Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Grand Rapids Herald
Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan
What is this article about?
Public concern over prevalence of smooth, worn silver coins despite recent minting, with theories including revived coin sweating or use in electroplating by manufacturers.
Clipping
OCR Quality
Full Text
Public attention has been called to the prevalence of smooth silver coins. Examination has shown that many of the coins of recent date are already worn as smooth as those that have been in constant circulation for many years. Various opinions are advanced as to the probable cause. Among others, one suggests that the old practice of sweating the coins has been revived. Although the process of 'sweating' is a very simple one, still it is next to impossible to detect the operator. The coins are placed in a chamois skin bag and shaken until particles of the metal fly off and adhere to the sides of the bag, which is then boiled and every particle of the gold or silver secured. This process might be made to pay with gold coins, but it is hardly possible that it would with silver. Another suggests that the smooth coins may result from the practice of small manufacturers in electroplating articles with gold and silver. So little of the metal is needed for the process that it is affirmed that the coins used for such purposes are not allowed to remain in the bath long enough to become worthless. It hardly seems possible that the people of this country are put to such straits that resorts to these methods of money-making are to be credited.
What sub-type of article is it?
What keywords are associated?
Domestic News Details
Event Details
Public attention has been called to the prevalence of smooth silver coins. Examination has shown that many of the coins of recent date are already worn as smooth as those that have been in constant circulation for many years. Various opinions are advanced as to the probable cause. Among others, one suggests that the old practice of sweating the coins has been revived. Although the process of 'sweating' is a very simple one, still it is next to impossible to detect the operator. The coins are placed in a chamois skin bag and shaken until particles of the metal fly off and adhere to the sides of the bag, which is then boiled and every particle of the gold or silver secured. This process might be made to pay with gold coins, but it is hardly possible that it would with silver. Another suggests that the smooth coins may result from the practice of small manufacturers in electroplating articles with gold and silver. So little of the metal is needed for the process that it is affirmed that the coins used for such purposes are not allowed to remain in the bath long enough to become worthless. It hardly seems possible that the people of this country are put to such straits that resorts to these methods of money-making are to be credited.