Not much has changed over the past 185 years! Regarding the Gold discovery in Dahlonega, GA and from the August 2015 Issue of Coin World: "Templeton Reid of Milledgeville GA., was the first to strike his own coinage, but his enterprise lasted only a few months. On July 24th, 1830, the towns Georgia Journal reported Reid had set up a private mint that he planned to move to the mines. The newspaper wrote, "He makes with great facility and great neatness, pieces worth ten, five and two and a half dollars. No alloy is mixed with it (the gold), and it is so stamped that it cannot be easily imitated." Reid moved his mint to Gainsville, Ga., and operated it until mid-October, when he closed it in the face of overwhelming opposition. Critics claimed his coins were lightweight and illegal. One said his $10 piece contained only $9.58 in gold. Others incorrectly maintained the Constitution prohibited private coinage." ----------------- "Lightweight" - indicates critics "Illegal" - indicates Complainers "Cannot be easily imitated" - indicates the existence of counterfeiting Not much has changed over the past 185 years folks as the numismatic community is still besieged with Critics, Complainers, and Counterfeiters. We just get'er done a lot quicker with the Internet.
I read that whole article in Coin World, it was a great read. I like your take on it...the more things change the more they stay the same, huh?
Chapter I of Roger Burdette's book, From Mine to Mint, discusses the fineness of gold that was delivered to the Philadelphia Mint from the southern states. In the aggregate, the quality of Georgia gold was of higher purity than that of the other states. It varied from a low of 0.820 to a high of 0.995 with a mean average of 0.950. Chris
"......... But a few they will listen and soon they will find, that the answers lie waiting in the echoes of time "
It's all from Coin World. I only posted this because it was relatively easy to type in the text. Older issues of Coin World address counterfeiting such as the 1936 through 1942 Proof Coins. Hopefully folks are aware that there was a huge stockpile of counterfeits for those years comprised of finely polished circulation coins which we occasionally run into in today's market place. I love the Internet but sometimes newbies get on it and think that they're hearoing something new when in reality, it isn't new at all. I've learned over the years that what I once thought was unique and original, wasn't unique and original at all. Simply unique and original to "my generation".
Those wouldn't be counterfeits, they are altered/misrepresented pieces. On the other hand there are a bunch of "tribute proofs" out there that are copies. I don't recall if they are maked copy but they are pretty easy to spot because whoever made them is only familiar with modern proofs so the have frosted devices and S mintmarks, and in the case of the Nickel and quarter the mintmark is on the obverse. (Yes a cameo 1936 S proof quarter with the mintmark on the obv.)
Does it really matter what Templeton Reid minted, made or produced? Wouldn't you like to have a few of his pieces?
