To catch a thief - 1875 cent with "marked" reverse

RogerB

The following letter excerpt from August 24, 1875 indicates that the Philadelphia Mint Coining Department Foreman marked a one-cent reverse die for the purpose of catching a thief of small coins.
Do any 1875 cents exist with something clearly different on the reverse.

"On the morning after our conference, I was satisfied from the evidence presented to me that [George] Mitchell had taken some of the one cent coin, and had them on his person, but being anxious to fix his guilt clearly beyond any cavil or doubt, I instructed Mr. Downing, the Foreman of the room, to mark the reverse die to be used on Monday so that the pieces struck from the die could be easily distinguished from other coins of the same denomination. I also instructed him not to use more than one coining press, so the Mitchell’s actions could be the more clearly watched, and that he should report to me any suspicious actions on Mitchell’s part. At about eleven A.M. Mr. Downing reported that Mitchell had been acting in a suspicious manner, and that in his judgement he then had some of the marked coin on his person."

Mitchell resigned the same day he was caught, August 16.

denga

This affair was originally published in the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine
of May 1972. The Redbook currently carries a photograph of an 1875 cent
thought to be from the reverse die in question.

yosclimber

1875 S-16 rev dot on N
from Rick Snow's site:
https://sites.google.com/indiancent.com/flying-eagle-and-indian-cent-b/home/1875/1875-s16

https://www.money.org/blog/Throwback-Thursday-The-secret-mark-on-the-1875-Indian-Head-cent
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/anyone-have-an-1875-dot-cent.124034/

Hemispherical

How did some of these coins get into circulatioqn after the thief was caught?

RogerB

I don't think the Numismatic Scrapbook article is publicly available.....

koynekwest

I may have a copy. I'll check and see.

CaptHenway

@Hemispherical said:
How did some of these coins get into circulatioqn after the thief was caught?

The die was not wasted. It was used and the coins struck from it released.

TommyType

Call me crazy....but this story, and coin, are a lot more interesting than a 3-legged Buffalo. Do these carry any premium? Or is it just not well known....

Timbuk3

Interesting story, thanks for sharing !!!

1Mike1

Interesting part of history. George is being remembered for all the wrong reasons. Those cents would have been worth .22 cents in today's money. Hardly seems worth the risk.

batumi

I purchased a nice 65RB 1875 cent years ago. I I don't believe it has that mark, as I think I would have noticed at purchase. I definitely will look for it the next time I have an opportunity. Interesting.

originalisbest

I remember reading an article about this in Coin World, the first time I'd heard of it. As Denga noted it's been known since the days of Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine. I agree it seems awfully foolish for George to risk his employment for such small reward; perhaps he figured that being small potatoes, this was something he could've gotten away with. Others were able to get away with nefarious behavior at the mints (1913 nickels) so perhaps he just wasn't that clever a thief.

topstuf

I've always been fascinated by this story. I first became aware of it through a listing on eBay I think.
I once mentioned it here and think one of our posters has the coin.

CaptHenway

As far as I am concerned, it was never established that the mark shown on the coin above is the mark referenced in the story. Might be, might not be.
TD

Namvet69

Great, something new to look for in my IHC's. Thanks for the who dunnit.

RogerB

Here's more of the August 24 letter where Snowden comments about Mitchell's mental condition. Also, remember that this person never rose above the level of "Helper" after 50 years at the Philadelphia Mint.

"Mr. Mitchell has been connected with this institution almost continually for over fifty (50) years – he is now a very old man, being upwards of seventy-six (76) years of age. Of late he has manifested in many ways the weakness of his mint, and I think it is but charity to say that his grave fault can be attributed to mental decay and weakness, more than to any other cause.

His feeblemindedness has manifested itself in a marked manner since his recent detection in peculations. At one moment he appears in the very depths of despair and humiliation – denouncing himself for the crime that has disgraced himself and his family – and the very next speaks of himself as a “poor victim of uncharitable people.” I have felt it my duty to present the whole facts, for such action as you may deem proper.

I will add that from present appearances I do not think that Mitchell will long survive this terrible blow. His mental suffering I will not attempt to describe – one cannot witness it unmoved."

Mitchell had 33 new one-cent coins in his pocket.

RogerB

A side note --

"Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine" contains a large amount of original, high quality material including many articles by Denga and others that, like the 1875 cent above, are gradually being re-discovered. Would it not be better for all if the copyright holders would release these articles to NNP or otherwise make them public in their entirety, than to keep so much information locked behind paper doors?

CaptHenway

Agreed.

asheland

Cool thread. I remember hearing about this sometime in the past.

johnny9434

cool story

BUFFNIXX

Here is one that was found "in the wild" at the FUN show this past January (2023)
supposedly only about 2 dozen have been found since 2008

mr1931S

Neat story. Cool item to look for at the upcoming shows. I expect that if 1875 cent gets too much wear though, the dot would not be visible if it ever had one.

mr1931S

@denga said:
This affair was originally published in the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine
of May 1972. The Redbook currently carries a photograph of an 1875 cent
thought to be from the reverse die in question.

The dot is very distinctly a dot as shown in the close-up picture of the real deal in my 2021 Redbook. I would seriously question "the dot" in the picture of the "in the wild" FUN find.

BUFFNIXX

@mr1874 said:

@denga said:
This affair was originally published in the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine
of May 1972. The Redbook currently carries a photograph of an 1875 cent
thought to be from the reverse die in question.

The dot is very distinctly a dot as shown in the close-up picture of the real deal in my 2021 Redbook. I would seriously question "the dot" in the picture of the "in the wild" FUN find.

Why would you question the verasity of the FUN show find?

lkenefic

Interesting old thread... thanks for the Resurrection...;)

DeplorableDan

@mr1874 said:

@denga said:
This affair was originally published in the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine
of May 1972. The Redbook currently carries a photograph of an 1875 cent
thought to be from the reverse die in question.

The dot is very distinctly a dot as shown in the close-up picture of the real deal in my 2021 Redbook. I would seriously question "the dot" in the picture of the "in the wild" FUN find.

It looks the same to me in those images, even though its not a close up, its in the same exact location and appears to be the same shape.