The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 24, June 9, 2002, Article 11

1828 VISIT TO PHILADELPHIA MINT

  Mark Borckardt writes: "While conducting research for his
  New Hampshire currency project, Dave Bowers found
  an interesting article in the October 1881 issue of The
  Granite Monthly, reproducing the journal of Frederick G.
  Stark, who traveled from Manchester, NH to New York
  and Philadelphia in October 1828. The entire article, soon
  to be reprinted in The Coin Collector, provides an intriguing
  view of travel 174 years ago. Part of the travel was by steam
  ship. "She travels at the rate of about eight or nine miles an
  hour with the steam alone, and ten or twelve when she has
  the advantage of a fair wind."

  On October 14, 1828, after attending a Quaker funeral,
  Stark continued to the United States Mint. "There they were,
  striking off half dollars in one room, and cents in another. The
  other part of the works were not in operation.  I enquired how
  many half dollars they struck off in a minute, and they said 43.
  The pieces of silver were plated out and cut to the right size
  previously, so that they were only given the impression.  It
  took three men to do this; all of them had hold of the machine
  at a time, and it appeared to be pretty hard labour."

  This was in the days of the first Mint in Philadelphia, with
  coinage still conducted by screw press.  The rate of coinage
  seems to be considerable, given the technology then in use."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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