"Secret History of the First U.S. Mint"

EagleEye

Arrived from the Printer yesterday and is now available at FUN at the Whitman booth. It is a great read and a very informative book.

Just a quick glance brought my eye to a picture of a coining press at the 1864 "Great Sanitary Fair" offering tokens for 10c for copper and 50c for silver. Post one if you have one!


Authors Joel Orosz and Len Augsburger did a great job!

RWB

Highly recommended. This dispels many of the myths about the first mint in Philadelphia.

ANACONDA

Sounds like a very interesting read......they certainly "got away with" quite a few things..

Dentuck

Rick, thank you for helping to spread the news.

Folks, please line up at the Whitman booth in an orderly fashion. If the book sells out at the FUN show before you get a copy, you can order it online or from your favorite bookseller.

I'll add my kudos to Len and Joel --- they've written a great history.

ricko

That sounds interesting... will check it out. Cheers, RickO

RWB

I heard there was a long line....

Loupe

I need to place an order... Have any, Rick?

astrorat

<< <i>Rick, thank you for helping to spread the news.

Folks, please line up at the Whitman booth in an orderly fashion. If the book sells out at the FUN show before you get a copy, you can order it online or from your favorite bookseller.

I'll add my kudos to Len and Joel --- they've written a great history. >>

So ... Dennis ... how about a PCGS Board Special on the book?

Thanks, Rick, for the report. I look forward to picking up a copy.

Lane

Dentuck

<< <i>So ... Dennis ... how about a PCGS Board Special on the book?
Lane >>




The entire city of Atlanta is shut down because of snow and freezing rain. I haven't even seen an advance copy myself, yet! It's held up in a UPS warehouse somewhere. Oh, how I envy those collectors who got a copy at FUN!

BillJones

<< <i>Just a quick glance brought my eye to a picture of a coining press at the 1864 "Great Sanitary Fair" offering tokens for 10c for copper and 50c for silver. Post one if you have one! >>



Okay, I'll post three!

First here is the 10 cent model in copper. There are a number of reverse die sub varieites of this piece, but I've never made a study or collection of them.



And the 50 cent model in silver.



And here's one that is listed, but seldom seen, the gold plated variety. I don't think that this was sold at the fair although it might have been given out special people. One of the larger CWT dealers had a small hoard of these years ago, and I picked the best one he had when I got a crack at it. I've not seen it offered very much since then.

BillyGoatsGruff

Similar to the tokens above:

fishteeth

denga

These tokens form an interesting chapter in the history of the Mint. Those sold at the Fair
were made on a Mint press and used regular bronze cent planchets made in the Mint. The
dies were prepared by Chief Engraver James Longacre. In my opinion these can be called
semi-official or just coin-medals, whichever sounds the more interesting. Furthermore the
bronze pieces were specifically authorized by the Treasury Secretary. Mint records do not
mention the silver pieces, however.