Illustrated history of the United States mint: with a complete description of American coinage, from the earliest period to the present time
History
Illustrated history of the United States mint: with a complete description of American coinage, from the earliest period to the present time
Coinage -- United States; Mints -- United States
“John Hull and Robert Saunderson were equal officers in the ‘gainful
business’ of the Mint. How much they coined in all for the colony, or
the exact amount of their profits under the contract they carried out,
cannot be determined.” The coinage was certainly large in amount, and
they, as was well understood, became men of wealth and substance. When
the daughter of John Hull was married to Judge Samuel Sewall, the founder
of the town of Newbury, Mass., the prosperous mint-master gave the bride
a dowery of her weight in silver. At the conclusion of the wedding
ceremony, a large steel-yard was brought into the room, and the blushing
bride placed upon one of the platforms of the same, while into a tub upon
the other side were poured the Pine Tree Shillings, until the steel-yard
balanced.
CHAIN CENTS.
These have a bust with flowing hair, looking right, with the date below
and word “LIBERTY” above it; on the reverse side, in the centre, is “ONE
CENT,” with “⅟₁₀₀” below it, enclosed in an endless chain of fifteen
links, typifying the number of States then in the Union. The legend is
“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” in all excepting one die, which reads “UNITED
STATES OF AMERI,” the engraver evidently not having room to complete the
word.
THE MYDDELTON TOKENS.
Obverse: A figure, representing Hope, beside an anchor; she presents two
children to a female, the last extending her right hand in reception of
the charge; the left hand supports a liberty staff, which is crowned with
a cap; in front of the figure with the staff is an olive branch and a
wreath, to the rear a cornucopia. Legend: “BRITISH SETTLEMENT KENTUCKY.”
Reverse: Britannia, seated disconsolate amid the down-cast emblems of her
power, and facing left; her head is bowed; she holds in her right hand
an inverted spear, the head of which penetrates the ground; at her right
side a bundle of fasces or lictors’ rods have fallen near the cap of
Liberty; upon the ground, before the figure, are the scales of justice,
upon which Britannia has set her left foot and the sword of justice,
with broken blade; the left arm of the figure rests upon a large shield,
bearing the cross of the British ensigns. Legend: “PAYABLE BY P. P. P.
MYDDELTON.”
[Illustration: PLATE IX.
HALF CENT. 1802.
WREATH CENT. 1793.
HALF CENT. 1794.
WASHINGTON MEDAL. 1789.
HALF CENT. 1847.
NEW YORK CENT.
See description.]
[Illustration: PLATE X.
GREEK EGYPTIAN COIN. PTOLEMY.
WIDOW’S MITE. COPPER COIN.
ROMAN BRONZE COIN. TRAJAN AUGUSTUS. 98-117 A. D.
ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES.
COUNTERFEIT JUDEAN SHEKEL. DATING ABOUT THE TIME OF CHRIST.
MACEDONIAN COIN. PHILIP III. 317-324 B. C.
See description.]
THE SMALL PATTERN CENT.
Obverse: A head, facing right, hair unconfined, floating backward in
flowing locks. Legend: “LIBERTY PARENT OF SCIENCE & INDUST.” Exergue:
Beneath the head the date 1792.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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