Here's what happened to coins bags 0

[RWB]

H. L. Dodge Esq.

Supt. Mint

San Francisco.

 July 27, 1878.

 

Sir,

 In a lot of merchandise recently sent from this Dept. to the U. S. Mint at Philadelphia was a quantity of linen bags in which silver coin had been shipped from your Mint to the [Treasury] Dept. [in Washington D.C.]

 In answer to a letter from the Supt. of the Philad’a Mint I have directed him to deliver these bags to Maj. Dana, Quartermaster, U. S. A. for shipment to your Mint.

 Very respectfully,

R. E. Preston

Act’g Director

Edited December 25, 2023 by RWB

[Henri Charriere]

My uninformed guess is Kegs were heavy and unwieldy.  Canvas had a limited service life and developed holes over time. (I doubt there was concern over damage with prolonged friction.)  But linen?  Was silk too dear?  Was Linen used as an interim measure?  🤔 

[RWB]

The fabric used was "cotton Duck" of various weights - not actual "linen."

Edited December 26, 2023 by RWB

[Henri Charriere]

On 12/25/2023 at 11:49 PM, RWB said:

The fabric used was "cotton Duck" or various weights - not actual "linen."

Hey, I am only quoting the Act'g Director... maybe the BEP should have their vendor switch to cotton Duck if it's that durable. Then the dollars would last longer. I wonder if the envelopes of divisible were made of that stuff.

[zadok]

On 12/26/2023 at 5:34 AM, Henri Charriere said:

Hey, I am only quoting the Act'g Director... maybe the BEP should have their vendor switch to cotton Duck if it's that durable. Then the dollars would last longer. I wonder if the envelopes of divisible were made of that stuff.

...it wasnt originally called "duck" correct name was "doek"...which was a high quality linen fabric, cotton duck was introduced to coattail on the associated quality of doek with a lesser quality fabric, cotton, hence cotton duck...much like the jewelry industry calling gray quartz, smoky topaz...a verbal commercial slight of hand practice....