Lookout for Sweated or Lightweight Gold Coins!! Also Counterfeit $1.00 ... 1917 Notice
philographer
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Interesting notice for sale on eBay. “ Up for auction is a rare 1917 Flier put out by the Post Office Dept at San Francisco warning the public about Sweated or light weight Gold Coins. The Officers in charge were Postal Inspector S.H.Morse and Secret Service Operative H.M. Moffitt. it measures 6.25 x 3.5 inches and has folds with a two inch tear along end of one fold and light edge wear”
He who knows he has enough is rich.
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Comments
That is quite interesting. 103 year old warning notice of problem coins. Counterfeits were evidently a problem at the time. Might explain for some rim bumps bouncing those coins off the counter for the ring test.
Yes I think it's also interesting that 1879 Morgans were “now circulating and apparently new” in 1917, released almost 40 years after they were minted. Little did they know how many would come out 45+ years later!
He who knows he has enough is rich.
That's why many old cash registers had marble ledges over the draws. The merchant would drop a silver or gold coin on the ledge. If there was a melodious ring, it was assumed to be real but if there was a dull thud, it was assumed to be a base metal counterfeit.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
That would be a nice piece to hang in a numismatic library. Thanks for sharing that.
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I'm surprised that gold dollars were still in circulation in 1917 which was 28 years after the mint stopped making them for circulation. I would have thought they would have been pulled from circulation by the banks and sent back to the Treasury for melting and reminting.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I am not reading this as gold dollars. I am reading this as gold 5, 10 and 20 dollars and silver .10, .50 and 1 dollar. Am I missing something?
I think you are correct. The circular was probably referring to silver dollars.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
They sure could not blame China for those....
Cheers, RickO
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I find it interesting that the kept the information from the public.
"Confidential"
"Do Not Post or Publish in Newspapers"
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I'm guessing they didn't want the general public to lose faith in their money.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I think they were trying to catch the person in the act and not alert him that they were onto him. Plus it has the after hours contact information for the important persons. Just my thought on it.
"tendered by questionable persons"... love it
Collector, occasional seller
I read it as gold dollars the first time through also, just because everything up to that point was gold.
I am surprised by the counterfeit Mercury dime. THey were still so new that you would expect people to take a look at them. Counterfeiters usually like to pass boring stuff.
Link?
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Looks like it has since sold...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1917-P-O-Dept-Flier-Warning-of-Sweated-US-Gold-Coins-San-Francisco-S-H-Morse-/232501248741
He who knows he has enough is rich.