I went to the National Archives for the U.S. Mint..
PhillyJoe
Posts: 2,700 ✭✭✭✭
today and registered as a "researcher". The records for the Philadelphia Mint, beginning with 1792 (!) are available to review and research. (The Archives are located at 900 Chestnut Street.) Many are original documents, some are on microfilm. I called ahead and they sent a 36 page index which I'm still going through. My goal today was just to get my I.D. card. They ask that you schedule an appointment before doing research. Here's the cool part: When you call, tell them what you want to look at, i.e. letters from the Mint Director 1870-1876, coin production for 1960, 1803 gold shipments, etc. and they will have the material ready for you when you arrive.
I plan to do some research for a friend, and some other research for my own little project. (Shhh! for now). As time allows I will be trying to ferret out information that might make for an interesting article or two. This will all occur over the next few months, not weeks, but I can't wait to get started.
I want to thank BOILER 78 for giving me the website for the National Archives and Records Administration in a previous thread. These records have been in my backyard all this time and I needed a fellow member to point me in the right direction.
Joe
I plan to do some research for a friend, and some other research for my own little project. (Shhh! for now). As time allows I will be trying to ferret out information that might make for an interesting article or two. This will all occur over the next few months, not weeks, but I can't wait to get started.
I want to thank BOILER 78 for giving me the website for the National Archives and Records Administration in a previous thread. These records have been in my backyard all this time and I needed a fellow member to point me in the right direction.
Joe
The Philadelphia Mint: making coins since 1792. We make money by making money. Now in our 225th year thanks to no competition. 
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What building is 900 Chestnut? I get to 900 Walnut regularly (Wills Eye - actually now at 894 since they moved across the street last year).
One piece of advice: Do not go in with an agenda; you will be disappointed. Let the records tell whatever story the records tell.
Enjoy the search and good luck.
I should edit my previous post by saying the index is 56 pages. It, in itself, makes for interesting reading. If anyone would like to see the index, please PM your email and I will forward the attachments that the Archives sent me.
Joe
<< <i>Thank you for the advice, RH. >>
No prob. But, boy are you gonna be surprised at the diff between what the records say and what's been written.
Either most numismatic authors NEVER visit the archives or they did and didn't like what the records said so they made up their own story.
<< <i>and some other research for my own little project. (Shhh! for now). >>
I need a baited breath icon.
Russ, NCNE
I also noticed that under the section marked "Unusual, Wierd, & Bizarre" they gave me a box marked:
"PCGS/ForumMember/MadMarty"
Joe
I second the motion!
We all know that in the early years of the mint all of the gold and silver planchets were weighed and either condemned as being underweight or adjusted with a file if they were overweight. Since noticable adjustment marks for the most part disappeared during the first part of the 19th century I believe it has been assumed that with better equipment (Steam powered rolling mills and new rollers after 1816) that the need for individual planchet adjusting was no longer needed.
Yet in the index there is a listing for an adjustment book for 1901 - 1904 which is described as containing information on planchet adjustment including the number of planchets adjusted each day. So the individual adjustment of planchets must have continued until at least 1904. Much later than I ever expected.