RWB

Where did you "learn" this cent might be valuable? It's nothing but a slightly under weight cent of no special importance, interest or value. So you want to spend $50+ to have beat up pocket change put in a plastic holder?

There are a couple of letters where Treasury officials state that on of the reasons for melting the coins in Treasury's vaults was so they could never be re-issued. If you look through the Congressional Record you'll see that several members wanted to return these coins to circulation at double their face value. (None of the discussions I've seen go into anything beyond a knee-jerk proposal.) Former Rep. Ashbrook, who got the ANA charter approved and was deeply involved in profiteering from the 1907 design changes, was one of the politicians who did not like dropping the gold exchange standard.

Depositors are Assay Offices were usually paid by check drawn on a large financial center, such as New York and sometimes Philadelphia or San Francisco. These were accepted at 100%, although in the first months of Seattle's operation local banks tried to extract 2 or 3%. Roberts asked for supplemental appropriations and additional clerks to handle the deposit volume. Criminals were just as ubiquitous then as now. The methods of identifying them were more limited. Gold dust was a unique problem because it all looked much alike. Stolen dust looked just like miner Pierre's deposit of Klondike dust.

The smallest ships I've seen in the Californian trade were 600 tons burthen, with a few as large as 3,000 tons. (corrected).

Ooooh--- I hake that one.

All the other ship ads also refer to "tons burthen" of the ship. See explanation, below. "Tonnage, in the context of ships, refers to the total weight or capacity of a vessel. It is a measurement of the volume of enclosed space within the ship, including cargo, fuel, and passengers. On the other hand, burthen (sometimes spelled burden) is a term used to describe the carrying capacity of a ship. It represents the maximum weight a ship can carry, including cargo, provisions, and crew." [See: https://thecontentauthority.com/blog/tonnage-vs-burthen ] [It might also refer to the total mass of Sumo wrestlers that can fit in the main cabin of a ship before it sinks. ]

1852.

"Bots" are also logged as Guests.

Here's your transportation and approximate cost. The "twelve miles of land transportation" was on mule back.

It was the only mint for 40+ years, so it needed no identifying mark. (Still doesn't.)

It was the idea of mint director James Ross Snowden as mentioned in this letter. I directed the Engraver some weeks ago to prepare dies. They will be made in time. The coins struck at this Mint have no particular mark on them; those struck at the Branch Mint are designated by a letter as follows – New Orleans, “O”; Dahlonega, “D”; Charlotte , “C”. I have instructed the Engraver to put [on] the letter “S” for the Branch at San Francisco. [Excerpt from letter dated September 10, 1853 to James Guthrie, Sec. of Treasury from J. R.Snowden. RG104 E-11 Box 43 1850-53 San Francisco.]

Seattle opened in July 1898 and immediately became the largest gold deposit Assay Office outside of the NYAO....about $5.6 million per year. Much of this was from Alaska and the Klondike.

Common date in circulated condition. Might be worth $25-$30 or about silver melt. (Not enough to by one dinner in a nice restaurant.)

Counterfeit.

Impressive collection and presentation. Leave it alone. Sticking these into holders would ruin the visual effect and relationship. If you decide to sell in the future, an auction company will be the best one to decide on "certification." (Presuming you have the original paperwork from the private producers. What could NGC or PCGS add that would make their "certification" meaningful?)

Sharp photos would be helpful. I've found no mention of assayers F. M. for 1805....only T. H.

Here's a good joke right from the Mint Bureau itself !

Geeee...Didn't realize the Franklin Mint was in business back then!

You've probably seen this before, but here is one of the earlier communications about coins struck at the New Orleans Mint from stolen bullion in 1861. Oct. 4, 1880. Sir, I have received your letter of the 2nd instant enclosing a letter from Buffalo, relative to the striking of coins at the New Orleans Mint after that institution had passed into the hands of the Confederacy. The report of the Director of the Mint for 1861 states that “since the 31st day of January 1861 no deposit has been received from this branch.” Consequently the statistics of coinage at that Mint embraced nothing subsequent to that date. The Coiner’s books however show some twenty-four deliveries of coin to the Superintendent from February 13th to May 30th comprising $264,820 in double eagles and $1,101,316.50 in half dollars. I have replied to the letter enclosed in your communication. Very respectfully, Horatio C. Burchard Director A. Loudon Snowden Esq., Supt. Mint at Philadelphia.

Possibly the most important first principle: Collect for personal interest and to learn about American history. That is, leave the money part behind until you have a firm grasp of the basics.

The primary international gold coin was the sovereign and other pieces of the same size and gold content. US coins were never major international bullion pieces. Eagles were in greater demand than Double Eagles as were Half Eagles until the awful "Indian Head" version. All U.S. military and diplomatic actions during and after WW-2 used sovereigns, Napoleons, and occasionally Canadian, Italian lira, Swiss francs, etc. In negotiations with French and Libyans in North Africa, U.S. gold coins were rejected for their unfamiliarity to locals. The three pages below, from the book Saudi Gold and other tales from the Mint describes the situation more fully. (Start midway on page 164 and read through page 166.)

Internal US Mint assays consistently showed from zero (0) to a few thousandths of tin in cents from after May 1942 to official elimination 20 years later. The only purpose of the assays was to be able to say they were complying with current law -- if Congress asked. The "trace of tin" was supplied by adding pre-1942 culls and scrap alloy to each melt, but only enough to allow tin to be measured. This meant that planchets from any individual batch only matched those from a different batch by coincidence.

The Seattle AO didn't have a vault -- just two old safes.

https://www.lbma.org.uk/wonders-of-gold/items/the-bazor-the-franc-that-never-was

"Home, home on the range, where doggies all have the mange..."