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Another kind of USA Mint information we don't have

RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited March 16, 2019 7:31AM in U.S. Coin Forum

The form shown below is yet another type of information we no longer have about how the Mints operated. Original digitized by the Newman Numismatic Portal.

Comments

  • AlexinPAAlexinPA Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very interesting piece of mint history. Thanks for posting it. 88 to 102 degrees; wow!

  • CCDollarCCDollar Posts: 721 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 16, 2019 9:24AM

    Way too cool. "It's a Clinker!"

    CC_

    Nickel Triumph...My Led Zepps
  • HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What is an “Artesian Humping Engine?”

    I assume it is pumping ground/well water for the Mint’s use.

    Definition of artesian
    involving, relating to, or supplied by the upward movement of water under hydrostatic pressure in rocks or unconsolidated material beneath the earth's surface
  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 16, 2019 11:02AM

    The Mint could not get enough water from the Philadelphia City system, so they had an artesian well dug in the basement. Hence the use of a pump.

    [The other answer is -- the humping engine was used only on Wednesday afternoon for motivational purposes.]

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow...interesting indeed.... and working conditions were definitely a bit more difficult in those days...Thanks Roger... Cheers, RickO

  • WDHWDH Posts: 163 ✭✭✭

    Any info on the "waxing machines"?

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 16, 2019 1:22PM

    Coinage strips were waxed so they would pull through the drawbench dies without "chattering" (i.e., smoothly).

    This is the only example I recall seeing. It's just another piece of what was "under the hood" that made the Mint factories work.

  • LJenkins11LJenkins11 Posts: 792 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I really enjoy these sort of historical document posts, such insight into the past. Keep it up @RogerB great work.

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The three main steam engines were connected to belt and pulley systems that transferred power to all of the machines in the mint building. Most machines also had flywheels that acted as power moderators to smooth energy transfer.

  • Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,710 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "Ditto" and "nearly all the time", by far my favorite technical terms.

  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,352 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Reading through the boxes of documents in the mint archives, at least for the years I seem to be in right now - mid-late 1800's, it's funny how many documents are not specifically related to actual minting of coins.

    This % is by no means scientific, just off the top of my head as I try to equal 100%, the letters of this era are approximately:

    20% - Ore deposits, assay results, and account balances
    15% - Related to actual minting of coins, die preparations, patterns and approvals, planchets, die steel - actual "Coin Stuff"
    10% - Coinage reports - Monthly/Quarterly/Yearly coinage struck, dies prepared, resources used or transferred
    10% - Personnel matters - payroll, titles, duties, leaves of absence, firings, etc
    10% - Items running the mint operations - Coal, jugs, wood, stationary, equipment repairs and maintenance
    10% - Letters asking about Mexican Silver coins, exchanges of old coins for new, turning in mutilated coins, price quotes
    10% - Letters requesting proof sets, coins of certain years, asking about unique coins in their possession, mintage figures, etc
    10% - Medals and other mint projects and research and testing
    5% - Letters saying your letter was received (basically today's e-mail read receipts)

    I guess the point was - for being the "US Mint" at least back in these days - correspondence-wise, minting coins seemed like a part-time endeavor lol.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 18, 2019 12:01PM

    There was a lot of administrative and managerial overhead. Plus the multitude of internal and external reports - many on a daily basis - must have consumed much time. And -- all of it on paper.

    Here's the Cashier's Daily Statement for Dec 29, 1921, Philadelphia Mint. This for was completed every workday at the close of business. (This one shows deliver of 200,103 Peace dollars.

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,281 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RogerB said:
    Coinage strips were waxed so they would pull through the drawbench dies without "chattering" (i.e., smoothly).

    This is the only example I recall seeing. It's just another piece of what was "under the hood" that made the Mint factories work.

    I understand "Wax on," but did they ever "Wax off" the strip when it was down to its finished thickness? THis could explain why Morgan dollars get such interesting toning.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 18, 2019 5:29PM

    Yes. the strips were cleaned. Blanks were also cleaned as were the planchets. All this took place in the "Whitening Room." A description of the various cleaners used is in From Mine to Mint.

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