Mint Researchers - One More Call for Help
RKKay
Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭
Any idea who wrote this and when? I assume it is sometime in 1863. Thanks for your help.
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RKKay
Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭
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Specializing in 1854 and 1855 large FE patterns
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We are informed that their will be blah blah of the new cent.
And whoever wrote it.....its "there" and not "their".
Composed of nickel and copper. The originator of the coin was ?
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
Guess using "their" for "there" isn't a new phenomenon
This is what I think the letter says:
New CentsWe are informed that their[sic] will be no [???] [???] [???] of the new cent, composed of nickel and copper. The originator of the coin was sanguine that any quantity of the first-named metal could be obtained at the Nickel mine in Lancaster County, but all interested parties are now [???] in consequence of the mine only yielding about 2 1/2 per cent of the metal. Six months since it could be obtained for 80 cents per pound now it is worth over $2. Hence the mint is unable to furnish any farther[sic] supplies of the famous new cent. -CAGClearly not the mint director, as that was Longacre. I think that the mine to which they refer is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_Mines,_Pennsylvania. The mine closed in 1860 as unprofitable, then re-opened in 1862. As far as the "famous new cent," since this mine started producing Nickel in 1852-1853, the "famous new cent" might either be the Flying Eagle in 1856 or the Indian Cent in 1859. Mintage of the 1859 IHC is over 36 million, and of course the 1856 was 2000 as a pattern and then 17.4 million in 1857. It could also be written in 1864 when there were 10 million cupro-nickel IHC's and then 39 million bronze. However writing about not being able to make any new cents doesn't seem like it makes sense in 1864.
What had you thinking it might have been written in 1863?
Successful BST (me as buyer) with: Collectorcoins, PipestonePete, JasonRiffeRareCoins
I originally thought it was around February of 1857, because of the phrase "famous new cent." However, I waffled on the year because I know in 1863/1864, Pollock was freaking out about supply. Also, from day one in 1857, the Mint used several suppliers. That's why I settled (albeit not forcefully) on 1863/1864.
Specializing in 1854 and 1855 large FE patterns
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no further issue of the new cent
if there were to be no further issuance of a cu-ni cent, because of the nickel:
this from wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Head_cent indicates the mine at Gap PA (lancaster county) stopped producing.
otoh, they could have sourced a new mine during the FE years, then finally ran out during the IHC years. But the former seems more likely.
I'd be looking at the latter cu-ni IHC years first for an answer to the recipient and author of the note.
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that missing word
the first letter has to be the writer's A since it is the same as in the Initials. The next letter is the same as the R in originator. the next appears to be an O
aroused ?
The story with Gap is that Wharton bought it/took control in 1862/1863. He told the Mint he could handle them, but then wasn't up to speed until 1865. He supplied them with a tiny amount in 1864. In late-1863/1864, Pollock was concerned that there was no way to get nickel, even from Europe, for anything near a reasonable price.
I suspect that this could be a biting note essentially stating that Wharton was all talk. I could swear I've seen the initials before, but I can't find them. The closest I can think of is George K. Childs, but that doesn't work.
Specializing in 1854 and 1855 large FE patterns
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Here is a corrected transcription per Mr. B.
New Cents
We are informed that their [sic] will be no further issue of the new cent, composed of nickel and copper. The originator of the coin was sanguine that any quantity of the first-named metal, could be obtained at the Nickel mine in Lancaster County, but all interested parties are now troubled in consequence of the mine only yielding about 2-1/2 per cent of the metal. Six months since it could be obtained for 80 cents per pound now it is worth over $2, hence the mint is unable to furnish any farther[sic] supplies of the famous new cent. C.T.G.
the C A G that I thought it was, too, does have its "A" resembling the "T" in "Cents" at the top and I do prefer "troubled" much better than my suggestion.
Thank you. Does Mr. B think it is around March of 1864?
Specializing in 1854 and 1855 large FE patterns
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The word "further" crossing two lines totally threw me. Thank you for fixing that
Successful BST (me as buyer) with: Collectorcoins, PipestonePete, JasonRiffeRareCoins
By 1732 the Gap mine in Lancaster County was operating, owned by shareholders including Gouverneur Morris and Thomas Penn. The mine shut down due to water problems about 1755. [53] The mine reopened as a nickel mine about 1850, and produced some byproduct copper along with the nickel until it shut down in 1893. [54]
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection