Letter supports poor US Mint coin quality during 1920s. Polish article link added. 0

[RWB]

Active collectors of silver and minor coins produced during the 1920s are aware of the generally low quality of these pieces. Problems range from poor details, excessive marks and scratches, and uneven or rough rims.

The letter, below, shows that the Philadelphia Mint was fully equal to similar poor quality coinage when working for a foreign country – and making a profit in the business. This letter, prepared by a senior Polish official in Warsaw, supports insinuations of incompetence of Mint Director Grant and his officers.

Warsaw, Poland

24 October 1924

Inclosure to letter dated 11.8.24

No. 69

The Honorable

The Secretary of State,

Washington

 Sir:

I have the honor to confirm my telegram No. 25 of October 20th, 1924, 6 p.m., stating that the first shipment of Polish two-zloty coins arrived in a somewhat unsatisfactory condition. The telegram stated in error that the amount was one million two hundred thousand dollars worth of coins instead of one million two hundred thousand coins.

 Official inspection of the shipment is being made now and it is understood that no action will be taken, nor the Foreign Office informed, until after the inspection has been completed. Information has reached this Legation, however, to the effect that the die is in insufficient relief and that the eagle is incorrectly drawn in some slight respects and is also inverted. A large number of the coins are said to be scarred and in some cases actually gouged as if by some sharp instrument. The weight of the pieces is reported to vary as much as fifty milligrams above and thirty below the variation [tolerance] allowed under the contract. Great stress is laid on the fact that the coins are inferior to those made in France and England.

 At first the Director of the Mint, who approached the Commercial Attaché in an informal manner, was inclined to recommend that payment which was due delivery be withheld. He was advised, however, that payment should be made and that, if the result of the inspection finally warranted, claim could be entered.

 It is difficult to believe that the rumors of the inspection are not exaggerated in some degree and that the condition of the coins may not be found acceptable after all; the fault of the dies which the Legation understands were made in France can hardly be laid at the door of the Philadelphia Mint. The discrepancy in weight remains to be proven and the damage and scarring may have occurred in transit. A picture on page 179 of the September issue of “Poland” shows a secretary of the Polish Legation in Washington inspecting at the Mint the first of the Polish coins struck off.

 The Legation has not been officially approached on the subject up to the present but will not fail to keep the Department informed of the results of the inspection of the coins.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by RWB

[RWB]

Paris Mint 1924

Philadelphia Mint 1924 (dies made in Paris)

Edited November 15, 2023 by RWB

[VKurtB]

Having recently seen the Monnaie de Paris “up close and personal”, I can attest the United States Mint is STILL cranking out an inferior product. Not much has changed in 99 years.

[Henri Charriere]

What an embarrassment!

[zadok]

On 11/14/2023 at 8:41 PM, VKurtB said:

Having recently seen the Monnaie de Paris “up close and personal”, I can attest the United States Mint is STILL cranking out an inferior product. Not much has changed in 99 years.

...if not more than, last truly artistic US coinage 1916 n then again the re-issuance in 2016...couple of the commemoratives had merit...out side of those nada....

[cladking]

US mint quality ranges from adequate to very poor in the last century.  In the late '30's they approached adequate and they hit their lowest point in 1966.  Most of the '66 quarters were abysmal quality with fewer than 2 or 3% that might be considered "Gem" coming off the press.  Most of these were then torn up in the machinery.  Not only were there so few nice coins but the typical quality was remarkably poor with most coins poorly stuck by heavily worn dies.  The dies were set far apart to save them from wear and then they were worn down to the nub anyway.  I suspect most of the Gems they tried to make badly and failed.  Quality has improved in fits and starts ever since but the big improvements came in 1999 when people started paying attention to the coins.  

Some of the Europeans mints strike almost exclusively Gems and manage to get most of them out of the mint in nearly pristine condition.  Switzerland has the highest quality.  

[olympicsos]

The best time artistically for US coinage was also the time where the US mint slipped in quality. I have a gut feeling that the departure of Charles Barber was when mint operations became worse. 

[RWB]

On 11/17/2023 at 3:26 PM, olympicsos said:

The best time artistically for US coinage was also the time where the US mint slipped in quality. I have a gut feeling that the departure of Charles Barber was when mint operations became worse. 

Andrew Mellon played a large role in starving the Mint Bureau for funds to repair and replace equipment abused during the war years. Director Grant was a complete wuss. He had the backbone and talent of a common earthworm.

[RWB]

Here is a link to an article about the above Polish coins. The article is in Polish with an option for an English translation. The excellent article by Krzysztof Kitzmann documents one of the more unusual foreign coinage contracts of the Mint Bureau.

https://monetydrugiejrp.blogspot.com/2023/11/pierwsze-z-filadelfii.html

listopada 18, 2023

Pierwsze z Filadelfii...

Emocje odkryć… Jeśli ktoś z Was kiedykolwiek szukał wyjaśnienia jakiejś zagadki i odnalazł je, wie jakie temu towarzyszą emocje. Jeśli chodzi o monety, to uczucie jakie mi towarzyszy podczas odkrywania tych małych skarbów czy to w epokowej prasie, w dokumentach, czy w szufladach muzealnych gabinetów jest nie do opisania.

Dziś kolejne odkrycie z kolekcji monet II RP The Royal Mint Museum, choć jak przeczytacie i zobaczycie - nie tylko...

Edited November 19, 2023 by RWB

[Fenntucky Mike]

Was it normal for the U.S. Mint to number samples in this manner?

[RWB]

On 11/18/2023 at 5:00 PM, Fenntucky Mike said:

Was it normal for the U.S. Mint to number samples in this manner?

No. I've never seen it before. Usually, samples were put into paper envelopes and then labeled. But -- the whole subject of US coinage for foreign nations is a very lightly studied subject, so much likely remains to be discovered.

PS: Foreign coinage files are also a concentrated source of information about the cost of this coinage and materials, and about US Mint procedures that are not, as far as I can tell, available elsewhere in such detail and precision.

Edited November 19, 2023 by RWB