Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 October 1890 — THE SCIENCE OF COINS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SCIENCE OF COINS.

RELATION OF NUMISMATICS TO HISTORY AND EDUCATION. Coins of tlie United States—Gold.

HERE were few very marked changes in design of the gold coins of the ►United States from the ' first establishment of its imiiit, in 1792, until 1834. I By act of Congress, dated •June 28, 1834, the weight I of the eagle was reduced [ from 270 grains to 238 »grains, and the fineness from a standard of 22 carats, or 917 thousandths fine, to 899.225 fine. But by act of January 18, 1837, the fineness was again advanced to 900,

and at that standard it has since remained. Of course, the half and quarter eagles shared proportionately both in the reduction and the restoration. The year 1834 gave two coinages of half-eagles, the first being a reproduction of the years immediately preceding; the second has on its obverse the liberty head facing left, a fillet bearing the word “Liberty” binding the head, curls falling about the neck, thirteen stars

surrounding the effigy. Reverse, the same as former pieces. The coin was again, beginning with this second issue, reduced in size by one-sixteenth of an inch. There was no further change until 1839. In 1834 there were also two distinct issues of the quarter-eagle; the first was identical in every detail, except date, with the coin of 1821. The second is a reduced sac-simile of the last described only difference being the exergue: “2iy D.” These designs were continued in use until 1840. The coinage of eagles was resumed in 1838. The obverse of the new piece of that year, presented: A Liberty head, facing to the left, hair done up in knot, and curls falling over the neck, a coronet upon the forehead, bearing the word “Liberty.” Around the edge of the field are thirteen stars. Exergue, 1838. Reverse: An eagle with the U. S. shield upon its breast, an olive branch and three arrows in the talons. Legend: United States of America; exergue, “Ten D.” In 1860, a change was made by the introduction, on the field of the reverse, above the head and between the wings of the eagle, of a scroll inscribed, “In God We Trust,” and this constitutes the only change that has been made in the U. S. gold eagle coin since 1838. Half-eagles in 1839 were struck from an entirely new die, the design according with the change made in the eagle, except the exergue on the reverse, “Five D. ” The next change was made in 1866, when the scroll, with “In God We Trust,” was introduced upon the reverse. Since that time the only variations have been in the dates of issue.

The quarter-eagles of 1840 were made to conform with the larger coins in appearance, having the coroneted Liberty head, etc., as described, with exergue “23'j D” upon the reverse, and there has been no further change to the present time. The double-eagle was first coined in 1849, being authorized by act of Congress, dated May 3 of that year. Its weight was ordered to be 516 grains, and fineness 900. The obverse of the new piece showed a Liberty head, facing to the left, hair in a knot, curls falling about the neck; tho head carries a coronet on which is inscribed “Liberty;” thirteen stars are around the edge of the field, and exergue, 1849. Reverse: An eagle with wings expanded and elevated, on its breast the United States shield: a divided scroll, passing downward on each side, bears the words, “E Pluribus Unum;” a halo, or blaze, extends in a half-circle from wing to wing, inclosing thirteen stars; in the talons are grasped barbed arrows and an olive branch. Legend, “United States of America.” Exergue, “Twenty D.” The same devices were continued upon the coins of this denomination until 1866, when the motto, “InGod we trust,” was inserted among the stars, inside of the halo circle. No further changes were made until 1877, when the exergue on the reverse was altered to read “twenty iollars,” and the style then adopted is itill contimied.

The gold dollar also made its appearance in 1849, its coinage being authorized by act of March of that year; the weight was fixed at 25.8 grains, the gold to be 900 fine. This little coin had on its obverse the Liberty head, facing left, a band about the forehead, on which i* the word “Liberty,” and thirteen sixpointed stars around the edge of the field. Reverse, a laurel wreath inclosing, in three lines, the inscription, “1 Dollar, 1849,” and this is surrounded bv the legend, “United States of America.” A fifty-dollar gold piece came from the United States assay office at San Francisco in 1851. This assay office was established by act of Congress in 1850. There are two varieties of the SSO gold coin, popularly known as “the California Slug.” Though these pieces were never authorized by Congress, yet they were received and ranked as United States coin, and as such may here be properly noticed. An octagon shape characterizes both types; the first has, on the obverse, an eagle with upward spread wings, supporting a reclining United States shield. In the talons of the bird are grasped three arrows and an olive branch; from its beak, toward the left, flies a streamer inscribed “Liberty;” over the head of the eagle is another inset bearing 880 Thous., beneath is 50 D. C. Legend, United States of America. All this is inclosed in a beaded circle, outside of which, around the octagon

edge, is “Augustus Humbert, United Stiites Assuyer California of Gold, 1851.” The second SSO “slug” is generally similar to tho first, but is much more finely finished, and the error of transposition is corrected to read, Augustus Humbert, Assayer of Gold, California, 1851. The “Fifty D.” is also changed to Fifty Dolls. In both pieces the edge is grained, and the reverse, in each variety, shows a peculiar and intricate lining, but bears no inscription. A twenty-dollar piece, circular in form, with obverse similar to that within the circle of the “sing,” except, that the scroll is inscribed 800 Thous., and tho exergue reads “Twenty D.,” came, in 1853, from the San Francisco Assay Office. Its reverse bears the same web-work of lines as the SSO piece, but across the center is an open space on which is lettered in three lines: United States Assay Office of Gold, San Francisco, California. 1853.

A ten-dollar gold piece, identical in design with the last described, bu t having the exergue “Ten Dols.” and 884 Thous. in scroll on the obverse, and date, 1852, in the lettering of the reverse, is another specimen of this particular coinage, all of which is marked by the grained edge, and all of which, too, are invariably found equal to the weight and fineness claimed. A three-dollar gold piece was authorized by act of Congress, dated Feb. 21, 1853, the weight to be 77.4 grains, fineness 900. The first coins of this denomination Avere struck in 1854. On the obverse is: A head, representing an Indian princess, with hair lightly curling over the neck; head crowned with a circle of feathers, on the band of which is inscribed Liberty, and around the edge, as legend, United States of America; reverse: a wreath of tobacco, corn, wheat and cotton plants occupy the field; in it, in three lines, appears: 3 Dollars: 1854. No change was ever made in these dies except for date of year. The United States gold coins mentioned here valued, for collections, about as follows: Condition. Year. Coin. Fine. Fair. 1849. Double Eagle SBOO.OO $ 1850 to 1887. Double Eag1e.22.00 21.00 1838. Eagle, head to left. 20.00 14.0 C 1829-40. Eagle 15.00 12.00 1841-42. Eagle 14.00 11.00 1843 to 1888. Eagle 11.50 10.50 1834. Hali Eagle, new head 8.00 6.00 1835 to 18S7. Half Eagle 8.00 6.00 1854. $3 gold piece, head to left... 5.00 3.50 1855 to 1887. $3 gold piece 4.00 3.50 1834. Quarter Eagle, “E P. U.”.... 6.00 4.00 1834. Quarter Eagle, new head.... 6.00 4.00 1835 to 1888. Quarter Eagle 4.00 3.25 1849 to 1856. Gold d011ar....' 1.75 1.3 C 1856. Gold dollar, new head 3.00 2.00 1857 to 1862. Gold d011ar.....] 2.00 1.30 1863. Gold dollar. 10.00 6.00 1864. Gold dollar 6.00 4.00 1865. Gold dollar 10.00 6.00 1866-67. Gold dollar 6.00 3.00 1868. Gold dollar 3.00 1.50 1869. Gold dollar 4.00 1.50 1870-71. Gold dollar 2.50 1.50 1872. Gold dollar 4.00 2.00 1873-74. Gold dollar. 1.75 1.30 1875. Gold dollar 15.00 9.00 1876 to 1881. Gold dollar 2.00 1885 to 1887. Gold dollar 1.75 A. M. Smith, Numismatist. Minneapolis, Minn.

GOLD COINS OF THE UNITED STATES —DOUBLE EAGLES, ETC., AND CALIFORNIA GOLD ISSUES.