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 MINT MARKS 
 
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A TREATISE 
 
 ON 
 
 THE COINAGE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNITED STATES HUH PUTS, 
 
 BY 
 
 ft 
 
 A. G. HEATON, 
 
 Member of the American Numismatic Association. 
 
 
 •T 
 
 Copyright, May, 1893, by A. G. Hbaton. 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. O., 1893. 
 
 PRICE, ONE DOLLAR. 
 
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UNITED STATES MINTS. 
 
 THE PHILADELPHIA (PA.) MINT, 
 the principal or parent institution, was organized in 1793, and has coined 
 all denominations of gold, silver and minor pieces from their authoriza- 
 tion to the present, with but few interruptions. The minor pieces have 
 never been struck elsewhere. 
 
 Philadelphia coins are unmarked. 
 
 THE BRANCH OB ASSOCIATE MINTS. 
 
 THE NEW ORLEANS (LA.) MINT 
 was organized in 1838, and from that date to 1861 coined, somewhat 
 irregularly, all denominations of gold and silver pieces. In 1879 it 
 resumed with Eagles and silver Dollars, and has since '92 coined Halves, 
 Quarters and Dimes. 
 
 New Orleans coins are marked with an O- 
 
 THE DAHLONEGA (GA.) MINT 
 was organized in 1838 and suspended in 1861. It coined only gold pieces, 
 Half Eagles and Quarter Eagles regularly, Dollars from 1849 to '61 and 
 Three Dollars in '51 alone. 
 
 Dahlonega coins are marked with a D- 
 
 THE CHARLOTTE (N. C.) MINT 
 was organized in 1838 and suspended in 1861. It coined only gold pieces, 
 Half Eagles and Quarter Eagles almost regularly in the period named 
 and Dollars almost regularly from 1849 to '59. 
 
 Charlotte coins are marked with a C- 
 
 THE SAN FRANCISCO (CAL.) MINT 
 was organized in 1854, and has since coined all denominations of gold 
 and silver pieces, the former from Half Eagles upward regularly to the 
 present, and silver regularly to 1878, when Dollars continued alone, with 
 Dimps from 1884, until 1892 renewed Halves and Quarters also. 
 San Francisco Coins are marked with an S- 
 
 THE CARSON CITY (NEV.) MINT 
 was organized in 1870. Double Eagles, Eagles and Half Eagles were 
 coined regularly from that date to 1884, as were silver Dollars, Halves, 
 Quarters, Dimes, and a few Twenty Cent pieces were coined regularly to 
 1878. Since then very little has been done. 
 
 Carson City coins are marked with a CC- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The coins of all other mints than that at Philadelphia are 
 distinguished from its unmarked pieces and from each other 
 by certain capital letters, indicating the city where they 
 were struck, and are hence commonly known as ' Mint 
 Marks.' 
 
 The writer, a few years since, after enriching his almost 
 complete collection of silver and minor issues of the parent 
 institution with all attainable varieties, became much in- 
 terested in gathering United States coinage bearing the let- 
 ters to which he has referred. The attraction of his pursuit 
 grew with each piece acquired, each series completed, and 
 each unknown variety found, until his modern dates quite 
 divided his consideration with the old. The difficulties 
 encountered were the lack of any guide-book to this new 
 territory, the remoteness of the very few collectors who were 
 also attracted to it, the absence of information among col- 
 lectors at large, as well as dealers and experts, wise in older 
 coinage, and consequently the entirely hap-hazard search 
 for desired Mint Marks amid large stocks and private ac- 
 cumulations, because such pieces w r ere not distinguished 
 from similar Philadelphia dates, and saved in appreciation 
 of a separate table of values. 
 
 The need of distinct estimates was evident. Preliminary 
 searching proved that the rarity and consequent value of 
 pieces of the same date from different mints were scarcely 
 ever equal, and that some dates necessary to complete Branch 
 Mint sequences never came to view. 
 
 The Mint Report, annually issued by the Government, 
 was the first substantial ground of information. 
 
 Among its voluminous statistics are found lists of the 
 coinage of every mint in the United States to the year pre- 
 ceding the publication of the Report with the not-always con- 
 secutive annual amount of the coinage of each denomina- 
 
5 
 
 tion. This knowledge was valuable as indicating what dates 
 a collector should look for, and what should be accounted 
 scarce or rare from limited coinage. 
 
 But these statements had to be established by investiga- 
 tion and experience. It often happens that but a portion of 
 the registered coinage of any piece is issued for circulation, 
 the remainder being remelted. Occasionally an entire coin- 
 age has either never left the mint or has been sent abroad 
 and recoined there. Thus the Report announces the coinage 
 of several dates in different denominations never known to 
 numismatists ; but it omits also any reference to certain 
 pieces which many collectors possess, and which are genuine 
 and stubborn facts. The dates that exist in visible shape 
 are, therefore, the essential things for a collector, and it be- 
 came necessary in our new field of investigation to find out 
 how far the Mint Report was realized in attainable coins. 
 
 Persistent attention and search brought their reward. 
 Date after date was found, series after series completed, 
 mintage after mintage classified until a collection was 
 formed, from which w T e are now able to verify nearly every 
 piece reported in the Branch Mints' coinage of silver from 
 1838 to the present year 1893. Of the total two hundred 
 and seventy-seven dates, of all denominations, which these 
 mints coined in the interval named, we lack but seven, and, 
 knowing that three or four of these exist, have no doubt the 
 remainder were coined also and will yet be found. 
 
 The unrealized dates of the Report are, therefore, confined 
 to old Philadelphia coinage entirely, and the ' Mint Mark ' 
 field can no longer be avoided as indefinite and unsurveyed. 
 The Mint Report is, indeed, only at fault in regard to Branch 
 Mint coins from its omissions. No mention whatever is 
 made of the existing Half Dime of 1838, the Quarter of 1849, 
 and the Half Dollar of 1838 (all of the mint), or of the ex- 
 cessively rare Dahlonega Mint gold Dollar of 1861. 
 
 With these exceptions the Report of our Branch Mint coin- 
 age gives the dates of each series accurately, and we are con- 
 
6 
 
 vinced, from an examination of large quantities of money 
 in different sections of the country, that its statements of the 
 amount of each date struck can be confidently taken as a 
 basis for deciding relative or actual rarity, with due allow- 
 ance for the unknown difference between coinage and issue, 
 the location of the collector and other points referred to 
 elsewhere. 
 
 As the Mint Report is not easily accessible to many col- 
 lectors, we have digested all statistical information upon 
 these topics of date and amount of coinage that could be of 
 any value to them, and note in these pages the coins that 
 are either scarce or rare from restricted number. 
 
 Here the usefulness of the Mint Report ends. 
 
 The VARIETIES of many dates are in no way referred to 
 by it, though these are of the highest numismatic interest. 
 We therefore have searched for and studied them with 
 especial enthusiasm. 
 
 , Some of these varieties are already known and have been 
 described, but of more than an hundred recorded in this 
 Treatise from examples in our possession, the greater portion 
 are new to collectors and are now first published. They in- 
 clude large, small, and differently placed Mint Marks, high 
 and low dates, broken dies, and other peculiarities which 
 will give exceptional value to our lists beyond. 
 
 The estimates given of the rarity of these varieties, as 
 well as of Mint Mark dates are the result of close attention 
 to not only large quantities of money in circulation, but to 
 the courteously submitted stocks of twenty coin dealers 
 in various cities, whom we know personally, and our 
 search has been so widespread, and the specimens seen and 
 collected so sufficient for the purpose, that we feel assured the 
 investigations of others will confirm all statements here 
 made. Where a coin is not referred to as rare or scarce in 
 these pages it should be understood to be of ample issue, and 
 to be probably found without long search by any one hav- 
 ing access to large amounts of money in prominent cities, 
 
especially those in the section where the coin is produced, 
 but many more pieces would be scarce, of course, to a col- 
 lector in a secluded place unfamiliar with bank tellers or 
 trades' people. If, on the contrary, the chance of location 
 enables a collector to find several coins of a date or variety 
 we consider rare, he is the more fortunate, and will do well 
 to preserve them. New varieties will, doubtless, be found 
 from time to time as more active and general search is 
 stimulated. 
 
 Such a search has only been delayed by the absence of ex- 
 act lists of coins known to exist, close descriptions of them, 
 and, in fact, some other information than that given in 
 occasional catalogues of coin sales of stray Mint Mark pieces 
 which the owner has usually acquired by chance on account 
 of the date or condition alone. 
 
 This needed information, and our views at large upon the 
 collection of Branch Mint coinage, we have decided to pre- 
 sent publicly, as a cause of new interest in United States 
 coinage at the beginning of its second century of existence, 
 that others attracted to Mint Marks may better know what 
 they require ; that general attention may be given to a most 
 fascinating branch of numismatic study, and that rare or 
 scarce Branch Mint pieces may be sooner rescued from cir- 
 culation and new varieties found. 
 
 May, 1893. A. G. H. 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 The Mints already mentioned, in the order of their organization after 
 the Philadelphia Mint, were for many years strictly " Branch Mints " of 
 the parent institution. 
 
 At present the direction of all mints of the United States is from a 
 bureau in the Treasury Department at Washington, but as the older Mint 
 still supplies the dies, issues the widest range of coinage, and is to be so 
 enlarged as to have a capacity for any future demand, the term ' Branch 
 Mint ' may still, from a numismatic point of view, apply to the others, 
 and, being the most concise designation available, is employed in the 
 present treatise. 
 
 We have also, to avoid monotony of words, used the terms "coin- 
 age " and " issue" interchangeably where unimportant, having explained 
 
a 
 
 that all of a coinage may not necessarily be issued. The Mint Report 
 gives the coinage only, the amount of issue being never published. 
 
 The mints furnish but the coins of the current year, whether the ap- 
 plicant be a banker or numismatist. Anterior dates can only be found 
 in circulation or, of higher condition, in dealers' hands. 
 
 We have written this treatise upon Branch Mint coinage entirely from 
 personal investigation upon the lines given in the preface, and ha\e thus 
 far seen or heard of nothing but fragmentary references to the subject in 
 a printed shape, which have in no way added to information already ac- 
 quired. 
 
 There may have been, however, in old catalogues or numismatic pub- 
 lications, which we have not chanced to meet with, lists of Branch Mint 
 pieces, or well-studied arcicles covering, to some extent, the ground we 
 have passed over, and even giving additional details. 
 
 If such exist we should be glad to know of them, and credit any knowl- 
 edge they may give upon our subject, but as they have not been men- 
 tioned during our several years' interest in Mint Marks, we must 
 consider any such articles as either very brief, very doubtful, or very 
 inaccessible, and offer our researches as an original contribution at a 
 time when some hand-book to this coinage is much needed. 
 
 Any information of the discovery of varieties of Mint Marks, not re- 
 corded in this Treatise, will be gladly received by the writer, and, if duly 
 authenticated by inspection, will probably be published later in a sup- 
 plementary sheet. Care should be taken that Mint Marks, flattened 
 by wear, are not mistaken for varieties. 
 
 For the unacquainted reader it may be stated that the writer is not a 
 Dealer. His artistic profession is better known to Philatalists than Nu- 
 mismatists from the reproduction of his painting at the U. S. Capitol, 
 entitled 'The Recall of Columbus/ upon the 50-cent Columbus Stamp; 
 but coin collecting with him is simply a relaxation from professional 
 work, and, in common with all private collectors, he sells only occasional 
 duplicates. Among these, however, are a number of Mint Marks accum- 
 ulated for the study of varieties. 
 
 Persons requesting information should enclose the return postage to 
 assure a reply. 
 
 This Treatise can be procured either through coin dealers and periodi- 
 cals devoted to numismatics or directly from the author by sending the 
 price in a money order, a postal note, or in a greenback so wrapped as to 
 be unseen through the enclosing letter and envelope and at the sender's 
 
 risk. 
 
 A. G. H., 
 1618 17th Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. 
 
THE COINAGE OF THE 
 
 UNITED STATES BRANCH MINTS, 
 
 OR SILVER AND GOLD PIECES, 
 
 COMMONLY CALLED 
 
 'MINT marks; 
 
 THE NEED OF AMERICAN COLLECTORS. 
 
 The early coinage of the United States is very interesting 
 to numismatists, both from its types and its varieties. Not 
 only were the designs numerous, but the association of dif- 
 ferent ' obverses ' and ' reverses,' the slight differences of the 
 copies by different engravers of the same design, the over- 
 looked blunders of many of these engravers, the letters and 
 figures of different sizes, the overdating of coin of preceding 
 years, the lettered or plain edges, the thick or thin planchets, 
 and various other differences cause the existence of very 
 many dissimilar pieces of the same date and value. 
 
 Over fifty varieties of the copper Cent of 1794 have been 
 classified, and as many of the Half Dollar of 1795. The 1817 
 cent has nearly twenty dissimilar obverses, while, as all ex- 
 perienced collectors know^, the number of early copper and 
 silver United States coin that have approximately ten varie- 
 ties, is too numerous to mention. The collection of these 
 many varieties of the first fifty years of our coinage is thus 
 very fascinating. But from the year 1840 the figure of a 
 sitting woman, looking backward, seemed a good enough 
 design for almost every thing in silver issues. 
 
 Taste and fastidiousness diminished, while mechanical 
 methods of exactly reproducing and multiplying a die 
 
10 
 
 reached such perfection as to leave no appreciable difference 
 between any two of a given date in thousands of pieces 
 coined. For many persons the pleasure associated with the 
 gathering of their early pieces has been succeeded merely by 
 the slight interest of continuing their series, of having the 
 later coins in ' proof/ or in possessing the very few of these 
 which are really rare. Some well-meant attempts have, to be 
 sure, been made in the new dies of 1892 and in the Colum- 
 bian Half Dollar to awaken numismatic and artistic interest, 
 but they greatly dispose the collector to slumber again 
 until a worthy ' relief is inspired. 
 
 We should on this centennial year of the first United 
 States coinage (1893) advocate a return to the superb de- 
 signs of our earliest dates were it not for the confusion which 
 might result from much wear or from intentional altera- 
 tions of the figures on modern pieces. Let us hope some 
 imaginative brain and skillful hand may yet be authorized 
 to produce new coins with the dignity, beauty, and sim- 
 plicity of the old. 
 
 In the meantime there is a generally overlooked or 
 neglected means of dispelling all apathy in connection with 
 our modern coinage. There is a region of activity and 
 study appreciated by a few which it is the object of this 
 Treatise to open and map out that the many may hasten in 
 to enjoy and possess its riches. 
 
 And this is the territory whose acres and quarter sections 
 are now free. 
 
 The collection of the coinage of the Branch Mints of the United 
 States, in addition to that of Philadelphia, will not only sustain 
 interest in the Nation's coinage as a whole, and especially in the 
 issues of the last half century, but will be found worthy of the en- 
 thusiasm of both the young collector and the most advanced nu- 
 mismatist. 
 
 The many causes of the attractiveness of the study and 
 collection of ' Mint Marks ' are given as follows : 
 

 11 
 
 CAUSES OF ATTRACTIVENESS. 
 
 1st. Mint Marks in their progressive issue at New Or- 
 leans, Dahlonega, Charlotte, San Francisco, and Carson City 
 show the direction of our country's growth and its develop- 
 ment of mineral wealth. 
 
 2d. Mint Marks in their amount of issue in varied years 
 at different points offer the monetary pulse of our country 
 to the student of finance. 
 
 3rd. The denominations of any one Branch Mint, in their 
 irregular coinage and their relation to each other at certain 
 periods, indicate curiously the particular needs of the given 
 section of the land. 
 
 4th. A knowledge of the Branch Mint coinage is indis- 
 pensable to an understanding of the greater or less coinage 
 of the Philadelphia Mint and its consequent numismatic 
 value. 
 
 5th. A knowledge of the coinage of the different Branch 
 Mints gives to many usually considered common dates great 
 rarity if certain Mint Marks are upon them. 
 
 6th. Mint-Mark study gives nicety of taste and makes a 
 mixed set of pieces unendurable. 
 
 7th. Several dies were used at Branch Mints which never 
 served in the Philadelphia coinage, and their impressions 
 should no longer be collected as mere varieties. 
 
 8th. The very irregularity of dates in some denominations 
 of Branch Mint issues is a pleasant exercise of memory and 
 numismatic knowledge. 
 
 9th. This irregularity in date, and in the distribution of 
 coinage, gives a collection in most cases but two or three, 
 and rarely three or more contemporaneous pieces, and thus 
 occasions no great expense. 
 
 10th. As the Branch Mints are so far apart their issues 
 have the character of those of different nations, and tend to 
 promote correspondence and exchange, both to secure com- 
 mon dates in fine condition and the rarities of each. 
 
12 
 
 11th. The United States coinage has a unique interest in 
 this production at places far apart of pieces of the same value 
 and design with distinguishing letters upon them. 
 
 12th. As Mint Marks only occur in silver and gold coins 
 they can be found oftener than coins of the baser metals in 
 fine condition, and neither augment or involve a collection 
 of the minor pieces. 
 
 13th. As Mint Marks have not heretofore been sought, or 
 studied as they deserve, many varieties yet await in circu- 
 lation the good fortune of collectors who cannot buy freely 
 of coins more in demand, and who, in having access to large 
 sums of money, may draw therefrom prizes impossible to 
 seekers after older dates. 
 
 14th. The various sizes of the mint marks 0, S, D, C, and 
 CC, ranging from the capital letters of average book type to 
 infinitesimal spots on the coin, as well as the varied loca- 
 tion of these letters, defy any accusation of monotony, and 
 are far more distinguishable than the characteristics of many 
 classified varieties of old cents and ' colonials.' 
 
 15th. Mint Marks include noble enough game for the 
 most advanced coin hunter, as their rarities are among the 
 highest in value of United States coinage, and their varie- 
 ties permit the gathering in some issues of as many as six 
 different modern pieces of the same date. 
 
 16th. The face value of all the silver Mint Marks to 1893, 
 being less than one hundred and fifty dollars, they are 
 within the means of any collector, as, aside from the economy 
 of those found in circulation, the premiums for rarities are 
 yet below those on many coins of far inferior intrinsic 
 worth. 
 
 17th. As the new Mint at Philadelphia will have a ca- 
 pacity equal to all existing United States Mints, it is proba- 
 ble that others will be greatly restricted or even abolished 
 in no long time, and that Mint Marks will not only cease as 
 an annual expense, but be a treasure in time to those who 
 have the foresight to collect them now. 
 
13 
 
 RARITY AND VALUE. 
 
 The value of a coin depends upon its rarity. Old coins 
 have been reduced in number by many causes and made 
 rare, even when the issue was large. But the influences of 
 recoinage, export, loss by fire or flood, and excessive wear 
 do not apply to modern pieces. 
 
 Mint Marks, therefore, depend primarily for rarity upon 
 a known small coinage, or, what is practically the same, 
 though not as evident, a partial issue only of the amount 
 coined. This partial issue is more apt to occur with large 
 silver pieces than small, as the full coinage of the latter is 
 generally required. 
 
 If the coinage of given dates of Mint Mark pieces is not 
 limited, their scarcity is influenced by many causes and un- 
 certainties that do not apply to older American pieces now 
 almost entirely in dealers' and collectors' hands. While 
 loss of a portion of each year's coinage must be conceded 
 even to modern pieces through restricted issue, export, and 
 injury, other conditions than loss also govern Mint Marks 
 more than Philadelphia coinage. The latter comes from one 
 source, and can be gathered through regular channels, the 
 former from many, which are very little known. 
 
 A collector in Philadelphia may have a fine set of that 
 mint, and even of the O mint, and wait long before finding 
 the majority of S mint pieces in circulation. One in Carson 
 City may similarly, after gathering fine series of the CC and 
 S mints, have his patience much tried in attempting to pick 
 up a line of the mint coinage of any series, although many 
 of the dates exist, of course, in large numbers. Hence Mint 
 Marks have an indirect rarity and value depending upon 
 the location of the collector. 
 
 Yet, although he will usually collect the pieces of the 
 nearest Mint in better condition than others, there are at 
 times exceptional causes to the contrary, for when the banks 
 of a community need subsidiary coin and the nearest Mint 
 cannot supply it, shipments are made from a distant one 
 and the collector has unexpected opportunities. 
 
14 
 
 CONDITION also affects the value of Mint Marks to a 
 greater extent than of Philadelphia Mint issues. Though the 
 Branch Mint coinage is all relatively modern, gradual cir- 
 culation across the length and breadth of a continent causes 
 most pieces to be much worn. We have been surprised at 
 the low average condition of thousands of dollars' worth of 
 coin which we have seen counted. 
 
 The lower denominations, the Dimes and Quarters, suffer 
 particularly from their more common use, and but few Halves 
 and Dollars are very fine. They servea collector but tempora- 
 rily, and, if a date of unusually rapid transfer from a distant 
 section does not come to his view from time to time, he can 
 only depend upon the uncertainty of correspondence to se- 
 cure choice pieces by mail. He may find the coins of the 
 nearest Branch Mint in high condition, but wait long to 
 perfect his series of the others. Even the most accessible 
 Mint Mark pieces are difficult to gather uncirculated. 
 Hundreds of the Philadelphia issue have been for a long 
 period saved annually in this condition, but very few coined 
 elsewhere. We know, from prolonged visits to New Orleans 
 and acquaintance with the very courteous officials of the 
 Mint and sub-treasury there during the winters of 1892-'3, 
 that about the only pieces of each year's coinage that escape 
 circulation are the very few written for from a distance and 
 those taken by visitors as keepsakes ; but we were less sur- 
 prised at this when we sought several months in vain for 
 collectors in New Orleans and found no reputable coin deal- 
 ers other than money brokers. 
 
 As to San Francisco, we know from correspondence that 
 the coinage of the mint there has been very little collected, 
 and is most difficult to procure of even a few years back in 
 uncirculated condition. We have heard of no collectors in 
 Carson City, Dahlonega, or Charlotte who might search cur- 
 rent money or bank accumulations for the coins of these 
 mints in past years. 
 
 Why is it that the South and the far West neglect such 
 great numismatic opportunities ? As a striking illustration 
 
15 
 
 of the result, we mention that the Twenty Cent piece was, in 
 1877, limited in coinage to but five hundred and ten 
 ' Proofs ' struck, of course, in Philadelphia. In 1876 there 
 were ten thousand specimens of this coin struck .at Carson 
 City, yet, while any one can buy the proof of '77 for about 
 three dollars, the '76 CC piece is excessively rare in any con- 
 dition, and would, even if worn, command two or three 
 times that price from a Mint-Mark collector. Therefore a 
 series of Branch Mint dates is not only difficult to gather 
 individually and collectively in any condition, but is es- 
 pecially so in the state numismatists most desire. There 
 are, of course, some exceptions in dates of every denomi- 
 nation, which from very large issues are only of value when 
 uncirculated, but in general the preceding statement holds. 
 An uncirculated series is thus a worthy object of numis- 
 matic ambition, and choice Mint Marks will assuredly yet 
 command far higher prices than the same dates from Phil- 
 adelphia, or even than some of their own scarce pieces greatly 
 worn. 
 
 Meanwhile Mint-Mark values must vary, more or less, 
 with the growing demand, the supply discovered, the con- 
 dition, the location of the collector, and the estimates of 
 sellers and buyers in different sections of the country. As 
 their number increases and the good judgment of dealers 
 grows with daily observation of the supply and demand and 
 the prices obtained at sales, we may expect to see the worth 
 of each Branch Mint coin determined in given condition 
 with something of the accuracy pertaining to the pieces 
 issued at Philadelphia. 
 
 But existing rare dates of Mint Marks and uncirculated 
 pieces should be searched for without delay that the supply 
 may be known. Persons near the Branch Mints with ac- 
 cess to large quantities of coin have a great opportunity for 
 rich collection and very profitable exchange in this new 
 field, and upon their activity partly the question of rarity 
 and value for a while depends. 
 
16 
 
 UNITED STATES SILVER MINT 
 MARKS. 
 
 THE THREE CENT SILVER PIECE 
 
 Was issued at the New Orleans Mint in 1851 only. It is 
 found in many collections as a variety, and is not rare, 
 though having but an eighth of that first year's coinage in 
 Philadelphia. The is conspicuously placed within the 
 points of the large C on the reverse. 
 
 THE HALF DIME. 
 
 This very interesting little coin, which was the first au- 
 thorized by the United States Government, and coined at 
 Philadelphia in 1792, is also in the front rank of Branch 
 Mint issues. As such it was peculiarly the coin of the peo- 
 ple, for in the extreme South and West no smaller denomi- 
 nation has ever, been in use. It was struck in New Orleans, 
 with a number of Dimes and a few specimen Half Dollars, in 
 1838 when that early Branch Mint was organized. The 
 Half Dime coinage continued there annually until 1860, with 
 the exception of the years 1843, '45, '46, and '47. The civil 
 war then terminated the mint coinage, but in 1863 the 
 San Francisco Mint took its place and coined Half Dimes 
 annually, with the exception of the year 1870, until 1873, 
 when, as the nickel piece had proved more convenient, the 
 coin was abolished. Its fixed limits and never-conflicting 
 mint pieces add to the interest and economy of possessing 
 a set, as no annual addition is involved. The mint series 
 numbers nineteen dates, but successive varieties found ex- 
 tend the writer's set to at least thirty-six. 
 
 THE MINT HALF DIME COINAGE. 
 
 These pieces are as follows : 1838 (of which the issue is not 
 recorded in the Mint Report) is without stars, with a large 
 
17 
 
 in the wreath on the reverse, and is rare. There is also 
 a variety with stars and a small o, which is very rare. 
 1839 is with stars (as are all to 1860), and has a small 
 o. There are, apart from the perfect die, two varieties 
 of broken dies. In one the break is from the elbow 
 to the nearest star; in the other the break is on the 
 reverse from the of ' of ' to the L of ' half.' 1840 
 is found with and without the sleeve. The former has a 
 small o, and is very rare ; the latter has both the small o, 
 which is rare, and the large variety, which is very rare. 
 
 1841 has large and small o varieties, both being scarce. 
 
 1842 has a small o only, and is very rare. There was no 
 coinage in 1843. 1844 has a large 0, which is very rare, 
 and a small o, which is rare. In 1845, '46, and '47 there 
 was no O mint coinage. 1848 has a large and a small o, 
 both rare. 1849 has a large O only, and is the rarest O 
 mint half dime. 1850 has a large and a small o, the lat- 
 ter being very rare. 1851 has a large 0. 1852 has the 
 same only, and is very rare. The large O continues in 1853, 
 of which date there are two varieties, one with arrows, being 
 common, and one without, rare. There is also an exceed- 
 ingly rare variety with a broken die, which gives the date 
 the appearance of being over '51. 1854 has a large 0, which 
 is sometimes close to the letters and sometimes to the bow- 
 knot. It is a common enough date. 1855 has a large O, 
 and is scarce. 1856 has a large 0, and high and low date 
 varieties. 1857 has a high oval and a low round o. 
 1858 has a large 0, and the ribbon and stem at right touch- 
 ing in one variety and well apart in another. 1859 has a 
 large with high and low varieties, both being scarce. 
 1860 is without stars, the legend replacing them, and has a 
 different wreath on the reverse. The o is small, and, for the 
 first time, is under the wreath instead of within it. There 
 are high and low o varieties. 
 
 We have also two worn specimens of 1837 without stars, 
 and sufficient traces of a small o in the proper place to con- 
 vince us that some Half Dimes were coined experimentally 
 
18 
 
 in New Orleans in that year with a die similar to the one 
 then used in Philadelphia, although the New Orleans Mint 
 was not regularly organized until 1838. As the coinage of 
 Half Dimes at New Orleans in the latter year was not re- 
 corded, though well known, we are the more assured of the 
 authenticity of our '37 mint pieces which were found in 
 New Orleans, and we consider them excessively rare. 
 
 While the half dimes of '37, without stars, was coined in 
 Philadelphia that variety of '38 was issued only at New Or- 
 leans, all struck at the parent mint having stars. The rare 
 mint dates we review in order, 1849, '44, '42, '52, '38, and 
 '48, the rarest first. 
 
 THE S MINT HALF DIME COINAGE 
 
 Bears a very small Mint Mark, which, with one exception, is 
 under the wreath. The dies of the coin are those of the 
 same date of the New Orleans and Philadelphia Mints, a 
 seated Liberty surrounded by " United States of America" 
 and a wreath of x wheat, &c, on the reverse. 
 
 The first five dates, 1863, '64, '65, '66, 'and '67, were of 
 small coinage, and are scarcer than most of the preceding 
 dates, but by no means as rare as the similar Philadelphia 
 dates, whose places they generally hold in collections. 1884 
 is the scarcest of the five, followed by '83. 1868 and '69 are 
 more common. In 1870 no Half Dimes were coined in San 
 Francisco. 1871 is the only date with the S within the 
 wreath, and is exceedingly scarce. 1872 and '73 have the S 
 below as usual, and the latter is somewhat scarce. We have 
 discovered no varieties in the S mint coinage, our set thus 
 numbering ten pieces. 
 
 Since the Half Dime was abolished in 1873 the inconve- 
 nience of the small piece has resulted in the annual remit- 
 tance to the Treasury and the Mints of hundreds of dollars 
 worth which street car companies, etc., are glad to have de- 
 stroyed. Consequently very few Half Dimes now exist in 
 circulation ; their general scarcity and rarity is augmenting, 
 and the small space a collection occupies will assure them 
 ever increasing favor. 
 
19 
 
 THE DIME 
 
 Has been coined at New Orleans, San Francisco, and Carson 
 City. 
 
 THE MINT DIME COINAGE 
 
 Has several sizes of the indicative letter which maybe classi- 
 fied in three: the large, which is about the height of the let- 
 ters of the legend "United States of America" on the coin, 
 the medium, about two-thirds, and the small, about one-half 
 or rather less. 
 
 The complete series of dates and the varieties found areas 
 follows : 
 
 1838, the first date coined, is a piece without stars or 
 legend around the seated Liberty on the obverse, and 
 with a large under " one dime," and within the wreath on 
 the reverse. 'It is quite scarce. 1839 has thirteen s'ars 
 around the figure on the obverse, wmich continue until noted 
 beyond. The reverse is in general the same as '38, but offers 
 two varieties, a medium and a small o. 1840, which we have 
 seen ' without drapery ' only, has also two varieties, a large 
 and a small o. 1841 has a small o. 1842 has a small o. 
 1843 has a small o, and is quite scarce. There was no coin- 
 age in 1844. 1845 has a large 0, and is scarce. In 1846, 
 '47, and '48 there were no Dimes coined at New Orleans. 
 1849 has two varieties, a large and a small o, and is some- 
 what scarce. 1850 has a large and a small o. 1851 has a 
 large 0. 1852 has a large 0. 1853 has a large 0, and is the 
 first Dime with arrowheads. We have seen no variety of 
 1853 without. 1854 has a large and arrowheads. There 
 was no coinage in 1855. 1856 has a large and a medium 
 o, and the arrows are abandoned. We have also a large O 
 variety with the legend so faintly struck as to be hardly per- 
 ceptible. The large date '56 is found only in Philadelphia 
 coinage. ^57 has a large 0. 1858 has a large 0, and is 
 scarce. 1859 has a large and a medium o placed lower 
 than usual. In i860 the stars give place to the legend, 
 and on the reverse the o is very small, and for the first time 
 appears under the changed wreath, as in the Half Dime of 
 
20 
 
 the same date. The 1860 Dimes is of very small issue, ex- 
 ceedingly rare, and a great prize. 
 
 At this period the civil war occasioned a long interval in 
 O mint coinage, and not until 1891 were Dimes again struck. 
 The piece of that date resumes the design of 1860 on obverse 
 and reverse, but has a medium o under the wreath in two 
 varieties, one well centered and one close to right ribbon. 
 In 1892 the seated Liberty is replaced by a wreathed head 
 facing to the right, and the wreath on the reverse is changed 
 in various slight details. The continues of medium size 
 under the wreath. 1893 is similar in all respects to 1892 
 
 The years of no coinage being 1844, '46, '47, '48, and '55, 
 five in all, it will be seen that the dates of the O series from 
 1838 to '93, inclusive, number twenty-one, to which the ad- 
 dition of seven varities named make twenty-eight as the 
 complete set. The smaller o of six of these varieties is uni- 
 formly rarer than the large one. 
 
 THE S MINT DIME COINAGE. 
 
 The mint mark letter S identifying this series may also, 
 as in the preceding, be divided into three sizes : The large, 
 being somewhat larger than the letters of the legend, the me- 
 dium, somewhat smaller, and the small, about half their 
 height and quite minute. 
 
 1856 is the first date of this series, the date being always 
 small. Stars surround the seated Liberty, the obverse and 
 reverse dies being similar to the mintage of the same 
 period. The S is large and in the wreath. The piece is rare. No 
 1857 Dime was coined at San Francisco. 1858 has a medium 
 s, and in other respects is similar. It is rare. 1859 has a me- 
 dium s, and is also rare. 1860 is especially interesting from 
 continuing the stars when the and P coinages of this date 
 had discarded them. A medium s remains within the 
 wreath. It is scarce. In 1861 the new dies, with a legend 
 around the figure and the wreath of oak and wheat, 
 were used. A small s first appears and is placed under the 
 wreath. 1862 is the same. 1863 continues these character- 
 
21 
 
 istics, and is rather scarce, but the Philadelphia dates from 
 '63 to '67 are all far rarer than the S coinage. 1864 S is like 
 '63, and is comparatively common. 1865 continues the small 
 s below the wreath, as does 1866. The latter ia scarce. 
 1867 is scarce also and similar in detail, except the S is not 
 quite so small. 1868 and 1869, however, continue the 
 minute s. 1870 is unchanged, but a small coinage makes 
 it very rare. 1871 is abundant. 1872 is rather scarce. 
 1873 introduces arrows for the first time at each side of the 
 date. The variety without does not seem to exist in the S 
 coinage. 1874 continues the arrowheads and the small s. 
 1875 omits the arrowheads. It has two varieties, a medium 
 s within the wreath in one, the usual small s below in the 
 other. In 1876 the latter only has been found. In 1877 also. 
 
 A long break in the sequence of the San Francisco coinage 
 then occurs, but in 1884 the same design and the small s 
 under the wreath are maintained. It and the five preced- 
 ing dates are all very abundant, but in 1885 the smallest 
 issue of the whole series makes that piece very rare. The S 
 is almost medium in size. This somewhat larger S than 
 usual under the wreath continues in the ample coinage of 
 1886 and the very large ones of 1887 and 1888. 1889 has 
 two varieties, a medium s and a small scarce s. In 1890 the S 
 is larger. 1891 presents it small. In 1892 and '93 it is nearly 
 of medium size, still under the somewhat varied wreath. The 
 obverse of this date gives the new design of a garlanded bust 
 turned to the right, and the date is smaller than any preced- 
 ing it except 1856. None of these dates are scarce after '85. 
 
 In reviewing the 8 series it will be seen that the years of 
 no coinage were 1857 and from 1878 to '83. The rarities are, 
 in order of importance, 1885, '70, '58, '59, and '56. 1866, '60, 
 '67, and '63 are rather scarce. The dates and varieties men- 
 tioned number thirty-three, to and including 1893. 
 
 THE CC MINT DIME COINAGE 
 
 Is recognized by two very small c's, smaller than the small s 
 of the last series, and they do not vary perceptibly through- 
 out the eight dates of this mint issued. 
 
22 
 
 The first Dime of Carson City is that of 1871, with the 
 seated Liberty surrounded by "United States of America," 
 on the obverse, as in the P and S coinage of the same year, 
 and the wreath of wheat, corn, oak, &c, on the reverse. This 
 piece and the three succeeding dates are all very rare. The 
 CC are close together and under the wreath in these. 1872 
 is the second date. 1873 we know of without the arrow- 
 heads only. 1874 is the highest rarity of the four. 
 
 We have 1875 in three varieties : The first has a close CC 
 below the wreath, the second has a close CC within the 
 wreath, and the third has a wide C C within the wreath, the 
 latter two very scarce. 1876 has the usual close CC under 
 the wreath. 1877 repeats this, and has a variety, with the 
 CC a trifle larger. 1878 continues the close CC. It is some- 
 what scarce, but the three dates before it very common. 
 
 The Dime has not been coined at the Carson City Mint 
 since 1878, and probably will not be in future. 
 
 COMPARATIVE TABLE. 
 
 The issues of the three Branch Mints named are associated 
 with the Philadelphia dates of dimes in the following inter- 
 esting list : 
 
 1838, P. 0; 1839, P. 0; 1840, P. 0; 1841, P. 0; 
 1842, P. 0; 1843, P. 0; 1844, P; 1845, PO; 1846, P ; 1847, 
 P; 1848, P; 1849, P. 0; 1850, P. 0; 1851, P. 0; 1852, P. ; 
 1853, P O; 1854. P. 0; 1855, P; 1856, P. S; 1857, P. 0; 
 1858, P. O. IS ; 1859, P. O. S ; 1860, P. 0. S ; 1861, P. S ; 1862, 
 P. S; 1863, P. S; 1864, P. S; 1865, P. S; 1866, P. S ; 1867, 
 P.S; 1868, P.S; 1869, P. S ; 1870, P. S; 1871,P.S.CC; 1872, 
 P. S. CC; 1873, P. S. CC; 1874, P. S. CC; 1875, P. S. CC; 
 1876, P. S. CC; 1877, P. S. CC; 1878, P. CC; 1879, P; 1880, 
 P; 1881, P; 1882,P; 1883, P; 1884, P. S ; 1885, P.S; 1886, 
 P. S ; 1887, P. S; 1888, P. S; 1889, P. S; 1890, P. S ; 1891, 
 P. S. O ; 1892, P. S. ; 1893, P. S. 0. 
 
 No date has more than three pieces, and it will be seen 
 that the collector triplicates his dates in but fourteen years 
 of the fifty-five from 1838 to '93. He doubles them only in 
 thirty-one years, and in ten the Philadelphia pieces stand 
 alone. Thus Mint Marks are not, after all, such a great 
 extravagance. 
 
23 
 
 THE TWENTY CENT PIECE, 
 
 Like the silver Three Cent and the gold Three Dollar coins, 
 has but very little for the interest of the Mint-Mark col- 
 lector except in one rarity. 
 
 The Philadelphia Mint issues of 1875, 76, 77, and 78 
 complete that series. The coinage of every date was small, 
 especially the latter two, which were in "proof only. 
 The only S Mint piece, 1875, has a small s directly over 
 the Y. There were coined considerably over one million of 
 these pieces, or nearly six times the amount of all other coin- 
 age of them. The Carson City Mint coined a moderate 
 quantity in 1875 with the C C wide apart, one over the Y 
 the other over the " c " of ' cents ; ' also a small quantity in 
 1876 The pieces of 1876 CC have become very rare, as we 
 have mentioned in our preface, from the negligence of West- 
 ern collectors, or the indifference of all to Mint Mark rarities 
 while the proofs of 78 (coined in Philadelphia to but about 
 a twentieth of the amount), can at any time be bought. 
 Thus the twenty cent piece has but three Mint Mark dates 
 one being a prize We have not remarked any varieties. 
 
 THE QUAKTER DOLLAR 
 
 Has been coined at New Orleans, San Francisco, and Carson 
 City. 
 
 THE MINT QUARTER DOLLAR COINAGE 
 
 Began in 1840, and, excepting the years 1845, '46, and '48, 
 continued to 1860. After a long interval, begun by the civil 
 war, it was resumed in 1891, and continued with the new bust 
 of Liberty design in 1892 and '93. The coinage of the ex- 
 isting mint quarter of 1849 is not recorded in the Mint 
 Report. The scarcer dates are 1851, '62, '91, and '55. The 
 Mint-Mark letter may be classified in this series as of three 
 sizes, a large, a medium, and a small. The large is nearly 
 as large as the letters of the legend, the medium about two- 
 thirds, the small about one-half the height of these letters. 
 The complete set of dates and a few varieties we have found 
 are here described: 1840 has a small date and well-known 
 
24 
 
 varieties with and without a sleeve, the latter being appar- 
 ently peculiar to this mint. The sleeve variety has a me- 
 dium o over the " R " of QUAR., and by the point of the left 
 stem, the other a large over the space to the right of the 
 " R," and evenly placed between the stems. 1841 has also a 
 small date and two varieties of the medium sized o, one 
 being over the " R " and the other over the space to the right, 
 as before. 1842 has a large date and the medium o over the 
 space. In the O mint it is as easy to get as the preceding ? 
 but is very rare in the Philadelphia coinage, and most col- 
 lectors will find themselves depending on a Mint Mark for 
 this date. 1843 has a small o over the space and a large 
 date. 1844 has a medium o over the space. 
 
 There was no coinage, it will be remembered, in 1845 and 
 '46. In 1847 the date is very large, and the medium o is 
 over the space. 1848 continues the size of the date and of 
 the last piece, but the is high between the stems. In 1849, 
 a piece only scarce, there was no coinage recorded in the O 
 Mint Report, but neither this piece or others in the '40's 
 have the scarcity of similar Philadelphia dates. 1850 has a 
 medium o close to the right stem and an upright 5 in date, 
 unusual in the '50's. 1851 has a large close to the left 
 stem, and is the scarcest piece of the series, though not 
 strictly rare. 1852 is quite scarce. It presents a large 
 close between the stems and over the space. 1853 appears 
 with arrowheads and the rays, used only in this year's issue. 
 It is quite common. If the rare variety without arrows and 
 rays exists in coinage we have not yet heard of it. 
 
 There are two varieties as regards the location of the large 
 mint mark, one is well centered over the space, the other 
 is close to the notch of the stems 1854 has arrowheads only 
 and the large in two varieties, one well centered over the 
 space, the other broadly restruck, and touching the R on the 
 upper right curve. 1855 has a large over the R, and is 
 rather scarce. 1856 has an upright 5 in the large date and 
 a large over the space. The arrowheads cease. 1857 pre- 
 sents a large date and a large O high above the R and be- 
 
25 
 
 tween the stems. 1858 has the lower, but is otherwise 
 similar, except in an upright 5 in the large date. 1859 has 
 a small date and a well-centered large 0. 1860 shows the 
 same details. An interval then extends to 1891. This piece 
 unchanged in design, has a medium date and a small o be- 
 tween the stems high over the right side of the R. It will 
 be rather scarce. 1892 offers the new dies of a garlanded 
 bust facing right and an heraldic eagle on the reverse. 
 The date is of medium size and the Mint Mark is an exceed- 
 ingly small o, just under the middle of the tail and over the 
 R. 1893 continues the new design. This series numbers 
 twenty-one dates to 1863, and a few varieties which can 
 doubtless be increased. 
 
 THE S MINT QUARTER DOLLAR COINAGE 
 
 Began in San Francisco in 1855, fifteen years after the first 
 date, and, with the exception of the years 1863, '70, 79 to 
 '87, inclusive, '89 and '90, have been struck annually to the 
 present year. 
 
 A very interesting feature of this series is the large size of 
 the Mint Mark on the earlier dates. The " S " exceeds in 
 proportions those of the word " States." There are at least 
 three other sizes on later dates, which may be called medium 
 small, and very small, ranging from within the height of let- 
 ters of the legend to hardly more than a dot. They are in- 
 variably under the eagle on the reverse. There are twenty- 
 six dates of this series to 1893 and a few varieties. We 
 describe in detail the set we have thus far gathered. 
 
 The 1855 has slanting fives, arrow heads, and a large S 
 high over the space to the right of the R. The 1856 has an 
 upright 5, no arrow T s, a large high date and a large S high 
 over the R. It has also a variety with the S high over the 
 space. 1857 has a large date and a large S highly placed 
 almost over the space. It is not common. 1858 continues 
 the upright 5 and large date. A large S is high over the 
 space. 1859 commences the small dates and has a large S 
 nearly over the space. It is not common. 1860 presents a 
 
26 
 
 small date and a large S high over the space. It is a scarce 
 piece. 1861 continues the small date. The large S is well 
 centered over the space. 1862 only varies in the large S 
 being high over the space. It is somewhat scarce. There 
 was no coinage in 1863. 1864 has a medium date and a 
 large S high over the space. It is the date of smallest coin- 
 age in the S series and is very rare. 1865 continues the 
 medium date that rules hereafter. It has a large S high over 
 the space and is scarce. 1866 is the first of the series with 
 the motto "In God We Trust." It is also the first to dismiss 
 the large mint mark and show a very small s that con- 
 tinues with little change through the rest of the San Fran- 
 cisco Quarters. The 8 in this date is close to the poim of 
 the left stem and over the R to the left. The piece is very 
 rare, ranking next to '64. In 1866, for the first time, the 
 Philadelphia quarter has a smaller coinage and so continues 
 for the next three years, but could be more readily found 
 especially in fine condition. 1867 repeats the details of the 
 preceding date. We have found it also very rare. 1868 and 
 1 869 have the same appearance but are not scarce. There 
 was no coinage in 1870. In 1871 the small s crowds upon 
 the point of the left stem. The piece is very rare. 1872 
 has the S midway between the left stem and the R. 1873 
 we have found only with the arrow heads which had been 
 omitted since 1855. The s is smaller than before — the very 
 small size — and is well centered between the stems, nearly 
 over the space. 1874 again omits the arrow heads and has 
 the same details regarding the Mint Mark as the preceding 
 date. Of 1875 the same may be observed. 1876 shows two 
 varieties, one with the very small s nearly over the space 
 and the other with a medium small s over the R. 1877 also 
 has two varieties — a small s close above the R and a medium 
 small s highly placed nearly over the space. 1878 has a 
 medium small s well centered nearly over the space. All 
 these dates after '71 should be readily found — 1874 to 77 
 being especially abundant. 
 
27 
 
 An interval of coinage then occurs until 1888 when there 
 was another great issue which should be distinguished from 
 the very rare Philadelphia piece of this date. 
 
 The 1888 S has a medium small Mint Mark well centered 
 nearly over the space. 1891 was the next year of coinage 
 and will be rather scarce. There are two varieties. In one 
 the medium small s is rather high and almost over the 
 space, in the other it is centered over the R. In 1892 the 
 new designs of a garlanded bust, facing right on the obverse 
 and an heraldic eagle on the reverse side appeared on the 
 San Francisco coinage simultaneously with that at New 
 Orleans and Philadelphia. The S Mint Mark is exceedingly 
 small. It touches the middle of the eagles tail and is just 
 over the P. 1893 we have not yet received. 
 
 This list gives a total in dates and varieties of thirty pieces 
 for the S mint series from 1855 to '93. We review the rarest 
 dates as those of 1864, '66, '71 and '67, and the scarce ones 
 of the years 1860 and 1865. 
 
 THE CC MINT COINAGE OF QUARTER DOLLARS 
 
 Extended from 1870 to 1878 with the exception of the year 
 1874, so that there are eight dates in this interesting series, the 
 first four being of very small coinage. 1870 has a medium 
 date and a widely spaced small c c over the letters A and R 
 of QUAR, It has the smallest coinage of the series, and is 
 exceedingly rare. 1871 has the same details and is also ex- 
 ceedingly rare. Of 1872 the same may be said, and in 
 rarity it ranks next to 1870. 1873 has the same details and 
 two varieties, one with arrow heads to the date and the other 
 without. Both are exceedingly rare. 1875 has a large date 
 and a close cc over the R and the space to the right. It is 
 not common. 1876 has a large date, and two varieties — the 
 close small cc high over the R and a slightly larger cc, not 
 so high. 1877 has a small date and a close small cc over 
 the R. 1878 has a small date and a close relatively large 
 CC over the R and partly over the space. The latter three 
 dates were coined in immense quantities. 
 
28 
 
 The largest size of the very little varying Mint Mark of 
 this series is very small in comparison with that of other 
 mints, for it was used after the obtrusive Mint Marks 
 of the early dates, especially the San Francisco pieces, had 
 yielded to an evidently general policy of making them 
 merely sufficient for identification if necessary. 
 
 The three Branch Mintages of Quarters conflict very little. 
 The Mint issues are alone from 1840 to '54. From '55 to 
 '60 there are O and S Mints. The S series then runs alone 
 to '69. From '70 to '78 with one exception in each mintage, 
 it has the CC dates in its company. Then, except a single S 
 Mint coinage in '88, there is a break to 1891, when the O 
 and S Mints resume, and have since continued. 
 
 THE HALF DOLLAR 
 
 Has been coined at the Mints of New Orleans, San Francisco 
 and Carson City. These Mintages are related to each other 
 very much as are the Quarters to which we have just 
 referred. The dates run alone from 1838 to 1854. From 
 1855 to '61 the and S pieces are contemporary. The S 
 series then continues alone until 1870, when the Carson 
 City coinage starts in and accompanies it to 1878. Then all 
 Branch Mint coinage of Half Dollars ceases until 1892, when 
 at San Francisco and New Orleans they are struck with the 
 new dies. 
 
 It will be remarked that, up to the latter year, there are 
 only seventeen doubled pieces to be added to the Philadelphia 
 dates in a period of fifty-five years. The collector, therefore, 
 who, without investigation, has fancied that he would need 
 to buy perhaps three Mint Mark pieces for each year of the 
 half century, may be much reassured. 
 
 THE MINT COINAGE OF HALF DOLLARS 
 
 Commences in 1838. There is no record of that year in the 
 Mint Report, and probably only a few specimen pieces were 
 struck, as less than a dozen are now known, and they are 
 not merely among the rarest Mint Marks, but the rarest 
 
29 
 
 pieces of United States coinage. The value tins high Mint 
 Mark rarity has acquired augurs well for others when the 
 whole subject is more familiar to collectors. The 18S8 Half 
 Dollar has a medium sized o on the obverse of the piece and 
 beneath the bust of that year. 1839 retains the under 
 the bust facing left on the obverse. The piede has a large 
 date and is not common. In 1840 the dies of the Half Dol- 
 lar were changed, and the seated Liberty and spread eagle 
 continued long afterwards. The date is small, and an of 
 the large size is under the eagle, on the reverse (as always 
 since), and just over the ' F ' of the word HALF. 
 
 There is a variety of this date with a very small o mid- 
 high over the F. There is no other small o until '92 r and what 
 we have termed the large size is not much more than half 
 the height of the letters on the reverse. 1841 has a small 
 date and a well-centered large over the F. 1842 shows a 
 large date and a large mid-high over the F in one variety, 
 and over the space between L and F in another. 1843 has 
 the large date, which so continues as not to need further ref- 
 erence, and a large somewhat to the right, over the F. 
 1844 has two varieties, a large 0, rather high over the F, and 
 a medium sized o placed lower. There is also a curious re- 
 strike of this mint date. 1845 has an upright 5 and a 
 medium o mid-high over the F. 1846 resumes the large 0, 
 which is high over the F. 1847 is similar. 1848 only varies 
 in that the about touches the stem above. 1849 has also 
 a large, very high O directly over the F. We find 1850 the 
 same, and 1851. None of these dates from '39 down can be 
 called scarce. 1852, however, claims that distinction. It 
 resembles the two or three preceding pieces. 1853 appears, 
 as at Philadelphia, with arrowheads for the first time, and 
 rays on the reverse for the only time The Ois large. This 
 piece is common, but, if the judgment of several authorities 
 is well founded, there is a variety of the 1853 mint with- 
 out arrows and rays similar to the Quarter of the Philadel- 
 phia Mint, but never known in the Half Dollar coinage of 
 that institution, which takes at a bound the highest place 
 
30 
 
 among Mint Mark rarities. Such a piece has been purchased 
 as genuine for considerably over one hundred dollars. It 
 was found in the West. We are disposed to recognize the 
 possibility of such a variety, but, as we have seen the usual 
 pieces with the rays and arrows so skillfully removed as to 
 ' deceive the -very elect,' we warn collectors to be very much 
 on their guard. 1854 continues the arrowheads, and has a 
 large O mid-high over the F in one variety, while in an- 
 other it is nearly over the space and close to the stem. 1855, 
 with arrowheads also, shows the usual Mint- Mark high over 
 the F. 
 
 In 1856 the arrowheads disappear for good. The large 
 is so high over the F as nearly to touch the stem. Besides 
 the ' perfect date ' of this piece we have two restrikes, one 
 below the figures and one above. Whether from a defective 
 machine or unskilled workman the frequent 1856 restruck 
 dates are usually of the mint. The 1857 piece has the 
 close to the stem also, and rather to the right of the F. 1858 
 and 1859 present the same details. In 1860 the is merged 
 with the stem above the F. 186 L shows the mint mark 
 nearlv touching the stem, above the F also. 
 
 After a long interval the Half Dollar was struck in 1892 
 with the new bust and heraldic eagle dies. The date is small, 
 and a small o is directly under the middle of the eagle's tail 
 and over the D. There is one rare variety of this piece with 
 an exceedingly small o, hardly larger than a period. 
 
 The 1893 as far as we have seen, resembles the usual preced- 
 ing date. It is scarce. There are twenty-five years in this series 
 to '93. As the coinage of most of the Mint dates was very 
 large, they are easily obtained in some condition, except 
 the 1852 scarce piece and the two superlative rarities we 
 have referred to, which give this series its greatest interest to 
 the numismatist. The Half Dollar of 1861 and the Double 
 Eagle of the same date, were the only denominations coined 
 that year at New Orleans on the eve of the war, all the other 
 issues having ceased with the preceding date. It has been 
 said that the major part of the large quantity of these Half 
 
31 
 
 Dollars existing were coined with the remaining U. S. dies 
 by the Confederacy in their pressing need of silver. We 
 have heard this denied at the New Orleans Mint. At all 
 events the coins cannot decide the matter t>r the different 
 issues would have a greater interest. 
 
 THE S MINT HALF DOLLAR COINAGE 
 
 Is one of the most attractive series of all the Branch Mint 
 issues. The Mint Mark has a greater number of sizes than 
 in any other. There are a greater number of varieties than 
 any except the Half Dime, and the Half Dollar has, from 
 its size, an advantage over the latter in being seen in every 
 detail without the use of a magnifying glass. 
 
 The conspicuous character of the largest S of the early 
 San Francisco dates is thus even more notable on the 
 Halves than the Quarters of this Mintage. It is quite as 
 large or a little larger than the S's of the word 'states.' 
 There is next a modified large S with a shorter upper curve. 
 Then a medium s, a small s, and a very small s which occu- 
 pies no more space than one of the periods on the piece. 
 With a glass further distinctions might be made, but these 
 will suffice for practical use. 1855 is the first year of the S 
 Mint series. The date is large with far sloping 5's and with 
 arrow heads. The Mint Mark is a large S placed close to 
 the stem over the f of 'half.' This piece, though the 
 reported coinage hardly warrants it, has become very rare, 
 either from small issue perhaps or export. 1856 is without 
 arrows, as are all afterwards down to '73, the date is large, 
 with an upright 5 The large S is located as in '55. The 
 1857 has two varieties, a large S placed as in the preceding 
 dates and a medium s high over the space between the F 
 and D. Both varieties are very scarce and the latter may 
 be called rare. The date continues large. 1858 presents the 
 last large date and has two varieties, a large S high over the 
 F and a medium s mid-high rather over the right of F. In 
 1859 the long continued medium date begins. The piece 
 has two varieties, a Inrge S high over the F, rather to the 
 
32 
 
 right and a medium s high, directly over the F. 1860 shows 
 a large S high over the F, and a nearly as large S, but with a 
 shorter upper curve, similarly placed on a second variety. 
 1861 offers two varieties also, a large S located as before and 
 a medium s not so high over the F. In 1862 these varieties 
 are repeated, but the medium s is rather smaller than the 
 preceding one. 1863 has the first small s which is placed 
 high over the space to the left of the F. 1864 gives two varieties 
 again, a large S nearly over the space to the right of the F 
 and a small s over the space to the left. The large S ceases 
 with this date for 1865 shows only a small s mid-high over 
 the staff of the F. 1866 has two varieties of a new character, 
 one with the preceding plain field over the eagle, which has 
 no counterpart in any other mintage of this date, and with 
 a small s over the F, rather to the right; the second intro- 
 ducing on the field for all pieces thenceforward a scroll 
 bearing the inscription 'In God We Trust.' This second 
 has the small s over the space to the left of the F. 1867 has 
 a small s high over the F. 1868 locates the same s high 
 over the space to the left of the F. In 1869 the small s is 
 just over the F and high. 1870 presents it over the F, but 
 at lesser height." 1871 has two varieties, a small s moderately 
 high, and a rather smaller s close to the stem, both over 
 the F. 
 
 In 1872 two varieties are again found, one having a small 
 s high over the F, the other placing it low over the space to 
 the right. The 1873 date is accompanied by arrowheads, 
 and has a small s close to the stem, over the space to the left 
 of the F. 1874 continues the arrowheads, and has three 
 varieties of slightly different small s's; one is very low over 
 the space between F and D, the second is high over the F, 
 and the third is high over the ' L ' of ' half.' 1875 dis- 
 continues the arrowheads, and has also three varieties, a 
 small s high over the F, another centered over the space to 
 the right, and a very small s very close to the stem over the 
 F. 1876 gives two varieties, one is a small s well centered 
 over the F, the other a very small s placed as in the last 
 
33 
 
 date. In 1877 we have a. small s high over the F, and, in 
 a variety, the smallest sized s, well centered, over the F also. 
 
 All the pieces of this series, thus far, except 1855 and '57, 
 should he readily found, but in the next date, 1878, we have 
 the great rarity of the San Francisco Half Dollar coinage. It 
 presents a very small s high over the F. After its very 
 small coinage there was a break in the issue of this denomi- 
 nation until 1892, when the new dies of a bust of Liberty 
 and an heraldic eagle were used, as at Philadelphia and New 
 Orleans. A very small s is placed in this piece at the lowest 
 point of the eagle's tail and just over the D. There is a 
 variety with the S slightly larger and well centered. No 
 coinage is probable in 1893. 
 
 There are, including dates to 1892, twenty-five pieces in 
 the S mint series, and at least fifteen varieties. As the Halves 
 at San Francisco were coined in much greater quantity than 
 the Quarters, and are less worn usually by circulation, the 
 collector can hope to collect a set of the former in much 
 higher average condition. 
 
 THE CC MINT COINAGE OF HALF DOLLARS 
 
 Is, unlike its series of Dimes and Quarters, an unbroken se- 
 quence of nine dates from 1870 to 1878. Unlike them, also, 
 however, no year's coinage was so very small as to be ex- 
 tremely rare. Yet three dates may be called very scarce 
 and one variety rare. 1870 is the first of these dates. It has 
 a pair of small upright cc's, close togther, and high over the 
 F, rather to the left. 1871 and 1872 repeat these details. 
 The former date, while not scarce, is certainly not common. 
 1873 presents two varieties. The first has a plain date, and 
 the Mint Mark consists of two very small round cc's, close 
 together, in the same location as before. This variety we 
 consider rare. The second presents, for the first time, arrow- 
 heads at each side of the date, and has the upright, small, 
 close cc's of preceding years. 1874 continues the arrowheads, 
 and has the very small, close, rounded cc's high over the F, 
 rather to the left. It is the second scarce date. 1875 dis- 
 
34 
 
 continues the arrowheads, and offers two varieties. The first 
 has the small upright cc's, but widely separated, in the usual 
 location. The second shows the very small, rounded, close 
 Mint Mark placed as before. 
 
 ' In 1876 we have again two varieties, small, close, upright 
 cc's, rather to the left, over the F, and very small, rounded, 
 close cc's directly over this letter. 1877 extends its varieties 
 to three. The first is a very small, rounded, close pair of 
 cc's high over the F and space to the right ; the second a 
 wider separated pair of upright small cc's high over the F, 
 and to the left; the third gives the latter Mint Mark placed 
 lower over the F. 1878 is the third scarce date of the series. 
 Its Mint Mark, placed over the space to the left of the F, is 
 the small upright pair of cc's in two varieties, one having the 
 cc's even, the other having the first c higher than the sec- 
 ond. Varieties thus extend the Carson City Half Dollar set 
 to fifteen pieces. 
 
 N THE SILVER DOLLAR, 
 
 Which has been such a cause of financial agitation of late 
 years, and of which so many millions have been coined an- 
 nually since 1878 not only at Philadelphia, but at each one 
 of the Branch Mints of New Orleans, San Francisco and 
 Carson City, seems, at first thought, too bulky, common and 
 cumbrous a coin for the Mint Mark collector. To include 
 dollars he must add, after a few early dates, three pieces 
 each year from 1878 to the present to his Philadelphia series. 
 But if he is an enthusiast in Mint Marks, he cannot omit 
 the final silver series, especially if so easily acquired, for, as 
 dollars have less wear than other denominations, he, if not 
 willing to buy very fine or uncirculated specimens from the 
 dealers, can find many dates of choice condition at the 
 nearest bank. They will at any time realize more than 
 third or fourth-rate coins of low intrinsic worth for which 
 they might be spent. Interest only will be lost and, as 
 mint mark coinage decreases and its collectors increase, 
 even the dollars of desirable condition will surely yet com- 
 
35 
 
 mand a good premium. And futhermore, despite the 
 immense quantities of the majority of dates coined, there 
 are certain rare pieces in the early issues of every Branch 
 Mint which a numismatist may be very proud tQ possess. 
 
 THE MINT SILVER DOLLAR COINAGE 
 
 Commenced with the year 1846, when the seated figure of 
 Liberty appeared on the obverse, as in the Philadelphia 
 issue. The Mint Mark is of the size of the usual on the 
 quarter and may be called large. It is well centered over 
 the space between 'one' and 'dollar.' The piece is quite 
 scarce. 1850 is the next year of coinage. The large is 
 high over the space. This dollar is very scarce — the most 
 so of the serie«. 
 
 After another lapse of time the third Mint Dollar was 
 coined in 1859. A large is moderately high over the space. 
 The fourth coinage comes promptly in 1860 when the 
 is very high. This date and the preceding are scarce. 
 
 Then a long break occurs, commenced by the war and 
 continued because no Trade Dollars were struck at New 
 Orleans from 1873 to 1878 as at San Francisco and Carson 
 City. When in 1879 Mint Dollars were again coined — a 
 year later than the Standard Dollar resumption at the San 
 Francisco and Carson City mints — the large ornate head had 
 replaced the seated figure of Liberty and, on the reverse, a 
 different design is also seen. The Mint Mark changes to 
 a small o which is close to the center of the wreath and over 
 the space between the d and o of ' dollar.' In the dates 
 from 1879 to '93, the only variations from this description, 
 which we have noted, are that the same small o some- 
 times touches the wreath, as in examples of 1886, 1888 
 and 1889, and sometimes is free. The date is also a little 
 more or less removed from the star to the right. Such 
 trifling differences would, we think, tempt no one to gather 
 varieties of so inconvenient a piece, and we leave them un- 
 detailed. 
 
36 
 
 THE S MINT SILVER DOLLAR COINAGE 
 
 Is irregular in the earlier dates, like the New Orleans series, 
 and they are also much more limited in amount. 
 
 In 1859 the first San Francisco Dollars were coined with 
 the ' Liberty seated ' die. The s is nearly two-thirds of the 
 size of the letters of 'states' and is high over the space 
 between ' one ' and ' dollar \ The piece is rare. Not 
 until 1872 was the next coinage of Dollars and it was so 
 small as to make them very rare. The mint mark on our 
 piece is a very small s that touches the stem directly over 
 the e of 'one'. In the following year, 1873, but a few 
 hundred pieces were struck which, in comparison with the 
 few thousands of preceding dates and the many millions of 
 those following, causes it to be excessively rare. As we have 
 not yet seen or heard of a specimen we cannot give its dis- 
 cription, but if any one is lucky enough to find an 1873 S 
 this will be unnecessary. The small coinage of this 
 standard Dollar was probably due to the making of 700,000 
 of the Trade Dollars which was accomplished at San Fran- 
 cisco the same year. 
 
 THE S MINT TRADE DOLLARS. 
 
 1873, on the obverse of which is Liberty seated upon a 
 bale with other details, has as Mint Mark a very small s 
 over the D slightly to the left. 1874 has a small s in a 
 similar position. 1875 offers two varieties, a very small and 
 a medium sized s placed as before, but rather more to the 
 left of D. 1876 has a medium s in the same location. In 
 1877 there is no change of Mint Mark, but, in addition to 
 the regular piece, there is a curious variety resulting from 
 the slipping of the ' collar ' in the process of coinage. This 
 gives an edge milled through half its thickness only, the 
 rest being plain. The variety is known as the 1877 S mint 
 half-milled dollar, and is rare. 1878 has the same rare 
 variety. The regular piece has the S more nearly over the 
 D. After 1873 the Trade Dollars were coined by millions 
 annually, and no date should ordinarily be rare, but owing 
 
37 
 
 to export and the recall of about the entire amount of Trade 
 Dollars once in circulation, few really exist out of dealers' 
 and collectors' hands. 
 
 the S mint standard dollars — Continued. 
 
 In 1878, the last year of the coinage of Trade Dollars at 
 San Francisco, the mint of that city resumed the issue of the 
 more legitimate Dollar with an over-large and an over- 
 ornate female head on the obverse. The Mint Mark on the 
 reverse is a very small s over the space between the d and 
 o of ' dollar.' In 1879 the s is small and similarly placed. 
 1880 has a small crooked s. 1881 has a very small s once 
 more and 1882 continues it. From 1883 on, a small s is 
 seen in the same place until 1892, when a very small s 
 returns. But the differences are, as in the series, too 
 slight for consideration in regard to this heavy piece of 
 such immense annual coinage. 1893 has a small s. 
 
 The only dates in which somewhat less than a million 
 were struck are 1886, 1888 and 1889, but condition alone can 
 give value to any dollar of the S mint from 1878 to '93. It 
 may be noted that the new designs of the Dimes, Quarters 
 and Halves of 1892 were not extended to the Dollars, which 
 in 1893 still appear as in the eighties at all mints. 
 
 THE CC MINT SILVER DOLLAR COINAGE, 
 
 Like that of the and S institutions, presents its rarities 
 early to the collector but they are in more regular order. 
 
 1870 was the first date of the Carson City Dollar. The 
 piece has on its obverse the seated Liberty so long used. 
 We have two varieties of this Mint Mark. In one the 
 medium-sized, widely separated c c's are located high over 
 the E and the space to the right ; in the other the CC's are 
 close together in the same position. Both varieties are very 
 rare as but a few thousands were struck and they are very 
 little known. 
 
 In 1871, 1872 and 1873 about two thousand Dollars only 
 were coined annually at Carson City, and the}' are now ex- 
 
38 
 
 tremely rare. The rarest 1871 has a large C C, rather wide, the 
 first C over the E, the second touching the stem. 1872 we 
 have not seen. The 1873 has the c c's of medium size and 
 quite separated, one being over the E and the other over the 
 space. We attribute the small coinage of Standard Dollars 
 in Carson City, as at San Francisco, to the output- of a 
 very large amount of Trade Dollars in 1873, with a similar 
 diversion of labor to them for several years to come. 
 
 THE CC MINT TRADE DOLLARS 
 
 Were issued contemporaneously with those of the S Mint 
 during the years from 1873 to '78 inclusive. Though coined 
 in smaller quantities the amount in circulation before the 
 recall of the piece was not limited enough in any date to 
 cause even scarcity. But if those remaining in the posses- 
 sion of collectors and dealers are proportioned relatively to 
 the original coinage, the date of 1878 should be the most 
 difficult to find. 
 
 The Trade Dollar 1873 c c has a medium sized, widely sep- 
 arated Mint Mark over the space before the D and the D 
 itself. 1874 shows a small close pair of cc's in the same 
 position. In 1875 the cc's are medium in size and close 
 together over the space. 1876 has the medium and close cc's 
 over the space and the D. 1877 repeats these details. 1878 
 offers the largest CC of all. The letters are close together 
 and are over the D and the space to the right. 
 
 the CC mint standard dollars — Continued. 
 
 The new design of a large ornate head adopted for all the 
 Mints, was used at Carson City in 1878 for a very large coin- 
 age of dollars with an individual value approximating those 
 struck before 1873. The piece of 1878 has a small cc over 
 the space between the d and o of 'dollar.' In 1879 the 
 same Mint Mark is more over the D. 1880 has a very small 
 cc over the D and the space to the right. It is not very 
 common. 1881 is becoming rather scarce. 1885 is quite 
 scarce and 1889 moderately so. 1893 has a medium cc 
 
39 
 
 over the space between D and 0. The first C is higher than 
 the second. However, in the Carson Dollars from 1878 to 
 '93 the differences are so trivial that, for reasons before 
 given, we will leave farther study of the millions of 
 pieces annually issued to individual pleasure, * assured 
 that very few will burden their drawers with more 
 than a specimen of each Mint Mark date. 
 
 Condition, we repeat, is an especially important factor of 
 value in Dollars of the Branch Mints, and uncirculated 
 pieces of the many abundant dates will command good pre- 
 miums. Any prominent dealer could soon fill an order for 
 one hundred strictly uncirculated Philadelphia coins of any 
 silver denomination and date (except very few) between 1840 
 and 1890, but would find an equal number of any Branch 
 Mint piece very difficult to gather in the same condition. 
 
 We have in these lists inserted the Trade Dollars in their 
 regular order in the Branch Mint Coinage to better show 
 their relation to the Standard Dollars and their occupation of 
 the break in the series of that piece. But as many collectors 
 keep their Trade Dollar set apart, we will show, in a mention 
 of our array of these pieces, how an interest in Mint Marks 
 may help to greatly enrich it. 
 
 To the eleven Philadelphia Proofs from 1873 to '83 may 
 be added the five uncirculated dates from 1873 to 77 of the 
 same Mint, the six regular Trade Patterns, the six S Mints 
 from 1873 to '78, the six CC Mints of similar dates and the 
 two Half Milled S Mints of 1877 and '78, making a collec- 
 tion of thirty-six pieces in all. 
 
 As another instance of how a study of Mint Marks will en- 
 able the numismatist to enrich his collection, we draw atten- 
 tion to the fact that there are no less than six different Silver 
 Dollars of 1873 and 1878, as follows : The standard pieces of 
 the Philadelphia, the Carson City, and the San Francisco 
 Mints, together with the ' Trades ' of the Carson City and 
 San Francisco Mints, make five pieces for each date, and for 
 the sixth the '73 P Mint can be had, both uncirculated and 
 in proof, and the '78 P in proof only, with seven and with 
 eight tail feathers to the eagle. 
 
40 
 
 There is also a rare 1878 dollar, which has three single 
 leaves on the stem in the eagle's claw instead of the usual 
 three groups of three leaves each, and which, being other- 
 wise, obverse and reverse, exactly like the standard P mint 
 1878, does not deserve to be called a ' pattern.' But we are 
 wandering somewhat, in our remarks upon general varieties, 
 from the subject of Mint Marks to which this Treatise is de- 
 voted. A study of them in every silver series has, however, 
 now been completed. 
 
 The years of issue at the Branch Mints of each denomina- 
 tion from the Three Cent piece to the Dollar have been care- 
 fully given, and all varieties thus far discovered particularly 
 mentioned, both to show what are known to exist and to 
 stimulate a search for others which may yet be found, a 
 search not only for varieties, but for Mint Mark rare dates 
 hitherto overlooked which any one may retrieve from circu- 
 lation and dispose of at a high price. 
 
 BRANCH MINT RARITIES. 
 
 The leading coins thus referred to are here compactly 
 given : 
 
 Silver Dollars, CC, 1870, '71, 72, '73 ; S, 1859, '72, '73 ; 0, 
 1846, '50. 
 
 Half Dollars, 0, 1838, '53, no arrows or rays ; S, 1855, '57, 
 '78 ; CC, '73, no arrows. 
 
 Quarters, CC, 1870, 71, 72, 73; S, '64, '66, 71. 
 
 Twenty Cent piece, CC, 76. 
 
 Dimes, CC, 1871, 72, 73, 74 ; O, '60; S, '58, '59, 70, '85. 
 
 Half Dimes, O, 1838, '42, '44, '48, '49, '52 ; S, 71. 
 
 These pieces range from rare to extremely rare. Many 
 merely scarce ones are not added that those of the first im- 
 portance may be more clearly kept in mind. 
 
 POSSIBILITIES. 
 
 We have never heard of the following varieties in standard 
 coin, but they may exist : Half Dollar, 1873, S, without ar- 
 rows ; Quarters, '53, O, no arrows and rays ; ^6, S, no motto ; 
 
41 
 
 '73, S, no arrows ; Dimes, '53, 0, no arrows ; '40, 0, with 
 sleeve ; '73, S, without arrows. 
 
 EXCLUSIVE MINT MARKS. 
 
 It has already been mentioned that several dies were used 
 at the Branch Mints which were either never employed at 
 Philadelphia or not during the same year. The resultant 
 coins have a peculiar interest, and are here assembled, being 
 not patterns, but standard pieces : 
 
 The Half Dime of 1838, 0, without stars. 
 
 The Dime of 1838, 0, without stars. 
 
 The Dime of 1860, S, with stars. 
 
 The Quarter of 1840, 0, without sleeve. 
 
 The Half Dollar of 1853, O, without arrows and rays. 
 
 The Half Dollar of 1866, S, without the motto ' In God we 
 Trust.' 
 
 The Half Dime and Dime without stars were issued in 1837 
 at Philadelphia, but not in '38. The last Philadelphia Dime 
 with stars was struck in 1859. The other pieces have been 
 referred to in past pages. 
 
 UNAPPRECIATED PHILADELPHIA RARITIES. 
 
 As a matter of interesting comparison we will follow the 
 list of pieces which are rare as ' Mint Marks,' but not so as 
 Philadelphia coinage, with a list of those considered rare in 
 any case by dealers and collectors, and which are really 
 much rarer in the Philadelphia than the Branch Mint 
 issues. 
 
 Half Dimes, 1863, '64, '65, '66, and '67, but especially the 
 '64, are high rarities if without an ' S ' upon them. In the 
 San Francisco Mint the coinage averaged nearly $6,000 
 worth annually. In Philadelphia about $500, and of the 
 1864 date but $23.50. Dimes, 1866 and '67, of Philadelphia 
 have not a fifteenth of the issue of the S mint. Quarters, 
 1841 and '42, are still rarer without the O, '42 especially, and 
 1866, '67, '68, and '69 without the S. 1888 is very common 
 with the S and very rare without it. 
 
42 
 
 These points illustrate the advantage of a knowledge of 
 Mint Marks even to those who do not collect them. 
 
 Half Dollars, though several immense S Mint issues sur- 
 pass greatly several large issues of similar date at Philadel- 
 phia, offer but one notable greater rarity in the latter coin- 
 age, that of 1852. 
 
 In Dollars the date 1850 of Philadelphia is much rarer 
 than the Mint piece, the coinage being but a fifth of the 
 latter. 
 
 Trade Dollars of the Philadelphia Mint are in a decided 
 minority compared with others in the years 1874 and 75 
 only, but, as we have before said, the almost entire remelting 
 of the 'Trades' nullifies all influence of issue. 
 
 Philadelphia scarce dates have not been here referred to 
 except in comparison with competitive Branch Mint pieces. 
 The rare ones coined in Philadelphia only, are beyond our 
 province of reference. 
 
 MINT MARK SETS. 
 
 We have thus far spoken of Mint Marks rather as asso- 
 ciated with Philadelphia contemporary dates, than as inde- 
 pendent series. But there is no need of inserting them 
 among the pieces of the older Mint. Kept by themselves 
 the irregularities of issue are better fixed on the mind, and 
 the differences in the distinguishing letters and in other pe- 
 culiarities are more apparent. 
 
 Mint Marks can be classified either according to the va- 
 rious Mints or by denominations, and a collector cannot 
 realize fully, until he sees the many dates and varieties of 
 any mintage so arranged, how interesting and valuable 
 they are. A beginner may indeed commence with Mint 
 Marks only. He will thus postpone the outlay involved 
 in gathering the older and rarer Philadelphia coinage, 
 he will find a much larger proportion . of needed pieces 
 in circulation, he will discover occasional varieties, now 
 rarely possible in old coin, and he will accumulate series of 
 modern pieces in desirable condition which will have high 
 value in the future. 
 
43 
 
 UNITED STATES GOLD MINT 
 MARKS. 
 
 The collector of United States gold coins has two diffi- 
 culties to contend with. First, owing to the general prefer- 
 ence for ' greenbacks/ gold is far less circulated in our 
 county, except in the extreme West, than is similar coin- 
 age among other nations. Secondly, the much larger export 
 of gold than of silver coin tends to greatly increase the 
 scarcity of remote issues. These difficulties relate, of course, 
 to the Branch Mint coinages as much as to that of Philadel- 
 phia, and they are all inextricably confused. Many fine gold 
 collections exist, however, for, in proportion to face value, 
 such coin is cheaper than silver or copper, but in collections 
 of gold the mintage is disregarded. 
 
 We have heard of no collector who, except in the gold 
 Dollar series, has attempted to confine hispieces to one mint, 
 and have had no opportunity to verify the gold coinage 
 of the Mint Report as we have done in silver. Yet in the 
 mixed pieces of any set, Mint Marks are frequent enough 
 to suggest the general correctness of the Report and to 
 prompt a new ambition. 
 
 Certain gold coins have a uniformly larger issue of dates 
 at some one Branch Mint than at all others, and if collectors 
 or numismatic associations in New Orleans, San Francisco, 
 Carson City, Charlotte and Dahlonega, or their vicinity, who 
 have access to bank deposits, should begin to collect sets of 
 the mintage in their sections, as well as chance scarce pieces 
 of others, and should establish correspondence and exchange, 
 one might soon hear of far advanced gold Mint Mark col- 
 lections which would be an honor to the enterprising numis- 
 matists possessing them. 
 
 The Gold coin hunter will find the trail in the following 
 pages devoted to different mintages in detail. 
 
44 
 
 THE GOLD DOLLAR. 
 
 Since the suspension of the gold Dollar coinage in 1*889, 
 the piece has been much used for ornament and, regardless 
 of date or condition, now commands nearly fifty cents pre- 
 mium. It has attracted great attention from many collectors 
 who have sought no other gold series, and its Mint Marks 
 have become generally very rare. They number thirty-five 
 in all. 
 
 The New Orleans or issue has six dates as follows : 1849, 
 '50, '51, '52, '53 and '55. The 1850 only is rare. 
 
 The precious Dahlonega or ' D ' mint issues are thirteen, 
 of the years 1849, '50, '51, '52, '53, '54, '55, '56, '57, '58, '59, 
 '60 and '61. Of these 1852 and '53 are rare; 1854, '57 and 
 '58 are very rare ; 1860, exceedingly rare ; 1855 and '56, ex- 
 cessively rare, and of 1861, which is not in the Mint Report, 
 but two pieces are known, one being in our possession. 
 
 The Charlotte or ' C mint issues are nine — 1849, '50, '51, 
 '52, '53, ('54), '55, '57 and '59. Of these, 1859, '50, '52 and 
 '55 range froni very rare to rare, and '54 is not to be con- 
 sidered attainable as, according to the Report, but four pieces 
 were coined and these are now unknown. 
 
 The ' S ' or San Francisco issues are seven — 1854, '56, '57, 
 '58, '59, '60 and '70, all being obtainable but the latter, 
 w T hich is excessively rare and the only one of the gold Dollar 
 Mint Marks that we do not possess. 
 
 The following details will be of interest regarding the 
 mintages named : The '49 O has a small planch et, small o 
 and open wreath (at top). The '50 O has a small planchet, 
 small o, slanting 5 and close w r reath. '51, '52 and '53 are 
 similar, but with a large ' O,' and '55 has a slanting 5, close 
 wreath and large O on a large planchet. 
 
 The '49 D and the '50 and '51 have small planchets and 
 small d's, the '49 an open wreath, and the others a slanting 5. 
 The '52, '53 and '54 have small planchets and close wreaths, 
 but the '52 and '53 have a large D, and the '54 a small one. 
 1855 D has a large planchet and a small d, a slanting 5 and 
 a close wreath. 1856 D has a large planchet, a large D, an 
 
45 
 
 upright 5 and a close wreath, as have all the following (ex- 
 cept as regards the absent 5 in '60 and '61). The latter two 
 dates are much smaller than the others. 
 
 The 49 C has a small planchet, a small c and a dose 
 wreath, thus differing from the two other mintages of this 
 date, the Philadelphia Dollar of 1849 having both varieties. 
 '50 and '51 C are similar to '49 C, and with a slanting 5. 
 1852 and '53 C are similar, except in having a large C. 
 1855 C has a large planchet and a small c with close wreath 
 and slanting 5 as before. 1857 and '59 have a large plan- 
 chet, a large C, an upright 5 and the wreath continuing 
 close. 
 
 The 1854 S has a small planchet, a large S, a slanting 5 
 and a close wreath. There was no coinage in 1855 at the 
 Charlotte Mint. The '56 and following S dates have a large 
 planchet and S, an upright 5 and the wreath close as usual. 
 The 1860 S has a smaller date than the others. 
 
 All the gold Dollars present, on the obverse, a woman's 
 head of classic character on the small planchet and an Indian 
 girl's head with a plumed coronet on the large. There are two 
 sizes of the Indian head. The smaller size of the Philadel- 
 phia date of 1855 is also seen on the 0, C and D mintages 
 of the same date and on the S mintage of 1856. All other 
 large planchet dates have the larger Indian head. 
 
 THE THREE DOLLAR PIECE, 
 
 A beautiful coin abolished with the Gold Dollar in 1889, has 
 the same Indian head of larger size than the Dollars through- 
 out the series. Its few Mint Marks will consequently be 
 next mentioned. In 1854 only (the year of its first issue in 
 Philadelphia,) the piece was coined at the New Orleans and 
 Dahlonega Mints — the latter Mark being very rare and the 
 O common. But at San Francisco there were issues in 
 1855, '56, '57 and '60. All are very rare except the 1856, 
 which, however, is interesting from having two varieties, a 
 large and a small S. 
 
46 
 
 With these our direct knowledge of Mint Mark varieties 
 in the precious metal ceases, as we have found no gold col- 
 lectors who notice them, and as our collection in bank has 
 no other gold than the One Dollar and Three Dollar series 
 (these being complete in all Mints, except one piece). We 
 can, however, give the Branch Mint dates and rarities of the 
 ' Eagle Denominations,' until their varieties come to light. 
 
 THE QUARTER EAGLE ($2.50) 
 
 Was coined at the New Orleans Mint in the years from 1839 
 to '57, except 1844, '45, '48, '49, '53 and '55. The rarest 
 date is 1841 and 1842, '39, '56, '40 and '57 are scarce. 
 
 The Dahlonega issue is from 1839 to '59, except 1858 only. 
 None are common and the following dates are very rare, 
 1856, '55, '54, '59, '57, '53 and '40— the rarest date being 
 given first and the others in order. 
 
 The Charlotte issue is from 1838 to '60, except the years 
 1845, '53, '57 and '59. The rare date is '55, followed by '46 
 '42 and '60 at greater distance. 
 
 The San Francisco issue is from 1854 to '79, except '55, 
 '64 and '74. The great prize of the series is 1858. 1876 is 
 scarce, but no other date should be so from the amount 
 coined. 
 
 This ends the Quarter Eagle Mint Marks, as the coin 
 has never been issued at Carson City. There are seventy- 
 five in number to 1893, representing $187.50 in face value 
 
 THE HALF EAGLE ($5.00) 
 
 Was coined in New Orleans from 1840 to '57 except 1848, 
 '49, '50, '52 and '53. No date should be even very scarce 
 in the South, but '41 more nearly so. 
 
 Dahlonega issued the piece from 1838 to '61 consecu- 
 tively. The last date is very rare. 
 
 The Charlotte issue was during the same period, except in 
 the year 1845. Of the C dates, 1861 is scarcest, with '46, 
 '60 and '40 in order. 
 
47 
 
 The San Francisco list extends from 1854 to '88. Its 
 first issue, '54, is exceedingly rare and should command a 
 high price. 1864 and '76 are rare, '75 and '62 scarce. The 
 rest should be readily found in the far western banks. 
 Carson City issued Half Eagles from 1870 to '84 contin- 
 uously. No date is of small issue and all may be hopefully 
 sought where western gold circulates. 
 
 The number of Half Eagle Mint Marks to 1893 is 115, 
 representing $575.00 in face value. 
 
 THE EAGLE OR folU PIECE. 
 
 This was coined in New Orleans from 1841 to '61, from 
 '79 to '83, and also in '88. The date 1883 is a high prize. 
 1879 is very rare, '59 and '41 are rare and '57 scarce. With 
 these gained, one might be sure of the rest at leisure. 
 
 No Eagles were coined at Dahlonega or Charlotte — a great 
 saving of time and money to the collector. 
 
 The coinage at San Francisco is from 1854 to the present, 
 except 1875: There are no very small issues, but pieces of 
 '64 must be very scarce and '60, '76, '69, '59, '70, '55 and '67 
 follow in moderating importance. 
 
 In Carson City Eagles were coined from 1870 to '84 con- 
 tinuously. 1879 is rare, 1878, '77, '73 and '76 are more or 
 less scarce and chances favor the finding of the other dates 
 where CC issues are much seen. 
 
 The total Eagle Mint Marks to '93 number 80, or a face 
 value of 
 
 DOUBLE EAGLES OR $20 PIECES. 
 
 In New Orleans Double Eagles were coined from 1850 to 
 '61 and not again until 1879. 1856, '79 and '54 are very 
 scarce dates. The others should be freely found. The San 
 Francisco Mint has issued this coin from 1854 to the pres- 
 ent (except the void year 1886), in such uniformly large 
 amounts that the smallest coinage in 1887 is of 283,000 
 pieces. All should be common by this criterion. 
 
48 
 
 Neither at Dahlonega or Charlotte was the Double Eagle 
 coined, a fact which aspiring gold collectors will be relieved 
 to know. 
 
 Carson City supplies the piece from 1870 to '85 (except 
 in 1881 and '82), and from 1889 to the present date of '93. 
 The first date only should be rare and 1885, '79, '78 and '81 
 rather scarce. 
 
 There are in all seventy-one Double Eagle Mint Marks 
 to 1893, representing a face value of $1,420. 
 
 The total value of all denominations of Gold Mint Marks 
 to the same year is a little short of $3,050. 
 
 While the majority of collectors engaged with the older 
 Philadelphia coinage in all metals, might not desire to carry 
 this additional sum, it is far less than the more advanced 
 among them have spent in that direction for pieces that 
 would not average in intrinsic value a fifth of the amount 
 named. 
 
 As the premiums upon gold coin are relatively much 
 lower than on any other, a collection of gold Mint Marks 
 would be not only a very interesting pursuit to the wealthy 
 numismatist or to any prominent institution, but would 
 prove neither extravagant or unprofitable, for such a col- 
 lection would be a distinguishing possession and if bought 
 prudently, would sell, if necessary, much closer to its cost 
 than many miscellaneous collections of silver and copper 
 which are thrown upon the market. 
 
 Collectors should, at all events, if living near any one of 
 the Branch Mints, seek to gather a series of one or more of 
 its gold denominations. They should without fail, save the 
 rarest dates of any series if chancing upon them, for with 
 the decline of Mint Mark coinage, such pieces will attain 
 very great value. 
 
 These rarest pieces of Branch Mint "Gold Coinage we 
 assemble on the following page in the order of Date but not 
 of value, to be better remembered. 
 
49 
 
 INDIAN HEAD SERIES. 
 
 Gold Dollars.— 1850: D '52, '53, '54, '55, '56, '57, '58, 
 '60 and '61 : C, 50, '52, '54, '55, '59 : S 1870. 
 Three Dollars.— D 1854: S '55, '57, '60. 
 
 EAGLE SERIES. 
 
 Quarter Eagles, $2.50.-0 1841 : D 1840, '53, '54, '55, '56, 
 '57 and '59: C 1855: S 1858. 
 
 Half Eagles.— D 1861: 8 1854, '64, '76. 
 
 Eagles.— 1883, '79, '59, '41: S 1864: CC 1879. 
 
 Double Eagles.— 1854, '56 and '79 : CC 1890. 
 
 There are a few more or less scarce dates in each series 
 which have been already noted and are not included here 
 that the rare pieces may be clearly distinguished. 
 
 From the very limited use of gold in the greater part of 
 the United States, these pieces are not to be found by 
 simply waiting for them to appear in circulation as in the 
 case of silver coin, nor will they form part of the collections 
 that revert to dealers for sale. It becomes therefore of the 
 utmost importance that dealers and collectors should use 
 all influence to examine the gold reserve of the banks in 
 their vicinity, or that paying tellers, and those persons who 
 count the cash in Government vaults, Sub-Treasuries, 
 Branch Mints and private financial institutions, should be 
 somewhat informed numismatically, both for their own 
 profit and the enriching of private and public collections by 
 their discoveries. But it would cause less delay here also 
 if some experienced collector were authorized to be present 
 when the counting of coin was in progress, both to see the 
 contents of sacks and to mark upon them as far as possible 
 the period of the coinage they contained. 
 
 Furnished with a number of pieces of the denominations 
 undergoing count, his trained eye could quickly detect 
 rarities which he could at once secure and replace. 
 
50 
 
 HISTORY IN MINT MARKS. 
 
 Among the attractions of Branch Mint coin collecting, we 
 have referred to the connection these pieces have with 
 national progress and the financial conditions of the country. 
 This feature ever gives to Numismatics its highest dignity 
 and in no coinage destitute of portraits can history be so 
 well read 'between the lines' as in that of the several Mints 
 of the United States. With the establishment in 1838 of 
 those at New Orleans, Dahlonega and Charlotte, we mark 
 the rapid prosperity of the South from its rich products and 
 growing commerce. Until toward 1840, the country at 
 large and the South especially had been flooded with Span- 
 ish coins. But these were banished from circulation by law 
 and from the first modest coinage of Dimes and Half Dimes 
 at New Orleans in 1838, that mint rapidly enlarged its 
 issues, especially in the Half Dollars, until local demands 
 were well supplied with many millions of Mint silver. 
 
 Few Silver Dollars were coined, as State Banks issued 
 bills of this value in sufficient quantity. 
 
 The gold coinage of New Orleans commenced soon after 
 the silver, with Quarter Eagles, Half Eagles and Eagles, 
 the issues of the former and latter rapidly increasing in 
 amount. In the few years from 1850, millions of Double 
 Eagles were added to Southern wealth, and a quantity of 
 Gold Dollars. Then the entire Mint coinage gradually 
 diminished until the Civil War in 1861 caused a long inter- 
 ruption. From 1879 millions of Silver Dollars and a mod- 
 erate number of Eagles coined at New Orleans testify to the 
 South's more substantial recuperation. Within two or three 
 years all denominations of Silver and several of Gold have' 
 again been issued from the Mint, but owing to the early 
 construction of a much larger mint at Philadelphia, the 
 
IS 
 
 51 
 
 prospects are that any great coinage at .New Orleans has 
 about come to an end, unless political influence overrules 
 national economy of production. 
 
 The Mints at Dahlonega and Charlotte coined* only gold 
 Quarter Eagles, Half Eagles, Three Dollar and One Dollar 
 pieces. The Three Dollar piece appeared in small quantity 
 in 1854 only at the D Mint. Small issues of the Dol- 
 lars were made by both Mints from 1849 to '60, but the 
 Eagle denominations mentioned, especially the Half Eagles, 
 were struck annually in large numbers as a division of pat- 
 ronage with New Orleans, and give a total Southern coin- 
 age of gold quite indicative of the affluence of that section 
 during the period in which it was supplied. 
 
 The great West was meanwhile growing in population 
 and material wealth with amazing rapidity. Its mixed 
 races, natural advantages and invigorating atmosphere de- 
 veloped the highest activity and commercial progress. When 
 the discovery of the precious metals in California and Ne- 
 vada made the West in 1849 an Eldorado of the world, 
 its financial needs commanded recognition and its remote 
 mines and population a place of coinage adjacent to them. 
 
 The San Francisco mint was accordingly established in 
 1854. Its very commencement shows the boundless resource, 
 c )nfidence and energy of the section in which it was located. 
 It plunged into the higher denominations of gold coinage 
 at once and soon took the lion's share of the burden from 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 The first issues were nearly three million dollars worth of 
 Double Eagles and over a million worth of Eagles. kxA 
 though other gold and silver denominations w r ere soon 
 very regularly coined they were but in moderate or small 
 quantity. For nearly forty years an average of from fifteen 
 to twenty million dollars worth of Double Eagles have been 
 annually struck in San Francisco. This magnificence of 
 wealth makes the more neglected denominations quite rare 
 and therefore more desirable to the Numismatist, as his 
 
52 
 
 main wish to possess the larger S mint pieces would be in 
 order to spend them for the smaller ones. Very few gold or 
 silver dollars were coined in San Francisco until 1873 and 
 of other silver, only the Half Dollars in more than small 
 or moderate quantity, although the civil war caused a long 
 interruption to issues from Southern Mints and threw a 
 greater burden upon the Philadelphia and Western 
 production. 
 
 Yet California has never seen the day of small things or 
 of small coin in any quantity and its dates of high intrinsic 
 value are far easier to collect than the small, while in the 
 East the contrary is the case. When mining interests be- 
 gan to affect national legislation and the dishonest Trade 
 Dollar was authorized, the San Francisco Mint, as convenient 
 to silver mines and Chinese commerce, plunged again into 
 restless coinage with an issue of four or five millions of these 
 pieces annually from 1873 to ' 78. From 1875 to '77 there 
 was a flood of Halves, Quarters and Dimes also. Then it 
 gave its energies to a yearly average of about eight million 
 of the standard Dollars and all other pieces than gold Doable 
 Eagles have since been practically disdained. 
 
 Thus all the indications of San Francisco coinage point to 
 opulence and a lavish use of money, with the prospect of 
 long-assured prosperity. 
 
 The Carson City Mint was organized to share with San Fran- 
 cisco something of the burden of coinage whicli rich mines 
 rapid growth and the civil war transferred so largely to the 
 West. It was active from 1870 — the starting year — to 1885 
 in the coinage of gold, and followed the S Mint in a much 
 larger issue of Double Eagles than of other pieces; but from 
 1870 to '78 it issued all current denominations of gold and 
 silver in a fair relative proportion and in a peculiarly regu- 
 lar and moderate annual amount. It seemed rather to be 
 doing a general service in a uniform way than supplying ir- 
 regular needs of the section in which it was located. 
 In 1878 its silver coinage was abruptly stopped in every 
 
53 
 
 denomination, owing probably to the immense issues of sub- 
 sidiary coin at Philadelphia for the few preceding years, and 
 in 1885 its coinage of gold yielded to other Mints also. 
 Since that date the Carson City Mint has coined Double 
 Eagles and Silver Dollars only. While it thus receives 
 little present attention, its small coinage of many series for 
 eight years the past will always attract the great interest 
 of collectors. The future of the San Francisco and Carson 
 City Mints, as affected by the greatly to be increased coinage 
 capacity of that at Philadelphia, cannot be foretold, but it 
 seems as if their distance from the East and nearness to the 
 mines would, apart from any sectional support, prolong their 
 usefulness. 
 
 These brief evidences of the illustration of American 
 events in the Mint Mark coinage can be followed up with 
 increasing interest by a closer study of the Mint Report's 
 tables of annual issues. This, however, would only begin 
 the subject. Any elderly Mint officer or financier who 
 has considered the monetary questions of the United States 
 for the past fifty years could, no doubt, supply enough 
 additional facts connected with the coinage of the Branch 
 Mints to make in themselves a volume of hisloric interest. 
 
 But, in suggesting the range and dignity of the topic, our 
 purpose here is sufficiently accomplished, and we leave to 
 others a study of the effects upon the Branch Mint issues of 
 prosperous and disastrous commercial periods, greater or 
 less product of mines, wise or imprudent legislation, large or 
 small export of gold and silver, relative sectional progress 
 and influence and the varying distribution of coinage 
 between the Philadelphia Mint and its distant associates. 
 
 Notf. — It should be stated, that while the dates of all denominations 
 of coins at the Branch Mints are rarely entirely consecutive, the Phila- 
 delphia Mint has since 1838 coined every authorized denomination of 
 gold and silver money annually (however small the coinage of some 
 years) except the Quarter Eagle of 1841. 
 
54 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 In a final word we urge upon all American numismatists 
 the giving of their attention to the Branch Mint coinage of 
 our country without delay. If not to all, certainly to the 
 silver series. 
 
 A few collectors are already on the alert. Since com- 
 mencing to write this Treatise we have heard of large pur- 
 chases of choice Branch Mint gold at Southern and Western 
 banks, of the accumulation of hundreds of uncirculated Sil- 
 ver Mint Marks of late dates by prominent dealers with a 
 view to future demand, and of many things which prove 
 that this pursuit is not the fancy of the few or of the moment, 
 but is the vigorous beginning of a permanently established 
 department of numismatic science. This activity is none 
 too soon. 
 
 Circulating money contains many prizes in this new 
 branch of coin study which any one may find, which each 
 week's wear will injure in condition and which some early 
 year's remelting may remove forever. 
 
 Dealers have an opportunity in Mint Marks, which cata- 
 logues show they are beginning to perceive, of doubling 
 tripling or, at times, even quadrupling their sales of pieces 
 from 1838 to the present. Collectors in different sections of 
 the Union have, in the coins therein produced, an unequaled 
 cause of active correspondence and profitable exchange, and 
 the whole numismatic world possesses, as this Treatise has 
 fully shown, substantial reason for new and zealous interest 
 in modern United States Coinage. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 3. — Carson Mint, second line, substitute 'and ' for ' as were.' 
 
 Page 8— latter half. — ' Philatalist ' should be Philatelist. 
 
 Page 18.— 'Half Dimes of '37' should be Half Dime of '37; and, under 
 ' S Mint Half Dimes, '84 and '83 ' should be '64 and '63. 
 
 Page 21.— 26th line substitute ' from '92 ' for ' of this date.' 
 
 Page 28. — S Mint Quarters. In first paragraph the word 'Quarters' 
 should be inserted after '90. 
 
 N. B. — The 1893 S Quarter, just received, has a small s under the right 
 side of the tail and over the space between R and D. 
 
iVI EMORANDA. 
 
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