the Lord.” Some have for legend, “G. S. L. C.
P. G.,” which the initiated receive as “Great Salt Lake City, Pure Gold.”
The series of the United States coins is complete, and can be readily
examined. The changes have been very gradual. The motto, “In God we
trust,” was introduced in 1866.
There is one specimen which illustrates how a coin may become famous
without the least premonition, and also is a witness of the positive
law which protects and governs coinage. A law passed Congress in 1849
ordering twenty-dollar gold pieces to be issued. One piece was struck.
Something intervened to delay the work, and the year closed; then, of
course, the dies had to be destroyed, as no more could be lawfully issued
of 1849. The coin just beside this, marked 1850, of same value, is not
worth the collector’s consideration, while “1849” cannot to be purchased.
It is marked “unique,” and is really the only one in gold. One specimen
exists in brass.
COINS OF THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY.
It has been said and repeated as a historical fact that the Southern
Confederacy had no metallic currency. After a lapse of eighteen years
the following official document from the Confederate archives explains
itself, and substantiates the fact that silver to a limited extent was
coined at the New Orleans Mint by order of the Confederate Government, in
the early days of the rebellion, and only suspended operations on account
of the difficulty in obtaining bullion for coinage.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, _March 27, 1879_.
DR. B. F. TAYLOR, _New Orleans, La._
DEAR SIR:—The enclosed circular will explain to you the nature
of the duties upon which I am now engaged; I would like to have
from you, from file with confederate archives, a letter stating
when you were appointed Chief Coiner of the Confederate States
Mint, instructions received copies of the originals of any
official papers, sketches, descriptions, etc., of all the coins
made, etc. This will make a valuable addition to Confederate
history, and I know no one but you can give it.
Very truly yours,
MARCUS J. WRIGHT.
NEW ORLEANS, LA., _April 7, 1879_.
TO HON. MARCUS J. WRIGHT.
DEAR SIR:—Your favor requesting a statement of the history of
the New Orleans Mint, in reference to the coinage under the
Confederate Government, is received. That institution was
turned over by the State of Louisiana, the last of February,
1861, to the Confederate States of America, the old officers
being retained and confirmed by the government, viz.: Wm. A.
Elmore, Superintendent; A. J. Guyrot, Treasurer; M. F. Bonzano,
M. D., Melter and Refiner; and Howard Millspaugh, Assayer.
In the month of April, orders were issued by Mr. Memminger,
Secretary of the Treasury, to the effect that designs for
half-dollars should be submitted to him for approval. Among
several sent, the one approved bore on the obverse of the coin
a representation of the Goddess of Liberty, surrounded by
thirteen stars, denoting the thirteen States from whence the
Confederacy sprung, and on the lower rim the figures, 1861. On
the reverse there is a shield with seven stars, representing
the seceding States; above the shield is a liberty-cap,
and entwined around it stalks of sugar cane and cotton,
“Confederate States of America.” The dies were engraved by A.
H. M. Peterson, Engraver and Die Sinker, who is now living in
Commercial Place. They were prepared for the coining press
by Conrad Schmidt, foreman of the coining room (who is still
living), from which _four pieces only_ were struck. About this
period an order came from the secretary suspending operations
on account of the difficulty of obtaining bullion, and the Mint
was closed April 30, 1861.
Of the four pieces mentioned, one was sent to the Government,
one presented to Prof. Biddle, of the University of Louisiana,
one sent to Dr. E. Ames of New Orleans, the remaining one being
retained by myself. Upon diligent inquiry I am unable to find
but one piece besides my own, that being in the possession of a
Confederate officer of this city, who transmitted it to his son
as a souvenir of his father’s in the Confederate cause.
So soon as copies are made I will take pleasure in sending you
a specimen for the archives you represent.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. F. TAYLOR, M. D.
_Formerly Chief Coiner C. S. A._
The most notable and valuable silver coin is the dollar of 1804. It is
said that the scarcity of this dollar was owing to the sinking of a
China-bound vessel having on board almost the entire mintage of the 1804
dollars in lieu of the Spanish milled dollars. It is believed that there
are not more than seven, possibly eight, genuine 1804 dollars extant. The
rarity of the piece and the almost fabulous prices offered for it are
patent facts.
SKETCH OF THE 1804 DOLLAR.[16]
This coin among collectors is known as the “king of American rarities.”
But seven or eight pieces are known to exist. The 1804 dollars are of
two classes, to wit: first, originals, which are from but one obverse
and one reverse die,—draped bust of Liberty facing right; the head bound
with a fillet; hair flowing; 6 stars before and 7 behind the bust above
LIBERTY, upper right hand star almost touching letter y; reverse heraldic
eagle bearing on his breast a broad shield, in his beak a scroll,
inscribed E PLURIBUS UNUM; 12 arrows in right talon, a branch of olive
in left; above, an arc of clouds from wing to wing of eagle; in field
beneath 13 stars; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; edge lettered ONE HUNDRED
CENTS, ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT, which are lightly struck in some parts. The
first specimen in the Mint Cabinet weighs 415.2 grs.; second, Mr. M. A.
Stickney procured from the Mint in 1843 in exchange for other coins;
third, W. S. Appleton bought, at an advance of $750, in 1868, from E.
Cogan, who purchased it from W. A. Lilliendahl, who bought it at a sale
of collection of J. J. Mickley, 1867, for $750; fourth, L. G. Parmelee
bought, at sale of E. H. Sandford’s collection, 1874, for $700, who
obtained it in 1868 from an aged lady, who got it at the Mint many years
before; fifth, W. B. Wetmore bought of Mr. Parmelee, 1868, for $600,
from sale of H. S. Adams’ collection, 1876, at $500, from sale of M. J.
Cohen’s collection, 1875, at $325 (in fair condition); sixth, present
owner unknown to us, formerly in possession of collection of Mr. Robert
C. Davis, of Philadelphia, and recently sold for $1200; seventh, S. H.
and H. Chapman purchased October, 1884, at a sale in Berlin, and resold
to a Mr. Scott, a dealer in coins, for $1000 at their Philadelphia sale,
in May, 1885.
_Restrikes._ There were struck at the Mint in 1858 restrikes with plain
edges, of which three were recovered after diligent search; two of these
were destroyed in the Mint, and the other placed in the Cabinet, where it
remains. The difference between these and the originals are as follows:
obverse, the original die was re-cut in the word LIBERTY, the stars and
date, which made them larger and deeper, especially noticeable in the
stars, which are broadened; also in the date, it making the outline sharp
and square, whereas in the originals they are somewhat rounded; reverse,
not having the original die, they used another, which differs in many
respects, most easily noticeable in that the A touches the eagle’s claw,
the OF much nearer of the end of eagle’s wing than S in States (in the
original it is equally spaced); edge, plain; weight, 381.5 grains. One
specimen is in the Mint and another in England,—struck between 1860 and
1869, as in the latter year all dies remaining were destroyed, same as
the above, but endeavors were made to letter the edges in the absence of
a complete collar by using pieces of collars which did not contain all
the letters, but repeated some of them several times. There was one of
these pieces sold in the Berg collection in 1883 for $740, and showed all
the peculiarities mentioned, and its weight was said to be inaccurate.
The dies were destroyed in the winter of 1868-69. No counterfeit dies of
the 1804 dollar were ever made. After the close of each year all dies are
now destroyed.
DOUBLE EAGLE.
Among the rare coins in the Cabinet at the Mint is a Double Eagle. The
dies for this piece were made in 1849, and only one was struck. “UNIQUE”
and beyond price. There is also a Quarter Eagle of 1842, and the only one
known extant at the Mint.
SELECTIONS.
Having referred many times to this case, it may be as well to append the
entire list of its contents, as they, almost without exception, are rare,
spanning the world from remotest antiquity to the present day, beginning
with the gold Daric of Darius, and ending with the twenty-mark piece of
Kaiser William.
GREECE.