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Member of Congress requests Goloid metric set
RogerB
Posts: 8,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
Thought this might be of interest. There are other similar letters.
The letter was located Monday, April 2.
2
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Did you find about 300 of these letters?
The 1879 Flowing Hair Stella is the most available of the four known varieties, as this was the version produced for Congress. Although 425 pieces were supposedly struck, it is likely that as many as 725 were minted in total. One numismatic legend states that most Congressmen gave their "Stellas" to mistresses as gifts, which would explain the large number of ex-jewelry specimens known today. The other three varieties, the 1879 Coiled Hair, the 1880 Flowing Hair, and the 1880 Coiled Hair are all significantly more rare.
Above quoted from: http://www.usrarecoininvestments.com/coin_info/$4_stella/1879_flowing_hair.htm
The 300 extra must be from this: Below snipped from the 1880 Congressional Record:
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
Cool !!!
Some members of Congress asked that their set be assigned to a constituent or coin collecting friend. So far, I've located no references to any large quantities sold to one buyer.
The $4 gold pieces were popular jewelry items, as were $3 coins, due to the design. There is no contemporary evidence of unusual association of the $4 with Washington prostitutes.
The polite term in that day was "soiled doves"
Roger - did you come across the May 17th Circular? Found it interesting the Congressmen were to pay value of the actual metals - and they were buying $6 face for $6.10 so soon after minting.
From Indiana's: Daily News,Franklin, Johnson County, 2 March 1880
You had some posts where certain numismatic terminology attempted to be traced. Imagine if these patterns had the nickname "Mongrel" stuck to them.
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
Is it too late for me to send in my request? Dang it, I may have missed the deadline.
Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner.
The face value of a pattern piece was irrelevant. They were not legal tender coins so the Mint charged either the metal value or some fixed advance to cover costs. In this instance, $6.10 to members of Congress covered metal value. I recall that when Members allocated their sets to non-Members, sometimes postage was added.
At other times, such as for Trade dollar pattern sets, the Director fixed a price well above the metal content specifically to recover part of the design & manufacturing cost. But, nothing was standard because policy, regulations and convenience (plus political pull) affected how and to whom patterns were sold or given (as in the case of most copper pieces).
Bottom line: it wasn't simple.
Sorry Keyman, the Florida Congressional delegation already bought theirs.