SILVER BAR FOR NEW ORLEANS MINT REOPENING

While studying my 1892 U.S. Assay Office New York ingot at the ANA in Chicago with Fred H, he mentioned that he had handled a silver ingot from the U.S. Mint New Orleans that dated back to 1879. Fred had worked to ultimately place the ingot in the U.S. Mint New Orleans Museum which is now the Louisiana State Museum. Fred's familiarity with the U.S. Mint New Orleans ingot, and its placement, were what led to our determination that the 1892 U.S. Assay Office New York ingot equals the oldest silver government ingot known in private hands.

The U.S. Mint New Orleans was built in 1835 and conducted United States coinage operations from 1837 until 1861 when Louisiana seceded from the Union.The Mint remained closed throughout the Civil War and Reconstruction period, reopening and once again producing United States coinage in 1879.

According to the Louisiana State Museum, (with the help of Fred's original research) this ingot is "one of a kind and was most likely created as a presentation piece for the reopening of the New Orleans Mint after the Civil War in 1879".

I appreciate the assistance of Polly R-S, Curator of the Louisiana State Museum, in providing me with the photo that follows along with information on this amazing historical ingot.

To read the complete article, see:
U.S. Mint New Orleans (silveringot.blogspot.com/2014/09/us-mint-new-orleans.html)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web