The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 46, October 30, 2005, Article 8

SPECIAL ASSAY QUESTION ANSWERED

Regarding last week's question from Rich Kelly & Nancy Oliver
regarding coins reserved for assay, Roger Burdette writes: "Both
special assay and assay commission coins were included in the
total of coins struck and accepted by the coiners of the various
mints. Special assay coins were production samples from each
delivery of silver and gold coin. (There was a formula for
calculating the number of coins to submit, also.) After 1873, these
were sent to the Director's office in Washington where they were
assayed and the results checked against the local mint's assay for
the same batch of metal. Nearly all special assay coins were
destroyed during the assaying process. Assay Commission coins
were samples from each delivery of coin that were selected for
use by the annual Assay Commission which met each February
to independently examine the weight and purity of struck coins.
Because the Commission was composed of prominent citizens,
members of congress, a federal judge and the Mint Director,
the Assay Commission coins were often selected for quality by
the various mints - they wanted the officials to see their best work.
Only about 1/3 of Assay Commission coins were destroyed during
the Commission's work, and it was common for members to
purchase some of the pieces as souvenirs of the occasion. Mint
collection curator T. L. Comparette also used the Assay
Commission coins as a source of specimens for the mint collection
and for sale (at face value) to museums and public coin collections
such as the Mitchelson collection at the Connecticut State Library.
Remaining coins were placed into circulation.

The above is based on documentation in US Mint, Library of
Congress and Connecticut State archives. I hope this will be helpful."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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