More on the First Morgan Minted
Veep
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Yesterday, Hockeyman, a YN from Ohio, posted a thread about having seen the first ever minted Morgan dollar on a field trip to the Rutherford B. Hayes Museum in Fremont, Ohio. That got my interest up, so I traded e-mails with Tom Culbertson the Director of the museum. As a result, he also faxed me a copy of a Sept. 10, 1980 Coin World article by Leroy Van Allen of VAM fame. He also travelled, some 20+ years ago, to the museum to see the first Morgan. Here are some excerpts from the article:
"... Rutherford B. Hayes had expressed a desire to posess the first specimen of the Morgan Dollar (then called the "Bland" dollar). This was despite his veto of the bill which was passed anyway as the Bland-Allison Act."
" the front page of the March 13, 1878 issue of the Cincinnatti Commercial Newspaper gave an account of the striking of the first Morgan dollar at the Philadelphia Mint on March 11, 1878: ...The first of the new silver dollars...rolled down into the catch box with a clunk...a poor, blurred and deformed silver dollar, that had to be melted over again. Dollar No. 2 came out glittering and perfect. That was the "veto" coin because the first piece goes to President Hayes..."
"...(we found) an envelope faded on one side had the words "His Excellency, Rutherford B. Hayes, President- First Silver Dollar Coined, Phila. 1878." Next to it lay a folded card with the words: "Mint U.S. Philadelphia, Coiner's Department, March 11, 1878- I hereby certify that the Silver Dollar enclosed in case No. 1, is the first one of the Dollar authorized by the Act of 1878, struck in the presses used for the regular coinage in the Mint of the United States. The card was signed by O.C. Bosbyshell, Coiner and J.A. Pollock, Superintendant..."
By the way Van Allen identified the coin as proof, VAM 9, eight tail feather variety.
"... Rutherford B. Hayes had expressed a desire to posess the first specimen of the Morgan Dollar (then called the "Bland" dollar). This was despite his veto of the bill which was passed anyway as the Bland-Allison Act."
" the front page of the March 13, 1878 issue of the Cincinnatti Commercial Newspaper gave an account of the striking of the first Morgan dollar at the Philadelphia Mint on March 11, 1878: ...The first of the new silver dollars...rolled down into the catch box with a clunk...a poor, blurred and deformed silver dollar, that had to be melted over again. Dollar No. 2 came out glittering and perfect. That was the "veto" coin because the first piece goes to President Hayes..."
"...(we found) an envelope faded on one side had the words "His Excellency, Rutherford B. Hayes, President- First Silver Dollar Coined, Phila. 1878." Next to it lay a folded card with the words: "Mint U.S. Philadelphia, Coiner's Department, March 11, 1878- I hereby certify that the Silver Dollar enclosed in case No. 1, is the first one of the Dollar authorized by the Act of 1878, struck in the presses used for the regular coinage in the Mint of the United States. The card was signed by O.C. Bosbyshell, Coiner and J.A. Pollock, Superintendant..."
By the way Van Allen identified the coin as proof, VAM 9, eight tail feather variety.
"Let me tell ya Bud, you can buy junk anytime!"
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Cameron Kiefer
<< <i>I am not aware that a digital or other image of the coin exists. >>
I thought there was a picture of the coin in the Coin World article. I admit I haven't seen the article in 23 years but I seen to recall pictures of both the coin and the box.
<< <i>I thought there was a picture of the coin in the Coin World article. I admit I haven't seen the article in 23 years but I seen to recall pictures of both the coin and the box. >>
I believe Conder101 is right. I have this article stashed some where. If I can find it I'll scan the pictures, and put it up in this thread.
He also has an interesting website with an article he wrote why the 1878 8TF really isn't a 8 TF: Text
Veep, didn't that article mention that the museum had two of those dollars, the first and I think it was either the second or third one struck? They had to use some descriptions or something in the documentation to deduce which coin was actually the first one struck.
Artr, if you can find the article I would like to get a photocopy or OCR file of it. Memory fades.
<< <i>didn't that article mention that the museum had two of those dollars, the first and I think it was either the second or third one struck? They had to use some descriptions or something in the documentation to deduce which coin was actually the first one struck. >>
If I remember correctly the museum did have two dollars. The dollars were enclosed in individual holders, one of which was marked with the number 1. The museum had a card signed by Bosbyshell, and the mint superintendent Pollack which stated that the coin in holder number 1 was the first Morgan struck.
Thanks
John Marnard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace, 1920, page 235ff
Yes I do.
<< <i>If I remember correctly the museum did have two dollars. The dollars were enclosed in individual holders, one of which was marked with the number 1. The museum had a card signed by Bosbyshell, and the mint superintendent Pollack which stated that the coin in holder number 1 was the first Morgan struck. >>
Sorry just reread Veep's post and noticed he had mentioned this.
I want to see this coin too...wonder how good the alarm system is where it's kept.....
<< <i>Great story, thanks for sharing.
I want to see this coin too...wonder how good the alarm system is where it's kept.....
I thought you wanted to SEE it, your alarm concerns indicate a rather nefarious intent............
John Marnard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace, 1920, page 235ff