1858 - Robbery at the Philadelphia Mint Cabinet of Coins 0

[RWB]

This transcription is of a memorandum regarding the robbery of the Mint Cabinet of Coins, Medals and Ores, August 18, 1858. The bar and $25 Templeton Reid coin were, reportedly, not recovered.

Robbery in the Cabinet, August 18, 1858.

             About ten or eleven o’clock this morning, the case in the circle, containing experimental and pattern pieces of the United States, was opened by a company of three men, who spent some time in the rooms, watching [for] an opportunity, and engaging the attendant with questions. The following pieces were taken out.

·        One gold piece, twenty-five dollars, issued by Templeton Reid in California, 1849.

·        Two gold pieces, each twenty dollars, issued by Moffatt & Company in California, 1853.

·        Two gold pieces of the U.S. Assay Office, San Francisco, 1853, each twenty dollars.

·        Two gold pieces, octagonal, each fifty dollars, of Augustus Humbert, U.S. Assayer, San Francisco, 1851.

·        One gold bar, stamped “F. D. Kohler, State Assayer, Cal. 1850, 221-1/8 carats $40.07.”

            The whole intrinsic and cost price was $245.07; but the pieces being rare, would have commanded a higher price [from collectors].

            Three of the perpetrators were soon after arrested, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary. The skeleton key with which they opened the case, was left here by a police officer. (After serving their time in prison, some of them came into the Cabinet again, apparently prowling for an opportunity to steal; but perceiving that they were watched, they decamped.)

Edited September 17, 2021 by RWB
Correction per Mr. Lange

[DWLange]

The $25 Templeton Reid piece was unique and has not been seen since. Since it looked nothing like a federal coin and thus could be neither spent nor deposited at a bank, the robbers are believed to have melted it.

[RWB]

OK. Thanks for the correction.

[Mohawk]

To reference back to another post of yours, Roger, good thing for the thieves that they didn't do this during the Middle Ages.  What they would have gotten would have been a lot worse than a trip to the penitentiary. I'm thinking that if this had happened in the Eastern Roman Empire, they would have been down a nose, one or both hands and possibly their eyes......if they weren't outright executed.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Mohawk

[RWB]

That's true. Punishment for crimes, or personal beliefs classified as crimes, were very limited. Death, slavery, mutilation and branding were most of the list - governments did not have prisons, they were expensive to maintain. Brits were considered magnanimous in using "Transportation" for petty criminals in the 18th century.