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CONTEMPORARY THOUGHTS ON THE 1878 GOLOID DOLLAR PROPOSALSpeaking of transmuting gold, while pawing through my files of old newspapers this weekend I came across one interesting contemporary opinion on the proposed Goloid dollar. First, some background from the USPatterns.com web site:
1879 Barber Goloid Set This year marked experiments in the use of goloid alloys. Goloid was an alloy patented by Dr. Wheeler Hubbell and consisted of gold, silver and copper in various proportions. They were used in an attempt to make the silver dollar smaller and lighter and in the creation of the famous $4 gold piece or Stella for use as an international coinage. Charles Barber created 2 dollar and 1 Stella design as part of this testing. 15 sets were made for the Congressional Committee on Coinage presumably using the goloid alloys. These were apparently popular with congressmen and another 400 sets were ordered which are believed to be of "standard" silver and gold.
For more information from USPAtterns.com, see: 1879 Barber Goloid Set (uspatterns.stores.yahoo.net/18bargolset.html) On December 30,1878 the San Jose Mercury commented on the proposed coinage. Maybe this is why the idea flew like a lead balloon...
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