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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,490 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2207 Posts |
I know I should know this, and I know I could look it up, but what was the first U. S. coin (after 1793) minted at a branch mint?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
Excellent question! Silver: New Orleans, LA 1838-O Bust Half Dollar, Dime & Half Dime. Gold: Charlotte, NC 1838-C 2 1/2 & 5 Dollar -and- Dalonega, GA 1838-D 5 Dollar Edited by oih82w8
02/22/2012 11:00 pm
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Moderator
 United States
14463 Posts |
I think it was 1835 at Charlotte, NC  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
And that's when US coinage started to go down the tubes! Sorry; I think you know where my loyalty lies. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5854 Posts |
That is an interesting question. When I first read your question, all that I knew was it must be one of the coins listed by oih82w8. I did a little bit of searching on the web and it seems like Charlotte takes the cake for having the first U.S coin minted at a branch mint. From the sources I looked at, they began minting half eagles on March 28, 1838. They were followed by Dahlonega with 80 half eagles on April 21, 1838. New Orleans came in third with 30 dimes on May 7, 1838.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
Leave it to D0ubl3Eagle to have the specific dates of the years that Branch Mints other than Philadelphia made coinage.  Edited by oih82w8
02/23/2012 6:29 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2207 Posts |
 Thanks, guys! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8904 Posts |
Quote:
Leave it to D0ubl3Eagle to have the specific dates of the years that Branch Mints other than Philadelphia made coinage. No kidding! Thanks for the history lesson! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
New Orleans may have a chance to take back the crown. According to the Coin World Almanac New Orleans began operations on March 8, 1838. But it doesn't specify if operations merely means acception bullion, assaying of coinage. And if it was coinage what did they strike, halves or Half Dimes? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Was a good question. But that got me wondering if you didn't say branch mint, what would have really been the first US coinage minted? I know there was all kinds of what was called Colonial Issues minted but were they all accepted for US coins? Were all coins minted everywhere in the old US before the actual mints accepted everywhere? And I wonder too if any Europe coins were accepted here too? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5854 Posts |
This tidbit is from Greg Lambousy's article "The Mint at New Orleans" in the March 2003 edition of The Numismatist.
"Operations began on March 8, 1838, with the first deposit of Mexican dollars by Lizareli & Company, amounting to $32,408.01. A day later, melting and assaying began, and by May 7 the first coins were struck: 30 dimes."
In David Lange's book on the History of the United States Mint and its Coinage, he says that the dies from Philly were shipped on April 9 and arrived May 3.
Edited by D0ubl3Eagle
02/26/2012 5:36 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5854 Posts |
According to what I have read, I think the first U.S federal coin minted is either the 1792 Half Disme or the 1793 chain cent. Washington had authorized the coinage of Half Disme on July 9, 1792 and on July 13, 1792, 1500 specimens were delivered to Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson. The chain cent was first minted the following year in late February or early March. Correct me if I am wrong, but from what I can recall, colonial issues were used in commerce with values depending on the weigh of the metal. Their acceptance did depend on where they were made and where you wanted to spend them. A copper coin made in New York may be accepted at its full weight in copper in that state but if you take it to another state like Virginia, it may not be even accepted or accepted at a discount. I am not exactly sure how much of the colonial issues were still accepted after they began minting the regular coinage. My feeling is that they may have been accepted to some extent along with more frequently used foreign issues like Spanish-American, English, French, and others because U.S coins were still rarely seen in circulation even after a few decades since they began operations. Edited by D0ubl3Eagle
02/26/2012 7:40 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
I consider the 1793 Chain cent to be the first true coin from the US Mint. They struck 1500 Half Disme (In Harpers saw mill basement because the Mint was not ready yet) butI don't consider them coins because by law the mint could not produce silver coins at that time The security bonds required by law before production of silver or gold coins had not yet been posted.). At best I consider these to be tokens made with privately supplied silver. The first US government coins were the 1787 Fugio cents but they were not US Mint coins because there was no mint yet. They were a contract coinage with a private mint, but were still US government coins. As to the colonial issues that is a real mess. in most cases the state coinages were not referred to as half pence in their authorizations but as copper pieces and were commonly referred to as coppers. In some cases they would be specified as passing at so many to the shilling, but it was meant to be the local shilling of the states Money of Account. And the value of the shilling in one state had no relationship to the shilling of another state or the British shilling. Trade between states was a nightmare. |
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,490 |
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Posted 02/22/2012 10:53 pm
