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United States Mint Expenses in 1795
Nysoto
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An image from my 2010 research at the National Archives, for the last quarter of 1795 estimated expenses for Assaying, Coining, and Engraving Departments, and misc.
Three new sets of rollers for Coiner Henry Voigt as they had difficulty with the initial rolling machinery. The assistant engraver was John Smith Gardner reporting to Robert Scot.
New furniture for the officers, and three barrels of rum!
Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
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I wonder what the three barrels of rum were for..... A political event? Rations in the dining hall? Cheers, RickO
afford, thanks - will work on the other thread later this weekend now that I have some free time.
The Die Forger and Turner was Adam Eckfeldt. Also, the Office of the Melter and Refiner was not established at that point in time, so it was under the Assay dept.
Three barrels of rum...maybe that explains some of the variability in quality on early coinage...LOL.
Interesting stuff!
Ricko - I don't know what the rum was used for, one could only speculate. Letter punch engraver Jacob Bay was sent home one day in 1795 for being drunk.
Robert Scot developed the engraver's department forecast, below is the original from Record Group 104 at the National Archives. His assistant, John Smith Gardner, had no record of engraving before or after the mint, so his work was punching letters and other less skilled work. There is absolutely no evidence that Gardner had the skill to engraver original die designs, as some have incorrectly described.
Also from Record Group 104, a March 1795 expense report, and a letter from President George Washington regarding the resignation of second Mint Director Henry De Saussure.