1872-CC $10 Gold Coin of the Week, 02/13/2011

Deepsouthspike,

It was fun and educational to read your posting.

Communication is the exchange of ideas from one person to another. It is easy to produce a message overload, if the paragraphs are very large, if the writing is monotonous, etc.

You managed to make your posting interesting by combining writing and images. Most of us are visual beings. It was refreshing to see all your points illustrated by appropriate examples.

John Armonas

A very well constructed article, Tom. Being a collector of vintage checks, though I primarily collect them for the signatures, I find your check very unique and so cool looking. You make mention of Mark Twain's "Roughing It" being published that year and that he started his writing career at the "Territorial Enterprise" newspaper in Virginia City. It was there that Samuel Langhorne Clemens also first used his pen name "Mark Twain" as was a common practice back then of newspaper men to take a pen name, as they took more liberties with their writing. He was most surly, Virginia City's most famous resident. I happen to have an edition of "Roughing It" published in 1872 and while I'm not sure if it is a first state, but it is a very early state.

I too find it interesting that the mint would strike one side of the 1872 C.C. eagle and then when recieveing the other die finish the striking. How did they keep them from double striking on the prestruck side? They would have to align them up exactly, seems like that would take a lot of time, maybe why the low mintage. Who knows. I have read in other books that Superintendent Rice had that done.

Anyways, I shall echo the sentiment in saying what a good job you have done in your premier C.O.W. posting and look forward to more. Thanks for your dedication.
-Randy-

Principally, nothing has changed from the earliest minting techniques till today. Coins are struck with two dies: obverse and reverse.The coin blank is placed between these two dies and the upper die is struck with a heavy hammer. The methods have improved with industrialization, however even now we speak of coins being struck.

How does one strike coins using only one die? Sound of one hand clapping comes to my mind. One die minting is a puzzle.

John Armonas

Tom,

This is a fantastic article, full of interesting facts and written with true "CC spirit"! Your observation of the 1870 Eagle on the check is exactly the sort of thing that adds excitement and great value for us C4OA members when we share our knowledge, research and interests.

I am sure the "C.O.W. Boys" will all agree that this is one of the best Coin of the Week articles yet!

Belay Off

Hi Deepsouthspike

This is my 2nd reply to your post but your Comstock Ephemera got me going so I just had to include a few of my historical treasures from the drummer collection. here goes:


My old check is just like yours. I've had this item now since 2001. Dated 1876, the US bicentennial year, from Wood Corder Co. of Carson City, NV
Too bad there's not a famous signature on this one.....anyway, this check is NOT in the mail! :woohoo:




here's a check issued to The American Exchange National Bank of Chicago, Ill. for $1,500 from The Bullion and Exchange Bank of Carson City, NV...lots of $$$ back then!!





Note the name on this mining stock certificate: "Parrot"...wow...just one more "T" at the end of that name and the mine would be mine!!! Well....OK....not!....but I thought I'd include this special piece in here just for its namesake.




A real piece of Nevada/Comstock history here....alas, it is a copy of the original where as all my other peices are actually the originals.
A report card for student (obviously a good student - read the note from the teacher on the card) Lizzie M. Beck from Virginia City NV famous Fourth Ward School - dated 1879


Hope you like my bit of Ephemera here....your COW post inspired this!

Michael Parrott the drummer

Great additions Drummer!
I know many C4OA members may certainly recognize the location in this photo!
(Suddenly, I just became very hungry!)