Steps toward the 1856 small cent 0

[RWB]

This letter describes some of the alloy options for a small-size cent and the opinions of Mint Director Snowden.

Mint of the United States

Philadelphia

 Hon. James Guthrie,

Secretary of the Treasury

Washington City

 March 25, 1856

 Sir,

            By reference to the 5^th Section of the bill “relative to foreign coins and the coinage of cents,” which I prepared at the request of the Chairman of the Committee on Finance in the Senate, it will be seen that it was proposed not to fix authoritatively at present the metal and alloy for the same. But the Chairman of the Committee has subsequently requested that I should so modify the Section as to define its constituent parts.

            If a bronze or copper cent of reduced weight is preferred, the 5^th Section of the proposed law may be modified as follows:

            Sect. 5. That from and after the passage of this act, the standard weight of the cent coined at the Mint shall be ninety-six grains, or two tenths of one ounce troy, with no greater deviation than four grains in each piece; that said cent shall be composed of copper with an admixture not exceeding 5 percent in weight of metals which may render it more suitable for the purposes of coinage, and of such shape and device as may be fixed by the Director of the Mint, with the approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury. And that said cent piece shall pass current as money and be a legal tender at the value of one hundredth of a dollar for sums not exceeding ten cents.

            If the nickel or german [sic] silver cent is preferred, then the 5^th section should be amended as follows:

            Sect. 5. That from and after the passage of this act, the standard weight of the cent coined at the Mint shall be forty-eight grains, or one tenth of one ounce troy, with no greater deviation than two grains in each piece; to be composed of two-fifths by weight of pure nickel and of three-fifths of an alloy which alloy shall be of copper, or of copper and zinc in the proportions best adapted to the operations of coinage, and of such shape and devices, etc., (as in the above Section).

            Remarks. The intrinsic value of the nickel or german silver cent would be about 7/10 of a cent; allowing for the expense of coinage and transportation the net profit on the issue would be about 28 percent. This profit is somewhat below that which would arise from the bronze or copper cent, but would be sufficient for the purposes embraced in the proposed law. The size of the piece would be about that of the gold dollar in diameter, and of about 3 times the thickness, having thus in point of lightness and portability an advantage over any coins composed of copper.

            If the Committee should desire or expect from me an expression of preference, I would frankly avow a difficulty at present in doing this, for the reasons stated in my communication of the 12^th ulto. The judgement of a few persons, however mature, might, after all, be opposed by the taste or predilections of the public at large. It may in a few words be said, that on the one hand, copper is familiarly known, and generally used, in coinage, that, on the other, the nickel alloy admits of a greater reduction in size, and is more likely to maintain a clean surface and uniform color. Either metal is well adapted so far as the working is concerned.

            In case the copper coin is made legal, there can be no doubt of its going into circulation at once, without any doubt; there would be some doubt as to the other, which is new and unusual – a somewhat similar alloy having only been tried in one country, Switzerland, by a statute, and an experimental issue of pieces in accordance.

            Specimens of the copper or bronze cent and of the nickel cent are, I believe, in the possession of the Department and of the Committee on Finance. These will show the color and appearance of the different mixtures but are not fair specimens of the coin because it would be desirable to make the devices on the nickel cent as distinctive as possible in order to prevent an observing person from mistaking it for silver. The size of this coin is also much too large in the sample. I send herewith a specimen of the Swiss coinage which is of german silver containing a larger proportion of zinc than of nickel, and inferior in quality to the alloy herein proposed. As this is the only specimen we have at the Mint, I have to request that it be returned, after it has been inspected.

            I have the honor to be, with great respect,

            Your faithful servant,

            James Ross Snowden, Director

           

Edited June 24, 2023 by RWB

[ldhair]

Fun read. 

[RWB]

In another letter Snowden mentions using a half cent die to make sample cents in different alloys.

[GoldFinger1969]

And yet, from what I have read, these same meticulous Mint higher-ups at this time and for the next few decades were experimenting with all different kinds of patterns....mix-and-match reverse/obverse combination....and different, unauthorized metals.

That's where many of the sought-after patterns of today were created.

[RWB]

On 6/24/2023 at 4:31 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

And yet, from what I have read, these same meticulous Mint higher-ups at this time and for the next few decades were experimenting with all different kinds of patterns....mix-and-match reverse/obverse combination....and different, unauthorized metals.

That's where many of the sought-after patterns of today were created.

In the research I've completed so far, most of the "monkey business" took place during the latter part of Pollock's 1st term and his 2nd, plus Linderman's before 1873. A.L. Snowden's term as Superintendent at Philadelphia, and Linderman's as Director in Washington saw mules and restrikes of mules. The House Coinage Committee was complicit in some of this. Dir Kimball put an end to most of it.

It's worth adding that many of the pattern alloys have never actually been tested -- the "experts" merely guessed.

 

[Henri Charriere]

".... the judgement of a few persons, however mature, might, after all, be opposed by the taste or predilection of the public at large.... "

The formality is music to my ears! Ah, I tell you, I should have been born a hundred years earlier.

It is my understanding the first commercially-made typewriters were not patented until two years after this letter was written.

Thanks for the transcription!