THE

San Juan, Puerto Rico View of El Morro from an airplane

Coin Collector s

Journal

4*

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1948

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Vol. 15, No. 5 New York September'October, 1948

Whole No. 120

THE ISSUES OF AUGUSTUS B. SAGE

By RICHARD D. KENNEY

Augustus B. Sage, the first seeretary of the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society, initiated the publication of several small series of tokens, or medalets, in 1859.

By the very nature and tasteful exe' cution of these pieces, their revealing charm and warmth still obtains to this day. The dies were engraved by George H. Lovett whose prolific and competent medallic output ranks with Wright, Key, Merriam, and Sigel. Although Lovett, within his expansive artistic range, could have been relied upon to execute the medalets mdc' pendently, it undoubtably was Mr. Sage who had the taste to avoid their deteriorating into tokens with his own advertising as the leitmotif and the sub' sequent banalities that would have fob lowed.

The pieces arc divided into the fob lowing series:

Historical Tokens (14)

Odds and Ends (3)

Numismatic Gallery (9)

Masonic Medalets (1)

Sage’s Store cards (5)

Originally struck in copper and with plain edges, the varieties that exist to-

September'October, 1 948

day, e.g., silver, brass, and tin; and combinations of these metals with plain or reeded edges or with thick and thin flans, will not be discussed here. The sice in all, except the store cards, is 31 mm.

AUG. B SAGE’S HISTORICAL TOKENS

No. 1 Obv: THE OLD PROVOOST, N. Y. signed: L

Rev: A BRITISH PRISON DURING THE REVO' LUTION. Note: Sage’s catalogue lists 2 dies.

The Old Provost was located in present City Hall Park opposite The Brooklyn Bridge terminal where originally, it was the old Register’s Office built in 175 8 as a debtor’s prison. Ethan Allan and many other patriots were confined here. Torn down in 1903 to make way for the subway, many coins, buttons, and human bones were found in the excava tion. After the Revolution, the Provost again became a debtors prison, while in 1830 the edifice was transformed to the Register's Office. A tablet, erected in 1907 by the Mary Washington Cob onial Chapter of the D.A.R., marks its site today.

99

The Issues of Augustus

4-Iistorical Tokerii/'’

100

September- October, 1 948

The Issues of Augustus B. Sage

No. 2 Obv: CITY HALL, WALL ST N. Y. ERECTED IN 1700 DEMOLISHED 1812. Signed : L

Rev: A BRITISH PRISON DURING THE REVO- LUTION

City Hall, at the corner of Wall and Broad Streets, occupied the present site of the LI. S. Subtreasury Building. Four days after the Battle of Lexington in April 1775, a band of Liberty Boys marched upon City Hall, forced open the doors, helped themselves to 600 muskets which were distributed to< a volunteer corps, and assumed the gov- ernment of the city. After the inspired reading of the Declaration of Inde- pendence in the presence of Washing- ton and his staff, the citizenry, imbued with a patriotic fervor, rushed down to the City Hall and tore down the por- trait of George III. It was from this balcony that Washington took his oath of office during the interval that City Hall served as Federal Hall from 1785 to 1790; while from 1790 to 1797, the N. Y. State Capital occupied the Hall.

No. 3 Obv: FANEUIL HALL, BOS- TON, MASS.

Signed: G.H.L.

Rev: THE CRADLE OF

AMERICAN LIBERTY

Built by Peter Faneuil and given by him to the city in 1742. In spite of the Quartering Act, the residents of Boston refused to billet British soldiers and consequently, many men camped in Faneuil Hall. It was here, on March 5, 1770, that Sam Adams or William Molineux delivered his exortive oration to a crowd that converged in front of the old State House. Crispus Attucks fell not long afterward, one of the first to die in the War of Independence. To- day, it is a very active public market place.

No, 4 Obv: CARPENTER'S HALL, PHILADELPHIA, PENN.

Rev: THE ASSEMBLING

PLACE OF THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CON- GRESS SEP. 5, 1774. UNITE OR DIE

In 1787 Carpenter’s Hall was the scene of the national convention which formed the present Constitution. It served also as headquarters of the Pennsylvania Committee of Correspondence; its base- ment was used as an ammunition dump during the Revolution and from 1791 to 1797 it was occupied by the First Bank of the U. S. The Carpenters’ Company erected the building in 1770 and has preserved it as a historic monument since 1857.

No. 5 Obv: THE OLD JERSEY

Rev: A BRITISH PRISON

DURING THE REVO- LUTION

Anchored in the vicinity of the Brook- lyn Navy Yard, this most infamous of the floating dungeons was a foul, neglected hull where prisoners were housed in the most inhuman atmosphere. Filth and disease were rampant. A ghastly sidelight of the sordid ugliness which prevailed is embodied by the order awakening the prisoners every morning: “REBELS, TURN OUT YOUR DEAD!”

The Prison Ship Martyrs Monument is located in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene Park where it was dedicated by Pres. Taft on Nov. 14, 1908. A medallic souvenir also exists of this monument. The Prisoners Memorial, another stately, if smaller, reminder, can be seen near the Broadway and Pine Street side of Trin- ity Churchyard.

September-October, 1 948

101

The Issues of Augustus B. Sage

Odds an'd Kruds

IVtasoniO'

102

Septembcr'October, 1 948

The Issues of Augustus B. Sage

No. 6 Obv : STATE HOUSE, PHILADELPHIA

Rev: THE PATRIOTS

RENDEZVOUS IN ’76 Note: Sage’s Catalogue Lists 2 Dies.

State House, or more commonly, Inde- pendence Hall, is located on Chestnut between 5 th and 6th Streets and was designed by Andrew Hamilton, speaker of the Assembly in the early part of the eighteenth century. It' served as the State House from 175 1 to 1799. The Second Continental Congress met here on May 10, 1775, while Washington was chosen commander-in-chief on June 15, 1775 and the Declaration of Inde- pendence was adopted on July 4, 1776. In 1816, the City of Philadelphia pur- chased the edifice from the State and set' it aside as a museum.

No. 7 Obv: THE HOME OF WASHINGTON MOUNT VERNON Signed: G.H.L.

Rev: THE WOMEN OF AMERICA NOBLE PRESERVERS OF OUR FATHER’S HOME

Mount Vernon, in Fairfax County, Va. was originally an estate called Little Hunting Creek Plantation. From John Washington in 1676, it passed to his son Lawrence, then to Lawrence’s daughter, Mildred, by whom if was deeded in 1726 to her brother Augustine (the father of George). In 1743, it passed to Lawrence (George’s half-brother) who built the villa which was the nucleus of the larger mansion, and renamed it Mount Vernon in honor of Admiral Edward Vernon (1684-1757) with whom he served in the West Indies and whose numismatic records arc very pro- fuse. George Washington acquired the estate in 1761 after the death of Anne Fairfax Lee, the widow of Lawrence, and enlarged the villa into the mansion house in 1784-5. In 1860, the house and

200 acres of the original estate were bought by the Mount Vernon Ladies Ass'n of the Union which was bound by its charter to restore the estate to the condition it was in during Washington’s lifetime. It is to this organization that the reverse alludes.

No. 8 Obv: THE OLD HASBROOK HOUSE NEWBURG,

N. Y. Signed: G.H.L.

Rev: WASHINGTON’S HEADQUARTERS

1782-3

Built by Jonathan Hasbrouck between 1750 and 1770, it served as Washing- ton’s headquarters from the spring of 1782 until August 1783. It was here that Washington had written his fam- ous and stinging letter of rebuke to Col. Lewis Nicola who had suggested that Washington assume royal prerogatives and titles; and here arrangements were completed to disband the Continental Army.

Located in Newburgh’s Washington Park, it was bought as a historic site by New York State in 1849.

No. 9 Obv: RICHMOND HILL HOUSE, N. Y.

ERECTED 1760

Rev: WASHINGTON’S HEADQUARTERS MAY 1776

The site now occupied by the Butterick Building at the corner of Varick and Charlton Streets, Richmond Hill House was once tenanted by Abraham Mortier, paymaster-general of the Royal Forces before the Revolution. It was one of Washington’s first headquarters when he occupied it during the Battle of Long Island. Later, the structure served as a Vice- Presidential residence and both John Adams and Aaron Burr made use of it as such.

September-October, 1948

103

Thl Issues of Augustus B. Sage

No. 10 Ohv : WASHINGTON’S HEADQUARTERS AT TA1TAN

Rev: LIBERTY TREE

Less than an hour’s drive from New York City, the Johannes de Wint homestead was built in 1700 by Daniel de Clark who had imported the briek from Holland. It is a typical one-story dwelling whose design came naturally to the Dutch settlers of the area.

The following dates arc the four times Washington used the house as a refuge: Aug. 8-23, 1780; Sept. 28-Oet. 7, 1780; May 5-8, 1783; and Nov. 1 1-13, 1783.

No. 11 Obv: WASHINGTON’S

HEADQUARTERS, AT V ALLEY FORGE

Rev: DON'T TREAD ON ME. I HAVE DANGER- OUS FANGS

Built in 175 8, this dwelling was the center in the scene of one of the bitter- est and most critical periods of the war. In 1893, the State of Pennsylvania ap- pointed a commission which acquired about 475 acres of the historic site in addition to the Headquarters and sev- eral other buildings.

No. 12 Obv: SIR HENRY

CLINTON’S HOUSE. No. 1 BROADWAY,

N. Y.

Rev: THE HEADQUARTERS OF GENL. PUTNAM AND SIR H. CLINTON

This dwelling was, before 1776, the commodious residence of Archibald Kennedy, a member of the Governor’s Council and Collector of the Port. Be- fore Howe’s successor as British Com- mander in North America occupied it, General Putnam had used it as his head- quarters in the bleak days immediately before the city fell to the British in its entirety. The site is now occupied by the Washington Building where a com- memorative tablet was placed by the Sons of the Revolution.

No. 13 Obv: THE OLD SWAMP CHURCH ERECTED 1767

Rev: ATTENDED BY THE HESSIANS DURING THE REVOLUTION

Officially, the Christ Lutheran Church, it was built in 1767 on the corner of Frankfort and William Streets. In 1831, it was purchased by a Negro Presby- terian Congregation and in 1848 it deteriorated into an auction room fol- lowed by a livery stable. The Globe Hotel, since razed and now located on 44th Street, was later erected on the site.

No. 14 Obv : FIRST MEETING

HOUSE ERECTED IN HARTFORD

Rev: THE CHARTER OAK

According to R. H. Potter in "Hart- ford's First Church”, the first meeting house was built in 1635 and given by the town to Rev. Hixiker in 1640-41 at which time the permanent meeting house was built and used until 1740. The structure depicted here obviously is the first, or temporary, meeting house.

The Charter Oak was the famous hid- ing-place of the document when Sir Edmund Andros tried to revoke the Charter in 1687. The original is now preserved in the Connecticut State Li- brary at Hartford. The tree was blown down in 1856 and its site is marked by a marble shaft erected in 1907 by the Connecticut Society of Colonial Wars.

ODDS AND ENDS

No. 1 Obv: CRYSTAL PALACE BUILT 1853 BURNED 1858. Signed: L

Rev: ALL IS VANITY

Crystal Palace housed the first industrial exposition held in this country. Erected in what is now Bryant Park, it was P. T. Barnum who was the exhibition’s president and whose genius undoubtably was responsible for its success.

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September-Oetober, 1 948

The Issues of Augustus B. Sage

No. 2 Obv: OLD SUGAR HOUSE, LIBERTY ST. N. Y. FOUNDED 1689 DEMOLISHED 1840. Signed : L

Rev: A BRITISH PRISON DURING THE REVO' LUTION

Note: Another variety of this medal has the date in 3 lines and the fence is slightly higher.

Called Livingston’s Sugar House in its day, it was located at 2 8' 3 6 Liberty Street. A tablet, placed by the Man- hattan Chapter of the D.A.R. marks its site today.

Another prison, omitted by Sage, was the Rhinelander Sugar House at Duane and Rose Streets; it was memorialized in a medal by Emil Sigel struck around 1892.

Responsibility lor the sufferings and deaths in these prisons lay with Cun- ningham, the British Provost-Marshal in New York. It is claimed that up- wards of 10,000 men had died under

his evil whip. A vindictive climax came to his career when, a number ot years after the war, he was convicted of forgery in London, and hanged.

No. 3 Obv: PAUL MORPHY, THE AMERICAN CHESS KING

Rev: HE HAS BEATEN

HARRWITZ IN CHESS PLAYING AND STAUNTON IN COURTESY

Paul Charles Morphy (1837-1884) was established as the world’s chess master after a series of matches in Europe in the years 1857-59. He then served on the staff of the N. Y. Ledger, and in later life became mentally deranged.

MASONIC MEDALETS

No. 1 Obv: OLD MASONIC HALL, BROADWAY, N. Y. ERECTED 1827 DEMOLISHED 1856

Rev: YOUTH, MANHOOD OLD AGE

DOMESTIC COINAGE EXECUTED, BY MINTS, DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 1948.

Denomination Philadelphia

SILVER

Half dollars

Quarter dollars $1,130,000.00

Dimes 1,195,000.00

San Francisco

$ 660,000.00

1,100,000.00

MINOR

Five-cent pieces ; 796,400.00

One-cent pieces 10,000.00

Denver

$174,300.00

590,000.00

475, 600. IX) 132,300.00

Septcmber-Oetober, 1948

105

STORY AND DESICN OC MODERN COINS

MADAGASCAR

CW #1

In May 1942 the British forces, CO' operating with the Free French, seized the naval base at Diego Suarez in Mad.o gascar. Later in the year they neutral' ized all ot the island to eliminate Jap' anese and Nazi espionage and to remove the threat of secret Axis submarine re' fueling stations. The civil administra' tion was turned over to the Free French and, following the example of other Free French colonies, the Treasurer' ( General proceeded to order the issuance of 1 franc and 50 centime coins of distinctive design for the Colony. Until that time, Madagascar had used the coins of metropolitan France.

The pieces were struck .it the South African Mint in Pretoria from designs executed by Mr. Coert L. Steynberg of Pretoria. The obverse of both coins displays a Gallic coq facing left with the letters R F on a shield to the left and the legend MADAGASCAR below. In the center of the reverse is the double' barred cross of Lorraine and the value. Above is the phrase LIBERTE'EGAL' ITE'FRATERNITE and below the date, 1943. To the left is the word HONNELJR and to the right, PATH IE. The coins are of bronze alloy, consisting of 9 5 (Z copper, 4.5 % zinc and .5% tin. A total ot 5,000,000 1 franc pieces and 2,000,000 50 centimes pieces were struck.

MONACO

CW #5

Monaco, an independent principality on the Mediterranean, surrounded by the French Department of the Alpes Maritimes except on the side towards the sea, is the site of the famous gambling casino of Monte Carlo. The fabulous gaming rooms are the chief source of revenue ot the government and they provide Monaco with enough operating income to exempt its citizens from most ot the taxes which burden the in' habitants of other countries.

Since 1297 the principality has be' longed to the house of Grimaldi, the ruler now being Louis 11 (born 1870). His portrait appears on the issue of two franc pieces struck in 1943 both in aluminum bronze (CW #^)‘and alum' inum (CW #7). The two coins are of similar type bearing the portrait of the Prince on the obverse and the arms of the Principality on the reverse. The aluminum pieces were the first put into circulation by virtue of an Ordinance of July 1 9, 1943 while the bronze alum' inum coins were not' emitted until air thorized by the Ordinance of April 3, 1945.

Altho the coins are not dated, they were struck in 1943 at the Castelsar' rasin Annex of the Paris Mint from models executed by Monsieur Bazor ot the latter institution. 1,082,687 of the bronze aluminum variety were struck and 1,250,000 of the aluminum variety.

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September'October, 1 948

STORY AND DESIGN OP MODERN COINS

FRENCH WEST AFRICA

CW #1

French West Africa is a federation composed of Senegal, French Guinea, Ivory Coast, Dahomey, French Sudan, Mauritania, Niger, Togo and Circon- seription de Dakar. The federation joined the Allied Forces in November 1942 when Admiral Darlan issued a proclamation calling on all citizens to cooperate with the British and Amer- icans. The most sought after prize which fell into the hands of the Allies was Dakar with its splendid port facilities and the many units of the French fleet immobilized there.

Two years later the French authorities requested the Royal Mint in London to strike fifteen million one franc pieces in nickel brass (CW #1). The designs of both the reverse and obverse of the pieces were similar to the 1921 issue for Metropolitan France modeled by Morion. New matrices were cut direct by hand at the Royal Mint. These deviated only slightly from the French models. The name of the designer was omitted from the obverse and the orig- inal reverse legend LIBERTE-EGAL- ITE-FRATERNITE was replaced by AFRIQUE OCCIDENTALE FRAN- CAISE. In addition, the mint marks which originally appeared on either side of the date were left off.

The alloy of the pieces is 79% cop- per, 20% zinc and 1 % nickel. The weight is 4 grams and the diameter 23 mm. The coins have a plain edge.

YUGOSLAVIA

CW #20

World War II brought to Yugoslavia a multiplicity and confusion of cur- rencies. By the middle of 1944 as many as eight different monetary standards were being used in the country. These included Yugoslav dinars, Serbian dinars, Croatian kunas, Italian lire, German marks, Magyar pengos, Bulgarian levas and Albanian francs. Currency stabili- zation was indeed one of the most press- ing problems confronting the govern- ment.

In July 1945 both pre-war and occu- pation coins were withdrawn from cir- culation and replaced by new coins is- sued under the “Law Governing the Minting of Small Coins" of July 25, 1945. This law authorized the coinage of metallic currency totaling 500 million dinars in four denominations.

The coin of highest value provided for by this legislation was the 5 dinar piece (CW #20). The design of this and the pieces of lesser value were simi- lar, consisting of the arms of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia in the center with the legend “YLJGO- SLAVIA" in block cyrillic characters above and nine stars in a half circle below. The reverse has in the center the numeral of value with “DINAR", “DINARS" or “PARA", as the ease may be, written in Latin characters. Be- low is the date, 1945, and surrounding the value are fifteen stars. All of the pieces arc of zinc.

September-October, 1948

107

SPANISH COINS FOUND AT SAN JUAN. PUERTO RICO

By PH ARES O. SIGLER

A box of Spanish coins of Isabella II dated 1853, 1854 were found on Sep- tember 22, 1943 during the excavation of a waterpipe line at Fort Brooke, San Juan, Puerto Rico, when a laborer ac- cidentally drilled through a cornerstone of Ballaja Barracks, the construction of which began in 1857 and was com- pleted in 1864. The coins were well wrapped in plain white paper and en- closed in a lead box. The reason the coins arc dated several years prior to the date ot the laying of the corner- stone is doubtless due to the fact that new coins were, at that time, slow in finding their way from Spain to Puerto Ri co. The coins are all of the type as illustrated by No. 99 on page 110 in Coins ot the World.

The original barracks building in which the coins were found was con- structed by the Spaniards at a cost ot about $475,000, a huge sum in those days, and it was large enough to house 2,000 troops. The building formed a rectangle with an open patio in the eenter which was spacious enough for a parade and drill grounds. Beneath was a large cistern divided into three parts with a capacity of 475,120 gallons of water. The original structure has been remodeled and repaired and at the present time it houses part ot Rodrigues General Hospital at Fort Brooke.

The old Ballaja Barracks is of histori- cal importance because it was one of the buildings damaged by the bombard- ment ot San Juan by Admiral Samp- son’s fleet on May 12, 1898 during the Spanish American War.

The entire story ot the old barracks cannot be told without a brief descrip- tion ot the El Morro fortifications with- in which it is located. This fortification is at the extreme western tip of the Island of San Juan and constitutes the

western apex ot the present Army post ot Fort Brooke. It is one of the main tourist attractions of the Island of Puerto Rico. El Morro, in Spanish, means the bluff or headland, and it is an appropriate name for the old fort since it is built of stone on a rocky promontory which rises over a hundred feet above the ocean.

The first Spaniards reaching Puerto Rico realized the need of some forti- fication on this high point because all ships visiting the Island had to pass through a narrow channel between it and Cabras Island at the mouth of San Juan Bay. Although a tower was con- structed at the present site of El Morro in 1539, and offered some protection, the Spaniards decided that a more elab- orate and efficient fortification should be erected which would afford adequate safeguard from attack by land as well as by sea. In 1590, Juan Bautista An- tonelli, an architect-engineer, arrived in San Juan from Spain to design the new fortification. His visit was referred to by Governor de Valdes in a letter in which he states: ”The forte when it is ended will be the strongest that his magestie hath in all the Indies. And now the people of the country sleep in security. For commonly before, the Englishmen would come and beard us to the haven’s mouth.”

The new plans were laboriously exe- cuted by native and negro workers, but it was near the middle of the next cen- tury before the project was completed. Despite minor alterations in the 19th and 20th centuries, and extensive re- pairs and restorations which were made by the W. P. A. during the depression, El Morro still stands as a splendid ex- ample of ancient fortifications.

Some ot the more interesting fea- tures of El Morro are the entrance,

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Septcmber-October, 1948

Spanish Coins Found at San Juan, Puerto Rico

which is approached hy means of a small bridge over a moat; numerous sentry boxes so located at the outer angles of the bastions and parpet waits that sentries posted in them could ob- serve not only the landward and sea- ward approaches to the fort, but the base of the walls as well; secret tunnels; an ingenious system for catching rain water falling anywhere on the fort and conveying it by means of gutters into a large cistern below where it was stored for use by the troops and people of San Juan in case of a siege; the tiny chapel with its round windows slanting through the thick walls in such a man- ner as to protect worshippers from rifle and shell fire in case their prayers for safety should prove ineffective; and the ramp used to bring ammunition from a lower level, the stone floor at the top of which still bears deep grooves made by the ropes used to pull heavily loaded carts to the top.

El Morro witnessed four great at- tacks on San Juan in a thirty year period from 1595 to 1625; one by the English under command of Drake in 1 595 and other by the great English corsair, George Clifford, Earl of Cum-

berland, in 1598, and still another by the Dutch under Hendrick in 162 5. Only the Earl of Cumberland succeeded in capturing the Fort. He attacked it at its weakest point, the entrance on the landward side, and after laying siege to it his artillery fire was so effective that the garrison holding the Fort was compelled to surrender. Many years later the fort suffered slight damage from Admiral Sampson’s fleet.

El Morro is a beautiful spot which almost defies description. Approach- ing it through the entrance to Fort Brooke one sees a grass covered area fringed by palm trees and the old walls of the fort, beyond which is the blue Atlantic. The Bay can be seen from El Morro as well as the old wall of the fort, quiet San Juan Bay with the Atlantic in the distance, the pic- turesque Cabras Island with its ruins of a former leper colony, connected to the mainland by a causeway, and the mountains on the mainland.

A visit to El Morro is well worth a trip to Puerto Rico, not to mention many other places of interest in and around San Juan.

DOMESTIC COINAGE EXECUTED, BY MINTS, DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 1948.

Denomination Philadelphia San Francisco

SILVER

Half dollars

Quarter dollars $ 313,000.00 $ 630,000.00

Dimes 715,000.00 1,050,000.00

MINOR

Five-cent pieces 931,800.00

One-cent pieces 5,700.00

Denver

$ 144,000.00 593,000.00

258.600.00

222.800.00

COINAGE EXECUTED FOR FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.

Mint Country

Philadephia Mint Cuba Philadephia Mint Cuba

Metal Denomination

Silver 20 Centavos

Silver 10 Centavos

Total Pieces

3.640.000

5.120.000

8,760,00

Septcmber-October, 1948

109

COINS OF THE WORLD

SOUTH AFRICA

A thoughtful and comprehensive study ot the desirability and practicabil- ity of decimalizing the currency of South Africa is contained in the "Main Report” of the Decimal Committee of the National Anti- Waste & Conserva- tion Organization of Johannesburg. The report of the committee, headed by Mr. J. T. Bccklakc, ex-Director of the South African Mint, tabulates and summarizes the divergent views of numerous groups consulted and after evaluating the mass of testimony makes the recommendation that the govern- ment take the necessary steps to set up a decimal currency system for South Africa. The Committee leans towards a system under which the unit of value will be the South African florin divided into 100 cents and equal in value to two of shillings (current standard). Silver coins of the proposed new system will be in denominations of two florins, one florin, 50 cents, 20 cents and 10 cents. Proposed bronze pieces will be issued in values of 4 cents, 2 cents and 1 cent.

The present Director ot the South African Mint expressed these views "that the present time was a golden op- portunity to make a change and a similar chance would probably never arise again. A better series ot coins could be set up. Should the designs in the coins be altered, the South African Mint would require approximately two years before the striking ot a decimal coinage could be put into full operation. Should the same designs be used for all or some of the coins, the Mint could get into production on the new coinage within twelve months.”

CANADA

The Report of the Master ot the Royal Canadian Mint for the calendar year 1947 shows the following coin- age—

Silver (800 tine) Pcs. coined in 1947

1 dollar 65,595

50 cents 424,885

2 5 cents 1,524,554

10 cents 4,431,926

Nickel

5 cents 7,603,724

Bronze

1 cent 31,093,901

Coinage for Newfoundland Silver (800 tine)

10 cents 119,736

5 cents 310,750

Bronze

1 cent 313,772

COLOMBIA

Mr. P. K. Anderson of Bogota has submitted the following details regard- ing recent issues of coinage for Colom- bia.

50 centavos struck in Bogota 1947, 48

20 centavos struck in Bogota 1945, 46, 47, 48

10 centavos struck in Bogota

1945, 46, 47, 48

5 centavos struck in U. S. —

1946, 47

2 centavos struck in Bogota 1946, 47

1 centavo struck in Bogota 1946, 47, 48

Mr. Anderson has also supplied us w ith an explanation for the issue of half peso surcharged paper notes which appeared in 1946. In January 1946 there was an acute shortage of coinage and to remedy the situation the Gov- ernment arranged to have current one peso paper notes cut in half and sur- charged on the obverse "BANCO DE LA REPUBLICA PROVISIONSL MEDIO PESO”. The reverses were surcharged "MEDIO PESO”. These notes circulated for a period of only five months (from January 1946 until

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September-October, 1948

Coins of the World

May 1946). In May 1946 all outstand' mg half peso notes were recalled and demonetized. Those notes which were turned in were later destroyed.

CHILE

. The following is a summary of the production of the Casa de Moneda of Chile furnished thru the courtesy of that institution.

Copper Nickel

	1 peso	20 centavos	10 centavos
1940	1 50,000	9,300,000	6,100,000
1941		3,000,000	900,000
	Bronze
	1 P<‘SO	50 centavos	20 centavos
1942	15,150,000	4,700,000	30,000,000
1943	16,900,000	15,000	39,600,000
1944	12,050,000		29,100,000
1945	7,600,000		1 1,400,000
1946	2,050,000		13,800,000
1947	2,200,000		15,700,000
The	coinage	struck from	1942 to

1947 conforms to these specifications—

Denom.	Alloy	Diam.	Wgt.
		mm.	gr.
1 peso	Copper 95.5	25	7.5
	Tin 3.0
	Zinc 1.5
50 centavos	Zinc 1.5	20.5	4.0
20 centavos	Zinc 1.5	18.0	3.0

The Mint also reports gold coinage as follows-

Denom. Fineness Diam. Weight

100 pesos 900 31. mm 20.3 3966 gr.

Pieces coined in 1946 — 260,000 Pieces coined in 1947 - — - 540,000

The Casa de Moneda of Chile also undertook considerable coinage for Uruguay as follows-

Coinage for Uruguay Copper Nickel

5 eentesimos 2 eentesimos

1941 2,400,000 1,500,000

Septembcr'October, 1 94<S

Silver

1 peso 50 eentesimos 20 eentesimos

1942 650,000 3,900,000

1943 4,980,000 3,200,000 8,840,000

1944 3,370,000 7,600,000 5,260,000

Bronze

	5 eentesimos	2 eentesimos
1943		5,000,000
1944	4,000,000	3,500,000
1945
1946	2,000,000	5,000,000
1947	1,500,000	1,500,000
The specifications of the	current is'
sues of coins	follow—
Denom.	Alloy	Diam. Wgt.
		mm. gr.
1 peso	Silver 72 %	27 9
	Copper 28 %
50 eentesimos	Copper 28 %	24 7
20 eentesimos	Copper 28 %	18.5 3
5 eentesimos	Copper 95.5%	23 5
	Tin 3.0%
	Zinc 1.5%
2 eentesimos	Zinc 1.5%	20 3.5
	BLJRMA
The Burma	Currency Board has in'

formed us that Indian coins of the customary denominations are still in use in Burma. No distinctive coins for Burma have as yet been sanctioned altho the Government expects to intro' duce coinage of distinctive design by July 1949. As Burma has no local mint the early issues of Burmese coinage will undoubtedly be coined at the Indian mints.

COSTA RICA

The two colones coin has recently been put into circulation in Costa Rica This new piece, authorized by Law of March 5, 1947, is of the same type as the 193 5 and 1937 issues. The diameter of the piece is 32 mm. and its weight 14 gr. The pieces were minted at the Royal Mint in London. The Law re' fcrred to above also authorizes coins of 1 colon, 50 centimos and 25 centimos and it is expected that these three de' nominations will appear by the early part of 1 949.

1 1 1

Coins of the World

RUMANIA

The wartime coinage of Michael I of Rumania affords a striking commentary on the financial difficulties of the king- dom during that period. Michael suc- ceeded to the throne in September 1940, following the abdication of his father, Carol 11. Two months later, General (later Marshal) Antonescu forced the country into the war on the side of the Axis and brought upon his nation a series of unparalleled disasters, not the least of which was a tremendous mone- tary inflation. The overthrow of An- tonescu in August 1944 and the defec- tion of Rumania as an Axis power failed

to halt the depreciation of the currency. A new monetary system was established by Law of August 15, 1947 and all coinage struck prior to that date was demonetized. New coinage was struck and circulated in accordance with a

Royal Decree of August 19, 1947 (Number 1689) which made provision for these coins
1	Metal	Diameter Weight
5 0 Bani	Brass	16 mm. .7 grams
1 Leu	Brass	18 mm. 2.5 grams
2 Lei	Tombac	21 mm. 2. 5 grams
5 Lei	Alum.	22 mm. 1.5 grams

NUMBER OF COINS STRUCK

r\v	Metal X-
No.	1 lenoni.	1941	1942	1 9-4 a	1944	1945	1946	1947
	Zinc				>			Jan. 1 - Aug. 15
58	2 Lei	2 5,400,000	51,400,000	16,600,000	4,94 2,000	1,000,000	1 0G,00C	50,000
57	5 Lei		6,800,000	101,000,000	16,600,000	1 5,500,000	39,962
56	20 Lei		30,500,000	26,9 2 5,000	7.500.000	9,806.000'	907,000
	Nickel-Iron
5 5	100 Lei			40,590,000	1 4,500.000	6,789.000
	Silver .835 %
54	200 Lei		24, 1 20,000	5,880,000
5 3	2 50 Lei	8,5 59,600
51	500 Lei	4 1 8,000	289,000	86,000
	Silver .700%
52	500 Lei				8,980,000	75 2,000
	Brass
6 3	500 Lei					1 ,000,000	2,422,000
	Aluminum
64	500 Lei						3,640,000	1,600,000
	Brass
62	2000 Lei						22,310,000	1,300
61	10000 Lei						1 1,050,000
	Silver .700%
60	25000 Lei						1 976 000
59	100000 Lei						1.5 56.000	444

1 12

September-October, 1 94S

Our Specialty is

UNITED STATES COINS IN SETS

Selected Specimens

Small Cents. Flying eagle and Indian head 1856 to 1909. Including 1864 L and both mint marks. Uncirculated.

Small Cents. The same set, all of the coins in proof condition except 1864 L and two mint marks.

Small Cents. Lincoln head 1909 to 1947. Includes all dates and mint marks. Un- circulated.

Two Cent Pieces. 1864 to 1873 includes the 1864 with small motto uncirculated. Balance of coins in proof condition.

Two Cent Pieces. 1864 to 1873 same as preceding. All uncirculated except 1873 proof.

Nickle Three Cents. 1865 to 1889 in- cludes both varieties of 1887. Proofs.

Nickel Three Cents. 1865 to 1889 Dates 1865 to 1876 uncirculated, bal- ance proofs.

Nickel Five Cents. 1866-1883 Shield type. Includes both varieties of 1867. Proofs with the exception of 1867 with rays, uncirculated.

Nickel Five Cents. 1883-1912. Liberty head. Includes both varieties of 1883. Proofs.

Nickel Five Cents. 1913-1938. Indian head. Includes all dates and mints. Un- circulated with exception of 1926 S, 1927 S very fine.

Nickel Five Cents. 1938-1947. Includes all dates and mints. Uncirculated.

Silver Three Cents. 1851-1873. In- cludes 1851 O. Dates 1851 to 1857 uncirculated, 1858 to 1873 proofs.

Half Dimes. Philadelphia mint. 1858 to 1873. Proofs.

Dimes. 1858 to 1896. Philadelphia mint. Proofs.

Dimes. 1892 to 1916 Philadelphia mint. Proofs except 1916.

Dimes. 1916 to 1945. Mercury head. All dates and mints. Uncirculated.

Quarter Dollars. 1858 to 1891. Phila- delphia mint. Proofs.

Quarter Dollars. 1892 to 1916. Phila- delphia mints. Proofs, except 1916.

Quarter Dollars. Washington head. 1932 to 1947. All dates and mints. Uncirculated.

Half Dollars. 1858 to 1891. Phila- delphia mint. Proofs.

Half Dollars. 1892 to 1915. Phila- delphia mint. Proofs.

Silver Dollars. 1878 to 1904, 1921. Philadelphia mint. Proofs.

Peace Dollars. 1921 to 1935. All dates and mints struck. Uncirculated.

Trade Dollars. 1873 to 1883. Proofs.

Commemorative Half Dollars. Complete set of the 47 types. Uncirculated.

Commemorative Gold Dollars and

quarter eagles 1903 to 1926. Uncircu- lated.

Prices quoted on request.

NEW AND SUPPLEMENTARY PAGES

NOW AVAILABLE FOR

THE NATIONAL COIN ALBUM

%

(Large Size (7\ 2 x 14 inches)

No. lOS'R Nickel Five Cents 1939S to date. Supplements pages No. 106, 108,

108A. 40 openings 1.50

No. 210 Mint or proof sets. Holds six sets of five coins each in U. S. denomina^ tions of Halt and Quarter Dollar, Dime, Nickel and Cents. Titled at top of page, “U. S. Mint Sets.” 30 openings 1.50

Small Size (5^/z x 8 inches)

No. 3 50-F Lincoln Cents from 1938 S to 1947S. Supplements Set No. 3 50. The next page will be made after a few more new issues have been struck. 28

openings .80

Plain page No. 450 can be used with this set.

No. 377'E Lincoln Cents from 1939S to 1946. Supplements Set No. 377. The next page will be made after a few more issues are struck. 21 openings .80

Plain page No. 477 can be used with this set.

No. 3 58T Jefferson Nickels 194 3D to date. Supplements page No. 358'E. 18

openings .80

No. 374'E Mercury Dimes from 1940D to 1945. This page ends Set No. 374 as 1945 is the last of the type. Plain page No. 4 56 can be used with this set. 18 openings .80

No. 380-C Washington Quarters from 1 94 3 S to 1946. The next page will be made after a few more new issues are struck. Page No. 416 can be used with this set. 10 openings .80

No. 365-G Liberty Standing Halt Dollars tor 1946 and 1947. This page ends Set No. 365 as 1947 is the last of the type. Plain page No. 449 can be used with this set. 8 openings .80

No. 349'L Commemorative Half Dollars from 1939S Arkansas to 1948 B. T. Washington. Holds two of the last issue mentioned. The next page for this

set will be made when more eommemoratives have been made. Page No. 449 (plain) can be used with this set. 10 openings .80

Due to additional pages, the following price changes should be noted on any of our

old National Coin Album descriptive circulars.

NOW

Set No. 349 Commemorative Half Dollars — formerly 8.80 9.60

Set No. 3 58-E, F Jefferson Nickels 1.60

NOW

Set No. 365 Liberty Standing Half Dollars — formerly 4.80 5.60

Jwo ImpjDAhxnL bookju (tfL ihsL follachSL

Jimitpi. CoittlL

COINS OF THE WORLD

Nineteenth Century Issues First Edition 1947 Edited by Wayte Raymond

Contains an extensive list of all the silver and minor eoins of the countries of the world, their colonies and dependencies. Gives the average valua- tions. Geographical arrangement of contents. Extensively illustrated.

Large 8vo. Cloth. Price $3.50

atui

COINS OF THE WORLD

Twentieth Century Issues Third Edition 1948 Edited by Wayte Raymond

Lists and illustrates all types of world coinage from 1901 to present day. The standard reference work on modern world coinage. Approximately 4000 coins are illustrated, and valuations given.

Large 8vo. Cloth. Price $3.50 — Available from any coin dealer —

PUBLISHED BY

WAYTE RAYMOND, INC.

MINEOLA, N. Y.

P. O. BOX 431

QlUlL fmbliAhscL

19 4 9

(l3tli Edition)

THE STANDARD CATALOGUE OF

UNITED STATES COINS

C outputs

Early American Coins, Coins of the States, U. S. Gold, Silver, Copper Coins, Private Gold Coins, U. S. Pattern Coins, Commemorative Coins, Encased Postage Stamps, Confederate States Coins, Coins of the Philippine Islands, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Danish West Indies. With complete mint reports and General Information on U. S. Coins.

Giving the average valuations among collectors and dealers. With over 1000 illustrations

Edited by

WAYTE RAYMOND 8 vo. Cloth hound — pages 232

May be obtained from any coin dealer

Published by

WAYTE RAYMOND, INC.

MINEOLA, N. Y.

P. O. BOX 431