Full text of Laws of the United States Relating to the Coinage, [1792-1903]

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LAWS
OF THE

UNITED STATES
RELATING TO THE

WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING-OFFICE.

1904.

OF THE

UNITED STATES
RELATING TO THE

WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1904.

; ^dder, Peabody^ Ga,
G
8992

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOULUTION NO. 31, MARCH
24, 1904.
'

Resolved by the House o/ Representatives Ithe Senate concurring^
That there shall be printed in pamplet form 10,000 copies of the coin
age laws of the United States, 5,000 for the use of the Director of
the Mint, 3,500 for the House of Representatives, and 1,500 for the
Senate.
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION OF JULY, 9, 1778.

Article 9. * * * The United States in Congress assembled
shall also have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating
the alloy and value of coin struck by their own authority, or by that
of the respective States—fixing the standard of weights and measures
throughout the United States. * * *

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
Article 1, Section 8, Paragraph 5,

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and
fix the standard of weights and measures;
. Briscoe v. The Bank of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 11 Pet, 257; Fox. v.
The State of Ohio, 5 How., 410; United States v. Marigold, 9 How., 560.
Article 1, Section 10, Paragraph 1.

No state shall * * * coin money, emit bills of credit, make any
thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts. * * *
3

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES,
1792 TO 1903.
Chap.

XVI.—yin act establishing a Mint and regulating the coins of the
United States.
'

statute I.
April 2,1792.

Section 1. Be it enactedhy the Senate and House ofRep- Mint estabresentatires of the United States of America in Umgress^Sot ‘ Govern6
assembled, and it is hereby enacted and declared, That ament
Mint for the purpose of a national coinage be, and the
same is established; to be situate and carried on at the
seat of the Government of the United States, for the time
being: And that for the well conducting of the business of
the said Mint, there shall be the following officers and
persons, namely,—a Director, an assayer, a chief coiner,
an engraver, a treasurer.
.
Sec. 2. Andie it further enacted. That the Director of Direetortoemthe Mint shall employ as many clerks, workmen and ser-^*/ workmenvants, as he shall from time to time find necessary, subject
to the approbation of the President of the United States.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the respectiveo®^ of the
functions and duties of the officers above mentioned shall
be as follow: The Director of the Mint shall have the chief
management of the business thereof, and shall superintend
all other officers and persons who shall be employed therein.
The assayer shall receive and give receipts for all metals Assayer.
which may lawfully be brought to the Mint to be coined; n^cKoec.^
shall assay all such of them as may require it, and shall ’
’
deliver them to the chief coiner to. be coined. The chief Chie£ coiner,
coiner shall cause to be coined all metals which shall be re
ceived by him for that purpose, according to such regula
tions as shall be prescribed by this or any future law. The Engraver.
engraver shall sink and prepare the necessary dies for such
coinage, with the proper devices and inscriptions, but it
shall be lawful for the functions and duties of chief coiner
and engraver to be performed by one person. The treas Treasurer.
urer shall receive from the chief coiner all the coins which
shall have been struck, and shall pay or deliver them to
the persons respectively to whom the same ought to be paid
or delivered: he shall morever receive and safely keep all
monies which shall be for the use, maintenance and support
of the Mint, and shall disburse the same upon warrants
signed by the Director.
Sec. 4. Andbe it further enacted, That every officer and To take oath.
clerk of the said Mint shall, before he enters upon the exe
cution of his office, take an oath or affirmation before some
judge of the United States faithfully and diligently to per
form the duties thereof.
5

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 5. And-be it further enacted. That the said assayer,
chief coiner and treasurer, previously to entering upon the
execution of their respective offices, shall each become
bound to the U nited States of America, with one or more
sureties to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury,
in the sum of ten thousand dollars, with condition for the
faithful and diligent performance of the duties of his of
fice.
salaries.
gEC- g AvitZ be it further enacted, That there shall be al
lowed and paid as compensations for their respective serv
ices—To the said Director, a yearly salary of two thousand
dollars, to the said assayer, a yearly salary of one thousand
five hundred dollars, to the said chief coiner, a yearly salary
of one thousand five hundred dollars, to the said engraver,
a yearly salary of one thousand two hundred dollars, to the
said treasurer, a yearly salary of one thousand two hundred
dollars, to each clerk who may be employed, a yearly salary
not exceeding five hundred dollars, and to the several sub
ordinate workmen and servants, such wages and allow
ances as are customary and reasonable, according to their
respective stations and occupations.
andCwhere'to°be
Sec. 7. Andbeit,further enacted, That the accounts of the
settled.
officers and persons employed in and about the said Mint
and for services performed in relation thereto, and all
other accounts concerning the business and administration
thereof, shallbe adjusted and settled in the Treasury De
partment of the United States, and a quarter yearly account
of the receipts and disbursements of the said Mint shall
be rendered at the said Treasury for settlement according
to such forms and regulations as shall have been prescribed
by that Department; and that once in each year a report
of the transactions of the said Mint, accompanied by an
abstract of the settlements which shall have been from time
to time made, duly certified by the Comptroller of the Treas
ury, shall be laid before Congress for their information.
President of
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That in addition to the
cause buildings authority vested in the President of the United States by a
to be provided, resolution of the last session, touching the engaging of art
ists and the procuring of apparatus for the said Mint, the
President be authorized, and he is hereby authorized to
cause to be provided and put in proper condition such build
ings, and in such manner as shall appear to him requisite
for the purpose of carrying on the business of the said Mint;
and that as well the expenses which shall have been in
curred pursuant to the said resolution as those which may
be incurred in providing and preparing the said buildings,
and all other expenses which may hereafter accrue for the
maintenance and support of the said Mint, and in carrying
on the business thereof, over and above the sums which
may be received by reason of the rate per centum for coin
Expenses, how age herein after mentioned, shall be defrayed from the
to be de rayed. qrreagury of ^e United States, out of any monies which
from time to time shall be therein, not otherwise appropri
ated.
Aiidgivchonri
1794, ch. 4, sec.2.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 9. Awdheit.further enacted,, That there shallbe from cof^s^to1 ‘be
time to time struck and coined at the said Mint, coins of struck.
' ~
gold, silver, and copper, of the following denominations,
values, and descriptions, viz. Eagles—each to be of the Eaglesvalue of ten dollars or units, and to contain two hundred
and forty-seven grains and four eighths of a grain of pure,
or two hundred and seventy grains of standard gold. Half Half eagles.
eagles—each to be of the value of five dollars, and to con
tain one hundred and twenty-three grains and six eighths
of a grain of pure, or one hundred and thirty-five grains of
standard gold. Quarter eagles—each to be of tne value Q«»rtereagies.
of two dollars and a half dollar, and to contain sixty-one
grains and seven eighths of a grain of pure, or sixty-seven
grains and four eighths of a grain of standard gold. Dol- u^.Ilars or
lars or units —each to be of the value of a Spanish milled
dollar as the same is now current, and to contain three hun
dred and seventy-one grains and four sixteenth parts of a
grain of pure, or four hundred and sixteen grains of stand
ard silver. Half dollars—each to be of half the value HaK doUareof the dollar or unit, and to contain one hundred and eightyfive grains and ten sixteenth parts of a grain of pure, or two
hundred and eight grains of standard silver. Quarter iaSuarter d01"
dollars—each to be of one fourth the value of the dollar
or unit, and to contain ninety-two grains and thirteen six
teenth parts of a grain of pure, or one hundred and four
grains of standard silver. Dismes—each to be of the value Dismesof one tenth of a dollar or unit, and to contain thirty-seven
grains and two sixteenth parts of a grain of pure, or forty one grains and three fifth parts of a grain of standard sil- HaU dlsmes
ver. Half dismes—eachtobeof the value of one twentieth
'
of a dollar, and to contain eighteen grains and nine sixteenth
parts of a grain of pure, or twenty grains and four fifth parts ,
of a grain of standard silver. Cents—each to be or the Centsvalue of the one hundredth part of a dollar, and to contain
eleven penny-weights of copper. Half cents—each to be atlfoteMay 8
of the value of half a cent, and to contain five penny-weights 1792and half a penny-weight of copper.
Sec. 10. And he it further enacted, That, upon the said vices. w a‘ ®"
coins respectively, there shall be the following devices and
legends, namely: Upon one side of each of the said coins
there shall be an impression emblematic of liberty, with an
inscription of the word Liberty, and the year of the coin
age; and upon the reverse of each of the gold and silver
coins their shall be the figure or representation of an eagle,
with this inscription, “United States of America” and upon
the reverse of each of the copper coins, there shall be an
inscription which shall express the denomination of the
piece, namely, cent or half cent, as the case may require.
Sec. 11. Andheitfurther enacted, That the proportional Va^Jeo?rgoMto
value of gold to silver in all coins which shall by law besilvercurrent as money within the United States, shall be as fif
teen to one, according to quantity in weight, of pure gold
or pure silver; that is to say, every fifteen pounds weight
of pure silver shall be of equal value in all payments, with

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

one pound weight of pure gold, and so in proportion as to
any greater or less quantities of the respective metals.
go^ncoins, and
Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That the standard for
aiioy how to be all gold coins of the United States shall be eleven parts
fine to one part alloy; and accordingly that eleven parts in
twelve of the entire weight of each of the said coins shall
consist of pure gold, and the remaining one twelfth part of
alloy; and the said alloy shall be composed of silver and
copper, in such proportions not exceeding one half silver as
shall be found convenient; to be regulated by the Director
of the Mint, for the time being, with the approbation of the
President of the United States, until further provision shall
be made by law. And to the end that the necessary infor
mation may be had in order to the making of such further
Director to re
port the prac provision, it shall be the duty of the Director of the Mint,
tice of thethe
Mint
touchin
ai a^‘ ^e exPira^on °f a year after commencing the operatoyofgoidtoins^tions of the said Mint, to report to Congress the practice
thereof during the said year, touching the composition of
the alloy of the said gold coins, the reasons for such prac
tice, and the experiments and observations which shall
have been made concerning the effects of different propor
tions of silver and copper in the said alloy.
oih-ffic^nc
Sec. 13. And l>e itfurther enacted, That the standard for
loy, how to be all silver coins of the United States, shall be one thousand
.si .-^.,
four hun(}re(j| and eighty-five parts fine to one hundred and
seventy-nine parts alloy; and accordingly that one thou
sand four hundred and eighty-five parts in one thousand
six hundred and sixty-four parts of the entire weight of each
of the said coins shall consist of pure silver, and the remainAn°y.
ing one hundred and seventy-nine parts of alloy; which
alloy shall be wholly of copper.
uX
ef80gold
^i?i ^nX
S
onng
and
, ec. 14. And be ^t further enacted,’ That it shall be lawsilver bullion to ful for any person or persons to bring to the said Mint gold
expense.'1 £ree °£ and silver bullion, in order to their being coined; and that
the bullion so brought shall be there assayed and coined as
speedily as may be after the receipt thereof, and that free
.
of expense to the person or persons by whom the same shall
have been brought. And as soon as the said bullion shall
have been coined, the person or persons by whom the same
24A 18oo°£ c Apm shall have been delivered, shall upon demand receive in
hdw the Director lien thereof coins of the same species of bullion which shall
S>ins etherefOT have been so delivered, weight for weight, of the pure gold
dercent°g hal*or pure silver therein contained: Provided nevertheless,
x"-’ ■ '
That it shall be at the mutual option of the party or parties
bringing such bullion, and of the Director of the said Mint,
to make an immediate exchange of coins for standard bul
lion, with a deduction of one half per cent, from the weight
of the pure gold, or pure silver contained in the said bullion,
as an indemnification to the Mint for the time which will
necessarily be required for coining the said bullion, and for
taS’S t ' ’
^6 advance which shall have been so made in coins. And it
herein.
1 shall be the duty of the Secretary of theTreasury to furnish
the said Mint from time to time whenever the state of the
Treasury will admit thereof, with such sums as may be nec-

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

essary for effecting the said exchanges, to be replaced as
speedily as may be out of the coins which shall have been
made of the bullion for which the monies so furnished shall
have been exchanged; and the said deduction of one half cent6 to 8cUs»
per cent, shall constitute a fund towards defraying thetute a fund'&cexpenses of the said Mint.
Sec. 15. Andbeitfurther enacted, That the bullion which ]h°rrd” Cofinsdto
shall be brought as aforesaid to the Mint to be coined, persons bringing
shall be coined, and the equivalent thereof in coins ren- biutylo2nan^ng
dered, if demanded, in the order in which the said bullion und«e prefershall have been brought or delivered, giving priority' Act of Mar. s,
according to priority of delivery only, and without prefer- 17951 ch'M’
ence to any person or persons; and if any preference shall
be given contrary to the direction aforesaid, the officer by
whom such undue preference shall be given, shall in each
case forfeit and pay one thousand dollars; to be recovered
with costs of suit. And to the end that it may be known
if such preference shall at any time be given, the assayer
or officer to whom the said bullion shall be delivered to be
coined shall give to the person or persons bringing the
same, a memorandum in writing under his hand, denoting
the weight, fineness and value thereof, together with the
day and order of its delivery into the Mint.
Coins made a
Sec. 16. Andbe it further enacted, That all the gold and lawful
tender,
silver coins which shall have been struck at, and issued
from the said Mint, shall be a lawful tender in all payments
whatsoever, those of full weight according to the respect
ive values herein before declared, and those of less than full
weight at values proportional to their respective weights.
Sec. 17. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the
duty of the respective officers of the said Mint, carefully the standard
and faithfully to use their best endeavours that all theweight8’&cgold and silver coins which shall be struck at the said Mint
shall be, as nearly as may be, conformable to the several
standards and weights aforesaid, and that the copper
whereof the cents and half cents aforesaid may be com
posed, shall be of good quality.
Sec. 18. And the better to secure a due conformity of the toT reaen^n’ot
said gold and silver coins to their respective standards, Be ^ha“f
it further enacted, That from every separate mass of stand- coin to be assayard gold or silver, which shall be made into coins at the ed;
ed;
said Mint, there shall be taken, set apart by the Treasurer
and reserved in his custody a certain number of pieces, not
less than three, and that once in every year the pieces so
set apart and reserved, shall be assayed under the inspection
of the Chief Justice of the United States, the Secretary and whom, &“ d by
Comptroller of the Treasury, the Secretary for the Depart
ment of State, and the Attorney General of the United
States, (who are hereby required to attend for that purpose
at the said Mint, on the last Monday in July in eacn year,)
or under the inspection of any three of them, in such man
ner as they or a majority of them shall direct, and in the
Sresence of the Director, assay er and chief coiner of the said
lint; and if it shall be found that the gold and silver so

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

assayed, shall not be inferior to their respective standards
herein before declared more than one part in one hundred
and forty-four parts, the officer or officers of the said Mint
whom it may concern shall be held excusable; but if any
greater inferiority shall appear, it shall be certified to the
President of the United States, and the said officer or offi
cers shall be deemed disqualified to hold their respective
offices.
bSngtoe^oins"
^KC1 ^* Andbe itfurther enacted, That if any of the gold
'" or silver coins which shall be struck or coined at the said
Mint shall be debased or made worse as to the proportion
of fine gold or fine silver therein contained, or shall be of
less weight or value than the same ought to be pursuant to
the directions of this act, through the default or with the
connivance of any of the officers or persons who shall be
employed at the said Mint, for the purpose of profitorgain,
or otherwise with a fraudulent intent, and if any of the said
officers or persons shall embezzle any of the metals which
shall at any time be committed to their charge for the pur
pose of being coined, or any of the coins which shall be
struck or coined at the said Mint, every such officer or per
son who shall commit any or either of the said offences,
shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall suffer death.
counfto be exSec. 20. And be it further enacted, That the money of acnressed in doi-count of the United States shall be expressed in dollars or
Jars, &c.
units, dismes or tenths, cents or hundreths, and milles or
thousandths, a disme being the tenth part of a dollar, a
cent the hundreth part of a dollar, a mflle the thousandth
part of a dollar, and that all accounts in the public offices
and all proceedings in the courts of the United States shall
be kept and had in conformity to this regulation.
Approved, April 2, 1792.

Statute I.
May 8,1792.
—nirectorofthe

Chap.

XXXIX.—^ln act to provide for a copper coinage.
,
.
_
„
_

„

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
"smx.XtovaTC’^^IiepTeseTitatires of the United States of America in Concoineti into cents gress assembled, That the Director of the Mint, with the
&capprobation of the President of the United States, be au
thorized to contract for and purchase a quantity of copper,
not exceeding one hundred and fifty tons, and that the said
Director, as soon as the needful preparations shall be made,
1792, ch. is. cause the copper by him purchased to be coined at the
^whence to is- jjjnt ^^ cents an(j half cents, pursuant to “ the act estab
lishing a mint, and regulating the coins of the United
States;” and that the said cents and half cents, as they shall
be coined, be paid into the Treasury of the United States,
thence to issue into circulation.
nS^hen^^er"
®EC1 ^‘ ^^ ^e ^ f'u-i't^' enacted, That after the expitain b u m hasration of six calendar months from the time when there
the Treasury1"1'1 shall have been paid into the Treasury by the said Direc
"
tor, in cents and half cents, a sum not less than fifty

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

thousand dollars, which time shall forthwith be announced
by the Treasurer in at least two gazettes or newspapers,
published at the seat of the Government of-the United
States, for the time being, no copper coins or pieces what
soever, except the said cents and half cents, shall pass
current as money, or shall be paid, or offered to be paid
or received in payment for any debt, demand, claim, mat
ter or thing whatsoever; and all copper coins or pieces, Penalty for
except the said cents and half cents, which shall be paid ^^» e^pp^
or offered to be paid or received in payment contrary to coins,
the prohibition aforesaid, shall be forfeited, and every
person by whom any of them shall have been so paid or
offered to be paid or received in payment, shall also forfeit
the sum of ten dollars, and the said forfeiture and penalty
shall and may be recovered with costs of suit for the ben
efit of any person or persons by whom information of the
incurring thereof shall have been given.
Approved, May 8, 1792.

Chap. II. —An act to amend an act intituled “An act establishing a Mini, and

Statute II.
regulating the coins of the United States,” so far as respects the coinage jan. 14,1793.
ofcopper.
----------------------

Beit enacted try the Senate and House of Representatives .f^ff* .fc*- 2,
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That contents of
every cent shall contain two hundred and eight grains of “Jg and haM
copper, and every half cent shall contain one hundred and
four grains of copper; and that so much of the act, intituled
“An act establishing a Mint, and regulating the coins of the
United States,” as respects the weight of cents and half
cents, shall be, and the same is hereby repealed.
Approved, January 14, 1793.

Chap.

V.—An act regulating foreign coins, and for other purposes.

Statute II.
Feb. 9,1793. •

Section 1. Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Rep Rates of for
resentatives of the United States of America in Congress eign coins estab
assembled, That from and after the first day of July next, lished.
foreign gold and silver coins shall pass current as money
within the United States, and be a legal tender for the pay
ment of all debts and demands, at the several and respective
rates following, and not otherwise, viz: The gold coins of
Great Britain and Portugal, of their present standard, at
the rate of one hundred cents for every twenty-seven grains
of the actual weight thereof; the gold coins of France,
Spain and the dominions of Spain, of their present stand
ard, at the rate of one hundred cents for every twenty-seven
grains and two fifths of a grain, of the actual weigh t thereof.
Spanish milled dollars, at the rate of one hundred cents for
each dollar, the actual weight whereof shall not be less than
seventeen pennyweights and seven grains; and in propor
tion for the parts of a dollar. Crowns of France, at the

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

rate of one hundred and ten cents for each crown, the actual
weight whereof, shall not be less than eighteen penny
weights and seventeen grains, and in proportion for the
parts of a crown. But no foreign coin that may have been,
or shall be issued subsequent to the first day of January,
one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, shall be a
tender, as aforesaid, until samples thereof shall have been
found, by assay, at the Mint of the United States, to be
conformable to the respective standards required, and proc
lamation thereof shall have been made by the President of
the United States.
when ail coins
Sec. 2. Provided dbioays, and be it further enacted, That
a oifa^lSan at the expiration of three years next ensuing the time when
ESe/0 be a the coinage of gold and silver, agreeably to tne act, entitled
“
“An act establishing a Mint, and regulating the coins of
the United States,” shall commence at the mint of the
United States, (which time shall be announced by the proc
lamation of the President of the United States,) all foreign
gold coins and all foreign silver coins, except Spanish
milled dollars and parts of such dollars, shall cease to be a
legal tender, as aforesaid.
other foreign
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all foreign gold
coimtobecoined atK{ snver coins, (except Spanish milled dollars, and parts
“
of such dollars,) which shall be received in payment for
monies due to the United States, after the said time, when
the coining of gold and silver coins shall begin at the Mint
of the United States, shall, previously to their being issued
in circulation, be coined anew, in conformity to the act,
entitled “An act establishing a Mint and regulating the .
coins of the United States.”
After 1st of
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That from and after
the first day of July next, the fifty-fifth section of the act,
certain act rati ng entitled An act to provide more enectually for the codec
coms, re- yQn 0£ ^ duties imposed by law on goods, wares and
merchandise imported into the United States,” which ascer
tains the rates at which foreign gold and silver coin's shall
be received for the duties and fees to be collected in virtue
•
of the said act, be, and the same is hereby repealed.
Assay of coins,
Sec. 5. vb/cZ be it further enacted, That the assay, promence t0 c°m vided to be made by the act, entitled “An act establishing
n®,' ch. 16, a Mint, and regulating the coins of the United States,” shall
IKi:' lr;‘
commence in the manner as by the said act is prescribed, on
the second Monday of February, annually, any thing in the
said act to the contrary notwithstanding.
Approved, February 9, 1793.

Statute I.
„ „ . "
Mar. 3,1794.

Chap. IV.—An act in alterat ion of the act establishing a Mint and regutaiinn the coins of the United States.
y
J

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate awl House of Bepvesentatiroes of the United States of America in Congress asAct of April 2, sembled, That from and after the passing this act it shall
,"1''*«:.......
^ ^ ^u(.y oj the treasurer of the Mint to receive and give
Duty of treas-

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

receipts for all metals which may lawfully be brought to the
Mint to be coined; and for the purpose of ascertaining their
respective qualities, shall deliver from every parcel so re
ceived, a sufficient number of grains to the assayer, who Assay,
shall assay all such of them as may require it. And the
said treasurer shall from time to time deliver the said metals
to the chief coiner to be coined in such quantities as the
Director of the Mint may prescribe.
Sec. 2. And 5s it further enacted, That the assayer and ChMaSnera'w
chief coiner of the Mint previous to entering upon the exe- srive bond, &c.
cution of their respective offices shall each become bound to
the United States of America with one or more sureties to
the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury, the said
assayer in the sum of one thousand dollars and the said chief
coiner in the sum of five thousand dollars, with condition
for the faithful and diligent performance of the duties of
his office.
.
Sec. 3. And he it further enacted, That so much of the
act entitled “An act establishing a Mint and regulating 1792, ch. ie.
the coins of the United States,” as comes within the pur
view of this act be and the same is hereby repealed.
Approved, March 3, 1794.

Chap.

XLVII.—An act supplementary to the act intituled “An act establishing a Mint, and regulating the coins of the United States.”

statute II.
yar g ^gg

Section 1. Be it enacted hy the Senate and House offf\t£ ffT' 2|
Representatives of the United States of America in Con- Additional offlgress assembled, and it is hereby enacted and declared, That ^ the ^an^1 of
for the better conducting of the business of the Mint of refln™elter and
the United States there shall be an additional officer ap'
pointed therein by the name of the melter and refiner,
whose duty shall be to take charge of all copper, and His duty,
silver or gold bullion delivered out by the treasurer of the
Mint after it has been assayed, agreeably to the rules and
customs of the Mint already directed and established, or
which may hereafter be directed and established by the
accounting officers of the Treasury, and to reduce the same
into bars or ingots fit for the rolling mills, and then to
deliver them to the coiner or treasurer, as the Director
shall judge expedient; and to do and perform all other
duties belonging to the office of a melter and refiner or
which shall be ordered by the Director of the Mint.
Sec. 2. And he itfurther enacted. That the melter and re- an^° g^-^secu^
finer of the said Mint shall, before he enters upon the exe- ttycution of his said office, take an oath or affirmation before
some judge of the United States, faithfully and diligently
to perform the duties thereof. And also shall become
bound to the United States of America, with one or more
sureties to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury,
in the sum of six thousand dollars, with condition for the
faithful and diligent performance of the several duties of
his office.

14
His compensa
tion.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That there shall be al
lowed and paid, to the said melter and refiner of the Mint
Obsolete.
as a compensation for his services, the yearly salary of fif
teen hundred dollars.
President may
Sec. 4. And be itfurther enacted, That the Director of the
make temporary
appointment.
Mint be, and hereby is authorized, with the approbation of
the President of the United States, to employ such person
as he may judge suitable to discharge the duties of the
1800, ch. 34.
melter and refiner, until a melter and refiner shall be ap
pointed by the President, by and with the advice of the
Senate.
T r e a s urer
the Mint to reSec. 5. And be it further enacted. That the treasurer of
tain part of bui- the j[int shall, and he is hereby directed, to retain two cents
&c.
per ounce from every deposit of silver bullion below the
standard of the United States, which hereafter shall be
made for the purpose of refining and coining; and four
cents per ounce from every deposit of gold bullion made
as aforesaid, below the standard of the United States, unless
the same shall be so far below the standard as to require
the operation of the test, in which case, the treasurer shall
retain six cents per ounce, which sum so retained shall be
accounted for by the said treasurer with the Treasury of
the United States as a compensation for melting and refin
ing the same.
ther^int*eshaii
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted. That the treasurer of
not be obliged to the Mint shall not be obliged to receive from any person,
deposits of bui-for the purpose of refining and coining, any deposit of
llonsilver bullion, below the standard of the United States, in
a smaller quantity than two hundred ounces; nor a like
deposit of gold bullion below the said standard, in a
r
smaller quantity than twenty ounces.
MhiT^ly^give
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That from and after
buMon roTethe^e pass^g °f this act, it shall and may be lawful for the
standard of the officers of the Mint to give a preference to silver or gold
United States.
bullion, deposited for coinage, .ri.;.,:.
which oLoll
shall be of the stand
ard of the United States, so far as respects the coining of
the same, although bullion below the standard, and not yet
refined, may have been deposited for coinage, previous
1792, ch. 16,
thereto, any law to the contrary notwithstanding: Pro
sec. 15:
vided That nothing herein shall justify the officers of the
Mint, or any one of them, in unnecessarily delaying the
refining any silver or gold bullion below the standard, that
may be deposited, as aforesaid.
President may
Sec. 8. vim? be it further enacted., That the President of
reduce the
weight of copper the United States be, and he is hereby authorized, when
ever he shall think it for the benefit of the United States,
to reduce the weight of the copper coin of the United
States: Provided, Such reduction shall not, in the whole,
exceed two pennyweights in each cent, and in the like pro
portion in a half cent; of which he shall give notice by
proclamation, and communicate the same to the then next
session of Congress.
bii«rme of'cents
^EC. 9. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the
and half cents, duty of the Treasurer of the United States, from time to

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

time, as often as he shall receive copper cents and half
cents from the treasurer of the Mint, to send them to the
bank or branch banks of the United States, in each of the
States where such bank is established; and where there is
no bank established, then to the collector of the principal
town in such State (in the proportion of the number of
inhabitants of such State) to oe by such bank or collector,
Sid out to the citizens of the State for cash, in sums not
is than ten dollars value; and that the same be done at
the risk and expense of the United States, under such reg
ulations as shall be prescribed by the Department of the
Treasury.
Approved, March 3, 1795.

Chap.

XI.—An act supplementary to the act intituled * ‘An act regulating
foreign coins, and for other purposes.” Feb. 1 1798

statute IL

Be it enacted 5y the Senate and House of Representatives J^^y6^
of theUnited States of America in Congress assembled, That 1793, ch.s. e " 9’
the second section of an act, intituled “An act regulating ^st^w^d9’
foreign coins, and for other purposes,” be, and the same ’
'
is hereby suspended, for and during the space of three
years from and after the first day of January, one thou
sand seven hundred and ninety-eight, and until the end
of the next session of Congress thereafter, during which
time the said gold and silver coins shall be and continue a
legal tender, as is provided in and by the first section of "
the act aforesaid; and that the same coins shall thereafter
cease to be such tender.
.
Approved, February 1, 1798.

Chap.

XXXIV.—An act respecting the Mint.

Statute I.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of-df—d}ff_
Representatives of the United States of America in Con- fOr thVpurSiMe
gress assembled, That a sum equal to the amount of the ^cf^May 8,
cents and half cents, which shall have been coined at thei»tch.39. ’
Mint, and delivered to the Treasurer of the United States,
subsequent to the third day of March, in the year one thou
sand seven hundred and ninety-nine, shall be, and the
same is hereby appropriated for the purchase of copper
for the further coinage of cents and half cents; and that
a sum equal to the amount of cents and half cents, which
shall be hereafter coined at the Mint, and delivered to the
Treasurer of the U nited States in any one year, shall be,
and the same is hereby appropriated for the annual pur
chase of copper for the coinage of cents and half cents,
which sums shall be payable out of any monies in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

16
Part of bullion
retained for the
fimngSe °£ re

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall be
retained from every deposit in the Mint, of gold or silver
bullion below the standard of the United States, such sum
as shall be equivalent to the expense incurred in refining
the same, and an accurate account of such expense on
every such deposit shall be kept, and of the sums retained
on account of the same, which shall be accounted for by
the treasurer of the Mint, with the Treasury of the United
States.
■
Approved, April 24, 1800.

Chap.

Statute II.

Mar. 3, ism.

XXI.—An act concerning the Mini.

pe ^ ^xidted by the Senate and House of Representatives

To remain at °f ^e United States of America in Congress assembled, That
Philadelphia^
the Mint shall remain in the city of Philadelphia, until
i8rej ch. 3&ar'8’ the fourth day of March, in the year one thousand eight

ism
rh£/pr" ^hundred and three,
louo,etcn.
Act of Dec. 2,
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That during the con18Actoi Jan. it, tinuance of the Mint at the city of Philadelphia, the duties
18W!ir m— a now enjoined on the Chief Justice of
1823. ch.42. . the Secretary and Comptroller of the
to^rperformed retary for the Department of State,

the United States,
Ireasury, the Secand the Attorney
?udgehanddattor- General of the United States, by the eighteenth section of
ney8 of Pennsyi-the act, intituled “An act establishing a Mint, and regucommiXneroflating the coins of the United States,” passed the second
loana.
. fjay of April, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two,
shall be performed by the district judge of Pennsylvania,
the attorney for the United States in the district of Penn
sylvania, and the commissioner of loans for the State of
Pennsylvania.
Approved, March 3, 1801.
Statute II.
Mar. 3,1803.
[Obsolete.]

Chap.

XXXVI.—An act to prolong the continuance of the Mint at Philadelphia.

pe ^ ^acted by the Senate and House of Representatives
United States of America in Congress assembled, That
the act intituled “An act concerning the Mint,” approved
March 3d, 1801, is hereby continued in force and operation
for the term of five years after the fourth day of March
next.
Approved, March 3, 1803.

Act of Apr. i, of the

w^'b1?

No issue of silver dollars was made from the mint from 1805 to 1836,
the coinage having been suspended by direction of President Jeffer
son, owing to the fact that, their bullion value being greater than
their face value, they were purchased for export. The order of sus
pension is contained in the following letter, under date of May 1,
1806, addressed to the Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, by James
Madison, Secretary of State:

COINAGE LAWS OP THE UNITED STATES.

Department of State, May 1, 1806.
Sir: In consequence of a representation from the director of the

Bank of the United States that considerable purchases have been
made of dollars coined at the mint for the purpose of exporting them,
and as it is probable further purchases and exportations will be made
the President directs that all the silver to be coined at the mint shall
be of small denominations, so that the value of the largest pieces shall
not exceed half a dollar.
.
I am, etc.,
James Madison.
Robert Patterson, Esq.,
Director of the Mint.

Chap. XXII.—An

act regulating the currency of foreign coins in the
"
United States.
—AprjiMSOe^

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
.
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That and£i ver coins
from and after the passage of this act, foreign gold and theumteds’totes
silver coins shall pass current as money within the United 'he following
States, and be a legal tender for the payment of all debtsre '
and demands, at the several and respective rates following,
and not otherwise, viz:
The gold coins of Great Britain and Portugal, of their Com8and rates,
present standard, at the rate of one hundred cents, for
every twenty-seven grains of the actual weight thereof;
the gold coins of France, Spain, and the dominions of
Spain, of their present standard, at the rate of one hundred
cents, for every twenty-seven grains and two-fifths of a
Strain, of the actual weight thereof. Spanish milled dolars, at the rate of one hundred cents for each, the actual
weight whereof shall not be less than seventeen penny
weights and seven grains, and in proportion for the parts
of a dollar. Crowns of France at the rate of one hundred
and ten cents, for each crown, the actual weight whereof
shall not be less than eighteen pennyweights and seventeen
grains, and in proportion for the parts of a crown. And theeTreasury to
it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury, to theforeigncoiM1
cause assays of the foreign gold and silver coins made cur- &c„ to be had at
rent by this act, to be had at the Mint of the United States, to=£^55
at least once in every year, and to make report of the ^result toconresult thereof to Congress, for the purpose of enabling
' .
them to make such alterations in this act, as may become
requisite, from the real standard value of such foreign
coins. And it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the
Treasury, to cause assays of the foreign gold and silver
coins of the description made current by this act, which
shall issue subsequently to the passage of this act, and shall
circulate in the United States, at the Mint aforesaid, at
least once in every year, and to make report of the result
thereof to Congress, for the purpose of enabling Congress
to make such coins current, if they shall deem the same to
be proper, at their real standard value.
Sec. 2. And he it further enacted, That the first section of m^£ctton ^
the act, intituled “An act regulating foreign coins, and forpeaied.
9463—04----- 2

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

other purposes,” passed the ninth day of February, one
thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, be, and the same
the othe^sectton *^ hereby repealed.
And the operation of the second secauspended.
tion of the same act shall be, and is hereby suspended for,
and during the space of, three years from the passage of
this act.
Approved, April 10, 1806.

Statute I.
Chap. XLIX.—An act for the punishment of counterfeiting the current coin
Apr. 21, i»c.
oj if^ xjnited. States; and for other purposes.

fafeeFy1 making
®e ^ ^uaCed by the Senate and House of Representatives
and uttering of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That
united states.'or if any person shall falsely make, forge or counterfeit, or

^lU&A0™?," cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterfeit
ed, or willingly aid or assist, in falsely making, forging or
counterfeiting, any gold or silver coins, which nave been or
which hereafter shall be coined at the Mint of the United
States, or who shall falsely make, forge, or counterfeit, or
cause, or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterfeit
ed, or willingly aid or assist in falsely making, forging, or
counterfeiting any foreign gold or silver coins, which, by
law now are or hereafter shall be made current, or be in
actual use and circulation as money within the United
States; or who shall utter, as true, any false, forged, or
counterfeited coins of gold or silver, as aforesaid, for the
payment of money, with intention to defraud any person
or persons, knowing the same to be falsely made, forged
or counterfeited; any such person, so offending, shall be
deemed and adjudged guilty of felony, and being thereof
convicted according to the due course of law, shall be sen
tenced to imprisonment, and kept at hard labor for a
period not less than three years, nor more than ten
years; or shall be imprisoned not exceeding five years,
and fined not exceeding five thousand dollars.
thote"wtte Xn
^EC1 ^- And ^6 ^ further enacted, That if any person
import into the shall import or bring from any foreign place into the
any false or conn- United States, any false, forged, or counterfeit gold or
circuiatedhithissilver coins, which are by law made current, or are in
country.
actual use and circulation, as money within the United
States, with the intent to utter, or make payment with the
same, knowing the same to be falsely made, forged, or
counterfeited; or who shall utter, as true, any such false,
forged, or counterfeited coins of gold or silver, as afore
said, for the payment of money, with intention to defraud
any person or persons knowing the same to be falsely
made, forged, or counterfeited, the person so offending
shall be deemed guilty of felony, and being thereof con
victed according to the due course of law, shall be sen
tenced to imprisonment and kept at hard labour for a
period not less than two years, nor more than eight years;
or shall be imprisoned not exceeding two years, and fined
not exceeding four thousand dollars.
rent here.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 3. And 5s it further enacted, That if any person = ^SS^8 m3
shall fraudulently and for gain’s sake, by any art, way, or fying, &c„ the
means whatsoever, impair, diminish, falsify, scale, orunTtea states^
lighten the gold or silver coins, which have been, or which ^ifeLJlA^
shall hereafter be coined at the Mint of the United States; circulation here,
or any foreign gold or silver coins, which are by law made
current, or are in actual use and circulation as money
within the United States, every person so offending shall
be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and shall be
imprisoned not exceeding two years, and fined not exceed
ing two thousand dollars.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this jurisdiction of
act contained, shall be construed to deprive the courts of states’not'tobe
the individual States of jurisdiction, under the laws of the^®tected by this
several States, over offences made punishable by this act.
Approved, April 21, 1806.

Chap. XLI.—An act further to prolong the continuance of the Mint at
Philadelphia.

Statute I.

Apr. 1, isos.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives Mmtpiralntinof the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That phfamf o rliafl v e
the act, intituled “An act concerning the Mint,” approved ^e"8h^j 4th
March the third, one thousand eight hundred and one, is aisi2, ch 2.
hereby revived and continued in force and operation for
the further term of five years after the fourth day of March,
one thousand eight hundred and eight.
Approved, April 1, 1808.

Chap. II.—An act further to prolong the continuance of the Mint at Philadelphia.

Statute II.

Dec. 2,1812.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives T^Mint^conofthe aUnited
States
of America
in Congress
assembled,
That V11^^ in Phi*?c
j
v
a
•
a
1 delphia until
the act, entitled An act concerning the Mint/ approved March 4,1813.
March the third, one thousand eight hundred and one, is ig^ch. 2ar'rehereby revived and continued in force and operation, forvlvedthe further term of five years, after the fourth day of
March, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen.
Approved, December 2, 1812.

Chap. CXXXIX.—An act regulating the currency within the United States,

of the gold coins of Great Britain, France, Portugal, and Spain, and the
crowns of France, and five-franc pieces.

^S^Ji'k

Apr’

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives fffff ^M- 31
of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That ’ ' '
from the passage of this act and for three years thereafter,
and no longer, the following gold and silver coins shall
pass current as money within the United States, and be a

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

legal tender for the payment of all debts and demands, at
the several and respective rates following, and not other8 wise, videlicet: the gold coins of Great Britain and Portu
gal, of their present standard, at the rate of one hundred
cents for every seventy “-seven grains, or eighty-eight cents
and eight-ninths per penny weight; the gold coins of France,
of their present standard, at the rate of one hundred cents
for every twenty-seven and a half grains, or eighty-seven
3’and a quarter cents per pennyweight: the gold coins of
1823, ch. so.
Spain, at the rate of one hundred cents for every twenty
eight and a half grains, or eighty-four cents per penny
weight; the crowns of France, at the rate of one hundred
and seventeen cents and six-tenths per ounce, or one hun
dred and ten cents for each crown weighing eighteen penny
weights and seventeen grains; the five-franc pieces at the
'
rate of one hundred and sixteen cents per ounce, or ninetythree cents and three mills for each five-franc piece, weigh
ing sixteen pennyweights and two grains.
and^hver ®w Bec. 2. And "be it further enacted, That it shall be the
rencytobemade. duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to cause assays of
the foregoing gold and silver coins, made current by this
act, to be had at the Mint of the United States, at least
once in every year: and to make report of the result thereof
to Congress.
Approved, April 29, 1816.

Statute I.
Jan. 14,1818.

Chap. IV.—An act further to prolong the continuance of the Mint al Philadelphia.

thtTint atph'n®
®e ^ ^td^^ ^K ^6 Senate and House of Representatives
adeiphia.contin- of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
ued for Ave years. £^e act entitled “An act concerning the Mint,” approved

March the third, one thousand eight hundred ana one, is
hereby revived, and continued in force and operation for
the further term of five years from the fourth day of March
next.
^Jll® TnrfCt?n
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That during the conperform the du tinuance of the Mint at the city of Philadelphia, the duties
tire miSto” which were enjoined on the commissioner of loans for the
erAct°of1Mar 3 State of Pennsylvania, by the second section of the act,
1801, ch. 21. " ’entitled “An act concerning the Mint,” passed on the third
day of March, one thousand eight hundred and one, shall
be performed by the collector of the port of Philadelphia
_ for the time being.
Approved, January 14, 1818.
«Original bill on file, H. R., reads twenty. Engrossed bill, signed by the President,
reads seventy.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Chap, XCVII.—An act to continue in force an act regulating the currency,
within the United States, of the gold coins of Great Britain, France,
Portugal, and Spain, and the crowns of France, and five franc pieces.

21
Statute II.
Mar 3 ]819
'

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives i^^.m.61" S’
of the United States ofAmerica., in Congress assembled^yteX, ^fff eo\™^
the gold coins of Great Britain and Portugal, of their pres- andPortugat ' 1
ent standard, shall be a legal tender in the payment of all
debts, at the rate of one hundred cents for every twenty
seven grains, or eighty-eight cents and eight-ninths per
pennyweight. The gold coins of France, of their present or France,
standard, at the rate of one hundred cents for every
twenty-seven and a half grains, or eighty-seven and a
quarter cents per pennyweight: The gold coins of Spain at or Spain,
the rate of one hundred cents for every twenty-eight and
a half grains, or eighty-four cents per pennyweight: until
the first day of November next: And that, from and after current until
that day, foreign gold coins shall cease to be a tender ihen^ocease8191
within the United States, for the payment of debts or
demands.
.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That so much of the aet%f129th°Apre
act, entitled “An act regulating the currency, within the 1816, as relates to
United States, of the gold coins of Great Britain, France, coln^n in‘force
Portugal, and Spain,” passed on the twenty-ninth day of
29111 APr-'
April, eighteen hundred and sixteen, as relates to foreign Act of Apr. 29
silver coins, shall be, and the same is hereby, continued in1816, ch' 139‘
force two years from and after the twenty-ninth day of
April next, and no longer.
Approved, March 3, 1819.

" Chap. LIU.—An act to continue in force an act, entitled “ An act regulal-

statute II.
ing the currency, within the United States, of the gold coins of Great Brit- Mar-3'1821 •
ain, France, Portugal, and Spain,” passed on the twenty-ninth day of Act of Apr. 29,
April, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, so far as the same relates 1816, ch. 139.
to the crowns and five franc pieces of France.
im1,? Q-Iar" S’

•

The act of Apr.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives fa816^c^;lat^
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That to the crowns
so much of the act, entitled “An act regulating the cur-p^of Fran?e"
rency within the United States, of the gold coins of Greateontinued in
Britain, France, Portugal, and Spain,” passed on theforce'
twenty-ninth day of April, eighteen hundred and sixteen,
as relates to the crowns and five franc pieces of France,
shall be, and the same hereby is, continued in force for the
further term of two years, from and after the twenty-ninth
day of April next.
Approved, March 3, 1821.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

22
Statute II.
Mar. 3,1823.

Chap.

XLIII.—An act farther to prolong the continuance of the Mint at
Philadelphia.

Act of Mar. 3,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
c8er nin g1' the V^W. United States ofAmerica, in Congress assembled, That
Mint, revived for the act, entitled “An act concerning the Mint,” approved
Ave years.
March the third, one thousand eight hundred and one, is

hereby revived and continued in force and operation for
the further term of five years, from the fourth day of
■
March next.
m?ssyo<neS,of Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, during the con
formed0 bC ^e^nuance °^ ^e ^'n^ a^ ^e city of Philadelphia, the duties
collector of Phil- which were enjoined on the commissioner of loans for the
adeiphia.
State of Pennsylvania, by the second section of the act,
entitled “ An act concerning the Mint,” passed on the third
day of March, one thousand eight hundred and one, shall
be performed by the collector of the port of Philadelphia
for the time being.
riH£eusedh™e"
®EC" $’ ^^ ^' itfurther enacted. That when any silver,
fining and other brought to the Mint for coinage, shall require refining,
mad^'from^he the expense of the materials used in the process shall be
‘’'T"^ afnd a<y deducted from the amount of the deposit; and that, when
Treasury of the silver so deposited, shall be of a quality superior to that of
united states,
^g ]ega] standard of the silver coins of the United States,
a deduction shall be made from the amount, equal to the
expense of the copper necessary to reduce it to the said
standard; and that all such deductions be regularly ac
counted for by the treasurer of the Mint to the Treasury
of the United States.
Approved, Marsh 3, 1823.

Chap.

[Expired.]
Act of Apr. 29,
1816, ch. 139.
Act of Mar. 3,

L.—An act to continue in force an act, entitled “An act regulating
the currency within the United States of the gold coins of Great Britain,
France, Portugal, and Spain, and the crowns of France and five franc
pieces,’’ passed. on the twenty-ninth day of April, one thousand eight hun
dred and sixteen, so far as the same relates to the crowns of France and
five franc pieces.

of' Apr.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives

Statute II.
Mar. 3, 1823.

Act

ing ’currency* Vo ofU^ United, States of America, in Congress assembled, That
be in force’torso much of the act, entitled “An act regulating the curgardsyeyrencli reney within the
francnieces'1 ^Britain, France,

United States of the gold coins of Great
Portugal, and Spain, and the crowns of
France and five franc pieces,” passed on the twenty-ninth
day of April, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, as
relates to the crowns of France and five franc pieces, shall
be, and the same hereby is, continued in force, for the further
term of four years, from and after the fourth day of March
next.
Approved, March 3, 1823.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Chap. TAIL—An act making the gold coins of Great Britain, Prance,

Statute II.
Mar. 3,1823.
Act of Mar. 3,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 1823, ch. 50.
o 1 GGold
Of,
ofthe United States ofAmerica, in uuivyi co nwo^w-w^, ^.I l,™,
reat ColUS
Britaln

Portugal, and Spain, receivable inpayments on account ofpublic lands.
,

from and after the passage of this act, the following gold Portugal, France
coins shall be received in all payments on account or public received in pay
lands, at the several and respective rates following, and Elands.aocount
not otherwise, viz: the gold coins of Great Britain and
Portugal, of their present standard, at the rate of one
hundred cents for every twenty-seven grains, or eighty eight cents and eight-ninths per pennyweight; the gold,
coms of France, of their present standard, at the rate of
one hundred cents for every twenty-seven and a half grains,
or eighty-seven and a quarter cents per pennyweight: and
the gold coins of Spain of their present standard, at the
rate of one hundred cents for every twenty-eight and a
half grains, or eighty-four cents per pennyweight.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted. That it shall be the^®^^^.
duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to cause assays of cause assays to
the foregoing coins to be made at the Mint of the United any^he^n”'
States, at least once in every year; and to make report of
the result thereof to Congress.
Approved, March 3, 1823.

Chap. LXVII.—An act to continue the Mint at the City of Philadelphia,
and for other purposes.

■

statute I.
_M3£19, <828^_
Act of Mar. 3,

Be it enacted by tKe Senate and House of Representatives1801 > ch*2L
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
the act, entitled “An act concerning the Mint,” approved
March the third, one thousand eight hundred and one, be,
and the same hereby is, revived and continued in force and
operation, until otherwise provided by law.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, for the purpose seraring^^ue
of securing a due conformity in weight of the coins of the conformity, the
United States, to the provisions of the ninth section of procured fuS
the act, passed the second of April, one thousand seven standard116troy
hundred and ninety-two, entitled “An act establishing a pound
Mint, and regulating the coins of the United States,” the 1 ’c ’16'
brass troy pound weight procured by the minister of the
United States at London, in the year one thousand eight
hundred and twenty-seven, for the use of the Mint, and
now in the custody of the Director thereof, shall be the
standard troy pound of the Mint of the United States, con
formably to which the coinage thereof shall be regulated.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the ^gvf cor re
duty of the Director of the Mint to procure, and safely to ^?^f '?/o 6
keep a series of standard weights, corresponding to the pou^a weight
aforesaid troy pound, consisting of an one pound weight,to be Procuredand the requisite subdivisions and multiples thereof, from
the hundredth part of a grain to twenty-five pounds; and
that the trov weights ordinarily employed in the transac
tions of the Mint, shall be regulated according to the above

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

standards, at least once in every year, under his inspection;
and their accuracy tested annually in the presence of the
assay commissioners, on the day of the annual assay.
When silver
Sec. 4. Andie it further enacted, That, when silver bul
bullion is found
to require the lion, brought to the Mint for coinage, is found to require
operation of the
the operation of the test, the expense of the materials em
test.
ployed in the process, together with a reasonable allowance
for the wastage necessarily arising therefrom, to be deter
mined by the melter and refiner of the Mint, with the appro
bation of the Director, shall be retained from such deposit,
and accounted for by the treasurer of the Mint to the Treas
ury of the United States.
Silver bullion
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That, when silver
found to contain
a proportion of bullion, brought to the Mint for coinage, shall be found to
contain a proportion of gold, the separation thereof shall
be effected at the expense of the party interested therein:
Provided, nevertheless, That, when the proportion of gold
Proviso.
is such that it cannot be separated advantageously, it snail
be lawful, with the consent of the owner, or, in his absence,
at the discretion of the Director, to coin the same as an
ordinary deposit of silver.
Director of the
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the Director of
Mint may em
ploy the requi the Mint may employ the requisite number of clerks, at a
site number of
compensation not exceeding in the whole the sum of seven
clerks.
teen hundred dollars, and such number of workmen and
assistants as the business of the Mint shall, from time to
time, require.
Director of the
Sec. 7. Andbe it further enacted, That it shall be lawful
Mint to receive
and cause to be for the Director of the Mint to receive, and cause to be
assayed bullion
not intended for assayed, bullion not intended for coinage, and to cause cer
coinage, &c.
tificates to be given of the fineness thereof by such officer
as he shall designate for that purpose, at such rates of
Act of Jan.
18, 1837, ch. 3, charge, to be paid by the owner of said bullion, and under
sec. 14.
such regulations, as the said Director may, from time to
time, establish.
Approved, May 19, 1828.

Statute I.

Chap.

LXXI.—An act regulating the value of certain foreign silver coins
within the United States.

June 25,1834.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
Act of June 28^ of the United States ofAmerica, in Congress assembled, That
^ertain^siiver from and after the passage of this act, the following silver

shall be of the legal value, and shall pass current as
money within the United States, by tale, for the payment
of all debts and demands, at the rate of one hundred cents
the dollar, that is to say, the dollars of Mexico, Peru,
Chili, and Central America, of not less weight than four
hundred and fifteen grains each, and those re-stamped in
Brazil of the like weight, of not less fineness than ten
ounces fifteen pennyweights of pure silver, in the troy
pound of twelve ounces of standard silver: and the five

tai" 10 pass by co’ns

"'to'

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

franc pieces of France, when of not less fineness than ten
ounces and sixteen pennyweights in twelve ounces troy
weight of standard silver, and weighing not less than three
hundred and eighty-four grains each at the rate of ninety three cents each.
Sec. 2. And 5e it further enacted, That it shall be [the] eouTtob^made
duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to cause assays of ?* the Mint once
the aforesaid silver coins, made current by this act, to bemevery year‘
had at the Mint of the United States at least once in every
year, and to make report of the result thereof to Congress.
Approved, June 25, 1834.

Chap.

XCV.—An act concerning the gold coins of the United States, and
for other purposes.
June 28,1834.

Statute I.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives We$hdofcoiSd
ofthe United States ofAmerica, in Congress assembled, That
the gold coins of the United States shall contain the fol
lowing quantities of metal, that is to say: each eagle
shall contain two hundred and thirty-two grains of pure
gold, and two hundred and fifty-eight grains of standard
gold; each half eagle one hundred and sixteen grains of
pure gold, and one hundred and twenty-nine grains of
standard gold; each quarter eagle shall contain fifty-eight
grains of pure gold, and sixty-four and a half grains of
standard gold; every such eagle shall be of the value of
ten dollars; every such half eagle shall be of the value of
five dollars; and every such quarter eagle shall be of the
value of two dollars and fifty cents; and the said gold coins
shall be receivable in all payments, when of full weight, ac
cording to their respective values; and when of less than
full weight, at less values, proportioned to their respective
actual weights.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all standard gold deposited1 for
or silver deposited for coinage after the thirty-first of July
next, shall be paid for in coin under the direction of the §ve days. W1 in
Secretary of the Treasury, within five days from the making
of such deposit, deducting from the amount of said deposit
of gold and silver one-half of one per centum: Prowled, ProvisoThat no deduction shall be made unless said advance be
required by such depositor within forty days.
t ,
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all gold coins of g0Ydroinshaii be
the United States, minted anterior to the thirty-first day of receivable.
July next, shall be receivable in all payments at the rate
of ninety-four and eight-tenths of a cent per pennyweight.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the better to beGsed apart8 for
secure a conformity of the said gold coins to their respec-asaaytive standards as aforesaid, from every separate mass of
standard gold which shall be made into coins at the said
Mint, there shall be taken, set apart by the Treasurer and
reserved in his custody, a certain number of pieces, not
less than three, and that once in every year the pieces so

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

set apart and reserved shall be assayed under the inspection
of the officers, and at the time, and in the manner now pro
vided by law, and, if it shall be found that the gold so
assayed, shall not be inferior to the said standard Herein
before declared, more than one part in three hundred and
eighty-four in fineness, and one part in five hundred in
weight, the officer or officers of the said Mint whom it may
concern, shall be held excusable; but if any greater infe
riority shall appear, it shall be certified to the President of
the United States, and if he shall so decide, the said officer
or officers shall be thereafter disqualified to hold their
Proviso.
respective offices: Provided, That if, in making any deliv
ery of coin at the Mint in payment of a deposit, the weight
thereof shall be found defective, the officer concerned
shall be responsible to the owner for the full weight, if
claimed at the time of delivery.
Act to be in
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That this act shall be
3M834.fter July in force from and after the thirty-first day of July, in the
year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four.
Approved, June 28, 1834.

Statute I.
June 28,1834.

Chap.

XCVI.—An act regulating the value of certain foreign gold coins
within the United States.

lgAct of June 25,
Be it enacted by the Senate and Haase of Representatives
Rates at which ofthe United States of America, in Congress assembled, That,
^receivable from and after the thirty-first day of July next, the followa^ner July si, ing gold coins shall pass as current as money within the
Coins of Great United States, and be receivable in all payments, by weight,

f°r th*© payment of all debts and demands, at the rates following, that is to say: the gold coins of Great Britain,
Portugal, and Brazil, of not less than twenty-two carats
fine, at the rate of ninety-four cents and eight-tenths of a
cent per pennyweight; the gold coins of France nine-tenths
fine, at the rate of ninety-three cents and one-tenth of a
anJcoiomMa00' cent Per pennyweight; and the gold coins of Spain, Mexico,
„i. i
. an^ Colombia, of the fineness of twenty carats three grains
and seven-sixteenths of a grain, at the rate of eighty-nine
cents and nine-tenths of a cent per pennyweight.
toJbenmadeasaays ^EC- -■ Am/? be it further enacted, That it shall be the
duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to cause assays of
the aforesaid gold coins, made current by this act, to be
had at the Mint of the United States, at least once in every
year, and to make a report of the result thereof to Congress.
Approved, June 28, 1834.
ga'i'anci Brazil’1
France.
'

Statute II.
Mar. 3,1835.
Branehesofthe
nshed at*6 estab

Chap.

XXXIX.—An act to establish branches of the Mint of the United
States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives of
the United States of America, in Congress assembled, TYmA.
branches of the Mint of the United States shall be estab-

COINAGE LAWS OE THE UNITED STATES.

lished as follows: one branch at the city of New Orleans New Orleans;
for the coinage of gold and silver; one branch at the town
of Charlotte, in Mecklinburg County, in the State of North charlotte;
Carolina, for the coinage of gold only; and one branch at
or near Dahlohnega, in Lumpkin County, in the State of Dahioimega.
Georgia, also for the coinage of gold only. And for the, Appropriation
purpose of purchasing sites, erecting suitable buildings, sites, &c.
&
and completing the necessary combinations of machinery
for the several branches aforesaid, the following sums, to
be paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, shall be, andherebyare, appropriated: for the
.
branch at New Orleans, the sum of two hundred thousand
dollars; for the branch at Charlotte, fifty thousand dollars;
for the branch at Dahlohnega, fifty thousand dollars.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, so soon as the ap”nted when
necessary buildings are erected for the purpose of well the buildings are
conducting the business of each of the said branches, theerect "
following officers shall be appointed upon the nomination
of the President, and with the advice and consent of the
Senate: one superintendent, one treasurer, one assay er,
one chief coiner, one melter, and one refiner. And the
superintendent of each mint shall engage and employ as
many clerks and as many subordinate workmen and ser
vants as shall be provided for by. law; and the salaries of
the said officers and clerks shall be as follows:
For the branch at New Orleans, to the superintendent, ‘ “ ^
the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars; to the treas
urer, the sum of two thousand dollars; to the chief coiner,
the sum of two thousand dollars; to the assayer, melter,
and refiner, the sum of two thousand dollars each; to two
clerks, the sum of twelve hundred dollars each; to the sub
ordinate workmen, and servants, not exceeding twenty in
number, such wages and allowances as are customary and
reasonable, according to their respective stations and occu
pations. For the branches at Charlotte and Dahlohnega,
to the superintendents, each the sum of two thousand dol
lars, who shall respectively discharge the duty of treasur
ers; to the chief coiners, each the sum of one thousand five
hundred dollars; to the assayers, melters, and refiners,
each the sum of one thousand five hundred dollars; to the
clerks, not exceeding one at each branch, the sum of one
thousand dollars; and to the subordinate workmen and
servants, not exceeding the number of five at each of the
said branches, such wages and allowances shall be paid as
are customary and reasonable, according to their respec- Appropriation
tive stations and occupations. And for the'purpose of for salaries, &c.
paying the said salaries, wages, allowances, and the inci
dental expenses of the said branches of the Mint, for the
year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, the fol
lowing sums, to be paid out of any money in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, be, and the same hereby are,
appropriated: for the branch at New Orleans, the sum of
thirty-five thousand dollars; for the branches at Charlotte
and Dahlohnega, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars each.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 3 And le it further enacted, That the officers and
clerks to be appointed under this act, before entering upon
the duties thereof, shall take an oath or affirmation before
some judge of the United States, faithfully and diligently
to perform the duties thereof; and shall each become bound
to the United States of America, with one or more sureties,
to the satisfaction of the Director of the Mint and the Sec
retary of the Treasury, with condition for the faithful and
diligent performance of the duties of their offices.
tiOTof’branlfhes
Sec. 4. Andie it further enacted, That the general direc
to be under thetionof the business of the said branches of the Mint of the
MintatPMiadei6-United States shall be under the control and regulation of
phia.
^e Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, subject to the ap
probation of the Secretary of the Treasury; and for that
purpose, it shall be the duty of the said Director to prescribe
such regulations, and require such returns, periodically,
and occasionally, as shall appear to him to be necessary
■
for the purpose of carrying into effect the intention of this
act in establishing the said branches; also, for the purpose
of discriminating the coin which shall be stamped at each
branch, and at the Mint itself; also, for the purpose of
preserving uniformity of weight, form, and fineness in
the coins stamped at each place; and for that purpose, to
require the transmission-and delivery to him, at the Mint,
from time to time, such parcels of the coinage of each
branch as he shall think proper to be subjected to such
' assays and tests as he shall direct.
laUon^^MTn t
Sec. 5. And le it further enacted, That all the laws, and
extended to the parts of laws, made for the regulation of the Mint of the
United States, and for the government of the officers and
persons employed therein, and for the punishment of all
offences connected with the Mint or coinage of the United
States, shall be, and the same are hereby, declared to be
in full force, in relation to each of the branches of the
Mint by this act established, so far as the same shall be
applicable thereto.
Approved, March 3, 1835.
path or affirm-

Chap.

Statute II.
Jan. is 1837.

^6 ^ eTtWf^ W the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
the officers of the Mint of the United States shall be a
2 Director, a treasurer, an assayer, a melter and refiner, a
’ chief coiner and an engraver, to be appointed by the
President of the United States, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate.
Sec. 2. Andie it further enacted, That the respective
duties of the officers of the Mint shall be as follows:
. First. The Director shall have the control and manage
ment of the Mint, the superintendence of the officers and
persons employed therein, and the general regulation and

i792Ctchfi6pr' 2’
Act of Mar. 3,
18ActCof Feb. 27,
18ActCof4A r
1844, ch. 7.
officers.

Duties of—
Director.

III.—-tn act supplementary to the act entitled ‘An act establishing
a Mini, and regutoting the coins of the United States.”

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

supervision of the business of the several branches# And
in the month of January of every year he shall make report
to the President of the United States of the operations of
the Mint and its branches for the year preceding. And also
to the Secretary of the Treasury, from time to time, as
said Secretary snail require, setting forth all the operations
of the Mint subsequent to the last report made upon the
subject.
Second. The treasurer shall receive, and safely keep all Treasurer.
moneys which shall be for the use and support of the Mint;
shall keep all the current accounts of the Mint, and pay all
moneys due by the Mint, on warrants from the Director.
He shall receive all bullion brought to the Mint for coin
age; shall be the keeper of all bullion and coin in the
Mint, except while the same is legally placed in the hands
of other officers, and shall, on warrants from the Director,
deliver all coins struck at the Mint to the persons to whom
they shall be legally payable. And he shall keep regular
and faithful accounts of all the transactions of the Mint,
in bullion and coins, both with the officers of the Mint and
the depositors; and shall present, quarter-yearly, to the
Treasury Department of the United States, according to
such forms as shall be prescribed by that Department, an
account of the receipts and disbursements of the Mint, for
the purpose of being adjusted and settled.
Thira. The assayer shall carefully assay all metals used Assayer.
in coinage, whenever such assays are required in the opera
tions of the Mint; and he shall also make assays of coins
whenever instructed to do so by the Director.
Melter and re
Fourth. The melter and refiner shall execute all the finer.
operations which are necessary in order to form ingots of
standard silver or gold, suitable for the chief coiner, from
the metals legally delivered to him for that purpose.
Fifth. The chief coiner shall execute all the operations Chief coiner.
which are necessary in order to form coins, conformable in
all respects to the law, from the standard silver and gold
ingots, and the copper planchets, legally delivered to him
for this purpose.
Sixth. The engraver shall prepare and engrave, with the Engraver.
legal devices and inscriptions, all the dies used in the coin
age of the Mint and its branches.
m ent
Sec. 3. And be itfurther enacted, That the Director shall ofAppoint
assistant and
appoint, with the approbation of the President, assistants clerks.
to the assayer, melter and refiner, chief coiner, and engraver,
and clerks for the Director and treasurer, whenever, on rep
resentation made by the Director to the President, it shall
be the opinion of the President that such assistants or clerks
are necessary. And it shall be the duty of the assistants Their duties.
to aid their principals in the execution of their respective
offices, and of the clerks to perform such duties as shall be
prescribed for them by the Director.
Vacancies in
Sec. 4. And be itfurther enacted, That whenever any offi case
of tempo ■
cer of the Mint shall be temporarily absent, on acount of rary absence,
how
filled.
sickness, or any other sufficient cause, it shall be lawful for
the Director, with the assent of said officer, to appoint some

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

personrattached to the Mint, to act in the place of such offi
cer during his absence, and that the Director shall employ
oMvorkm™ nnd such workmen and servants in the Mint as he shall from
servants.
time [to time] find necessary.
taken**1 to be
Sec. 5. AndheAtfurther enacted, Thatevery officer, assist
'
ant, and clerk of the Mint, shall, before he enters upon the
execution of his office, take an oath or affirmation before
some judge of the United States, or judge of the superior
court or any court of record of any State, faithfully and
diligently to perform the duties thereof.
edBonds requtr- gEC. g ^^ £e ^ further enacted, That the following
officers of the Mint, before entering upon the execution of
their respective offices, shall become bound to the United
States, with one or more sureties, to the satisfaction of
the Secretary of the Treasury, in the sums hereinafter
mentioned, with condition for the faithful and diligent
performance of the duties of their offices, viz: The treas
urer in the sum of ten thousand dollars; the assayer in
the sum of five thousand dollars; the melter and refiner in
the sum of ten thousand dollars; the chief coiner in the
sum of ten thousand dollars. A nd that similar bonds may
also be required of the assistants and clerks, in such sums
as the Director shall determine, with the approbation of
the Secretary of the Treasury.
salaries of otfiSec. 7. And he it further enacted, That there shall be
assistants. ’
allowed to the officers of the Mint the following salaries
per annum: To the Director, for his services, including
traveling expenses incurred in visiting the different
branches, and all other charges whatever, three thousand
five hundred dollars; to the treasurer, assayer, melter and
refiner, chief coiner, and engraver, each, two thousand
dollars; to the assistants and clerks, such annual salaries
shall be allowed as the Director may determine, with the
Proviso.
approbation of the President: Provided, That an assistant
shall not receive more than fifteen hundred dollars; and
that a clerk shall not receive more than twelve hundred
mmagandf"ervI dollars; to the workmen and servants shall be allowed
ants.
such wages, to be determined by the Director, as may be
customary and reasonable, according to their respective
stations and occupations; and that the salaries provided
for in this section shall be payable in quarterly instal
ments.
goManandr‘sliver
Sec. 8. And he it further enacted, That the standard for
coins.
both gold and silver coins of the United States shall here
after be such, that of one thousand parts by weighs, nine
hundred shall be of pure metal, and one hundred of alloy;
Alloys.
and the alloy of the silver coins shall be of copper; and
the alloy of the gold coins shall be of copper and silver,
provided that the silver do not exceed one-half of the
whole alloy.
ve^coi™ °f ail"
®EC- ^- Acndheit further enacted, That of the silver coins,
' . ..
^e dollar shall be of the weight of four hundred and twelve
and one-half grains; the half dollar of the weight of two
hundred and six and one-fourth grains; the quarter dollar

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

of the weight of one hundred and three and one-eighth
grains; the dime, or tenth part of a dollar, of the weight
of forty-one and a quarter grains; and the half dime or
twentieth part of a dollar, of the weight of twenty grains,
and five-eighths of a grain. And that dollars, half dollars, Dollars, &c.
and quarter dollars, dimes, and half dimes, shall be legalshal* be fegai
tenders of payment according to their nominal value, for
’ "
any sums whatever.
Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That of the gold weight of gold
coins, the weight of the eagle shall be two hundred andeo^gles, &c.,
fifty-eight grains; that of the half eagle one hundred and^“^b^ Iesa*
twenty-nine grains; and that of the quarter eagle sixty- " ’ ‘
four and one-half grains. And that for all sums whatever,
the eagle shall be a legal tender of payment for ten dollars;
the half eagle for five dollars; and the quarter eagle for
two and a half dollars.
Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That the silver coins, ^^r coins
heretofore issued at the Mint of the United States, and the sued, and gold
gold coins issued since the thirty-first day of July, one s Ju?y,d ish
thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, shall continue to be beaiegaulnde^
legal tenders of payment for their nominal values, on the
"
same terms as if they were of the coinage provided for by
this act.
Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That of the copper weight of cup
coins, the weight of the cent shall be one hundred andper coina
sixty-eight grains, and the weight of the half-cent eightyfour grains. And the cent shall be considered of the value Proportion a
of one hundredth part of a dollar, and the half cent of thevalueofadollar"
value of one two-hundredth part of a dollar.
Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That upon the coins Devices and
struck at the Mint there shall be the following devices and egen s ° cmns'
legends: upon one side of each of said coins there shall be
an impression emblematic of liberty, with an inscription of
the word Liberty, and the year of the coinage; and upon
the reverse of each of the gold and silver coins, there shall
be the figure or representation of an eagle, with the inscrip
tion United States of America, and a designation of the
value of the coin; but on the reverse of the dime and half
dime, cent and half cent, the figure of the eagle shall be
omitted.
Sec. 14. And be it further enacted, That gold and si ver b^iion^^ujht
bullion brought to the Mint for coinage, shall be received for coinage shall
and coined, by the proper omcers, tor the benefit ot the coined,
depositor: Provided, That it shall be lawful to refuse, at Prov,s0the Mint, any deposite of less value than one hundred dol
lars, and any bullion so base as to be unsuitable for the
operations of the Mint; Andprovided also, That when gold .Further P ro
und silver are combined, if either of these metals be in such v °"
small proportion that it cannot be separated advanta
geously, no allowance shall be made to the depositor for the
value of such metal.
Seo. 15. And be it further enacted, That when bullion is g^^bunkm
brought to the Mint for coinage, it shall be weighed by the
"

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

treasurer, in the presence of the depositor, when practica
ble, and a receipt given which shall state the description
Proviso.
and weight of the bullion: Provided, That when the bullion
is in such a state as to require melting before its value can
be ascertained, the weight after melting shall be considered
as the true weight of the bullion deposited.
Bullion depos
Sec. 16. Andhe it further enacted, That from every par
ited for coinage
cel of bullion deposited for coinage, the treasurer shall de
to be assayed.
liver to the assayer a sufficient portion for the purpose of
being assayed; but all such bullion remaining from the
operations of the assay shall be returned to the treasurer
by the assayer.
Assayer to reSec. 17. And he itfurther enacted, That the assayer shall
^n the quality, repOri fo ^e treasurer the quality or standard of the bul
lion assayed by him; and he shall also communicate to the
treasurer such information as will enable him to estimate
the amount of the charges hereinafter provided for, to be
made to the depositor, for the expenses of converting the
bullion into standard metal fit for coinage.
chaff es to
Sec. 18. And he it further enacted, That the only subnorishsubj5teA jects of charge by the Mint to the depositor shall be the
following: For refining when the bullion is below standard;
for toughening when metals are contained in it which ren
der it unfit for coinage; for copper used for alloy when
the bullion is above standard; for silver introduced into the
alloy of gold; and for separating the gold and silver when
Rate of, ho w these metals exist together in the bullion: and that the rate
fixed.
of these charges shall be fixed, from time to time, by the
Director, with the concurrence of the Secretary of the
Treasury, so as not to exceed, in their judgment, the actual
. expense to the Mint of the materials and labor employed
in each of the cases aforementioned; and that the amount
Disposition of received from these charges shall be accounted for, and
amountreeoived. appropriated for defraying the contingent expenses of the
Sec. 19. And he it further enacted, That from the report
of the assayer, and the weight of the bullion, the treasurer
shall estimate the whole value of each deposit®, and also
the amount of the charges or deductions if any; of all
which he shall give a detailed memorandum to the depos
itor; and he shall also give, at the same time, under his
hand, a certificate of the nett amount of the deposite, to be
paid in coins of the same species of bullion as that deposited,
binlnm b^tre^
^EC. 20. And he it further enacted, That parcels of bulurer to ^melter lion shall be, from time to time, transferred by the treasurer
and refiner.
fo ^e me]ter and refiner; that a careful record of these
transfers, noting the weight and character of the bullion,
shall be kept; and that the bullion thus placed in the hands
of the melter and refiner shall be subjected to the several
processes which may be necessary to form it into ingots of
the legal standard, and of a quality suitable for coinage,
^ingots to be asSec. 21. And he it further enacted, That the ingots thus
v"' '"'"'
prepared shall be assayed by the assayer, and if they prove
to be within the limits allowed for deviation from thestand-

v*1 &c °fhow
estimated.’ ow

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

ard, they shall be transferred by the melter and refiner to
the treasurer, accompanied by the assayer’s certificate of
their fineness; and that a careful record of the transfer shall
be kept by the treasurer.
Sec. 22. And be it further enacted, That no ingots of gold ie^ standard^
shall be used for coinage of which the quality differs more oT^oManS8^
than two thousandths from the legal standard; and that ver.
no ingots of silver shall be used for coinage of which the
quality differs more than three thousandths from the legal
standard.
Sec. 23. And be it further enacted, That in the treasurer’s cou^^Hh md^
account with the melter and refiner, the melter and refiner ter and refiner!"
shall be debited with the standard weight of all the bullion
placed in his hands, that is to say, with the weight of metal
of legal standard fineness which it will make; and that he
shall be credited by the standard weight of all the ingots
delivered by him to the treasurer; and that once at least
in every year, at such time as the Director shall appoint,
the melter and refiner shall deliver up to the treasurer all
the bullion in his possession, in order that his accounts may
be settled up to that time; and, in this settlement, he shall
be entitled to a credit for the difference between the whole
amount of bullion delivered to him, and received from him,
since the last settlement, as an allowance for necessary
wasted: Provided, That this allowance shall not exceed two n *^ran®'^r
thousandths of the whole amount of gold and silver bullion, “proviso.was "
respectively, that had been delivered to him by the treas
urer.
Ingots for coin
Sec. 24. JwZ be it further enacted, That the treasurer age.
shall, from time to time, deliver over to the chief coiner,
ingots for the purpose of coinage; that he shall keep a care
ful record of these transfers, noting the weight and descrip
tion of the ingots; and that the ingots thus placed in the
hands of the chief coiner shall be passed through the several
processes necessary to make from them coins, in all respects
conformable to law.
Deviation from
Sec. 25. And be it further enacted, That in adjusting the legal
standard
in the
weights of the coins, the following deviations from the stand allowed
weights of coins,
ard weight shall not be exceeded in any of the single in single pieces.
pieces: In the dollar and half dollar, one grain and a half;
in the quarter dollar, one grain; in the dime and half dime,
half a grain; in the gold coins, one-quarter of a grain; in
the copper coins, one grain in the pennyweight; and that
num
in weighing a large number of pieces together, when deliv berInalarge
together.
ered from the chief coiner to the treasurer, and from the
treasurer to the depositors, the deviations from the stand
ard weight shall not exceed the following limits: Four pen
ny weights in one thousand dollars; three pennyweights in
one thousand half dollars; two pennyweights in one thou
sand quarter dollars; one pennyweight in one thousand
dimes; one pennyweight in one thousand half dimes; two
pennyweights in one thousand eagles; one and a half pen
nyweight in one thousand half eagles; one pennyweight
in one thousand quarter eagles.
9463—04----- 3

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Coins to
weighed.

Sec. 26. Andbeit further enacted, That the chief coiner
shall, from time to time, as the coins are prepared, deliver
them over to the treasurer, who shall keep a careful record
of their kind, number, and weight; and that, in receiving
the coins, it shall be the duty of tne treasurer to see whether
the coins of that delivery are within the legal limits of the
standard weight; and if his trials for this purpose shall not
prove satisfactory, he shall cause all the coins or this delivery
to be weighed separately, and such as are not of legal weight
shall be delivered to the melter and refiner, as standard bull
ion, to be again formed into ingots and recoined.
Coins to be
Sec. 27. ^4n<7 be itfurther enacted, That at every delivery
preserved for the
annual trial.
of coins made by the chief coiner to the treasurer, it shall
be the duty of the treasurer, in the presence of the assayer,
to take indiscriminately, a certain number of pieces of
each variety for the annual trial of coins, (the number
being prescribed by the Director,) which shall be carefully
labelled, and deposited in a chest appropriated for the pur
pose, kept under the joint care of the treasurer and as
sayer, and so secured that neither can have access to its
contents without the presence of the other.
Disposition of
Sec. 28. And be it further enacted, That the chief coiner
clippings, &c.
shall, from time to time, deliver to the treasurer the clip
pings and other portions of bullion remaining after the
process of coining, and that the treasurer shall keep a care
ful record of their amount.
Treasurer’s
Sec. 29. And be it further enacted, That in the treasur
account
with
er’s account with the chief coiner, the chief coiner shall be
chief coiner.
debited with the amount in weight of standard metal of all
the bullion placed in his hands, and credited with the
amount, also by weight, of all the coins, clippings, and
other bullion delivered by him to the treasurer; and that
once at least in every year, at such time as the Director
shall appoint, the chief coiner shall deliver to the treasurer
all the coins and bullion in his possession, so that his acAiiowance for counts may be settled up to that time; and, in this settle
necessary waste. men^ ^e ^n foe entitled to a credit for the difference be
tween the whole amount of the ingots delivered to him,
and of the coins and bullion received from him, since the
proviso.
last settlement, as an allowance for necessary waste: Pro
vided, That this allowance shall not exceed two thousandths
of the whole amount of the silver, or one and one-half
thousandth of the whole amount of the gold, that had
been delivered to him by the treasurer.
bumonedeposTtSec. 30. And be it further enacted, That when the coins
ed to be coined, whichare the equivalentto any depositeof bullion are ready
for delivery, they shall be paid over to the depositor, or his
order, by the treasurer, on a warrant from the Director;
and the payment shall be made, if demanded, in the order
in which the bullion shall have been brought to the Mint,
giving priority according to priority of deposite only; and
that in the denominations of coin delivered, the treasurer
shall comply with the wishes of the depositor, unless when
impracticable or inconvenient to do so; in which case, the
denominations of coin shall be designated by the Director.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 31. ^4w<Z he it further enacted., That for the purpose ibPjJone^
of enabling the Mint to make returns to depositors with as kept tn the Mint
little delay as possible, it shall be the duty of the Secretary T?eMuCry.tary of
of the Treasury to keep in the said Mint, when the state of
the Treasury will admit thereof, a deposite of such amount
of public money, orof bullion procured for the purpose, as
he shall judge convenient and necessary, not exceeding one
million of dollars, out of which those who bring bullion to
the Mint may be paid the value thereof, as soon as practi
cable, after this value has been ascertained; that the bull
ion so deposited shall become the property of the United
States; that no discount or interest shall be charged on
moneys so advanced; and that the Secretary of the Treas
ury may at any time withdraw the said deposite, or any part
thereof, or may, at his discretion, allow the coins formed at
the Mint to be given for their equivalent in other money.
Sec. 32. And he it further enacted, That to secure a due C04n”nual trlalof
conformity in the gold and silver coins to their respective ma'
standards and weights, an annual trial shall be made of Act of Mar. 3,
the pieces reserved for this purpose at the Mint and its ^repealed2,sec'
branches, before the judge of thedistrictcourtofthe United ’ *
States, for the eastern district of Pennsylvania, the at
torney of the United States, for the eastern district of
Pennsylvania, and the collector of the port of Philadelphia,
and such other persons as the President shall, from time
to time, designate for that purpose, who shall meet as
commissioners, for the performance of this duty, on the
second Monday in February, annually, and may continue
their meetings by adjournment, if necessary; and if a ma
jority of the commissioners shall fail to attend at any time
appointed for their meeting, then the Director of the Mint
shall call a meeting of the commissioners at such other
time as he may deem convenient; and that before these
commissioners, or a majority of them, and in the presence
of the officers of the Mint, such examination shall be made
of the reserved pieces as shall be judged sufficient; and if
it shall appear that these pieces do not differ from the
standard fineness and weight by a greater quantity than is
allowed by law, the trial shall be considered and reported
as satisfactory; but if any greater deviation from the legal
standard or weight shall appear, this fact shall be certified
to the President of the United States, and if, on a view of
the circumstances of the case, he shall so decide, the officer
or officers implicated in the error shall be thenceforward
disqualified from holding their respective offices.
Sec. 33. And he it further enacted, That copper bullion COp”errbunion.01
shall be purchased for the Mint, from time to time, by the
........
treasurer, under instructions from the Director; that the
cost shall be paid from the fund hereinafter provided for;
and that the copper bullion shall be of good quality, and in
form of planchets fit for passing at once into the hands of
the chief coiner.
Sec. 34. Andhe it further enacted, That the copper plan-coinage of cop
chets shall be delivered, from time to time, by the treasuer '

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

to the chief coiner, to be by him coined; and all such cop
per shall be returned to the treasurer, by the chief coiner,
weight for weight, without allowance for waste.
ma°v’pCbeC°ex®EC" ^ ^n® ^6 ^ further (enacted, That it shall be the
changed forduty of the treasurer of the Mint to deliver the copper
other money.
cojnS) jn exchange for their legal equivalent in other
proviso.
money, to any persons who shall apply for them: Pro
wled, That the sum asked for be not less than a certain
amount, to be determined by the Director, and that it be
not so great as, in his judgment, to interfere with the
capacity of the Mint to supply other applicants.
transported”1 at
®BC- 86. And be it further enactea, That the copper
expense of the coins may, at the discretion of the Director, be delivered
Mmt
in any of the principal cities and towns of the United
States, at the cost of the Mint for transportation.
Disposition of
Sec. 37. And be it further enacted, That the money re
in exchange for ceived by the treasurer in exchange for copper coins shall
coppercoins.
form a fund in his hands, which snail be used to purchase
copper planchets, and to pay the expense of transporta
tion of copper coins; and that if there be a surplus, the
same shall be appropriated to defray the contingent ex
penses of the Mint.
5‘™eractere" Sec. 38. And be it further enacted, That all acts or parts
'""""
of acts heretofore passed, relating to the Mint and coms of
the United States, which are inconsistent with the provi
sions of this act, be, and the same are hereby repealed.
Approved, January 18, 1837.

Statute HI.
Mar. 3, 1843.

Chap.

LXIX.—An act regulating the currency of foreign gold and silver
coins in the United States.

7710

Be ^t enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
coins of Great of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled. That
France to be^ur1. from and after the passage of this act, the following forr^n^-theirvaiue eign gold coins shall pass current as money within the
United States, and be receivable, by weight, for the pay
ment of all debts and demands, at the rates following,
that is to say: the gold coins of Great Britain, of not less
than nine hundred and fifteen and a half thousandths in
fineness, at ninety-four cents and six-tenths of a cent per
pennyweight; and the gold coins of France, of not fess
than eight hundred and ninety-nine thousandths in fineness,
at ninety-two cents and nine-tenths of a cent per penny
weight.
silver coins of
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That from and after
BoiMa: the passage of this act, the following foreign silver coins
and France, also. 8hall pass current as money within the United States, and
be receivable by tale, for the payment of all debts and
demands, at the rates following, that is to say: the Span
ish pillar dollars, and the dollars of Mexico, Peru, and
Bolivia, of not less than eight hundred and ninety-seven
thousandths in fineness, and four hundred and fifteen

—ertain——

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

grains in weight, at one hundred cents each; and the five
franc pieces of France, of not less than nine hundred
thousandths in fineness, and three hundred and eighty-four
grains in weight, at ninety-three cents each.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the eoh^oSbefmade
duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to cause assays of
reported to
the coins made current by this act to be had at the Mint
"
of the United States, at least once in every year, and to
make report of the result thereof to Congress.
Approved, March 3, 1843.

Chap. VII.—An act to amend the act entitled “An act to establish branches

Statute I.

.
„
J
e
Apr. 2,1844
Be it 'enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives how oath reofthe United States of America in Congress assembled, That ^rion ofac^of
the oath or affirmation required by the third section of an m Mar 1835 ch.
act passed March third, eighteen hundred and thirty-five, ,may e en‘
entitled “An act to establish branches of the Mint of the
United States,” may be taken before any judge of the supe
rior court, or of any court of record, in the State where the
branch of which the person taking said oath is an officer or
clerk, is situated.
Approved, April 2. 1844.
of the Mint of the United States.”

Chap. CIX.—An act to authorize the coinage of gold dollars and double

Mar- 3>1M9-

eagles.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives double” "eagles
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, Thatar>digoia dollars
there shall be, from time to time, struck and coined at the au onz "
Mint of the United States and the branches thereof, con-j^^^611-211
formably in all respects to law (except that on the reverse
of the gold dollar1 the figure of the eagle shall be omitted,) isra,6^. 14. '
and conformably in all respects to the standard for gold
coins now established by law, coins of gold of the follow
ing denomination and values, viz; double eagles, each to
be of the value of twenty dollars, or units, and gold
dollars, each to be of the value of one dollar, or unit.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That for all sums and* gold doSr
whatever, the double eagle shall be a legal tender for^rbe Iegal ten"
twenty dollars and the gold dollar shall be a legal tender ’
for one dollar. '
now
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all laws now in in force'in relaforce in relation to the coins of the United States, and the ofOnthethunited
striking and coining the same, shall so far as applicable, states to apply
have full force and effect in relation to the coins herein authorized
authorized, whether the said laws are- penal or otherwise;
and whether they are for preventing counterfeiting or
abasement, for protecting the currency, for regulating
and guarding the process of striking and coining, and the
preparations therefor, or for the security of the coin, or
for any other purpose.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

38
Weights
gold coin.

Mar. 3,
*...

1851.

Sec. 4. And "be it further enacted, That, in adjusting the
weights of gold coin henceforward, the following devia
tions from the standard weight shall not be exceeded in
any of the single pieces—namely, in the double eagle, the
eagle, and the half eagle, one half of a grain, and in the
quarter engle and gold dollar, one quarter of a grain; and
that in weighing a large number of pieces together, when
delivered from the chief coiner to the treasurer, and from
the treasurer to the depositors, the deviation from the
standard weight shall not exceed three penny weights in
one thousand double eagles; two penny weights in one
thousand eagles; one and one half penny weights in one
thousand half eagles; one penny weight in one thousand
quarter eagles; and one half of a penny weight in one
thousand gold dollars.
Approved, March 3, 1849.
'

Chap.

XX.—An act to reduce and modify the rates of postage in the United
States, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
*

vahfeof 3°cent^f
Seg. H- -^^ be it further enacted, That
see act of Mar. the passage of this act, it shall be lawful

from and after
to coin at the
^l^oFFeb. 12, Mint of the United States and its branches, a piece of the
1873, sec. is.
denomination and legal value of three cents, or three hun
dredths of a dollar, to be composed of three fourths silver
weight.
and one fourth copper, and to weigh twelve grains and
three eighths of a grain; that the said coin shall bear such
Device.
devices as shall be conspicuously different from those of the
other silver coins, and of the gold dollar, but having the
inscription United States of America, and its denomination
Made a tender, and date; and that it shall be a legal tender in payment of
debts for all sums of thirty cents and under. And that no
ingots shall be used for the coinage of the three-cent pieces
herein authorized, of which the quality differs more than
five thousandths from the legal standard; and that, in adweight.
justing the weight of the said coin, the following devia
tions from the standard weight shaH not be exceeded,
namely, one-half of a grain in the single piece, and one
pennyweight in a thousand pieces.
Approved, March 3, 1851.
July 3,1852.

Chap.

LIV.—An act to establish a branch of the Mint of the United States
in California.

caiHond™lntin ®e ^ enacted Nf ^ Senate and House ofRepresentatives
..... ‘
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
a branch of the Mint of the United States be established in
California, to be located by the Secretary of the Treaury,
for the coinage of gold and silver.
******

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 8. And be itfurther enacted, That, if required by the ^^ and^cast
holder, gold in grain or lumps shall be refined, assayed, cast into bars or
into bars or ingots, and stamped in said branch mint, or irs stamped atae^
the Mint of the United States, or any of its branches, in such P™se of deposmanner as may indicate the value and fineness of the bar "
or ingot, which shall be paid for by the owner or holder of
said bullion, at such rates and charges, and under such
regulations, as the Director of the Mint, under the control
of the Secretary of the Treasury, may from time to time
establish.

Approved, July 3,1852.

Chap.

LXXIX.—An act amendatory of existing laws relative to the half
dollar, quarter dollar, dime, and half dime. j^g# Ch. 95, see. 7.

Feb. 21,1853.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives ffffff
of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That quarte r, dime,
from and after the first day of June, eighteen hundred afterajune“i;
and and fifty-two, [three] the weight of the half dollar or1863piece of fifty cents shall be one hundred and ninety-two
grains, and the quarter dollar, dime, and half dime, shall
be, respectively, one half, one fifth, and one tenth of the
weight of said half dollar.
,
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the silver coins when* to °be Sa '
issued in conformity with the above section, shall be legal legal tender,
tenders in payment of debts for all sums not exceeding
five dollars.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That in order to pro- gnrorbumon for
cure bullion for the requisite coinage of the subdivisions such coinage. *
of the dollar authorized by this act, the treasurer of the
Mint shall, with the approval of the Director, purchase
such bullion with the bullion fund of the Mint. He shall
charge himself with the gain arising from the coinage of
such bullion into coins of a nominal value exceeding the
intrinsic value thereof, and shall be credited with the dif
ference between such intrinsic value and the price paid
for said bullion, and with the expense of distributing said
coins as hereinafter provided. The balances to his credit, or
the profit of said coinage, shall be, from time to time, on
a warrant of the Director of the Mint, transferred to the
account of the Treasury of the United States.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That such coins shall ^hp^ha’^g” d
be paid out at the Mint, in exchange for gold coins at par, and paid out of
in sums not less than one hundred dollars; and it shall beMint
lawful, also, to transmit parcels of the same from time to
time to the assistant treasurers, depositaries, and other
officers of the United States, under general regulations,
proposed by the Director of the Mint, and approved by
the Secretary of the Treasury: Provided, however, That a^pg^i^^18
the amount coined into quarter dollars, dimes, and half 8
’
dimes, shall be regulated by the Secretary of the Treasury.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

enacted, That no deposits for
quarter dollar, dime, and half
ceived.
dime, shall hereafter be received, other than those made
by the treasurer of the Mint, as herein authorized, and
upon account of the United States.
Depositoremay
gE0 g And be it further enacted, That, at the option of
andsiivereastin- the depositor, gold or silver may be cast into bars or ingots
to ingots or bare. Q^ ^^p pure metal or of standard fineness, as the owner
may prefer, with a stamp upon the same designating its
weight and fineness; but no piece, of either gold or silver,
shall be cast into bars or ingots of a less weight than ten
ounces, except pieces of one ounce, of two ounces, of three
ounces, and of five ounces, all of which pieces of less weight
than ten ounces shall be of the standard fineness, with their
weight and fineness stamped upon them; but, in [all] cases,
whether the gold and silver deposited be coined or cast into
bars or ingots, there shall be a charge to the depositor, in
addition to the charge now made for refining or parting the
charge of half metals, of one half of one per centum; the money arising
B^iitor ki ‘an from this charge of one half per centum shall be charged
cases.
to the treasurer of the Mint, and from time to time, on
warrant of the Director of the Mint, shall be transferred
This section not into the Treasury of the United States: Provided, however,
to
apply
to said j^ nothing contained in this section shall be considered
silver
coins.
as applying to the half dollar, the quarter dollar, the dime,
and half dime.
Gold coins of
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That from time to
S3 established.
time there shall be struck and coined at the Mint of the
United States, and the branches thereof, conformably in
all respects to law, and conformably in all respects to the
standard of gold coins now established by law, a coin of
Provisions of gold of the value of three dollars, or units, and all the promade^appiirawe visions of an act entitled “An act to authorize the coinage
to said coin.
of gold dollars and double eagles,” approved March third,
eighteen hundred and forty-nine, shall be applied to the
coin herein authorized, so far as the same may be appli
cable; but the devices and shape of the three dollar piece
shall be fixed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
To take effect
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That this act shall be
Jui^’ ^ 96, in force from and after the first day of J une next.
sec. 7
Approved, February 21, 1853.
po^^or^id
$EC- 5" ^^ ^e ^ Z^^1
coins to be re-coinage into the half dollar,

Mar. 3,1853.
Chap. XCVI.—An act to supply deficiencies in the appropriations for the
---------------------- . service of thefiscal year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.

charge for castSec. 7. And be it further enacted, That when gold or
difiZ’baraZor silver shall be cast into bars or ingots or formed into disks
ingotk
’
at the Mint of the United States, or any of the branches
thereof, or at any assay office of the United States, the
charge for refining, casting, or forming said bars, ingots,
or disks shall be equal to, but not exceed, the actual cost

COINAGE LAWS OE THE UNITED STATES.

of the operation, including labor, wastage, use of machinery,
materials, etc., to be regulated from time to time by the
Secretary of the Treasury. And the Secretary of the Vic^Ofathe fir
Treasury is hereby authorized to regulate the size and vctcoIusauthor
devices of the new silver coin, authorized by an act entitled Ss, eK Ta”* 0
“An act amendatory of existing laws relative to the half
dollar, quarter dollar, dime, and half dime,” passed at the
present session; and that, to procure such devices, as also
the models, moulds, and matrices or original dies for the
coins, disks, or ingots authorized by said act, the Director
,
„
of the Mint is empowered, with the approval of the Sec
retary of the Treasury, to engage temporarily for that
‘
purpose the services of one or more artists, distinguished
in their respective departments, who shall be paid for such
services from the contingent appropriation for the Mint: g.^®^^ th®
And that hereafter the three cent coin now authorized by cen co ”'
law shall be made of the weight of three fiftieths of the .
weight of the half dollar, as provided in said act, and of
the same standard of fineness. And the said act, entitled Tf^tak^eaect
“An act amendatory of existing laws relative to the half Apr. 2, isss. “
dollar, quarter dollar, dime, and half dime,” shall take
effect and be in full force from and after the first day of
April, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, any
thing therein to the contrary notwithstanding.
Approved, March 3, 1853.

Chap. XCVII.—An act making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic __M^_®A^_
expenses of Government for the year ending the thirtieth of June, eighteen
hundred and fifty-four.
•

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That
the following sums be and are hereby appropriated, out of
any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for
the objects hereafter expressed, for the fiscal year ending
the thirtieth of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-four,
namely:

******

For incidental and contingent expenses, including fuel, yandacooum
materials, stationery, water rent, repairs, and wastage, in rendered,
addition to other available funds, forty-one thousand five
hundred dollars; and it shall be the duty of the superin
tendent of the Mint to cause to be paid annually into the
Treasury of the United States the profits of the Mint, and
to present a quarterly account of the expenditures of the
Mint to the Secretary of the Treasury;

******
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted. That when private i®pri1vate°Sa^
establishments shall be made to refine gold bullion, thelisbment8Secretary of the Treasury, if he shall deem them capable
of executing such work, is hereby authorized and required
to limit the amount thereof, which shall be refined in the

' Proviso.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Mint at Philadelphia, from quarter to quarter, and to re
duce the same progressively as such establishments shall
be expended [extended?] or multiplied, so as eventually,
and as soon as may be, to exclude refining from the Mint,
and to require that every deposit of gold bullion made
therein for coinage shall be adapted to said purpose, with
out need of refining: Provided, That no advances in coin
shall be made upon bullion after this regulation shall be
carried into effect, except upon bullion refined as herein
prescribed.
******

Sec. 10. And 5e it further enacted, That the Secretary
of the Treasury is hereby authorized and required to es
tablish in the city of New York an office for the receipt
and for the melting, refining, parting, and assaying of
gold and silver bulhon and foreign coin, and for casting
Treasurer.
the same into bars, ingots, or disks. The assistant treasst»£»remd “" urer of the United States in New York shall be treasurer
of the said assay office, and the Secretary of the Treasury
shall, with the approbation and consent of the President
of the United States, appoint such other officers and clerks,
and authorize the employment of such assistants, work
men, and servants as shall be necessary for the proper
conduct and management of the said office and of the busi
ness pertaining thereto, at such compensation as shall be
Proviso.
approved by the President: Provided, That the same shall
not exceed that allowed for corresponding services under
existing laws relating to the Mint of the United States and
its branches.
vendor tobub
SEC- H- And 5e it further enacted. That the owner or
fion.
owners of any gold or silver bullion, in dust or otherwise,
or of any foreign coin, shall be entitled to deposite the
same in the said office, and the treasurer thereof snail give a
receipt, stating the weight and description thereof, in the
manner and under the regulation that are or may be pro
vided in like cases or deposits at the Mint of the United
States with the treasurer thereof. And such bullion shall,
without delay, be melted, parted, refined, and assayed,
and the net value thereof, and of all foreign coins depos
ited in said office, shall be ascertained; and the treasurer
vah^ofde6osn s^a^ thereupon forthwith issue his certificate of the net
when receivable value thereof, payable in coins of the same metal as that
for public dues, deposited, either at the office of the assistant treasurer of
the United States, in New York, or at the Mint of the
United States, at the option of the depositor, to be ex
pressed in the certificate, which certificates shall be receiv
able at any time within sixty days from the date thereof
in payment of all debts due to the United States at the
.
port of New York for the full sum therein certified. All
gold or silver bullion and foreign coin deposited, melted,
parted, refined, or assayed, as aforesaid, shall, at the option
f“ ^at form °f the depositor, be cast in the said office into bars, ingots,
or disks, either of pure metal or of standard fineness, (as
the owner may prefer,) with a stamp thereon of such form
Assay office to
New York.hed in

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

and device as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the
Treasury, accurately designating its weight and fineness:
Provided, That no ingot, bar, or disk shall be cast of less Proviso,
weight than five ounces, unless the same be of standard
fineness, and of either one, two, or three ounces in weight.
And all gold or silver bullion and foreign coin intended
by the depositor to be converted into the coins of the United
States, shall, as soon as assayed and its net value certified meSo^^an^
as above provided, be transferred to the Mint of the United y rred to the
States, under such directions as shall be made by the Sec- ntandcolnedretary of the Treasury, and at the expense of the contin
gent fund of the Mint, and shall there be coined. And
the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized, with
the approval of the President of the United States, to
make the necessary regulations for the adjustment of the
accounts between the respective officers, upon the transfer Aecounta.
of any bullion or coin between the assay office, the Mint,
and assistant treasurer in New York.
Sec. 12. Andbeit further enacted, That the operations of ^^0““°™ 01
melting, parting, refining, and assaying in the said office
"
shall be under the general directions of the Director of the
Mint, in subordination to the Secretary of the Treasury;
and it shall be the duty of the said Director to prescribe such
regulations and to order such tests as shall be requisite to
insure faithfulness, accuracy, and uniformity in the opera
tions of the said office.
Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That the laws of the
ffinTto
United States for the government of the Mint and its officers apply to said as
in relation to the receipt, payment, custody of deposits, and “y ofHee’
settlement of accounts, the duties and responsibilities of
officers and others employed therein, the oath to be taken
and the bond and sureties to be given by them (as far as
the same may be applicable) shall extend to the assay office
hereby established, and to its officers, assistants, clerks,
.
workmen, and others employed therein.
Sec. 14. And be itfurther enacted, That the same charges ^j^^/” “"
shall be made and demanded at the said assay office for re’ "
fining, parting, casting into bars, ingots, or disks, and for
alloy, as are, or shall be made and demanded at the Mint;
and no other charges shall be made to depositors than by
law are authorized to be made at the Mint; and the amount
received from the charges hereby authorized shall be ac
counted for and appropriated for defraying the contingent
expenses of the said office.
Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of Buildings for
the Treasury is authorized to procure, by rent, lease, or
otherwise, a building or apartments in the city of New York
suitable for the operations of said office, unless he shall be
of opinion that suitable apartments in the custom-house in
that city may be assigned for this purpose. And he is also
hereby authorized and directed to procure the necessary
machinery and implements for the carrying on the opera
tions and business of the said office.
Approved, March 3, 1853.
'

44
Feb. 21,1857.
....

COINAGE LAWS OE THE UNITED STATES.

Chap. LVI.—An act

relating to foreign coins and to the coinage of cents
at the Mint of the United States.

s min?a h™ “n d
Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives of
Mexican coins the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
for by united the pieces commonly known as the quarter, eighth, and
states.
sixteenth of the Spanish pillar dollar, and of the Mexican

dollar, shall be receivable at the Treasury of the United
States, and its several offices, and at the several post-offices
and land-offices, at the rates of valuation following,—that
is to say, the fourth of a dollar, or piece of two reals, at
twenty cents; the eighth of a dollar, or piece of one real,
at ten cents; and the sixteenth of a dollar, or half real, at
five cents.
m » to
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said coins,
recom .
when 8O received, shall not again be paid out, or put in
circulation, but shall be recoined at the Mint. And it shall
be the duty of the Director of the Mint, with the approval
of the Secretary of the Treasury, to prescribe such regula
tions as may be necessary and proper, to secure their trans
mission to the Mint for recoinage, and the return or distri
. bution of the proceeds thereof, when deemed expedient,
and to prescribe such forms of account as may be appro
priate and applicable to the circumstances: Provided, That
the expenses incident to such transmission or distribution,
and of recoinage, shall be charged against the account of
silver profit and loss, and the netprofits, if any, shall be
paid from time to time into the Treasury of the United
States.
E?^.eL®?^ Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all former acts
coins a currency authorizing the currency of foreign gold or silver coms,
repealed.tender and declaring the same a legal tender in payment for debts,
are hereby repealed; but it shall be the duty of the Director
^iPP^J^l of the Mint to cause assays to be made, from time to time,
made, and an-ot such foreign coins as may be known to our commerce,
nuaiiy reported. ^ determine their average weight, fineness, and value, and
to embrace in his annual report a statement of the results
thereof.
_
c m^Ttfon an<>f
Sec. ^‘ And be it further enucted, That from and after
cents.
the passage of this act, the standard weight of the cent
coined at the Mint shall be seventy-two grains, or three
twentieths of one ounce troy, with no greater deviation
than four grains in each piece; and said cent shall be com
posed of eighty-eight per centum of copper and twelve
per centum of nickel, of such shape and device as may be
fixed by the Director of the Mint, with the approbation
of the Secretary of the Treasury; and the coinage of the
half cent shall cease.
_
buntonCthercforf SEC- $• -4n<^ be it further enacted, That the Treasurer of
. .. .
* ^ ^jn^ unjer the instruction of the Secretary of the
Treasury, shall, from time to time, purchase from the bul
lion fund of the Mint the materials necessary for the coin
age of such cent piece, and transfer the same to the proper
operative officers of the Mint to be manufactured and

COINAGE LAWS OE THE UNITED STATES.

returned in coin. And the laws in force relating to the pJ“™^ J,*^
Mint and the coinage of the precious metals, and in regard cents,
to the sale and distribution of the copper coins, shall, so far
as applicable, be extended to the coinage herein provided
for: Provided, That the net profits of said coinage, ascer- profits,
tained in like manner as is prescribed in the second section
of this act, shall be transferred to the Treasury of the
United States.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful 1?“®^®^
to pay out the said cent at the Mint in exchange for any of transmitted, &c.
the gold and silver coins of the United States, and also in
exchange for the former copper coins issued: and it shall
be lawful to transmit parcels of the said cents, from time
to time, to the assistant treasurers, depositaries, and other
officers of the United States, under general regulations
proposed by the Director of the Mint, and approved by
the Secretary of the Treasury, for exchange as aforesaid.
And it shall also be lawful for the space of two years from to be paid out
the passage of this act and no longer, to pay out at the Itoidr^efortwo
Mint the cents aforesaid for the fractional parts of the ye"8dollar hereinbefore named, at their nominal value of twentyfive, twelve-and-a-half, and six-and-a-quarter cents, respec
tively.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That hereafter the Annual report
Director of the Mint shall make his annual report to the^j^’^'"^®
Secretary of the Treasury, up to the thirtieth of June in up to June so.
each year, so that the same may appear in his annual report
to Congress on the finances.
Approved, February 21, 1857.

Chap.

LXVI.—An act in amendment of an act entitled “An act relating
to foreign coins and the coinage of cents at the mint of the United States,”
approved February twenty-one, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven.

April 22,1864.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatwes
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,,That,
from and after the passage of this act, the standard weight standard
of the cent coined at the mint of the United States shall mintht' &c"’ of
be forty-eight grains, or one-tenth of one ounce troy; and
said cent shall be composed of ninety-five per centum of
copper, and five per centum of tin and zinc, in such propertions as shall be determined by the Director of the Mint; Act Feb. 12,
and there shall be, from time to time, struck and coined at1873-sectlon 16the mint a two-cent piece, of the same composition, the Two-cent pieces
standard weight of which shall be ninety-six grains, or one-to be comed
fifth of one ounce troy, with no greater deviation than four
grains to each piece of said cent and two-cent coins; and
the shape, mottoes, and devices of said coins shall be fixed shape, devices,
by the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Sec-&c"
retary of the Treasury; and the laws now in force relating
to the coinage of cents and providing for the purchase of

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

material and prescribing the appropriate duties of the offi
cers of the mint and the Secretary of the Treasury be, and
the same are hereby, extended to the coinage herein pro
vided for.
t5d^ntberetoX"
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all laws now in
Revised sto’t-force relating to the coins of the United States and the
utes, 5462.
striking and coining the same shall, so far as applicable, be
extended to the coinage herein authorized, whether said
laws are penal or otherwise, for the security of the coin,
regulating and guarding the process of striking and coin
ing, for preventing debasement or counterfeiting, or for
any other purpose.
Mtotr to‘secure Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the Director of
conformity of ai-the Mint shall prescribe suitable regulations to insure a
oy sue co ns. ^uQ conform^y £o the required weights and proportions
of alloy in the said coins; and shall order trials thereof to
be made from time to time by the assayer of the mint,
whereof a report shall be made in writing to the Director.
such coins to
Sec. 4. j4mcZ be it further enacted. That the said coins
and for what shall be a legal tender in any payment, the one-cent coin
"“Repealed.
t° the amount of ten cents, and the two-cent coin to the
i878CtsecF6b" M' amount of twenty cents; and it shall be lawful to pay out
said coins in exchange for the lawful currency of the
United States, (except cents or half cents issued under
former acts of Congress,) in suitable sums, by the treasurer of the mint, and by such other depositaries as the
Secretary of the Treasury may designate, under general
regulations proposed by the Director of the Mint and
approved by the Secretary of the Treasury; and the
expenses incident to such exchange, distribution, and
transmission may be paid out of the profits of said coin
age; and the net profits of said coinage, ascertained in like
manner as is prescribed in the second section of the act to
which this is a supplement, shall be transferred to the
Treasury of the United States.
makinacomsinSec. ^ ^'"^ ^e it further enacted, That if any person or.
tended to be persons shall make, issue, or pass, or cause to be made,
M eent8’ issued, or passed, any coin, card, token, or device whatStat soevert *n metal or its compounds, intended to pass or be
passed as money for a one-cent piece or a two-cent piece,
such person or persons shall be deemed guilty of a misde
meanor, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished
by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, and by
imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

June 8, 1864.

Chap.

CXIV.—An act to punish and prevent the counterfeiting of coin of
^ y^^^ Whites.

Be it enacted t»y the Senate and House of Representatives
Penalty totofthe United States ofAmerica in Conqress assembled, That
coin of thelf any person or persons, except as now authorized by law,
United states.
shail hereafter make, or caused to be made, or shall utter or

pass, or attempt to utter or pass, any coins of gold or silver,

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

or other metals or alloys of metals, intended for the use and
purpose of current money, whether in the resemblance of
coins of the United States or of foreign countries, or of
original design, every person so offending shall, on convic
tion thereof, be punished by fine not exceeding three thou
sand dollars, or by imprisonment fora term not exceeding
five years, or both, at the discretion of the court, according
to the aggravation of the offence.
Approved, June 8, 1864.

Chap.

C.—An act to authorize the coinage of three-cent pieces, and for other
purposes.

Mar. 3,1865.

Be it enacted Sy the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That tobecoine<?lece
as soon as practicable after the passage of this act, there
’
shall be coined at the Mint of the U nited States a threecent piece, composed of copper and nickel in such pro
portions, not exceeding twenty-five per centum of
“shape’
nickel, as shall be determined by the Director of the Mint, device,’&c.
’
the standard weight of which shall be thirty grains, with
no greater deviation than four grains to each piece, and the
shape, mottoes, and devices of said coin shall be determined
by the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secre
tary of the Treasury. And the laws now in force relating bi£aws aDpUca"
to the coinage of cents, and providing for the purchase of
material and prescribing the appropriate duties of the
officers of the Mint, and of the Secretary of the Treasury
be, and the same are hereby, extended to the coinage
herein provided for.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all laws now in Laws relating
force, relating to the coins of the United States, and the age extended to
striking and coinage of the same, shall so far as applicablethls com’&c"
be extended to the coinage herein authorized, whether said
laws are penal or otherwise, for the security of the coin,
regulating and guarding the process of striking and coin
ing, for preventing debasement or counterfeiting, or for
any other purpose. And the Director of the Mint shall g^'^1",^
prescribe suitable regulations to insure a due conformity regulations. "
to the required weights and proportions of alloy in the
said coin, and shall order trials thereof to be made from
time to time, by the assayer of the Mint, whereof a report
shall be made in writing to the Director.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted. That the said coin shall der°fOT eo^n^"
be a legal tender in any payment to the amount of sixty
cents. And it shall be lawful to pay out said coins in ex.
change for the lawful currency of the United States, (except Thes-centcoin
cents or halt-cents or two-cent pieces issued under former in exchange for
acts of Congress,) in suitable sums by the Treasurer of the except,e&"ency’
Mint, and by such other depositaries as the Secretary of the
’
Treasury may designate, and under general regulations
approved by the Secretary of the Treasury. And under 17Act of Apr-2the like regulations the same may be exchanged in suitable

COINAGE LAW8 OF THE UNITED STATES.

sunis f°r any lawful currency of the United States; and the
expenses incident to such exchange, distribution, and transpawi.penses'how mission, may be paid out of the profits of said coinage, and
the net profits of said coinage, ascertained in like manner
as is prescribed in the second section of the act entitled
“An act relating to foreign coins, and the coinage of cents .
at the Mint of the United States,” approved February
twenty-first, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, shall be
note to^'fiuS transferred to the Treasury of the Un ited States: Provided,
under 5 cento.
That from and after the passage of this, act, no issues of
fractional notes of the United States shall be of a less
denomination, than five cents, and all such issues of a less
denomination, at that time outstanding, shall, when paid
into the Treasury or any designated depositary of the
United States, or redeemed or exchanged as now provided
by law, be retained and cancelled.
makingWorn]M*Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That if any person or
ing any coin, to- persons shall knowingly make, issue, or pass, or cause to
by be made, issued, or past [passed], any coin, card, token, or
authorizedthis act,
punished. how device, whatsoever, in metal or its compounds, intended to
pass or be passed as money, for the coin authorized by
this act, or for coin of equal value, such person or persons
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall on
conviction thereof be punished by a fine not exceeding
one thousand dollars, and by imprisonment for a term not
exceeding five years, at the discretion of the court.
trust” *may be
Sec. 5. And he it further enacted. That, in addition to
placed on coins the devices and legends upon the gold, silver, and other
erea r ue • cojn8 of ^e unjted States, it shall be lawful for the
Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary
of the Treasury, to cause the motto “In God we trust” to
be placed upon such coins hereafter to be issued as shall
admit of such legend thereon.
24enTCcoinsa°to
Sec. 6. And he it further enacted, That the one and two
be a legal tender cent coins of the United States shall not be a legal tender '
for any payment exceeding four cents in amount; and so
much of the laws of the United States heretofore enacted
as are in conflict with the provisions of this act, are hereby
repealed.
Approved, March 3, 1865.
■
i878Ctsec i6b"121

’

' ‘

May 16,1866.

Chap.

LXXXI.—An act to authorize the coinage offive-cent piece*.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That,
^§er andso soon as practicable after the passage of this act, there
shall be coined at the Mint of the United States a five.
cent piece composed of copper and nickel, in such pro
portions, not exceeding twenty-five per centum of nickel,
as shall be determined by the Director of the Mint, the
deticfs^&chape’ standard weight of which shall be seventy-seven and six
teen hundredths grains, with no greater deviation than two
t^be^coinedof of the

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

grains to each piece; and the shape, mottoes and devices of
said coin shall be determined by the Director of the Mint,
with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury; and^1^'®,™^'™^
the laws now in force relating to the coinage of cents, and cfn^,<^histco^
providing for the purchase of material, and prescribing Sge. 18 c° n"
the appropriate duties of the officers of the Mint and the
Secretary of the Treasury, be, and the same are hereby,
extended to the coinage herein provided for.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all laws now in tocohisextend^
force relating to the coins of the United States, and the this act^ far
striking and coinage of the same, shall, so far as applicable,
'
be extended to the coinage herein authorized, whether said
laws are penal or otherwise, for the security of the coin,
regulating and guarding the process of striking and coin
ing, for preventing debasementor counterfeiting, or for any
other purpose. And the Director of the Mint shall pre- to^gJlation8 “
scribe suitable regulations to insure a due conformity to
oy‘
the required weights and proportions of alloy in the said
coin, and shall order trials thereof to be made from time to
time by the assayer of the Mint, whereof a report shall be ^p”11made in writing to the Director.
Tobeie i*ten
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That said coin shall der°to amount of
be a legal tender in any payment to the amount of one 81Tq be
dollar. And it shall be lawful to pay out such coins in exchange for
exchange for the lawful currency in the United States, CUAcetnot"Apr. 2,
(except cents, or half cents, or two-cent pieces, issued 1792.
under former acts of Congress,) in suitable sums, by the
treasurer of the Mint, and by such other depositaries as
the Secretary of the Treasury may designate, and under
¥eneral regulations approved by the Secretary of the
'
reasury. And under the like regulations the same may
be exchanged in suitable sums for any lawful currency of
the United States, and the expenses incident to such
exchange, distribution, and transmission may be paid out
of the profits of said coinage; and the net profits of said
coinage, as ascertained in the manner prescribed in the
second section of the act entitled “An act relating to for
eign coins and the coinage of cents at the Mint of the
United States,” approved February twenty-first, eighteen
hundred and fifty-seven, shall be transferred to the Treas
ury of the United States: Provided, That from and after currency of less
the passage of this act no issues of fractional notes of the b^tauea^mi
U nited States shall be of a less denomination than ten oiaj®^’ to be
cents; and all such issues at that time • outstanding shall, caRevisea statwhen paid into the Treasury or any designated depository utes, 3573.
’
of the United States, or redeemed or exchanged as now
provided by law, be retained and cancelled.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, if any per.- o 1 or maktog^&c.8 eof
persons not lawfully authorized shall knowingly make, iscoins p™sue, or pass, or cause to be made, issued, or passed, or aid 8 ’
in the making, issuing, or passing of any coin, card, token,
or device whatsoever, in metal or its compound, intended
to pass or be passed as money for the coin authorized by
9463—04----- 4

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

this act, or for coin of equal value, such person or persons
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and snail, on
conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding
one thousand dollars, and by imprisonment for a term not
exceeding five years, at the discretion of the court.
edtosumsof not
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall be law
less than $100.
fu} for the Treasurer and the several assistant treasurers
of the United States to redeem in national currency, under
such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the
Secretary of the Treasury, the coin herein authorized to
be issued when presented in sums of not less than one
hundred dollars.
Approved, May 16, 1866.

----------------------

Chap. CXXIV.—Xn act to pfteide for the redemption of copper and other
token coins.

b^motaf
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
ag e to f b e^re- of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled. That
of not less than the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and

required to redeem in lawful money, under such rules and
regulations as he may from time to time prescribe, all
copper, bronze, copper-nickel, and base-metal coinage of
every kind heretofore authorized by law, when presented
such coinage in sums of not less than twenty dollars; and whenever
™ued whence" under this authority these coins are presented for redemp
tion in such quantity as to show the amount outstanding
to be redundant, the Secretary of the Treasury is author
ized to discontinue or diminish the manufacture and issue
of such coinage until otherwise ordered by him.
Approved, March 3, 1871.

*20-

Feb. 12,1873.
.

Chap. CXXXI.—An act revising

and amending the laws relative to the
mints, assay-offices, and coinage of the United States.

®® ^ ^wM^* by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives of
and™ deludes Ms United States of America in Congress assembled, That
what.
^g Mint of the United Statesis hereby established as a
Aiit im«r^tg^ureau °^ ^e Treasury Department, embracing in its
rep&liet^c^s?! organization and under its control all mints for the manu
facture of coin, and all assay-offices for the stamping of
bars, which are now, or which may be hereafter, authorpofatment, and ized by law. The chief officer of the said Bureau shall be
term of office; denominated the Director of the Mint, and shall be under
the general direction of the Secretary of the Treasury.
He shall be appointed by the President, by and with the
advioe and consent of the Senate, and shall hold his office
for the term of five years, unless sooner removed by the
President, upon reasons to be communicated by him to the
Senate.
powera;
Sec. g That the Director of the Mint shall have the
general supervision of all mints and assay-offices, and shall
edM^t^Bureau

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

make an annual report to the Secretary of the Treasury of “P”*8;
their operations, at the close of each fiscal year, and from
time to time such additional reports, setting forth the opera
tions and condition of such institutions, as the Secretary of
the Treasury shall require, and shall lay before him thej,"^®1 estl"
annual estimates for their support. And the Secretary of
the Treasury shall appoint the number of clerks, classified arS6^ pST^taccording to law, necessary to discharge the duties of said “ent.
Bureau.
Sec. 3. That the officers of each mint shall be a super- mta®“n<i'tTe£
intendent, an assayer, a melter and refiner, and a coiner, appointment,
and, for the mint at Philadelphia, an engraver, all to be utes®TS Stat"
appointed by the President of the United States, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Sec. 4. That the superintendent of each mint shall have^^6™,,®^
the control thereof, the superintendence of the officers and powers;^
persons employed therein, and the supervision of the busi- u
a "
ness thereof, subject to the approval of the Director of the
Mint, to whom he shall make reports at such timesand ac- fo^^Aa^con^
cording to such forms as the Director of the Mint may pre- “»<«•
scribe, which shall exhibit in detail, and under appropriate
heads, the deposits of bullion, the amount of gold, silver,
and minor coinage, and the amount of unparted, standard,
and refined bars issued, and such other statistics and infor
mation as may be required. The superintendent of each toMoneysorbuiimint shall also receive and safely keep, until legally with
drawn, all moneys or bullion which shall be for the use or uStat
the expenses of the mint. He shall receive all bullion ’ '
brought to the mint for assay or coinage; shall be the
keeper of all bullion or coin in the mint, except while the Coln"
same is legally in the hands of other officers; and shall de
liver all coins struck at the mint to the persons to whom
they shall be legally payable. From the report of the as
sayer and the weight of the bullion, he shall compute the
value of each deposit, and also the amount of the charges ^p*1*
or deductions, if any, of all which he shall give a detailed
memorandum to the depositor; and he shall also give at
.
e
the same time, under his band, a certificate of the net aeposi^to be
amountof the deposit, to be paid in coins or bars of the same countersignedby
species of bullion as that deposited, the correctness of which assayercertificate shall be verified by the assayer, who shall coun
tersign the same; and in all cases of transfer of coin or bull- co^ &”sf e” of
ion, he shall give and receive vouchers, stating the amount
and character of such coin or bullion. He shall keep and
render, quarter-yearly, to the Director of the Mint, for the counutoDiritpurpose of adjustment, according to such forms as may beor,&c. ... .......
prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, regular and
faithful accounts of his transactions with the other officers
of the mint and the depositors; and shall also render to him
a monthly statement of the ordinary expenses of the mint
or assay-office under his charge. He shall also appoint all ci^ks,&c ants‘
assistants, clerks, (one of whom shall be designated “chief
’
clerk ”,) and workmen employed under his superintendence; omo”^^,,,??
but no person shall be appointed to employment in the offices &c-

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

of the assayer, melter and refiner, coiner, or engraver, ex
cept on the recommendation and nomination in writing of
a^x>nedntothose officers, respectively; and he shall forthwith report
Directoflnd a^ to the Director or the Mint the names of all persons ap
proved by him. pOinted by him, the duties to be performed, the rate of com
pensation, the appropriation from which compensation is to
be made, and the grounds of the appointment; and if the
Director of the Mint shall disapprove the same, the appoint
ment shall be vacated.
tiel^^^9 du
Sec. ^- That the assayer shall assay all metals and bullRevised sub ion, whenever such assays are required in the operations
utes, 3507.
^ ^ mjnfc. be shall also make assays of coin or samples
of bullion whenever required by the superintendent.
fl^rUer and re" Sec. 6. That the melter and refiner shall execute all the
utS^S 8tat operations which are necessary in order to form ingots of
u es, .
standard silver or gold, and alloys for minor coinage, suit
able for the coiner, from the metals legally delivered to
him for that purpose; and shall also execute all the oper
ations which are necessary in order to form bars conforma
ble in all respects to the law, from the gold and silver
bullion delivered to him for that purpose. He shall keep
a careful record of all transactions with the superinten
dent, noting the weight and character of the bullion; and
shall be responsible for all bullion delivered to him until
the same is returned to the superintendent and the proper
vouchers obtained.
coiner.
Sec. ^. That the coiner shall execute all the operations
which are necessary in order to form coins, conformable
in all respects to the law, from the standard gold and sil
ver ingots, and alloys for minor coinage, legally delivered
to him for that purpose; and shall be responsible for all
bullion delivered to him, until the same is returned to the
superintendent and the proper vouchers obtained.
Engraver.
Sec. g j^at the engraver shall prepare from the origi
nal dies already authorized all the working-dies required
devi’cescoins or ^or use ™ ^e c°ina£e °^ the several mints, and, when new
Revised stat- coins or devices are authorized, shall, if required by the
utes, 35io.
Director of the Mint, prepare the devices, models, molds,
and matrices, or original dies, for the same; but the Direc
tor of the Mint shall nevertheless have power, with the
approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, to engage
temporarily for this purpose the services of one or more
artists distinguished in their respective departments of
art, who shall be paid for such service from the contingent
. appropriation for the mint at Philadelphia.
abIsfenty&®ceris
Sec. 9. That whenever any officer of a mint or assay*
uteseV3502 Stat off*ce shall be temporarily absent, on account of sickness or
“..
any other cause, it shall be lawful for the superintendent,
with the consent of said officer, to appoint some person at
tached to the mint to act in the place of such officer during
his absence; but all such appointments shall be forthwith
reported to the Director of the Mint for his approval; and
in all cases whatsover the principal shall be responsible for
Buperintendent; the acts of ^jg representative.
In case of the temporary
absence of the superintendent, the chief clerk shall act in

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

his place; and in case of the temporary absence of the Di-Direetor-.
rector of the Mint, the Secretary of the Treasury may
designate some one to act his place.
Sec. 10. That every officer, assistant, and clerk of the Qathofofficers,
Mint, shall, before he enters upon the execution of his of- and employes. '
flee, take an oath or affirmation before some judge of theut|a*^a stat"
United State, or judge of the superior court, or of some ’
court of record of any State, faithfully and diligently to
perform the duties thereof, in addition to other official
oaths prescribed by law; which oaths, duly certified, shall
be transmitted to the Secretary of the Treasuay; and the
superintendent of each mint may require such oath or af
firmation from any of the employees of the mint.
Sec. 11. That tne superintendent, the assayer, the melter ln®^2t ^^d
and refiner, and the coiner of each mint, before entering others;
upon the execution of their respective offices, shall become uteTasoi Stat
bound to the United States, with one or more sureties,
approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, in the sum of
not less than ten nor more than fifty thousand dollars, with
condition for the faithful and diligent performance of the
duties of his office. Similar bonds may be required of the ^S8181118 and
assistants and clerks, in such sums as the superintendent
'
shall determine, with the approbation of the Director of
the Mint; but the same shall not be construed to relieve
the superintendent or other officers from liability to the
United States for acts, omissions, or negligence of their
subordinates or employees: Provided, That the Secretary >““e“e thereof,
of the Treasury may, at his discretion, increase the bonds
of the superintendent.
Sec. 12. That there shall be allowed to the Director of toSeiaryofDirecthe Mint an annual salary of four thousand five hundred Revised stat
dollars, and actual necessary travelling expenses in visiting u 681 '
the different mints and assay-offices, for which vouchers
shall be rendered; to the superintendents of the mints at superintendents-.
Philadelphia and San Francisco, each four thousand five
hundred dollars; to the assayers, melters and refiners, and assayer8’&c-;
coiners of said mints, each three thousand dollars; to the
engraver of the mint at Philadelphia, three thousand dol
lars; to the superintendent of the mint at Carson City, three
thousand dollars; and to the assayer, to the melter and
.
refiner, and to the coiner of the mint at Carson City, each
two thousand five hundred dollars; to the assistants andJ^'^J^;
clerks such annual salary shall be allowed as the Director of men:
the Mint may determine, with the approbation of the Sec
retary of the Treasury; and to the workmen shall be allowed
such wages, to be determined by the superintendent, as
may be customary and reasonable accordi ng to their respect
ive stations and occupations, and approved by the Director
of the Mint; and the salaries provided for in this section, payable monthand the wages of the workmen permanently engaged, shall ’
be payable in monthly instalments.
Sec. 13. That the standard for both gold and silver coins standard of
of the United States shall be such that of one thousand loins.8" 8 ver
parts by weight nine hundred shall be of pure metal andut®®v^ stat"
one hundred of alloy; and the alloy of the silver coins shall *

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

be of copper, and the alloy of the gold coins shall be of cop
per, or of copper and silver; but the silver shall in no case
.
exceed one-tenth of the whole alloy.
seedaet Apr. 2, Sec. 14. That the gold coins of the United States shall
VAct June 28 ^e a one-dollar piece, which, at the standard weight of
1834. ’
’ twenty-five and eight-tenth grains, shall be the unitof value;
iM7et Jan" 18, a quarter-eagle, or two-and-a-half dollar piece; athree-dol18Act. Feb' 21 *ar P’ece? a half-eagle, or five-dollar piece; an eagle, or
Revised stat- ten-doller piece; and a double-eagle, or twenty-dollar piece,
utes, 3511.
And ^g standard weight of the gold dollar shall be twentystandard weight; five and eight-tenths grains; of the quarter-eagle, or twoand-a-half dollar piece, sixty-four and a-half grains; of the
three-dollar piece, seventy-seven and four-tenths grains; of
i8«ot Mar' 3’ the half-eagle, or five-dollar piece, one hundred and twentynine grains; of the eagle, or ten dollar piece, two hundred
and fifty-eightgrains; of the double-eagle, or twenty-dollar
piece, five hundred and sixteen grains; which coins shall be
to^be legal ten- a lCgal tender in all payments at their nominal value when
',kt
not below the standard, weight and limit of tolerance pro
vided in this act for the single piece, and when reduced in
weight, below said standard ana tolerance, shall be a legal
weighttt>ynnatun^en^er at valuation in proportion to their actual weight;
rai abrasion;
and any gold coin of the United States, if reduced in weight
utes® 3^ Stat by natural abrasion not more than one-half of one per
centum below the standard weight prescribed by law, after
a circulation of twenty years, as shown by its date of coin
age, and at a ratable proportion for any period less than
twenty years, shall be received at their nominal value by
ceivS.10 be re" the United States Treasury and its offices, under such regu
lations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe
for the protection of the Government against fraudulent
ut^^id Stat abrasion or other practices; and any gold coins in the
Treasury of the United States reduced in weight below this
silver coins- limit of abrasion shall be recoined.
.
’
Sec. 15. That the silver coins of the United States shall
utes®V35i3d stal be a trade-dollar, a half-dollar, or fifty-cent piece, a quarter
.
dollar, or twenty-five-cent piece, a dime, or ten-cent piece;
weight;
and the weight of the trade-dollar shall be four hundred
and twenty grains troy; the weight of the half-dollar
. shall be twelve grams (grammes) and one-half of a gram,
, .
(gramme;) the quarter-dollar and the dime shall be,
der.e ega e respectively, one-half and one-fifth of the weight of said
half dollar; and said coins shall be a legal tender at their
nominal value for any amount not exceeding five dollars
. in any one payment.
■
and then aiioy®’
Sec. 16. That the minor coins of the United States shall
- < i
* be a five-cent piece, a three-cent piece, and a one-cent piece,
utesTS.
tat and the alloy for the five and three-cent pieces shall be of
copper and nickel, to be composed of three-fourths copper
and one-fourth nickel, and the alloy of the one-cent piece
shall be ninety-five per centum of copper and five per cen
tum of tin and zinc, in such proportions as shall be deter
weight;
mined by the Director of the Mint. The weight of the
piece of five cents shall be seventy-seven and sixteen hunAlloy.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

dreatns grains, troy; of the three-cent piece, thirty grains;
and of the one-cent piece, forty-eight grains; which coins
shall be a legal tender, at their nominal value, for any
amount not exceeding twenty-five cents in any one pay-t<)belegaitender
ment.
Sec. 17. That no coins, either of gold, silver, or minor N.° coins, ex
coinage, shall hereafter be issued from the mint other than
’
those of the denominations, standards, and weights herein
set forth.
Sec. 18. That upon the coins of the United States there j^®™^ a^d
shall be the following devices and legends: Upon one side coins.
‘
there shall be an impression emblematic of liberty, with an utesTS 8tat"
inscription of the word “Liberty” and the year of the inscriptions,
coinage, and upon the reverse shall be the figure or repre
sentation of an eagle, with the inscriptions “United States
'
of America” and “E Pluribus Unum,” and a designation
of the value of the coin; but on the gold dollar and threedollar piece, the dime, five, three, and one cent piece the
figure of the eagle shall be omitted; and on the reverse of
the silver trade-dollar the weight and the fineness of the
coin shall be inscribed; and the Director of the Mint, with
the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, may cause
.
the motto “ In God we trust” to be inscribed upon such
coins as shall admit of such motto; and any one of the fore
going inscriptions may be on the rim of the gold and silver
coins.
■
,
Sec. 19. That at the option of the owner, gold or silver 811®a”ofgoldor
may be cast into bars of fine metal, or of standard fineness, u^sev^ 8tat"
or unparted, as he may prefer, with a stamp upon the same u s’ '
designating the weight and fineness, and with such devices stomp an'd de
impressed thereon as may be deemed expedient to preventvwe8’
fraudulent imitation, and no such bars shall be issued of alimit to weight,
less weight than five ounces.
Sec. 20. That any owner of gold bullion may deposit the gO?de^Hon tor
same at any mint, to be formed into coin or bars for his coinage;/
benefit; but it shall be lawful to refuse any deposit of less utS
8tat
value than one hundred dollars, or any bullion so base as
to be unsuitable for the operations of the mint; and when
gold and silver are combined, if either metal be in such small
proportion that it cannot be separated advantageously, no
allowance shall be made to the depositor for its value.
Sec. 21. That any owner of silver bullion may depositol ellver bunion,
the same at any mint, to be formed into bars, or into dol- Revised statlars of the weight of four bundl ed and twenty grains, troy, ut«s, 3520.
designated in this act as trade-dollars, and no deposit of
silver for other coinage shall be received; but silver bul
lion contained in gold deposits, and separated therefrom,
may be paid for in silver coin, at such valuation as may be,
from time to time, established by the Director of the Mint.
. Sec. 22. That when bullion is deposited in any of the w®^™dn ^be
mints, it shall be weighed by the superintendent, and, when deposited, an a
practicable, in the presence of the depositor, to whom a ^evuS’statreceipt shall be given, which shall state the description and utes-8521weight of the bullion; but when the bullion is in such a

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

state as to require melting, or the removal of base metals,
before its value can be ascertained, the weight, after such
operation, shall be considered as the true weight of the
fitness and mode bullion deposited.
The fitness of the bullion to be received
of melting, how shall be determined by the assayer, and the mode of melt
ing by the melter and rehner.
Assay of bullSec. 23. That from every parcel of bullion deposited
*°Hevised stat- f°r coinage or bars, the superintendent shall deliver to the
utes, 3522.
" "" assayer a sufficient portion for the purpose of being as
sayed, but all such bullion remaining from the operations
of the assay shall be returned to the superintendent by the
assayer.
Keport of asSec. 24. That the assayer shall report to the superin^“‘■ised stat ^n(^en^ the quality or fineness of the bullion assayed by
utesTsMa
tot him, and such information as will enable him to compute
the amount of the charges hereinafter provided for, to be
made to the depositor.
charges for conSec. 25. That the charge for converting standard gold
intown“
bullion into coin shall be one-fifth of one per centum; and
preparation ““of the charges for converting standard silver into trade-dolRevised stat- lars, f°r melting and refining when bullion is below standutes, 3524.
ard, for .toughening when metals are contained in it which
render it unfit for coinage, for copper used for alloy when
the bullion is above standard, for separating the gold and
silver when these metals exist together in the bullion, and
for the preparation of bars, shall be fixed, from time to
.
time, by the Director, with the concurrence of the Secrenot to exceed ^y °f the Treasury, so as to equal but not to exceed, in
the actual aver-their judgment, the actual average cost to each mint and
:'8'1 tteiSassay-office of the material, labor, wastage, and use of
machinery employed in each of the cases aforementioned.
Assayerto veriSec. 26. That the assayer shall verify all calculations
fy certain caicu- made by the superintendent of the value of deposits, and,
tersign certifi- if satisfied of the correctness thereof, shall countersign the
““Revised stat- certificate required to be given by the superintendent to
utes, 3525.
the depositor.
Purchase
of
Sec. 27. That in order to procure bullion for the silver
coinage*” sUver coinage authorized by this act, the superintendents, with the
Revised stat- approval of the Director of the Mint, as to price, terms, and
"’™
quantity, shall purchase such bullion with the bullion fund.
Gain to be The gain arising from the coinage of such silver bullion into
profit*fund^mS c°in °t a nominal value exceeding the cost thereof shall be
^a^in to’t he credited to a special fund denominated the silver-profit fund,
x
This fund shall be charged with the wastage incurred in the
silver coinage, and with the expense of distributing said
coins as hereinafter provided. The balance to the credit
of this fund shall be from time to time, and at least twice
a year, paid into the Treasury of the United States.
silver coins to
Sec. 28. That silver coins other than the trade-dollar shall
andafor°what e be paid out at the several mints, and at the assay-office in
Revised stat- New York City, in exchange for gold coins at par, in sums
utes, 3527.
nQ^. jegg ^an Qne hundred dollars; and it shall be lawful,
also, to transmit parcels of the same, from time to time, to
the assistant treasurers, depositaries, and other officers of

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

the United States, under general regulations proposed by
the Director of the Mint, and approved by the Secretary of
the Treasury; but nothing herein contained shall prevent
the payment of silver coins, at their nominal value, for sil
ver parted from gold, as provided in this act, or for change
less than one dollar in settlement for gold deposits: Provi- Pro’riaoded, That for two years after the passage of this act, silver
coins shall be paid at the mint in Philadelphia and the
assay-office in New York City for silver bullion purchased
for coinage, under such regulations as may be prescribed
by the Director of the Mint, and approved by the Secretary
of the Treasury.
Sec. 29. That for the purchase of metal for the minor metariolfOT8ethe
coinage authorized by this act, a sum not exceeding fifty m^e°vri^na|^t.
thousand dollars in lawful money of the United States shall utes, ■$&».. a
be transferred by the Secretary of the Treasury to the
credit of the superintendent of the mint at Philadelphia, ^^a^^fadei1
at which establishment only, until otherwise provided byphia.a
e"
law, such coinage shall be carried on. The superintendent,
with the approval of the Director of the Mint as to price,
terms, and quantity, shall purchase the metal required for .
such coinage by public advertisement, and the lowest and
best bid shall be accepted, the fineness of the metals to be
determined on the Mint assay. The gain arising from the rofl^”^101*6
coinage of such metals into coin of a nominal value,pro un '
exceeding the cost thereof, shall be credited to the special
fund denominated the minor-coinage profit fund; and this
fund shall be charged with the wastage incurred in such coinage, and with the cost of distributing said coins asw^*°°^Jf*"8
hereinafter provided. The balance remaining to the credit awe? S.; lver"
of this fund, and any balance of profits accrued from minor
coinage under former acts, shall be, from time to time,
and at least twice a year, covered into the Treasury of the
United States.
Sec. 30. That the minor coins authorized by this act®orCwhatfeable
may, at the discretion of the Director of the Mint, be
delivered in any of the principal cities and towns of the
United States, at the cost of tne Mint, for transportation, utes7S Stat"
and shall be exchangeable at par at the mint in Philadel
phia, at the discretion of the superintendent, for any other
coins of copper, bronze, or copper-nickel heretofore
authorized by law; and it shall be lawful for the Treasurer
and the several assistant treasurers and depositaries of the
United States to redeem, in lawful money, under such
rules as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treas- redeemable i n
ury, all copper, bronze, and copper-nickel coins authorized
by law when presented in sums of not less than twenty
dollars; and whenever, under this authority, these coins ^^ ^h™80
are presented for redemption in such quantity as to show
'
the amount outstanding to be redundant, the Secretary of
the Treasury is authorized and required to direct that
such coinage shall cease until otherwise ordered by him.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

®EC• ^l- That parcels of bullion shall be, from time to
( time, transferred by the superintendent to the melter and
utesTasax 8tat" refiner; a careful record of these transfers, noting the
weight and character of the bullion, shall be kept, and
vouchers shall be taken for the delivery of the same, duly
receipted by the melter and refiner, and the bullion thus
placed in the hands of the melter and refiner shall be sub
jected to the several processes which may be necessary to
^ingotsforcoin-fOI.m ^ ^^ jngots of the legal standard, and of a quality
suitable for coinage.
^ > g •aend ^bc. 32- That the ingots so prepared shall be assayed;
ce
’ and if they prove to be within the limits allowed for deviaRevised stat- tion from ™e standard, the assayer shall certify the fact
utes, 3531.
to the superintendent, who shall thereupon receipt for the
same, and transfer them to the coiner.
SSL*aifte?fr2mU
Sec. 33. That no ingots shall be used for coinage which
&c„ more than, differ from the legal standard more than the following
"""
proportions, namely: In gold ingots, one-thousandth; in
utesV3533 stat" silver ingots, three-thousandths; in minor-coinage alloys,
' ’'
twenty-five-thousandths, in the proportion of nickel.
men™f deposits
Sec. 34. That the melter and refiner shall prepare all
their fineness^ bars required for the payment of deposits; but the fine= .
. ness thereof shall be ascertained and stamped thereon by
utes, 3534.
the assayer; and the melter and refiner shall deliver such
bars to the superintendent, who shall receipt for the same.
a ? to^0deuv ®EC' ^ That the superintendent shall, from time to
ered to coiner,' time, deliver to the coiner ingots for the purpose of coinutesTS 8tat" agei a careful record of these transfers, noting the weight
'
and character of the bullion, shall be kept, and vouchers
shall be taken for the delivery of the same, duly receipted
by the coiner; and the ingots thus placed in the hands of
the coiner shall be subjected to the several processes neces
sary to make from them coins in all respects conformable
to law.
wSghts^goid
®EC1 36* That in adjusting the weights of the gold coins,
coins not to ex- the following deviations shall not be exceeded in any single
ceRe’vfe sut-piece: In the double-eagle and the eagle, one-half of a
utes, 3535.
grain; in the half-eagle, the three-dollar piece, the quarter
eagle, and the one-dollar piece, one-fourth of a grain.
And in weighing a number of pieces together, when de
livered by the coiner to the superintendent and by the
superintendent to the depositor, the deviation from the
standard weight shall not exceed one-hundredth of an
ounce in five thousand dollars in double-eagles, eagles,
half-eagles, or quarter-eagles, in one thousand threedollar pieces, and in one thousand one-dollar pieces.
.
of silver coins;
gEC- 37. That in adjusting the weight of the silver coins
stat" the following deviations shall not be exceeded in any single
piece: In the dollar, the half and quarter dollar, and in tiie
dime, one and one-half grains; and in weighing large num
bers of pieces together, when delivered by tne coiner to
the superintendent, and by the superintendent to the de
positor, the deviations from the standard weight shall not
exceed two-hundredths of an ounce in one thousand dollars,
fin7ngtinga‘!dre

..... ' ‘

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

half-dollars, or quarter-dollars, and one-hundredth of an
ounce in one thousand dimes.
Sec. 38. That in adjusting the weight of the minor coinsy,^^^ol^t
provided by this act, there shall be no greater deviation utes, 3537.
allowed than three grains for the five-cent piece and two
grains for the three and one cent pieces.
.
,
Sec. 39. That the coiner shall, from time to time, asH^^oins^oBScoins are prepared, deliver them to the superintendent, perintendent;
who shall receipt for the same, and who shall keep a care- utesTS Stat
ful record of their kind, number, and actual weight; and
in receiving coins it shall be the duty of the superintendent ““^^‘^^i
to ascertain, by the trial of a number of single pieces sep-factory, &c.
arately, whether the coins of that delivery are within the
legal limits of the standard weight; and if his trials for
this purpose shall not prove satisfactory, he shall cause all
the coins of such delivery to be weighed separately, and
such as are not of legal weight shall be defaced and de
livered to the melter and refiner as standard bullion, to be
again formed into ingots and recoined; or the whole de
livery may, if more convenient, be remelted.
Proceedings at
Sec. 40. That at every delivery of coins made by the each delivery ot
coiner to a superintendent, it shall be the duty of such su-e^to^^^dnperintendent, in the presence of the assayer, to take indis- tendent.
criminately a certain number of pieces of each variety for
stat"
the annual trial of coins, the number for gold coins being
not less than one piece for each one thousand pieces or any
fractional part of one thousand pieces delivered; and for
silver coins one piece for each two thousand pieces or any
fractional part of two thousand pieces delivered. The
pieces so taken shall be carefully sealed up in an envelope,
properly labeled, stating the date of the delivery, the
number and denomination of the pieces inclosed, and the
amount of the delivery from which they were taken.
These sealed parcels containing the reserved pieces shall
be deposited in a pyx, designated for the purpose at each
mint, which shall be kept under the joint care of the su
perintendent and assayer, and be so secured that neither
can have access to its contents without the presence of the
other, and the reserved pieces in their sealed envelopes
from the coinage of each mint shall be transmitted quar
terly to the mint at Philadelphia. A record shall also be
kept at the same time of the number and denomination of
the pieces so taken for the annual trial of coins, and of the
number and denomination of the pieces represented by
them and so delivered, a copy of which record shall be
transmitted quarterly to the Director of the Mint. Other
Eieces may, at any time, be taken for such tests as the
>irector of the Mint shall prescribe.
Sec. 41. That the coiner shall, from time to time, deliver ofbtiBoS9’&c"
to the superintendent the clippings and other portions of Revised stat
bullion remaining after the process of coining; and the su-utea' 8M0perintendent shall receipt for the same and keep a careful
record of their weight and character.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

charmedtOwith
Sec. 42. That the superintendent shall debit the coiner
what, and to be with the amount in weight of standard metal of all the bulCIRevised stat- lion placed in his hands, and credit him with the amount in
utes, 3541.
weight of all the coins, clippings, and other bullion returned
Accounts of by

him to the superintendent.

Once at least in every year,

Cr1and‘reflT?er u>an(^ a^ such time as the Director of the Mint shall appoint,
be fully settled there shall be an accurate and full settlement of the accounts

the coiner, and the melter and refiner, at which time the
said officers shall deliver up to the superintendent all the
coins," clippings, and other bullion in their possession re
spectively, accompanied by statements of all the bullion
delivered to them since the last annual settlement, and all
the bullion returned by them during the same period, in
cluding the amount returned for the purpose of settlement.
superintendent
Sec. 43. That when all the coins, clippings, and other
SceoSte^e.^ot bullion have been delivered to the superintendent, it shall
melter ‘and “r^ ^e his duty to examine the accounts and statements renflner.
"
dered by the coiner and the melter and refiner, and the difute£v^ Stat ference between the amount charged and credited to each
what amount °fhcer shall be allowed as necessary wastage, if the superaiiowabicasuec-intendent shall be satisfied that there has been a bona-fide
essary wastage. waste of ^he precious metals, and if the amount shall not
exceed, in the case of the melter and refiner, one thousandth
of the whole amount of gold, and one and one-half thou
sandth of the whole amount of silver delivered to him since
the last annual settlement, and in the case of the coiner,
one thousandth of the whole amount of silver, and one-half
thousandth of the whole amount of gold that has been de
livered to him by the superintendent; and all copper used
in the alloy of gold and silver bullion shall be separately
charged to the melter and refiner, and accounted for by him.
iv>BbeSS ^’Mded ®EC' ^' That it shall also be the duty of the superinto the Di rector of tendent to forward a correct statement of his balance-sheet,
thRCTised stat- at the close of such settlement, to the Director of the Mint,
utes, 3543.
who shall compare the total amount of gold and silver bul
lion and coin on hand with the total liabilities of the mint.
Expense ac-At the same time a statement of the ordinary-expense
count.
account, and the moneys therein, shall also be made by the
superintendent.
payment of
Sec. 45. That when the coins or bars which are the
depSitombars to equivalent to any deposit of bullion are ready for delivery,
uteseV3544 Stat ^ey shall be paid to the depositor, or his order, by the
l""'"
superintendent; and the payments shall be made, if de
manded, in the order in which the bullion shall have been
brought to the mint; but in cases where there is delay in
manipulating a refractory deposit, or for any other unavoid•
able cause, the payment of subsequent deposits, the value
of which is known, shall not be delayed thereby; and in
the denominations of coin delivered, the superintendent
shall comply with the wishes of the depositor, except when
impracticable or inconvenient to do so.
ii<mnmayebebexi
®ECi ^. That unparted bullion may be exchanged at any
changed.
of the mints for fine bars, on such terms and conditions as
Revised stat" may be prescribed by the Director of the Mint, with the
ii“s“"
approval of the Secretary of the Treasury; and the fineeach yea?”06 in °^

‘

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

ness, weight, and value of the bullion received and given
in exchange shall in all cases be determined by the mint
assay. The charge to the depositor for refining or parting j^"8® of part"
shall not exceed, that allowed and deducted for the same
.
operation in the exchange of unrefined for refined bullion. gecretaryofthe
Sec. 47. That for the purpose of enabling the mints andTreasury to
the assay-office in New York to make returns to depositors ore&?i°ii“nnto
with as little delay as possible, it shall be the duty of the ™^ ^^y re'
Secretary of the Treasury to keep in the said mints and itors of bullion,
assay-office, when the state of the Treasury will admit ute^™^ Stat
thereof, such an amount of public money, or bullion pro’
cured for the purpose, as he shall judge convenient and nec
essary, out of which those who bring bullion to the said
mints and assay-office may be paid the value thereof, in
coin or bars, as soon as practicable after the value has been
ascertained; and on payment thereof being made, the bul
lion so deposited shall become the property of the United Fund
States; but the Secretary of the Treasury may at any time withdrawn 7 e
withdraw the fund, or any portion thereof.
Assay commi8.
Sec. 48. That to secure a due conformity in the gold and ™?e^ ^ test
silver coins to their respective standards of fineness and TnnuaUy- c°ms
weight, the judge of the district court of the United States
stat"
for the eastern district of Pennsylvania, the Comptroller of
the Currency, the assayer of the assay-office at New York, .
. .
and such other persons as the President shall, from time to
’
time, designate, shall meet as assay-commissioners, at the
mint in Philadelphia, to examine and test, in the presence
of the Director of the Mint, the fineness and weight of the
coins reserved by the several mints for this purpose, on the
second Wednesday in February, annually, and may con- if a majority not
tinue their meetings by adjournment, if necessary; if apresentmajority of the commissioners shall fail to attend at any
time appointed for their meeting, the Director of the Mint
shall call a meeting of the commissioners at such other time Teat t0
re.
as he may deem convenient; and if it shall appear by suchg^d ^ ^atisexamination and test that these coins do not differ from the actory’ ’ c’
standard fineness and weight by a greater quantity than is
■
allowed by law, the trial shall be considered and reported
,
as satisfactory; but if any greater deviation from the legal Mactoffee “to
standard or weight shall appear, this fact shall be certified officem°rjndeS>r
to the President of the United States; and if, on a view of to be disquaiithe circumstances of the case, he shall so decide, the officer fled"
or officers implicated in the error shall be thenceforward
disqualified from holding their respective offices.
Sec. 49. That for the purpose of securing a due con-roimdof the
formity in weight of the coins of the United States to the teasute^6Uni’
provisions of this act, the brass troy-pound weight pro
cured by the minister of the United States at London, in
the year eighteen hundred and twenty-seven, for the use
.
e
of the Mint, and now in the custody of the mint at Phiiadel- utas ^ Stat"
phia, shall be the standard troy pound of the Mint of the
United States, conformably to which the coinage thereof
shall be regulated.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 50. That it shall be the duty of the Director of the
for each mint and assay office, to be kept
series of standard weights corresponding
troy pound, consisting of a one-pound
weight and the requisite subdivisions and multiples thereof,
from the hundredth part of a grain to twenty-five pounds;
and the troy weights ordinarily employed in the transacMtiitest^’S’n^tions of such mints and assay-offices shall be regulated
any.
according to the above standards at least once in every
year, under the inspection of the superintendent and
assayer; and the accuracy of those used at the mint at
Philadelphia shall be tested annually, in the presence of
the assay-commissioners, at the time of the annual exam
ination and test of coins.
in°5u^tw^h
Sec. 51- That the obverse working-dies at each mint
mint to be de- shall, at the end of each calendar year, be defaced and destRevised’ 'stat- stroyed by the coiner in the presence of the superintendent
utes, 3550.
and assayer.
Dies
— of
ii meter"
® EC‘ 52- That dies of a national character may be exeand medals. cuted by the engraver, and national and other medals struck
mad” ™ay behy the coiner of the mint at Philadelphia, under such reg
Proviso.
ulations as the superintendent, with the approval of the
utS^ Si? tot"Director of the Mint, may prescribe: Provided, That such
work shall not interfere with the regular coinage opera
tions, and that no private medal dies shall be prepared at
said mint, or the machinery or apparatus thereof be used
for that purpose.
chMK^and™™
Sec. 53. That the moneys arising from all charges and
ductfons, &c., to deductions on and from gold and silver bullion and the
the ^Su^”10 manufacture °1 medals, and from all other sources, except
utaTS Stat"as hereinbefore provided, shall, from time to time, be cov
ered into the Treasury of the United States, and no part
p"£ for saia-of such deductions or medal charges, or profit on silver or
' '
minor coinage, shall be expended in salaries or wages; but
Expenditures all expenditures of the mints and assay-offices, not herein
appropriates otherwise provided for, shall be paid from appropriations
made, &c.
made by law on estimates furnished by the Secretary of
the Treasury.
say”®™ at New
Sec. 54. That the officers of the United States assay York and their office at New York shall be a superintendent, an assayer,
appointment.
an^ a me]ter anj refiner> who shall be appointed by the
President, by and with the advice and consent of the SenBusiness of the ate. The business of said assay-office shall be in all respects
stat- similar to that of the mints, except that bars only, and not
utes, 3553.
coin, shall be manufactured therein; and no metals shall
Bullion.
be purchased for minor coinage. All bullion intended by
the depositor to be converted into coins of the United
States, and silver bullion purchased for coinage, when as
sayed, parted, and refined, and its net value certified, shall
be transferred to the mint at Philadelphia, under such di
rections as shall be made by the Secretary of the Treasury,
at the expense of the contingent fund of the Mint, and
shall be there coined, and the proceeds returned to the

ata” *1 a r£

mint and assay- Mint to procure
o®evised stat-safely thereat, a
utes, 3549.
to the aforesaid

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

assay-office. And the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby accouS1®”6 of
authorized to make the necessary arrangements for the
"
adjustment of the accounts upon such transfers between
the respective offices.
. Sec. 55. That the duties of the superintendent, assayer, superintendent,
and melter and refiner of said office shall correspond to ^%ffiC^®h “"
those of superintendents, assayers, and melters and refiners Revised stab
of mints; and all parts of this act relating to mints andutea’3556’
their officers, the duties and responsibilities of such officers,
and others employed therein, the oath to be taken, and the
bonds and sureties to be given by them, (as far as the same
may be applicable,) shall extend to the assay-office at New
York, and to its officers, assistants, clerks, workmen, and
others employed therein.
"
Sec. 56, That there shall be allowed to the officers of Revised statthe assay-office at New York City the following salaries utes'3556135571
per annum: to the superintendent four thousand five hun
dred dollars; to the assayer, and to the melter and refiner,
each, three thousand dollars; and the salaries of assistants
and clerks, and wages to workmen, and their manner of
appointment, shall be determined and regulated as herein
directed in regard to mints.
oI „
Sec. 57. That the business at the branch mint at Denver, say-offices at
while conducted as an assay-office, and of the assay -office cttyCand °i^
at Boise City, Idaho, and all other assay-offices hereafter to where, to be nmbe established, shall be confined to the receipt of gold and “ Revised statsilver bullion, for melting and assaying, to be returned to^ ^ sass,
depositors of the same, in bars, with the weight and fine- '
ness stamped thereon; and the officers of assay-offices, when
their services are necessary, shall consist of an assayer, who
shall have charge thereof, and a melter, to be appointed by
the President, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate; and the assayer may employ as many clerks, work
men, and laborers, under the direction of the Director of
the Mint, as may be provided for by law. The salaries of a^^mces’and
said officers shall not exceed the sum of two thousand fivethelr Varies;
hundred dollars to the assayer and melter, one thousand
eight hundred dollars each to the clerks, and the workmen
and laborers shall receive such wages as are customary
according to their respective stations and occupations.
their oath and
Sec. 58. That each officer and clerk to be appointed at bond,
such assay-offices, before entering upon the execution of his
office, shall take an oath or affirmation before some judge of
the United States, or of the Supreme Court, as prescribed
by the act of July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two
and each become bound to the United States of America,
with one or more sureties, to the satisfaction of the Director
of the Mint or of one of the judges of the supreme court of
the State or Territory in which the same may be located,
and of the Secretary of the Treasury, conditioned for the
faithful performance of the duties of their offices; and the d ^rbyu”s?ng
said assayers shall discharge the duties of disbursing agents «sents.
for the payment of the expenses of their respective assay offices.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Mir*Mohave the
^EC- 59- That the general direction of the business of
generaidirection assay-offices of the United States shall be under the control

ces‘subj«^&™- and regulation of the Director of the Mint, subject to the
urnii0M'and approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury; and for that
charges’.
'
purpose it shall be the duty of the said Director to prescribe
such regulationsand to require such returns periodically and
occasionally, and to establish such charges formelting, part
ing, assaying, and stamping bullion as shall appear to him
to be necessary for the purpose of carrying into effect the
intention of this act.
Provisions re
Sec. 60. That all the provisions of this act for the regu
lating to the
mints to apply to lation of the mints of the United States, and for the gov
assay-offices.
Revised Stat- ernment of the officers and persons employed therein, and
utes, 5457.
for the punishment of all offenses connected with the mints
or coinage of the United States, shall be, and they are
hereby declared to be, in full force in relation to the assay
offices, as far as the same may be applicable thereto.
Penalty for
Sec. 61. That if any person or persons shall falsely make,
counterfei ting,
____
&c.,
any coin or forge, or counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made,
?ude’ Ac!*™111 forged, or counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in falsely
Revised
’ ■ 11 stat- making, forging, or counterfeiting, any coin or bars in re
utes, 3562.
semblance or similitude of the gold or silver coins or bars,
which have been, or hereafter may be, coined or stamped
at the mints and assay-offices of the United States, or in
resemblance or similitude of any foreign gold or silver coin
which by law is, or hereafter may be made, current in the
United States, or are in actual use and circulation as money
within the United States, or shall pass, utter, publish^ or
or kno wingly sell, or attempt to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or bring
don m'nite^n^ into the United States from any foreign place, or have
*erfeuc<ic&c‘ in ^is possession, any such false, forged, or counterfeited
coins or bare; " coin or bars, knowing the same to be false, forged, or
'
counterfeited, every person so offending shall be deemed
guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be pun
ished by fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, and
by imprisonment and confinement at hard labor not ex
ceeding ten years, according to the aggravation of the of
fense.
for counterfeitSec. 62. That
any puiovii
person vi
or poiBvuo
persons onaii
shall luiouiv
falsely inam;,
make,
j”
&c minor
jluni if
11 anj
coinage, or utter- forge, or counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made,
®uck faise fnro-pzl nr pnnntprfpifpd nr willinorlv flid nr assist in ffllsp.lv
forged, or counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in falsely
coins;
Revised stat" making, forging, or counterfeiting, any coin in the resem
utes, 5458.
blance or similitude of any of the minor coinage which has
been, or hereafter may be, coined at the mints of the
United States; or shall pass, utter, publish, or sell, or
bring into the U nited States from any foreign place, or
have in his possession, any such false, forged, or counter
feited coin, with intent to defraud any body politic or cor
poration,orany person or persons whatsoever, every person
so offending shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on
conviction thereof, be punished by fine not exceeding one
thousand dollars and by imprisonment and confinement at
hard labor not exceeding three years.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 63. That if any person shall fraudulently, by any ^
”-'-' y
art, way, or means whatsoever, deface, mutilate, impair, goMorafvereurdiminisn, falsify, scale, or lighten the gold or silver coins reRevM: statwhich have been, or which shall hereafter be, coined at the utea> 54691
mints of the United States, or any foreign gold or silver
coins which are by law made current, or are in actual use
and circulation as money within the United States, every
person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a high misde
meanor, and shall be imprisoned not exceeding two years,
and fined not exceeding two thousand dollars.
Sec. 64. That if any of the gold or silver coins which
shall be struck or coined at any of the mints of the United or stiver coins
States shall be debased, or made worse as to the proportion sLt^e United
of fine gold or fine silver therein contained; or shall be of
less weight or value than the same ought to be, pursuant
.
to the several acts relative thereto; or if any of the weights heights &cing
used at any of the mints or assay-offices of the United
’ ‘
States shall be defaced, increased, or diminished through
the fault or connivance of any of the officers or persons who
shall be employed at the said mints or assay-offices, with a
fraudulent intent; and if any of the said officers or persons b^®^tyf”e™‘
shall embezzle any of the metals which shall at any time be or coins, ^ .
committed to their charge for the purpose of being coined,&cor any of the coins which shall be struck or coined at the
said mints, or any medals, coins, or other moneys of said
mints or assay-offices at any time committed to their charge,
or of which they may have assumed the charge, every such
officer or person who shall commit any or either of the said
offenses shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall be im
prisoned at hard labor for a term not less than one year
nor more than ten years, and shall be fined in a sum not
exceeding ten thousand dollars.
Sec. 65. That this act shall take effect on the first day of taKaect01 10
April, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, when the offices
of the treasurer of the mints in Philadelphia, San Fran-U°®®|,4c‘^
cisco, and New Orleans shall be vacated, and the assistant catea. ’
treasurer at New York shall cease to perform the duties of
treasurer of the assay-office. The other officers and em- ^to conuS;
ployees of the mints and assay-offices now appointed shall gig^fs' £t’
continue to hold their respective offices, they having first ntes, 3497. ”
given the necessary bonds, until further appointments may
be required, the Director of the Mint at Philadelphia being
styled and acting as superintendent thereof. The duties en^Pfo
or the treasurers shall devolve as herein provided upon the treasurers,
superintendents, and said treasurers shall act only as as- acto^^assist
sistant treasurers of the United States: Provided, That the ant treasurera- (
salaries heretofore paid to the treasurers of the mints atm^3a^notdl"
Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New Orleans, acting as
assistant treasurers, shall hereafter be paid to them as “as
sistant treasurers of the United States, and that the salary
of the assistant treasurer at New York shall not be dimin
ished by the vacation of his office as treasurer of the assay
office.
9463—04----- 6

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sf.c. 66. That the different mints and assay-offices authorized by this act shall be known as “the mint of the United
uM Stat"States at Philadelphia,” “the mint of the United States at
San Francisco,” “the mint of the United States at Carson,”
“the mint of the United States at Denver,” “the United
States assay-office at New York,” and “the United States
assay-officeat Boise City, Idaho,” “the United States assayappropriationsed °®ce at Charlotte, North Carolina; ” and all unexpended
'
"" appropriations heretofore authorized by law for the use of
the mint of the United States at Philadelphia, the branch
mint of the United States in California, the branch-mint of
the United States at Denver, the United States assay-office
in New York, the United States assay-office at Charlotte,
North Carolina, and the United States assay-officeat Boise
•
City, Idaho, are hereby authorized to be transferred for the
account and use of the institutions established and located
respectively at the places designated by this act.
kTM™neM «>in® ®EC> 67. That this act shall be known as the “Coinage
age act, &c.
act of eighteen hundred and seventy-three;” and all other
acts and parts of acts pertaining to the mints, assay-offices,
and coinage of the United States inconsistent with the prorepe?iedT?u‘cCh visions of this act are hereby repealed: Provided, That
affect &c not tot-his act shall not be construed to affect any act done, right
”...
accrued, or penalty incurred, under former acts, but every
such right is hereby saved; and all suits and prosecutions
for acts already done in violation of any former act or acts
of Congress relating to the subjects embraced in this act
may be begun or proceeded with in like manner as if this
act had not been passed; and all penal clauses and provi
sions in existing laws relating to the subjects embraced in
_...............this act shall be deemed applicable thereto: And provided
of^a’ch'. ^'S.firtlo-r, That so much of the first section of “An act making
sec. i, vol. 16.
appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Govern
ment for the year ending June thirty, eighteen hundred
and seventy-one, and for other purposes,” approved July
fifteen, eighteen hundred and seventy, as provides that
until after the completion and occupation of the branch
mint building in San Francisco, it shall be lawful to
exchange, at any mint or branch-mint of the United States,
unrefined or unparted bullion, whenever, in the opinion of
the Secretary of the Treasury, it can be done with advant
age to the Government, is hereby repealed.
Approved, February 12, 1873.
different “minu
and assay-offices,

Jan. 29,1874.

Qhap.

XIX.—yin act authorizing coinage to be executed al the mints of the
United States for foreign countries.

Execution of
®e ^ e^Ued ^d t^ Senate and House of Representatives
foreign coinage of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That

min™114 Stoteait shall be lawful for coinage to be executed at the mints
of the United States, for any foreign countries applying
for the same, according to the legally prescribed stand-

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

ards and devices of such country, under such regula
tions as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe; and
the charge for the same shall be equal to the expense
thereof, including labor, materials, and use of machinery,
to be fixed by the Director of the Mint, with the approval
of the Secretary of the Treasury: Provided, That the PrOTi”'
manufacture of such coin shall not interfere with the
required coinage of the United States.
Approved, January 29, 1874.
■

Chap. 419.—An

act authorizing the transfer of gold mint bars from the
bullion fund of the assay office New York to the Assistant Treasurer at
New York.

June 22,1874.
"

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That
the Secretary of the Treasury may, from time to time, assistant treastransfer to the office of the Assistant Treasurer at New York. at New
York from the bullion fund of the assay office at New
York, refined gold bars bearing the United States stamp
of fineness, weight and value, or bars from any melt of
foreign gold coin or bullion of standard equal to or above
that of the United States and may apply the same to the to^^agpHed
redemption of coin certificates or in exchange for gold coin certificates,
coins at not less than par and not less than the marketetc'
value subject to such regulations as he may prescribe.
Approved, June 22, 1874.

Chap.

XV.—An act to provide for the resumption of specie payments.

Jan. 14,1875.

Be it enactedby the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, Thatcol®"^ft^’’“
the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized demption of fracand required, as rapidly as practicable, to cause to be autnhOTi^ency
coined, at the mints of the United States, silver coins of
the denominations of ten, twenty-five, and fifty cents, of
■
standard value, and to issue them in redemption of an
equal number and amount of fractional currency of similar
denominations, or, at hjs discretion, he may issue such sil
ver coins through the mints, the sub-treasuries, public
depositaries and post-offices of the United States; and,
upon such issue, ne is hereby authorized and required to
redeem an equal amount of such fractional currency, until
the whole amount of such fractional currency outstanding
shall be redeemed.
Sec. 2. That so much of section three thousand five^^^^"^^
hundred and twenty-four of the Revised Statutes of the a percentage for
United States as provides for a charge of one-fifth of one bSiHonfntoeofa!
per centum for converting standard gold bullion into coin
is hereby repealed; and hereafter no charge shall be made
for that service.
.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

• tati^oVagyrei
®BC* ®- That section five thousand one hundred and sevgate amount of enty-seven of the Revised Statutes, limiting the aggregate
notes.'1 1 a 11 ng amount of circulating notes of national banking associations

be, and is hereby, repealed; and each existing banking asso
ciation may increase its circulating notes in accordance with
existing law without respect to said aggregate limit; and
new banking associations may be organized in accordance
with existing law without respect to said aggregate limit;
v ‘
«' • w?5 an^ the provisions of law for the withdrawal and redistribudrawaiandredi^ tion of national bank currency among the several States and
tribution.
Territories are hereby repealed. And whenever, and so
often, as circulating notes shall be issued to any such bank
ing association, so increasing its capital or circulating notes,
united states or so newly organized as aforesaid, it shall be the duty of
$3°oo®ooo,ax>ct?be Secretary of the Treasury to redeem the legal-tender United
ceruunerLtio to States notes in excess only of three hundred million of dolincreaee of na- lars, to the amount of eighty per centum of the sum of nationcuiaUon.
al-bank notes so issued to any such banking association as
aforesaid and to continue such redemption as such circulat
ing notes are issued until there shall be outstanding the sum
of three hundred million dollars of such legal-tender United
QRedemption of States notes, and no more. And on and after the firstday of
notes in coin January, anno Domini, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine,
i879r January 11 the Secretary of the Treasury shall redeem, in coin, the
United States legal-tender notes then outstanding, on their
presentation for redemption at the office of the assistant
treasurer of the United States in the city of New York, in
Appropriation, sums of not less than fifty dollars.
And to enable the Sec- *
retary of the Treasury to prepare and provide for the re
demption in this act authorized or required, he is authorized
to use any surplus revenues, from time to time, in theTreasto^-ovidemea™ ury n°t otherwise appropriated, and to issue, sell and disof redeeming pose of, at not less than par, in coin, either of the descriptions
no^d Stetesof bonds of the United States described in the act of Con
gress approved July fourteenth, eighteen hundred and sev
enty, entitled “An act to authorize the refunding of the
national debt,” with like qualities, privileges, and exemp.
tions, to the extent necessary to carry this act into full effect,
and to use the proceeds thereof for the purposes aforesaid.
And all provisions of law inconsistent with the provisions
of this act are hereby repealed.
Approved, January 14, 1875.

Chap. CXLIII.—An act authorizing the coinage of a twenty-cent piece of

Mar. 3,1876.
,

silver at the mints of the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
oftheRnited States of America in Congress assembled, That
-n^e^r0®111 there shall be, from time to time, coined at the mints of
1873,ch. 131,vol. the United States, conformably in all respects to the coinl7Rev1»e<t stat- age act of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, a silver
u Replied - co*n °^ the denomination of twenty cents, and of the weight
"
of five grams.

COINAGE LAWS. OF THE UNITED STATES.

tender
Sec. 2. That the twenty-cent piece shall be a legal tender forLegal
what sums.
at its nominal value for any amount not exceeding five
dollars in any one payment.
Deviation from
Sec. 3. That in adjusting the weight of the twenty-cent standard
weight*
piece, the deviation from the standard weight shall not
exceed one and one-half grains; and in weighing a large
number of pieces together, when delivered by the coiner
to the superintendent and by the superintendent to the de
positor the deviation from the standard weight shall not
exceed two-hundredths of an ounce in one thousand pieces.
Existing laws
Sec. 4. That all laws now in force in relation to the applicable
to 20coins of the United States, and the coinage of the same, cent coin.
shall, as far as practicable, have full force and effect in re
lation to the coin hereby authorized whether the said laws
are penal or otherwise, and whether they are for prevent
ing counterfeiting or abasement, for protecting the cur
rency, for regulating the process of coining and the
preparation therefor, or for the security of the coin, or
for any other purpose.
'
Approved, March 3, 1875.

Chap. LXIII.—An act to provide for a deficiency in the Printing and En-

Apr, 17,1876.

graving Bureau of the Treasury Department, and for the issue of silver
coin of the United States in place offractional currency.

Be it enacted 5y tKe Senate and House ofRepresentatives of
the United StatesofAmericain Congress assembled^ * * *
Sec. 2. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby tes^J” “^ ^
directed to issue silver coins of the United States, of the fractional curdenomination of ten, twenty, twenty-five, and fifty cents of
gtat.
standard value, in redemption of an equal amount of frac- utes, ssis.
tional currency, whether the same be now in the Treasury
awaiting redemption, or whenever it may be presented for
redemption; and the Secretary of the Treasury may, under
regulations of the Treasury Department, provide for such
redemption and issue by substitution at the regular sub
treasuries and public depositories of the United States until
the whole amount of fractional currency outstanding shall
.
be redeemed. And the fractional currency redeemed under Redeemed curthis act shall be held to be a part of the sinking-fund pro- of’tinkto^hS
vided for by existing law, the interest to be computed there
on, as in the case of bonds redeemed under the act relating
to the sinking-fund.
Approved, April 17, 1876.

[No. 17.]

Joint resolution for the issue of silver coin.

July 22,1876.

Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That^8’^^0^”^
the Secretary of the Treasury, under such limits and regu- change for legailations as will best secure a just and fair distribution of the16,1 er notes-

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

same through the country, may issue the silver coin at any
time in the Treasury to an amount not exceeding ten mil
lion dollars, in exchange for an equal amount of legalNotes to be tender notes; and the notes so received in exchange shall
fond 88 a Hpecial be kept as a special fund separate and apart from all other
use of.
money in the Treasury, and be reissued only upon the
retirement and destruction of a like sum of fractional cur
rency received at the Treasury in payment of dues to the
United States; and said fractional currency, when so substi
tuted, shall be destroyed and held as part of the sinking
fund, as provided in the act approved April seventeen,
eighteen hundred and seventy-six.
Tr ade-doiiar
Sec. 2. That the trade dollar shall not hereafter be a
tender. e ega jega| ^Q^gp, anj the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby
authorized to limit from time to time the coinage thereof
coinage of,may to such an amount as he may deem sufficient to meet the
be limned.
export demand for the same.
uteaevSi3 Stat
Sec. $• That in addition to the amount of subsidiary
silver coin authorized by law to be issued in redemption of
Amountofsub-the fractional currency it shall be lawful to manufacture
coin authorized^ at the several mints, and issue through the Treasury and
its several offices, such coin, to an amount, that, including
the amount of subsidiary silver coin and of fractional cur
rency outstanding, shall, in the aggregate, not exceed, at
any time fifty million dollars.
.
purchase of
Sec. 4. That the silver bullion required for the purposes
bunion.
of thjg resolution shall be purchased, from time to time, at
market rate, by the Secretary of the Treasury, with any
price limited, money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated; but no
purchase of bullion shall be madeunder this resolution when
the market-rate for the same shall be such as will not admit
of the coinage and issue, as herein provided, without loss
seigniorage to t° the Treasury; and any gain or seigniorage arising from
be accounted for. this coinage shall be accounted for and paid into the Treas
ury, as provided under existing laws relative to the sub
Proviso.
sidiary coinage: Provided, That the amount of money at
any one time invested in such silver bullion, exclusive of
such resulting coin shall not exceed two hundred thousand
dollars.
Approved, July 22, 1876.

Jan. 16,1877.

Chap.

XXIV.—An act to amend section fifty-four hundred and fifty-seven
of the Revised Statutes of the United States relating to counterfeiting.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
ReXla5d staT °/ Ue United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That
utes,
amend- secyon fifty-four hundred and fifty-seven of the Revised

counterfeiting.
etc., coin, etc.

Statutes of the United States, be, and the same is hereby,
amended so as to read as follows:
Every person who falsely makes, forges, or counterfeits,
or caugeg or procures to fie falsely made, forged, or coun
terfeited, or willingly aids or assists in falsely making,

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

forging, or counterfeiting, arty coin or bars in resemblance
or similitude of the gold or silver coins or bars which
have been, or hereafter may be, coined or stamped at the
mints and assay-offices of the United States, or in resem
blance or similitude of any foreign gold or silver coin
which by law is, or hereafter may be, current in the United
States, or are in actual use and circulation as money in the
U nited States, or who passes, utters, publishes, or sells,
or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or bring into
the United States from any foreign place, knowing the
same to be false, forged, or counterfeit, with intent to
defraud any body politic or corporate, or any other per
son or persons whatsoever, or has in his possession any
such false, forged, or counterfeited coin or bars, knowing
the same to be false, forged, or counterfeited, with intent
to defraud any body politic or corporate, or any other per
son or persons whatsoever, shall be punished by a fine of
not more than five thousand dollars, and by imprisonment Penaltyat hard labor not more than ten years.
■
Approved, January 16, 1877.

[Public—No. 16.] An act to authorize the coinage of the standard silver Chap. 20—
dollar, and to restore its legal-tender character. Feb. 28,1878.

20 Stat. L.,25.

Be it enacted In/ the Senate and House of Representatives 152.Supp" E's”
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That yef^^ot sil"
there shall be coined, at the several mints of the United weight and
States, silver dollars of the weight of four hundred and flnRns®' 55 woe,
twelve and a half grains troy of standard silver, as pro&74' ^^
vided in the act of January eighteenth, eighteen hundred ''
thirty-seven, on which shall be the devices and superscrip
tions provided by said act; which coins together with all
silver dollars heretofore coined by the United States, of
like weight and fineness, shall be a legal tender at their Lesai tender,
nominal value, for all debts and dues public and private,
except where otherwise expressly stipulated in the con
tract. And the Secretary of the Treasury is mAhorized ^™h^
and directed to purchase, from time to time, silver bul-Ter u on'
lion, at the market price thereof, not less than two mil
lion dollars worth per month, nor more than four million
dollars worth per month, and cause the same to be coined
monthly, as fast as so purchased, into such dollars; and a
sum sufficient to carry out the foregoing provision of this
act is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treas
ury not otherwise appropriated. And any gain or seign- bes”k™°^etl^
iorage arising from this coinage shall be accounted for and Treasury,
paid into the Treasury, as provided under existing laws
relative to the subsidiary coinage: Provided, That the Proviso,
amount of money at any one time invested in such silver
bullion, exclusive of such resulting coin, shall not exceed
five million dollars: And provided further, That nothing
in this act shall be construed to authorize the payment in

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

silver of certificates of deposit issued under the provisions
of section two hundred and fifty-four of the Revised
Statutes.
ofT1th Prunited
^ec. $’ That immediately after the passage of this act,
states eto invite the President shall invite the Governments of the countries
wm^in^1 Vhe00™?08^ the Latin Union, so-called, and of such other
Latin union and European nations as he may deem advisable, to join the
counrtriesirotoeaa United States in a conference to adopt a common ratiobeeonferenee with tween gold and silver, for the purpose of establishing, in
states, to adopt ternationally, the use of bi-metallic money, and securing
between”gold fixity of relative value between those metals; suchconferand silver, etc. ence to be held at such place, in Europe or in the United
States, at such time within six months, as may be mutually
agreed upon by the Executives of the Governments joining
in the same, whenever the Governments so invited, or any
three of them, shall have signified their willingness to unite
in the same.
Commissioners,
The President shall, by and with the advice and consent
how appointed.
of the Senate, appointthree commissioners, who shall attend
such conference on behalf of the United States, and shall
report the doings thereof to the President, who shall trans
mit the same to Congress.
Compensation.
Said commissioners shall each receive the sum of two
thousand five hundred dollars and their reasonable expenses, to be approved by the Secretary of State; and the
amount necessary to pay such compensation and expenses
is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated.
nmybedeptoifed
Sec. 3. That any holder of the coin authorized by this
with Treasurer act may deposit the same with the Treasurer or any assistt?easaurers^ to ant treasurer of the United States, in sumsnot less than
what sums..
ten dollars, and receive therefor certificates of not less
issue of certifl-than ten dollars each, corresponding with the denomina“coto^obeheld tions of the United States notes. The coin deposited for
for redemption or representing the certificates shall be retained in the
of certificates.
Treasury for the payment of the same on demand. Said
certificates shall be receivable for customs, taxes, and all
public dues, and, when so received, may be reissued.
Repeal.
Sec. 4. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the
provisions of this act are hereby repealed.
"
,
SAM. J. RANDALL, ,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
...............
W. A. WHEELER,
Vice-President of the United States and
President of the Senate.
R.S., $254.

In the House of Representatives U. S.
February 28, 1878.
The President of the United States having returned to
the House of Representatives, in which it originated, the
bill, entitled “ An act to authorize the coinage of the stand
ard silver dollar, and to restore its legal-tender character,”

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

with his objections thereto; the, House of Representatives
proceeded in pursuance of the Constitution to reconsider
the same; and
Resolved, That the said bill pass, two-thirds of the House
of Representatives agreeing to pass the same.
Attest:
GEO. M. ADAMS,
Clerk.
By GREEN ADAMS,
Chief Clerk.

In the Senate of the United States
February 28, 1878.
The Senate having proceeded, in pursuance of the Con
stitution, to reconsider the bill entitled “An act to author
ize the coinage of the standard silver dollar, and to restore
its legal-tender character,” returned to the House of Repre
sentatives by the President of the Unitad States, with his
objections, and sent by the House of Representatives to the
Senate with the message of the President returning the

Resolved, That the bill do pass, two-thirds of the Senate
agreeing to pass the same.
Attest:
'
GEO. C. GORHAM,
Secretary of the Senate.

Chap. 79.—An act to prohibit the coinage of the twenty cent piece of silver.

May 2,1878,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That pi|“™r
from, and after the passage of this act, the coinage of the of, prohibited,
twenty cent piece of silver, by the Government of the
United States be, and the same is hereby prohibited. And
.
all laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.

Chap. 170.—An Act to authorize the Secretary of the

Treasury to constitute
Superintendents of Mints or Assayers in Assay-offices, Assistant Treasurers
of the United States.

June 8-1878-

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives _
ofthe United States ofAmerica, in Ccmgress assembled, That entsof ^tsand
the Secretary of the Treasury be and he is hereby author- asaayere may be
ized to constitute any superintendent of a mint or assayer sistant treasurof any assay-office, an assistant treasurer of the United eiFOr whBt pui.
States without additional compensation, to receive gold?086coin and bullion on deposit for the purposes provided for
in section two hundred and fifty-four of the Revised Statutes.
Approved, June 8, 1878.

74
Junel9,1878.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Chap. 329.—An Act

making appropriations for the legislative, executive
and judicial expenses of the government for the fiscal year ending June
thirtieth eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
ofthe United States of Americain Conqressassembled, * * •
Payment^ to And for the purpose of enabling the several mintsand
mints,Setc°ra a'assay-offices of the United States to make returns to depos
itors with as little delay as possible, the provisions of section
r.s.,3545.
thirty-five hundred and forty-five of the Revised Statutes
of the United States shall hereafter apply to the several
ce^fleatesCOin ™n^s an£l assay-offices of the United States; and the Sec
- "
retary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to use, as far
as he may deem it proper and expedient, for payment to
depositors of bullion at the several mints and assay-offices,
coin certificates, representing coin in the Treasury, and
issued under the provisions of section two hundred and
r.s.,254.
fifty-four of the Revised Statutes of the United States; all
of said acts and duties to be performed under such rules
and regulations as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of
to^y^peD*?^6 Treasury.
And it shall be lawful to apply the moneys
'
arising from charges collected from depositors at the sev
eral mints and assay-offices pursuant to law, to defraying
the expenses thereof, including labor, material, wastage,
and use of machinery; and only so much of the appropria
tions herein made for the mints and assay-offices respec
tively, shall be used for said mints and assay-offices as shall
be necessary for the operations of the same, after the
moneys arising from the charges aforesaid shall have been
exhausted as herein provided. But in no event shall the
expenditures of said mints and assay-offices exceed the
amount of the specific appropriations herein made for same.

•

March 8,1879.

*##»*•

Chap. 182.'—An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the
Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred
and eigniy and far other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and Ho use of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
the following sums be, and the same are hereby, appro
priated for the objects hereinafter expressed, for the fiscal
year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty,
namely:

*#*#♦#•

Transportation
Transportation of United States securities: For trans0 securities.
pOrtation of notes, bonds, and other securities of the United

States, sixty thousand dollars; and so much of the act
“making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and
judicial expenses of the Government for the fiscal year
ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine,
and for other purposes,” approved June nineteenth, eigh
teen hundred and seventy-eight, as authorizes the Secre-

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES,

tary of the Treasury to issue coin certificates in exchange ca^n certlfl
for bullion deposited for coinage at mints and assay-offices '
other than those mentioned in section thirty-five hundred K a--SM5and forty-five of the Revised Statutes, be, and the same is
hereby, repealed; said repeal to take effect at the end of
the present fiscal year.
, _

Chap.

12.—Jn Act to provide for the exchange of subsidiary coins for lawful money of the United States under certain circumstances, and to make
such coins a legal tender in all sums not exceeding ten dollars and for
other purposes.

June 9,1879.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentatiroes of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That subsidiary
the holder of any of the silver coins of the United States COU18‘
of smaller denomination than one dollar, may, on presenta
tion of the same in sums of twenty dollars, or any multiple
thereof, at the office of the Treasurer or any assistant
treasurer of the United States, receive therefor lawful
money of the United States.
Sec. 2. The Treasurer,or any assistant treasurer of the Redemption.
United States who may receive any coins under the pro
vision of this act shall exchange the same in sums of
twenty dollars, or any multiple thereof, for lawful money
of the United States, on demand of any holder thereof.
Sec. 3. That the present silver coins of the United States Legal tender,
of smaller denominations than one dollar shall hereafter be
a legal tender in all sums not exceeding ten dollars in full
payment of all dues public and private.
Sec. 4. That all laws or parts of laws in conflict with this Repeals,
act be, and the same are hereby, repealed.

Chap.

95.—An act to amend section thirty-five hundred and twenty-four of March 1,1881.
the Revised Statutes so as to authorize a charge for melting or refining 2i stat. L. 874
'ullion when at or above standard.
1 Supp. R. S..
319.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That charge for
section thirty-five hundred and twenty-four of the Revised mgb^ion t?be
Statutes of the United States be amended by striking out ^ed by Director
of said section the words “for melting and refining when r.s. §3524,1375,
bullion is below standard,” and inserting in lieu thereof the ^te, pS&n I6,
words “for melting or refining bullion.”
Approved March 1, 1881.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

76
May 26,1882.
"

Chap. 190.—An act to authorize the receipt of United States gold coin in
exchange for gold bars.

Be lteuactedby the Senate and Bouse ofRepresentatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled/PaeA
t^e SUperiutendents of the coinage mints, and of the United
States assay office at New York, are hereby authorized to
...
receive United States gold coin from any holder thereof in
r. s., sec. 3518. sum8 nof ]e8S than five thousand dollars, and to pay and
deliver in exchange therefor gold bars in value equaling
such coin so received.
"

Receipts of gold
coin in exchange
1>1My
for gold bars.

August 7,1882.
•---------------------

Chap. 433.—An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the
Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred
and eighty-three, and for other purposes.

For the transportation of silver coins: That the Secrefary °^ the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized and
directed to transport, free of charge, silver coins when rer. s., sec. 3527. quested to do so: Provided, That an equal amount in coin
or currency shall have been deposited in the Treasury by
the applicant or applicants; and that there is hereby ap
propriated ten thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may
be necessary, for that purpose, and that the same be avail
able from and after the passage of this act.

Transportation

of charge0111 tree

*******

August 4.1886.
•----------------------

Chap. 902.—An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the
Government, for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred
and eighty-seven, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
ands five "dollars * * * And the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby
to be issued.
authorized and required to issue silver-certificates in
denominations of one, two, and five dollars, and the silver certificates herein authorized shall be receivable, redeem
able, and payable in like manner and for like purposes as
is provided for silver-certificates by the act of February
twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, enti
tled “An act, to authorize the coinage of the standard silver
dollar, and to restore its legal-tender character,” and
denominations of one, two, and five dollars may be issued
in lieu of silver-certificates of larger denominations in the
Treasury or in exchange therefor upon presentation by
the holders and to that extent said certificates of larger
denominations shall be cancelled and destroyed.
silver

certifl-

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Transportation of silver coin: For transportation Transportation
of silver coin, including fractional silver coin by registered free^charge?”8
mail or otherwise, forty thousand dollars; and in expend8
ing this sum the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized
and directed to transport from the Treasury or subtreas
uries, free of charge, silver coin when requested to do so; r. s., sec. 3527.
Provided., That an equal amount in coin or currency shall
have been deposited in the Treasury or such subtreasuries
by the applicant or applicants. And the Secretary of the
Treasury shall report to Congress the cost arising under
this appropriation.
*******

ACT OF FEBRUARY 19, 1887.

An act for the retirement and recoinage of the trade-dollar.

Be it enacted 5y the Senate and House of Representatives tr^c^^ f°[
of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled^ That stiver coins,
tor a period of six months after the passage of this act,
United States trade-dollars, if not defaced, mutilated,
or stamped, shall be received at the office of the Treas
urer, or any assistant treasurer of the United States in
exchange for a like amount, dollar for dollar, of standard
silver dollars, or of subsidiary coins of the United States.
Sec. 2. That the trade-dollars received by, paid to, or Retirement
deposited with the Treasurer or any assistant treasurer or trade dollars,
national depositary of the United States shall not be paid
out or in any other manner issued, but, at the expense of
the United States, shall be transmitted to the coinage mints
and recoined into standard silver dollars or subsidiary
coin, at the discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury:
Provided, That the trade dollars recoined under this act
shall not be counted as part of the silver bullion required
to be purchased and coined into standard dollars as re
quired by the act of February twenty-eighth, eighteen
hundred and seventy-eight.
Sec. 3. That all laws and parts of laws authorizing the cotn‘Se^dob
coinage and issuance of United States trade-dollars are iara repealed,
hereby repealed.
Received by the President, February 19, 1887.
[Note by the Department of State.—The foregoing
act having been presented to the' President of the United
States for his approval, and not having been returned by
him to the house of Congress in which it originated within
the time prescribed by the Constitution of the United
States, has become a law without his approval.]

78
March2,1889.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Chap. 411.—An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of
the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred
and ninety, and for other purposes.

^proMbitin^the
“That hereafter it shall not be lawful to use any portion
profit fund for of the so-called “silver profit fund” or of the appropriasiiTerdonars”°f tion for “storage silver transportation” for the purpose
B.s., sec. 3527. of paying the expenses of the transportation of standard

silver dollars from the mints or the sub-treasuries to the
Treasury at Washington, District of Columbia.

»»****♦

July 14,1890. Chap. 708.—An Act directing the purchase of silver bullion and the issue
' 26 stat L ”289"
°/ Treasury notes thereon, and for other purposes.
1 Supp. it s.,
,
#

774-

Be it enacted 5y the Senate and House of Representati/ees

toSle purch'™"^ ^
United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled^ That
Monthly ag-the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed to purgregate. chase, from time to time, silver bullion to the aggregate
Limit of price, amount of four million five hundred thousand ounces, or
etRe eaiofNov s0 muc^ thereof as may be offered in each month, at the

market price thereof, not exceeding one dollar for three
^s^p^b/s hundred and seventy-one and twenty-five hundredths grains
150.
’ ' of pure silver, and to issue in payment for such purchases
Treasury notes of silver bullion Treasury notes of the United States to be
men't^of’Vur "prepared by the Secretary of the Treasury, in such form
chases.
and of such denominations, not less than one dollar nor
tion" °?te” of more than one thousand dollars, as he may prescribe, and
notes. '
’
a sum sufficient to carry into effect the provisions of this
Appropriation, act is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treas
ury not otherwise appropriated.
Sec. 2. That the Treasury notes issued in accordance
Redemption of w'th the provisions of this act shall be redeemable on
notes in coin,
demand, in coin, at the Treasury of the United States, or
iii9.SupP' R' S’’ at the office of any assistant treasurer of the United States,
redemption a£l$r and when so redeemed may be reissued; but no greater or
volume of out- less amount of such notes shall be outstanding at any time
Hmitedf notes’ than the cost of the silver bullion and the standard silver
dollars coined therefrom, then held in the Treasury pur
chased by such notes; and such Treasury notes shall be a
^egai etc nder’ *eSa^ tender in payment of all debts, public and private,
except, e .
except where otherwise expressly stipulated in the conReceivabie for tract, and shall be receivable for customs, taxes, and all
Reissue after public dues, and when so received may be reissued; and
receipt.
such notes, when held by any national banking association,
partof national- may be counted as a part of its lawful reserve. That upon
bank reserve,
demand of the holder of any of the Treasury notes herein
provided for the Secretary of the Treasury shall, under
Redemption in such regulations as he may prescribe, redeem such notes in
coin, at" disc™- gold or silver coin, at his discretion, it being the established
oftheTreasu^1 policy °f the United States to maintain the two metals on
parity and ra- a parity with each other upon the present legal ratio, or
tic, of gold and
U
A j v i 1
”
silver
such ratio as may be provided by law.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 3. That the Secretary of the Treasury shall each ag^"? ™verCd‘"month coin two million ounces of the silver bullion pur-iars from pur
chased under the provisions of this act into standard silver chBefore and'afdoliars until the first day of July eighteen hundred and te^“*y MS®,
ninety-one, and after that time he shall coin of the silver 3ostet.L.',«8.
bullion purchased under the provisions of this act as much soi.Supp" R's’’
as may be necessary to provide for the redemption of the
Treasury notes herein provided for, and anv gain or seign- seigniorage
iorage arising from such coinage shall be accounted for and ' ,p’ "
paid into the Treasury.
Sec. 4. That the silver bullion purchased under the pro- <, ' , " ^
visions of this act shall be subject to the requirements of law, etc., vol. 20,
existing law and the regulations of the mint service gov-p 25'
erning the methods of determining the amount of pure sil- Ascertainment
ver contained, and the amount of charges or deductions, if cfvalueany, to be made.
Sec. 5. That so much of the act of February twenty- vol. 20, sec. 1,
eighth, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, entitled “^nP-25-1110*1^3act to authorize the coinage of the standard silver dollar
and to restore its legal-tender character,” as requires the
monthly purchase and coinage of the same into silver dol- Monthly purlars of not less than two million dollars, nor more than four ag™e ciause°rei
million dollars’ worth of silver bullion, is hereby repealed, pealed.
Sec. 6. That upon the passage of this act the balances _ P.Vnn^i® b,n°k
standing with the 1 reasurer or the U nited States to the deposits for the
respective credits of national banks for deposits made to circuuuon to be
redeem the circulating notes of such banks, and all deposits Treasury* lnt°
thereafter received for like purpose, shall be covered into *
.
the Treasury as a miscellaneous receipt, and the Treasury
of the United States shall redeem from the general cash in redeem^certain
the Treasury the circulating notes of said banks which may notes from gencome into his possession subject to redemption; and upon eral caslL
the certificate of the Comptroller of the Currency that
such notes have been received by him and that they have
been destroyed and that no new notes will be issued in
their place, reimbursement of their amount shall be made
to the Treasurer, under such regulations as the Secretary
of the Treasury may prescribe, from an appropriation
hereby, created, to be known as National bank notes:
.
Redemption account, but the provisions of this act shall mentmtoU the
not apply to the deposits received under section three of Treasure^ from
the act of June twentieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-notes: Redempfour, requiring every National bank to keep in la wf ul moneytl0D account-'
with the Treasurer of the United States a sum equal to five
.
percentum of its circulation to be held and used for the toN£|e ^yppiy
redemption of its circulating notes; and the balance deposit for re
remaining of the deposits so covered shall, at the close of cXSoTvohia
each month, be reported on the monthly public debt state-PMrathiy report
ment as debt of the United States bearing no interest.
of remaining m“ Sec. 7. That this act shall take effect thirty days from anope°raUoP?81te"
and after its passage.”
Approved, July 14, 1890.
■

80
Sept. 26,1890.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Chap. 944.—An

act to amend section thirty-jive hundred and ten of the
Revised Statutes of the United States, and to provide for new designs of
authorized devices of United States coins.

Be it enacted by the Seriate and House of Representatives
of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That
section thirty-five hundred and ten of the Revised Statutes
of the United States be, and the same is hereby, amended
so as to read as follows:
“Sec. 3510. The engraver shall prepare from the origi
nal dies already authorized all the working-dies required
for use in the coinage of the several mints, and, when new
coins, emblems, devices, legends, or designs are authorized,
r. s„ sec. 3517. shall, if required by the Director of the Mint, prepare the
devices, models, hubs, or original dies for the same. The
Director of the Mint shall have power, with the approval
New designs of the Secretary of the Treasury, to cause new designs or
i"ed”every ”5models of authorized emblems or devices to be prepared
years.
anj adopted in the same manner as when new coins or de
vices are authorized. But no change in the design or die
of any coin shall be made oftener than once in twenty-five
years from and including the year of the first adoption of
the design, model, die, or hub for the same coin: Provided,
That no change be made in the diameter of any coin: And
provided further, That nothing in this section shall pre
vent the adoption of new designs or models for devices or
emblems already authorized for the standard silver dollar
and the five-cent nickel piece as soon as practicable after
thorizXi‘to1 em ^e Passa^e °^ this act.
But the Director of the Mint shall
pioy artists? em nevertheless have power, with the approval of the Secre
tary of the Treasury, to engage temporarily for this pur
pose the services of one or more artists, distinguished in
their respective departments of art, who shall be paid for
such service from the contingent appropriation for the
mint at Philadelphia.”

Sept. 26,1890.

Chap. 945.—An act

to discontinue the coinage of the three-dollar a,nd onedollar gold pieces and three-cent nickel piece.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives
of the United States of America in Conyress assembled, That
from and after the passage of this act the coinage of the
three-dollar gold piece, the one-dollar gold piece, and the
. three-cent nickel piece be, and the same is hereby, prohib
ited, and the pieces named shall not be struck or issued by
the Mint of the U nited States.
Sec. 2. That as fast as the said coins shall be paid into
the Treasury of the U nited States they shall be withdrawn
from circulation and be recoined into other denominations
of coins.
Sec. 3. That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with
this act are hereby repealed.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Chap. 127.—An act further to prevent counterfeiting or manufacture of Feb-1°, 1891dies, tools, or other implements used in counterfeiting, and providing penallies therefor, and providing for the issue of search warrants in certain
cases.

Be it enacted try the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled/YAaX, ^g^S™0^every person who, within the United States or any Terri-insTmtHtudeoi
tory thereof, makes any die, hub, or mold, either of steel S^®4 States
or plaster, or any other substance whatsoever in likeness
or similitude, as to the design or the inscription thereon, of
any die, hub, or mold designated for the coinage or making ^k^' seca-5467
of any of the genuine gold, silver, nickel, bronze, copper or
'
other coins of the United States that have been or hereafter
may be coined at the mints of the U nited States, or who
willingly aids or assists in the making of any such die, hub,
or mold, or any part thereof, or who causes or procures
to be made any such die, hub or mold, or any part thereof,
without authority from the Secretary of the Treasury of
the United States or other proper officer, or who shall have
in his possession any such die, hub, or mold with intent to
fraudulently or unlawfully use the same, or who shall permit
the same to be used for or in aid of the counterfeiting of
any of these coins of the United States hereinbefore men
tioned shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine Penalty,
of not more than five thousand dollars and by imprisonment
at hard labor not more than ten years, or both, at the dis
cretion of the court.
Sec. 2. That every person who, within the United States Fr”“™g the
or any lerritory thereof, without lawful authority, makes,
or willingly aids or assists in making, or causes or pro
cures to be made, any die, hub, or mold, either of steel or
plaster, or of any other substance whatsoever, in the like1
ness or similitude, as to the design or the inscription
thereon, of any die, hub, or mold designed for the coining
of the genuine coin of any foreign Government, or who
conceals or shall have in possession any such die, hub, or
mold hereinbefore mentioned, with intent to fraudulently,
or unlawfully use the same for counterfeiting any foreign
coin, or who knowingly suffers the same to be fraudulently
used for the counterfeiting of any foreign coin shall, upon
conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than Penalty,
two thousand dollars or imprisonment at hard labor not
more than five years, or both, at the discretion of the court.
' Sec. 3. That every person who makes, or who causes or c.“Bg”®yuS”"
5procures to be made, or who brings into the United States in similitude
rom any foreign country, or who shall have in possession Sins.d States
with intent to sell, give away, or in any other manner use
the same, any business or professional card, notice, pla- ■
card, token, device, print, or impression, or any other thing
whatsoever, whether of metal or its compound or of any
other substance whatsoever, in likeness or similitude, as to
design, color, or the inscription thereon, of any of the coins
of the United States or of any foreign Government, that
have been or hereafter may be issued as money, either
9463—04----- 6

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

under the authority of the United States or under the
authority of any foreign Government shall, upon convic-.
Penalty.
tion thereof, be punished by a fine not to exceed one
hundred dollars.
counterfeits of
Sec. 4. That all counterfeits of any of the obligations or
obligations.11 tea other securities of the United States or of any foreign Gov
ernment, or counterfeits of any of the coins of the United
States or of any foreign Government, and all material or
apparatus fitted or intended to be used, or that shall have
been used, in the making of any such counterfeit obliga
tions or other securities or coins hereinbefore mentioned,
that shall be found in the possession of any person with
out authority from the Secretary of the Treasury or other
proper officer to have the same, shall be taken possession
of by any authorized agent of the Treasury Department
and forfeited to the United States, and disposed of in any
manner the Secretary of the Treasury may direct.
wa™nuinesuch ^EC- ^' ^at ^e several judges of courts established
case™°
suc under the laws of the United States and the commissioners
of such courts may, upon proper oath or affirmation, within
their respective jurisdictions, issue a search warrant au
thorizing any marshal of the United States, or any other
person specially mentioned in such warrant, to enter any
house, store, building, boat, or other place named in such
warrant, in the daytime only, in which there shall appear
probable cause for believing that the manufacture of coun
terfeitmoney, or the concealment of counterfeit money, or
the manufacture or concealment of counterfeit obligations
or coins of the United States, or of any foreign govern
ment, or the manufacture, or concealment of dies, hubs,
molds, plates, or other things fitted or intended to be used
for the manufacture of counterfeit money, coins, or obliga
tions of the United States or of any foreign government,
or of any bank doing business under the authority of the
United States or of any State or Territory thereof, or of
any bank doing business under the authority of any foreign
government or of any political division of any foreign gov
ernment, is being carried on or practiced, and there search
for any counterfeit money, coins, dies, hubs, molds, plates,
and other things, and for any such obligations, and if any
seizures..
such be found to seize and secure the same, and to make
return thereof to the proper authority; and all such coun
terfeit money, coins, dies, hubs, molds, plates, and other
things and all such counterfeit obligations so seized shall
be forfeited to the United States.
Mar. 3,1891.

Chap.

541.—^n act making appropriations for the legislative, executive
and judicial expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June
thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-two, and for other purposes.
*******

voi^e," pShs^6’

Sec. 3. That an act to authorize the receipt of United
States gold coin in exchange for gold bars, approved May
twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and eighty-two, be amended
to read as follows:

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

“That the superintendents of the coinage mints and of thf
the United States assay office at New York may, with the gold bare in'ex
approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, but not other- cS86 lor 8°ld
wise, receive United States gold coin from any holder
thereof in sums of not less than five thousand dollars, and
pay and deliver in exchange therefor gold bars in value
equaling such coin so received: Provided, That the Secre
tary of the Treasury may impose for such exchange a
charge which, in his judgment, shall equal the cost of
manufacturing the bars.”
*******

Chap. 542.—An act making appropriations for sundry civU expenses of the

Mar. 8,1891.

Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred
and ninety-two, and for other expenses.

Recoinage of silver coins: For recoinage of the y^,®^88®’a11"
uncurrent fractional silver coins abraded below the limit
"
of tolerance in the Treasury, to be expended under the
direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars: Provided, That the Secretary Proviso,
of the Treasury shall, as soon as practicable, coin into Trade dollars,
standard silver dollars the trade-dollar bullion and trade 2d.’ nto 8 n "
dollars now in the Treasury, the expense thereof to be charges. .
charged to the silver profit fund.
*****

Chap. 380.—An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the
Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred
and ninety-three, and for other purposes.

Aug. 5,1892.
"

International Monetary Conference: The Presi
dent of the U nited States is hereby authorized to appoint
five commissioners to an international conference, to be held f^n"®^’ con"
at a place to be hereafter designated, with a view to secure,
internationally, a fixity of relative value between gold and
silver, as money, by means of a common ratio between
those metals, with free mintage at such ratio, and for com
pensation of said commissioners, and for all reasonable ex
penses connected therewith, to be approved by the Secre- r^®2sli8re act
tary of State, including the proportion to be paid by the " ’ "
United States of the joint expenses of such conference,
eighty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be nec
essary.
*******

84
'

Aug. 5,1892.
*

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Chap. 381.—An act to aid in carrying out the act of Congress approved
April twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and ninety, entitled “An act to pro
vide for celebrating the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of
America by Christopher Columbus, by holding an international exposi
tion of arts, industries, manufactures, and products of the soil, mine,
and sea, in the city of Chicago, in the Stale of Illinois”, and appropria
ting money therefor.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
coinage of Vow^ °f U^ United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That
ooo souvenir half for the purpose of aiding in defraying the cost of completwori^s fcoium® ing in a suitable manner the work of preparation for in
Man Exposition, augurating the World’s Columbian Exposition, authorized

r.s.,sec.3613.

Mar. 3,1893.

by the act of Congress approved April twenty-fifth, anno
Domini eighteen hundred and ninety, to be held at the city
of Chicago, in the State of Illinois, there shall be coined at
^e mjnks of the United States, silver half dollars of the
legal weight and fineness, not to exceed five million pieces,
to be known as the Columbian half dollar, struck in com
memoration of the World’s Columbian Exposition, the
devices and designs upon which shall be prescribed by the
Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary
of the Treasury; and said silver coins shall be manufac
tured from. uncurrent subsidiary silver coins now in the
Treasury, and all provisions of law relative to the coinage,
legal-tender quality, and redemption of the present sub
sidiary silver coins shall be applicable to the coins issued
under this act, and when so recoined there is hereby approEriated from the Treasury the said five millions of souvenir
alf dollars, and the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized
to pay the same to the World’s Columbian Exposition.

Chap. 208.—An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the
Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred
and ninety-four, and for other purposes.

Authorizing

World’s Columbian Commission:

and ten

souvenir quar- thousand dollars of the appropriation for the Board of
tife dboard ^ Lady Managers shall be paid in souvenir coins of the denomi^Td'sM coMm8 na^*on °^ twenty-five cents, and for that purpose there shall
Man Exposition" be coined at the mints of the United States silver quarter

dollars of the legal weight and fineness, not to exceed forty
thousand pieces, the devices and designs upon which shall
be prescribed by the Director of the Mint, with the ap
a. s., sec. sms. proval of the Secretary of the Treasury; and said silver
coins shall be manufactured from uncurrent subsidiary sil
ver coins now in the Treasury; and all provisions of law
relative to the coinage, legal-tender quality, and redemp
tion of the present subsidiary silver coins shall be appli
cable to the coins herein authorized to be issued.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Chap. 8.—An act to repeal a part of an act approved July fourteenth,
eighteen hundred and ninety, entitled “An act directing-the purchase of
silver bullion and the issue of Treasury Notes thereon, and for other pur
poses.^

Xov.
..

1,1893.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 5522* of "uofthe United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled., That ver bullion. ‘
so much of the act approved July fourteenth, eighteen
hundred and ninety, entitled “An act directing the pur
chase of silver bullion and issue of Treasury notes thereon,
and for other purposes,” as directs the Secretary of the
Treasury to purchase from time to time silver bullion to
the aggregate amount of four million five hundred thou
sand ounces, or so much thereof as may be offered in each
month at the market price thereof, not exceeding one dol
lar for three hundred and seventy-one and twenty-five one
hundredths grains of pure silver, and to issue in payment
for such purchases Treasury notes of the United States,
be, and the same is hereby repealed. And it is hereby Deciares policy
declared to be the policy of the United States to continue fo ^““for^oia
the use of both gold and silver as standard money, and to and ailvercoin both gold and silver into money of equal intrinsic and
exchangeable value, such equality to be secured through Parities beinternational agreement, or by such safeguards of legisla- meuTs 1 to 1 be
tion as will insure the maintenance of the parity in value maintained,
of the coins of the two metals, and the equal power of
every dollar at all times in the markets and in the payment
of debts. And it is hereby further declared that the offoils
of the Government should be steadily directed to the estab
lishment of such a safe system of bimetallism as will main
tain at all times the equal power of every dollar coined or
issued by the United States, in the markets and in the
payment of debts.
■

Chap. 349.—An act to reduce, tcuration, to provide revenue for the Govern- August 27,1894.
merit, and for other purposes. 28 stat. L., 509.
*
*******

2 Supp. R. S.,
314.

Sec. 25. That the value of foreign coin as expressed in Aal'm °f
the money of account of the United States shall be that of oct. i, ch. 1244,
the pure metal of such coin of standard value; and the869)<1SUPP'R'8"
values of the standard coins in circulation of the various
nations of the world shall be estimated quarterly by the 5a'proclaimed
Director of the Mint, and be proclaimed by the Secretary quarterly,
of the Treasury immediately after the passage of this Act
and thereafter quarterly on the first day of January,
April, July, and October in each year. And the values g,^2tedS 55
so proclaimed shall be followed in estimating the value of value prociaimall foreign merchandise exported to the United Statesed"
during the quarter for which the value is proclaimed, and
the date of the consular certification of any invoice shall,
for the purposes of this section, be considered the date of

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Reliquidation
of entry, if pro exportation: Provided, That
claimed
value may order the reliquidation
erroneous.

the Secretary of the Treasury
of any entry at a different
value, whenever satisfactory evidence shall be produced
to him showing that the value in United States currency
of the foreign money specified in the invoice was, at the
date of certification, at least ten per centum more or less
than the value proclaimed during the quarter in which the
consular certification occurred.

June 11,1896.

Chap. 420.—An Act Making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of
the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hun
dred and ninety-seven, and for other purposes.

Minor coins, re
coinage, etc.

Mar. 3,1897.
"

*******
Recoinage, reissue, and transportation of minor
coins: The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to
transfer to the United States mint at Philadelphia, for
cleaning and reissue, any minor coins now in, or which may
be hereafter received at, the subtreasury offices, in excess
of the requirement for the current business of said offices;
and the sum of four thousand dollars is hereby appropriated
for the expense of transportation for such reissue. And
the Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to recoin
any and all the uncurrent minor coins now in the Treasury.

Chap. 376.—An Act To provide for the representation of the United States
by commissioners at any international monetary conference hereafter to
be called, and to enable the President to otherwise promote an interna
tional agreement.

Be it enacted 5y tKe Senate and Hoose of Representatives
monetary 'c™'- °f ^' United States of America in Congress assembled, That
ferenec.
whenever after March fourth, eighteen hundred and ninety-

seven, the President of the United States shall determine
that the United States'should be represented at any inter
national conference called by the United States or any
other country with a view to securing by international
agreement a fixity of relative value between gold and sil
ver as money by means of a common ratio between these
ofAPcomnaSion- m<‘tills, with free mintage at such ratio, he is hereby authorere authorized, ized to appoint five or more commissioners to such inter
compensation, national conference; and for compensation of said cometc"
missioners, and for all reasonable expenses connected
therewith, to be approved by the Secretary of State,
including the proportion to be paid by the United States
Appropriation, of the joint expenses of any such conference, the sum of
one hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may
be necessary, is hereby appropriated.
ence’.1 forconfer" Sec. 2. That the President of the United States is hereby
authorized, in the name of the Government of the United
States, to call, in his discretion, such international confer
ence, to assemble at such point as may be agreed upon.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

And he is further authorized, if in his judgment the pur-_M?L,c,oS
pose specified in the first section hereof can thus be better diplomatic neattained, to appoint one or more special commissioners Orsotiatlons'
envoys to such of the nations of Europe as he may desig
nate to seek by diplomatic negotiations an international
agreement for the purpose specified in the first section
hereof. And in case of such appointment so much of the
appropriation herein made as shall be necessary shall be
available for the proper expenses and compensation of such
commissioners or envoys.
Sec. 3. That so much of an act approved March second, m e r^roviJon
eighteen hundred and ninety-five, entitled “An Act making for intematior«i
appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Govern-28, p. 962. ’ "
ment for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen
hundred and ninety-six, and for other purposes,” as pro
vided for the appointment of delegates to an international
conference and makes an appropriation for their compen
sation and expenses, be, and the same is hereby, repealed.

Chap. 377.—An Act To amend section fifty-four hundred and fifty-nine of _2^Uiffff_
the Revised Statutes, prescribing the punishment for mutilating United
States coins and for uttering or passing or attempting to utter or pass
such mutilated coins.

Be it enacted try tKe Senate and House off Representatives coin"111 a 1 e d
ofthe United States ofAmerica in Congress assembled, That . .
section fifty-four hundred and fifty-nine of the Revised fOr>utterin™etc?
Statutes of the United States be amended so as to read as
follows:
.
“Sec. 5459. Every person who fraudulently, by any art, fOr "raMu™ntiy
way, or means, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, defacing, etc.,
falsifies, scales, or lightens, or causes or procures to becmns"
fraudulently defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, fal
sified, scaled, or lightened, or willingly aids or assists in
..
fraudulently defacing, mutilating, impairing, diminishing, pads^'amenM:
falsifying, scaling, or lightening the gold or silver coins
which have been, or which may hereafter be, coined at the
mints of the United States, or any foreign gold or silver
coins which are by law made current or are in actual use
or circulation as money within the United States, or who r^mg, etc.
passes, utters, publishes, or sells, or attempts to pass, utter,
publish, or sell, or bring into the United States from any
foreign place, knowing the same to be defaced, mutilated,
impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled, or lightened, with
intent to defraud any person whatsoever, or has in his pos
session any such defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished,
falsified, scaled, or lightened coin, knowing the same to be
defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled,
or lightened, with intent to defraud any person whatso
ever, shall be imprisoned not more than five years and
fined not more than two thousand dollars.”

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

88
June 18,1898.
30 Stat. L„ 448.
2 Supp. R. S„

Chap. 448.—An Act To provide ways and means tomeel war expenditures,
and f°r otheT Purposes.

COINAGE OF SILVER BULLION.
coinage of siiSec. 34. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby
thorized""8 “" authorized and directed to coin into standard silver dollars
as rapidly as the public interests may require, to an amount,
however, of not less than one and one half millions of dol
lars in each month, all of the silver bullion now in the
Treasury purchased in accordance with the provisions of
the act approved July fourteenth, eighteen hundred and
1890, July 14, ninety, entitled “An act directing the purchase of silver
rV*??!1 Snpp‘ buili°n and the issue of Treasury notes thereon, and for
r .....
other purposes,” and said dollars, when so coined, shall be
used and applied in the manner and for the purposes named
in said act.

♦

July 7,1898, 30Chap. 571.—An Act Making appropriations to supply deficiencies in the
Stat. L., 652.
..............................
*'
”
...................................................
appropriations
for the fiscal1 year ending
June
thirtieth,
eighteen hundred
2 Supp. R. S.,
and ninety-eight, and for prixyr years, and for other purposes.
882.

4.° And refining and parting of bullion shall be
on at the coinage mints of the United States and
at the assay office at New York, and it shall be lawful to
Money from apply the moneys arising from charges collected from
produ3sand by depositors for these operations, and also the proceeds of
'......
sale of by-products (spent acids arising from any surplus
bullion recovered in parting and refining processes), purForexpenses, suant to law, so far as may be necessary, to defraying in
full the expenses thereof, including labor, material, wast
age, and loss on sale of sweeps.
Expenses at
But no part of the moneys appropriated for the support
New York.
^ ^e colnage mints and assay office at New York shall
be used to defray the expenses of parting and refining
bullion. * * *
.
Refining of j>uiPar.
^eir&setc.m’carried

March 8,1899.

Stat.

Chap. 424.—An Act Making appropriations for sundry ciiril expenses of
the Government for the fiscal year ending June th irtieth, nineteen hundred,
and for other purposes.

T.sfnyetrcmnn.
Lafayette monument: For the purpose of aiding in
ument.
defraying the cost of a pedestal, and completing in a suitafo^pedestaA.^t” ble manner the work of erecting a monument in the city
^souvenir doi- of pari8 to General Lafayette, designed by the Lafayette

Memorial Commission, as a feature of the participation of
the United States in the Paris Exposition of nineteen hun
dred the Secretary of the Treasury dhall be, and is hereby

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

authorized to purchase in the market twenty-five thousand
dollars worth of silver bullion, or so much thereof as may
be necessary for the purpose herein provided for, from
which there shall be coined at the mints of the United
States silver dollars of the legal weight and fineness to the
number of fifty thousand pieces, to be known as the
Lafayette dollar, struck in commemoration of the erec
tion of a monument to General Lafayette, in the city of
Paris, France, by the youth of the United States, the
devices and designs upon which coins shall be prescribed
by the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the
Secretary of the Treasury, and all provisions of law, rela
tive to the coinage, and legal tender quality, of the pres
ent silver dollars shall be applicable to the coins issued
under this Act, and when so coined, there is hereby appro
priated ' from the Treasury the said fifty thousand of
souvenir dollars, and the Secretary of the Treasury is
authorized to place the same at the disposal of the Lafay
ette Memorial Commission, a commission organized under
the direction and authority of the Commissioner-General
for the U nited States to the Paris Exposition of nineteen
hundred.

•

Approved, March 3, 1899.

Chap. 41.—An Act to define and fix the standard of value, to maintain the March 14,1900.
parity of all forms of money issued or coined by the Untied States, to re- 31 gtat L
fund the public debt, and for other purposes.
" 2 Supp. R. s„
1119.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives standard of
of the United States of America in Congress assembled^XisVfffffff^.
the dollar consisting of twenty-five and eight-tenths grains R. s., $3511.
of gold nine-tenths fine, as established bv section thirty-Ch.8ms (nL^i
five hundred and eleven of the Revised Statutes of the ®:value
United States, shall be the standard unit of value, and all tohemiutained.
forms of money issued or coined by the United States shall
be maintained at a parity of value with this standard, and
it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to
maintain such parity.
Sec. 2. That United States notes, and Treasury notes Treasurynotea,
issued under the Act of Julv fourteenth, eighteen hundred ^igu^kshJ
and ninety, when presented to the Treasury for redemp- 774).,
’
tion, shall be redeemed in gold coin of the standard fixed gold,
in the first section of this act, and in order to secure the
prompt and certain redemption of such notes as herein
provided it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treas
ury to set apart in the Treasury a reserve fund of one Maintenance
hundred and fifty million dollars in gold coin and bullion,o£ Teserve fandwhich fund shall be used for such redemption purposes
only, and whenever and as often as any of said notes shall
be redeemed from said fund it shall be the duty of the
Secretary of the Treasury to use said notes so redeemed
to restore and maintain such reserve fund in the manner

COINAGE LAWS OE THE UNITED STATES.

^6exchangeof following, to wit: First, by exchanging the notes so re<rbysit8cTPoidg^eeme^^or any 8°^ co*n i° the general fund of the Trees—bys' procuring ury; second, by accepting deposits of gold coin at the Treas8°Rd s $ 3700
ury or &t any subtreasury in exchange for the United States
—by bond issue, notes so redeemed; third, by procuring gold coin by the use
of said notes, in accordance with the provisions of section
thirty-seven hundred of the Revised Statutes of the United
States. If the Secretary of the Treasury is unable to restore
and maintain the gold coin in the reserve fund by the fore
going methods, and the amountof such gold coin and bullion
in said fund shall at any time fall below one hundred million
dollars, then it shall be his duty to restore the same to the
maximum sum of one hundred and fifty million dollars by
borrowing money on the credit of the United States, and
for the debt thus incurred to issue and sell coupon or reg
istered bonds of the United States, in such form as he may
prescribe, in denominations of fifty dollars or any multiple
—rate of inter- thereof, bearing interest at the rate of not exceeding three
per centum per annum, payable quarterly, such bonds to
be payable at the pleasure of the United States after one
year from the date of their issue, and to be payable, prin
cipal and interest, in gold coin of the present standard
value, and to be exempt from the payment of all taxes or
duties of the United States, as well as from taxation in
..
any form by or under State, municipal , or local authority;
fundTirom^e and the gold coin received from the salt) of said
_ bonds shall
of bonds.
first be covered into the general fund of the Treasury and
then exchanged, in the manner hereinbefore provided, for
an equal amount of the notes redeemed and held for
exchange, and the Secretary of the Treasury may, in his
discretion, use said notes in exchange for gold, or to pur—redemption
oI chase or redeem any bonds of the United States, or for
bonds, etc.
any other lawful purpose the public interests may require,
except that they shall not be used to meet deficiencies in
the current revenues. That United States notes when
redeemed in accordance with the provisions of this section
—notes to be
re" shall be reissued, but shall be held in the reserve fund
issued.
until exchanged for gold, as herein provided; and the gold
coin and bullion in the reserve fund, together with the
Limit to re.redeemed notes held for use as provided in this section,
serve fund.
shall at no time exceed the maximum sum of one hundred
. t . and fifty million dollars.
♦
ver’donaLete."
Sec. 3. That nothing contained in this act shall be conunatteeted.
strued to affect the legal-tender quality as now provided
by law of the silver dollar, or of any other money coined
or issued by the United States.
suemidTedempi
Sec. ^ That there be established in the Treasury Departuon established, ment, as a part of the office of the Treasurer of the United
States, divisions to be designated and known as the division
of issue and the division of redemption, to which shall be
assigned, respectively, under such regulations as the Secre
tary of the Treasury may approve, all records and accounts
relating to the issue and redemption of United States notes,
gold certificates, silver certificates, and currency certifi-

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

cates.. There shall be transferred from the accounts of-d"0™the general fund of the Treasury of the United States,
and taken up on the books of said divisions, respectively,
accounts relating to the reserve fund for the redemption
of United States notes and Treasury notes, the gold coin
held against outstanding gold certificates, the United States
notes held against outstanding currency certificates, and
the silver dollars held against outstanding silver certifi
cates, and each of the funds represented by these accounts
shall be used for the redemption of the notes and certificates
for which they are respectively pledged, and shall be used
for no other purpose, the same being held as trust funds.
Sec. 5. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the 7^?“t>
Treasury, as fast as standard silver dollars are coined under for silver dollars
the provisions of the acts of July fourteenth, eighteencoined'etc'
hundred and ninety, and June thirteenth, eighteen hundred
and ninety-eight, from bullion purchased under the act of
July fourteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety, to retire
and cancel an equal amount of Treasury notes whenever
received into the Treasury, either by exchange in accord
ance with the provisions of this act or in the ordinary
course of business, and upon the cancellation of Treasury
notes silver certificates shall be issued against the silver certificatessilver
dollars so coined.
,
' .
Sec. 6. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby cates to be Sea
authorized and directed to receive deposits of gold coin^j16?08118 of
with the Treasurer or any assistant treasurer of the U nited ’ '
States in sums of not less than twenty dollars, and to issue
gold certificates therefor in denominations of not less than
twenty dollars, and the coin so deposited shall be retained
in the Treasury and held for the payment of such certifi
cates on demand, and used for no other purpose. Such“™^
certificates shall be receivable for customs, taxes, and all etc.
public dues, and when so received may be reissued, and
when held by any national banking association may be
counted as a part of its lawful reserve: Provided, That
whenever and so long as the gold coin held in the reserve
fund in the Treasury for the redemption of United States
notes and Treasury notes shall fall and remain below one
hundred million dollars the authority to issue certificates
as herein provided shall be suspended: And provided fur- au^f“to^ue
ther, That whenever and so long as the aggregate amount certificates.
'
of United States notes and silver certificates in the general
fund of the Treasury shall exceed sixty million dollars the
Secretary of the Treasury may, in his discretion, suspend
the issue of the certificates herein provided for: And pro
vided, further, That of the amount of such outstanding cer- oi^i&'S2'°n
tificates one-fourth at least shall be in denominations of
“
fifty dollars or less: And provided further, That the Sec
retary of the Treasury may, in his discretion, issue such
certificates in denominations of ten thousand dollars, pay
able to order. And section fifty-one hundred and ninety- $5193^ ° " "’
three of the Revised Statutes of the United States is
hereby repealed.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

of'»”l«re. Sec. 7. That hereafter silver certificates shall be issued
cates.
1 only of denominations of ten dollars and under, except
that not exceeding in the aggregate ten per centum of the
total volume of said certificates, in the discretion of the
Secretary of the Treasury, may be issued in denominations
of twenty dollars, fifty dollars, and one hundred.dollars;
and silver certificates of higher denomination than ten
dollars, except as herein provided, shall, whenever received
at the Treasury or redeemed, be retired and canceled, and
certificates of denominations of ten dollars or less shall be
—on reissue, substituted therefor, and after such substitution, in whole
or in part, a like volume of United States notes of less
denomination than ten dollars shall from time to time be
retired and canceled, and notes of denominations of ten
dollars and upward shall be reissued in substitution there
for, with like qualities and restrictions as those retired
and canceled.
silver bunion
Sec. 8. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby
mbsidia™ecoiS- authorized to use, at his discretion, any silver bullion in
^c ^’(i'supp th® Treasury of the United States purchased under the
a/s.,774).'
"Act of July fourteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety, for
coinage into such denominations of subsidiary silver coin
as may be necessary to meet the public requirements for
— limit
such coin: PrcrouleA, That the amount of subsidiary silver
coin outstanding shall not at any time exceed in the aggre
gate one hundred millions of dollars. Whenever any silver
bullion purchased undertheactof July fourteenth, eighteen
hundred and ninety, shall be used in the coinage of sub
sidiary silver coin, an amount of Treasury notes issued
_
under said act equal to the cost of the bullion contained
of notes.
in such coin shall be canceled and not reissued.
uMurren^siiver
Sec. $• That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby
coins.
authorized and directed to cause all worn and uncurrent
subsidiary silver coin of the United States now in the
— reimburse-Treasury, and hereafter received, to be recoined, and to
See vatae^1™”1 reimburse the Treasurer of the United States for the dif
ference between the nominal or face value of such coin
and the amount the same will produce in new coin from
any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Sec. 10. That section fifty-one hundred and tnirty-eight
of the Revised Statutes is hereby amended so as to read
as follows:
substitute for
“ Section 5138. No association shall be organized with
National banks. a less capital than one hundred thousand dollars, except
- capital.
^iat ban^g with a capital of not less than fifty thousand
dollars may, with the approval of the Secretary of the
Treasury, be organized in any place the population of
which does not exceed six thousand inhabitants, and ex
cept that banks with a capital of not less than twenty-five
thousand dollars may, with the sanction of the Secretary
of the Treasury, be organized in any place the population
of which does not exceed three thousand inhabitants. No
association shall be organized in a city the population of
■
which exceeds fifty thousand persons with a capital of less
than two hundred thousand dollars.”

COINAGE LAWS OE THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 11. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby bon^6™^0” of
authorized to receive at the Treasury any of the outstand
ing bonds of the United States bearing interest at five per
centum per annum, payable February first, nineteen hun
dred and four, and any bonds of the United States bearing
interest at four per centum per annum, payable July first,
nineteen hundred and seven, and any bonds of the United
States bearing interest at three per cen turn per annum, paya- — reissue of 2
ble August first, nineteen hundred and eight, and to issue in per cent n 8exchange therefor an equal amount of coupon or registered
bonds of the United States in such form as he may pre
scribe, in denominations of fifty dollars or any multiple
thereof, bearing interest at the rate of two per centum per
annum, payable quarterly, such bonds to be payable at the
pleasure of the United States after thirty years from the
date of their issue, and said bonds to be payable, principal
and interest, in gold coin of the present standard value,
and to be exempt from the payment of all • taxes or duties
of the United States, as well as from taxation in any form
by or under State, municipal, or local authority: Provided,
That such outstanding bonds may be received in exchange — valuation.
at a valuation not greater than their present worth to yield
an income of two and one-quarter per centum per annum;
and in consideration of the reduction of interest effected,
the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to pay to the
holders of the outstanding bonds surrendered forexchange,
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appro
priated, a sum not greater than the difference between
their present worth, computed as aforesaid, and their par
value, and the payments to be made hereunder shall be
held to be payments on account of the sinking fund created
by section thirty-six hundred and ninety-four of the R. 8., § 3694.
Bonds to be
Eevised Statutes: And provided further, That the two per issued
at par.
centum bonds to be issued under the provisions of this
act shall be issued at not less than par, and they shall be
numbered consecutively in the order of their issue, and
, when payment is made the last numbers issued shall be
first paid, and this order shall be followed until all the
bonds are paid, and whenever any of the outstanding
bonds are called for payment interest thereon shall cease interest to
three months after such call; and there is hereby appro-clued for paypriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwisementappropriated, to effect the exchanges of bonds provided
for in this act, a sum not exceeding one-fifteenth of one
per centum of the face value of said bonds, to pay the
expense of preparing and issuing the same and other
.
expenses incident thereto.
Sec. 12. That upon the deposit with the Treasurer of la^e not^fo
the United States, by any national banking association, of banks.
any bonds of the United States in the manner provided giro, 5222? 5159,
by existing law, such association shall be entitled to receive ch18^J jly6 “j
from the Comptroller of the Currency circulating notes in supp. r. s., 775).
blank, registered and countersigned as provided by law,
equal in amount to the par value of the bonds so deposited; rohie^f^bondB
and any national banking association now having bonds on deposited. ' """

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

p<^itdonondepre-^^P°®^ f°r the security of circulating
ciation of bonds. which an amount of circulating notes has

notes, and upon
been issued less
r. s., $5167. ^an ^e par vaiue of the bonds, shall be entitled, upon
due application to the Comptroller of the Currency, to
receive additional circulating notes in blank to an amount
which will increase the circulating notes held by such asso
ciation to the par value of the bonds deposited, such addi
tional notes to be held and treated in the same way as
circulating notes of national banking associations hereto
fore issued, and subject to all the provisions of law affect
ing such notes: Provided, That nothing herein contained
shall be construed to modify or repeal the provisions of
section fifty-one hundred and sixty-seven of the Revised
Statutes of the United States, authorizing the Comptroller
of the Currency to require additional deposits of bonds or
of lawful money in case the market value of the bonds
held to secure the circulating notes shall fall below the
par value of the circulating notes outstanding for which
circulating such bonds may be deposited as security: And provided
notes dramsheafurther, That the circulating notes furnished to national
^eriom in a-banking associations under the provisions of this act
tions.
‘ shall be of the denominations prescribed by law, except
that no national banking association shall, after the pas
sage of this act, be entitled to receive from the Comptroller
of the Currency, or to issue or reissue or place in circula
tion, more than one-third in amount of its circulating notes
—not to exceed °f the denomination of five dollars: And provided further,
capital.
That the total amount of such notes issued to any such
association may equal at any time but shall not exceed
substitution of th® Rmount at such time of its capital stock actually paid
2 percent bonds in: And providedfurther, That under regulations to be
Uon.cure clrcuIa" prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury any national
banking association may substitute the two per centum
bonds issued under the provisions of this act for any of the
bonds deposited with the Treasurer to secure circulation
or to secure deposits of public money; and so much of an
act entitled “An act to enable national banking associarations to extend their corporate existence, and for other
1882, July 12, ch. purposes,” approved July twelfth, eighteen hundred and
. r.s’356). p'eighty-two, as prohibits any national bank which makes
any deposit of lawful money in order to withdraw its cir
culating notes from receiving any increase of its circula
tion for the period of six months from the time it made
such deposit of lawful money for the purpose aforesaid, is
hereby repealed, and all other acts or parts of acts incon
sistent with the provisions of this section are hereby
Tax on cireu reP6^6^
lating notes. :u‘
Sec. 13. That every national banking association having
r. s., $ 5214. on deposit, as provided by law, bonds of the United States
bearing interest at the rate of two per centum per annum,
issued under the provisions of this act, to secure its circu.
lating notes, shall pay to the Treasurer of the United
States, in the months of January and July, a tax of one
fourth of one per centum each half year upon the average

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

amount of such of its notes in circulation as are based upon
the deposit of said two per centum bonds; and such taxes
shall be in lieu of existing taxes on its notes in circulation
imposed by section fifty-two hundred and fourteen of the
Revised Statues. .
Sec. 14. That the provisions of this act are not intended >,im” t»ei™miOnnf
to preclude the accomplishment of international bimetal-affected,
lism whenever conditions shall make it expedient and
practicable to secure the same by concurrent action of the leading commercial nations of the world and at a ratio
which shall insure permanence of relative value between
gold and silver.
Approved, March 14, 1900.

Chap. 191.—An Act Temporarily to provide revenues and a civil govern
ment Jor Porto Rico, and for other purposes.

Apr. 12, 1900.
31 Stat. L., 77.
2 Supp. R. 8.,
1128.
'

Beit enactedby the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Porto Rlco and
the provisions of this act shall apply to the island of Porto adjacent islands.
Rico and to the adjacent islands and waters of the islands ment.11 govem"
lying east of the seventy-fourth meridian of longitude
west of Greenwich, which were ceded to the United States
by the Government of Spain by treaty entered into on the
tenth day of December, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight;
and the name Porto Rico, as used in this act, shall be held
to include not only the island of that name, but all the
adjacent islands as aforesaid.
*
******
.
e e
e
Redemption of
Sec. 11. That for the purpose of retiring the Porto Rican PortoRicancoin.
coins now in circulation in Porto Rico and substituting
therefor the coins of the U nited States, the Secretary of the
Treasury is hereby authorized to redeem, on presentation in
Porto Rico, all the silver coins of Porto Rico known as the
peso and all other silver and copper Porto Rican coins now
m circulation in Porto Rico, not including any such coins
that may be imported into Porto Rico after the first day
of February, nineteen hundred, at the present established
rate of sixty cents in the coins of the United States for
one peso of Porto Rican coin, and for all minor or sub
sidiary coins the same rate of exchange shall be applied. _ recoinage by
The Porto Rican coins so purchased or redeemed snail be Government,
recoined at the expense of the United States, under the
direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, into such coins
of the United States now authorized by law as he may
direct, and from and after three months after the date _ iegal tender
when this act shall take effect no coins shall be a legal
tender, in payment of debts thereafter contracted, for any
amount in Porto Rico, except those of the United States;
and whatever sum may be required to carry out the pro
visions hereof, and to pay all expenses that may be incurred
in connection therewith, is hereby appropriated, and the

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to estab
lish such regulations and employ such agencies as may be
necessary to accomplish the purposes hereof: Provided,
ebteyment °f hxnnefver, That all debts owing on the date when this act
shall take effect shall be payable in the coins of Porto Rico
now in circulation, or in the coins of the United States at
the rate of exchange above named.
♦♦•*♦*♦

Effect.

Sec. 41. That this act shall take effect and be in force
from and after the first day of May, nineteen hundred.
Approved, April 12, 1900.

March 3,1901.

Chap. 867.—An Act To amend an Act amending the Act entitled “An Act
to authorize the receipt of United States gold coin in exchange for gold
bars."

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
ofthe United States of America in Congress assembled. That
18Exchange of ™c Act aPProved March third, eighteen hundred and
gold bam for gold ninety-one, amending the Act approved May twenty-sixth,
com authorized. ejg}jteen hundred and eighty-two, be amended so as to
read as follows:
ssm-^F June
“That the superintendent of the coinage mints and of
22, ’ch. ho (i the United States assay office at New York may, with the
i^M^yai, c°^ approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, but not otherw) ^9iStM'arciiw^’ receive United States gold coin from any holder
s, ch. 54i, $ 3 (i thereof in sums of not less than five thousand dollars, and
supp.
r. s., 927). pay anj ^e]iver [n exchange therefor gold bars in value
—charge
cretionary.
equaling such coin so received: Provided, That the Secre
tary of the Treasury may make, in his discretion, such
exchange without charge, or may impose a charge
therefor.”
Approved, March 3, 1901.
^sup^R14*

[Public—No. Chap. 1369, 1901-1902.—An Act Temporarily to provide for the adminis_________
tration of the affairs of civil government in the Philippine Islands, and
July 1,1902.
for other purposes.

*******

COINAGE.
®EC> 76- That the government of the Philippine Islands
hereby authorized to establish a mint at the city of
toe "
Manila, in said islands, for coinage purposes, and the coins
hereinafter authorized may be coined at said mint. And
the said government is hereby authorized to enact laws
proviso.
necessary for such establishment: Prowled, That the laws
law”applicable” °^ ^e ^“^d States relating to mints and coinage, so far
e" as applicable, are hereby extended to the coinage of said
islands.
o^a^mLn™?*
Manila author- is

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 77. That the government of the Philippine IslandssiSary^sn ver
is authorized to coin, for use in said islands, a coin of the coins.'
denomination of fifty centavos and of the weight of one
hundred and ninety-two and nine-tenth grains, a coin of
the denomination of twenty centavos and of the weight of
seventy-seven and sixteen one-hundredths grains, and a
coin of the denomination of ten centavos and of the weight
of thirty-eight and fifty-eight one-hundredths grains, and
the standard of said silver coins shall be such that of one
thousand parts by weight nine hundred shall be of pure
metal and one hundred of alloy, and the alloy shall be of
copper.
.
Sec. 78. That the subsidiary silver coins authorized by
the preceding section shall be coined under the authority
of the government of thePhilippine Islands in such amounts
as it may determine, with the approval of the Secretary
of War of the United States, from silver bullion purchased bt^1""hase of
by said government, with the approval of the Secretary of
War of the United States: Provided, That said govern- ^’^j,,;
ment may in addition and in its discretion recoin the Span- Spanish Filipino
ish Filipino dollars and subsidiary silver coins issued under doUars’etcthe authority of the Spanish Government for use in said
islands into the subsidiary coins provided for in the pre
ceding sections at such rate and under such regulations as
.
it may prescribe, and the subsidiary silver coins author
ized by this section shall be legal tender in said islands to
the amount of ten dollars.
Sec. 79. That the government of the Philippine Islands Minorcoineis also authorized to issue minor coins of the denominations
of one-half centavo, one centavo, and five centavos, and
such minor coins shall be legal tender in said islands for
amounts not exceeding one dollar. The alloy of the five- A110y'
centavo piece shall be of copper and nickel, to be com
posed of three-fourths copper and one-fourth nickel. The
alloy of the one-centavo and one-half centavo pieces
shall be ninety-five per centum of copper and five per
centum of tin and zinc, in such proportions as shall be
determined by said government. The weight of the five- We‘8htcentavo piece shall be seventy-seven and sixteen-hundredths
grains troy, and of the one-centavo piece eighty grains
troy, and of the one-half-centavo piece forty grains troy.
Sec. 80. That for the purchase of metal for the stibsidi-,^”11^ of
ary and minor coinage, authorized by the preceding sec'
■
tions, an appropriation may be made by the government
of the Philippine Islands from itscurrcnt funds, which shall
be reimbursed from the coinage under said sections; and
the gain of seigniorage arising therefrom shall be paid
into the treasury of said islands.
■
Sec. 81. That the subsidiary and minor coinage herein-a P^.o^eoinbefore authorized may be coined at the mint of the govern-agc p 1 '
ment of thePhilippine Islands at Manila, or arrangements
may be made by the said government with the Secretary
of the Treasury of the United States for their coinage at
9463—04----- 7

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

any of the mints of the United States, at a charge cover
Devices and’n^ ^6 reasonahle COSt of the WOlk.
inscriptions.811
Sec. 82. That the subsidiary and minor

coinage herein
before authorized shall bear devices and inscriptions to be
prescribed by the government of the Philippine Islands,
and such devices and inscriptions shall express the sov
ereignty of the United States, that it is a coin of the
Philippine Islands, the denomination of the coin, and the
Redemption year of the coinage.
and reissue<>f deSec. 83. That the government of the Philippine Islands
shall have the power to make all necessary appropriations
and all proper regulations for the redemption ana reissue
of worn or defective coins and for carrying out all other
provisions of this act relating to coinage.
*******

Chap. 980.—An Act To establish a standard of value and to provide for a
coinage system in the Philippine Islands.

Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States ofAmerica. in Congress assembled. That
the un[(; of vahie in the Philippine Islands shall be the
unit of value gold peso, consisting of twelve and nine-tenths grains of
pesoie the gold gold, nine-tenths fine, said gold peso to become the unit
'
of value when the government of the Philippine Islands
shall have coined and ready for, or in, circulation not less
than five million of the silver pesos hereinafter provided
for in this act, and the gold coins of the United States at
the rate of one dollar for two pesos hereinafter authorized
to be coined shall be legal tender for all debts, public and
private, in the Philippine Islands.
silver coins.
Sec. 2. That, in addition to the coinage authorized for
Pub. Laws, 1st use in the Philippine Islands by the act of July first, nineSess., p. 710.
teen hundred and two, entitled “An act temporarily to
provide for the administration of the affairs of civil gov
ernment in the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes,”
the government of the Philippine Islands is authorized to
silver peso au- coin to an amount not exceeding seventy-five million pesos,
rh^rizp.i
for use jn sajj is]ands? a silver coin of the denomination of
one peso and of the weight of four hundred and sixteen
grains, and the standard of said silver coin shall be such
that of one thousand parts, by weight, nine hundred shall
be of pure metal and one hundred of alloy, and the alloy
shall be of copper.
To be a !egai
Sec. 3. That the silver Philippines peso authorized by
tender.
this act shall be legal tender in the Philippine Islands for
Proviso.
debb/"^"? to a^ debts, public and private, unless otherwise specifically
Dec. si, lacs.
provided by contract: Provided. That debts contracted
prior to the thirty-first day of December, nineteen hun
dred and three, may be paid in the legal-tender currency
of said islands existing at the time of the making of said
contracts, unless otherwise expressly provided by contract.
p ii i i i pp i n e
coinage.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 4. That section seventy-seven of the act of July
first, nineteen hundred and two, is hereby amended, so
that it shall read:
*
,
“ Sec. 77. That the governmentof the Philippine Islands yer^ns.*1^ sd"
is authorized to coin for use in said islands a coin of the^ub- Laws, 1st
denomination of fifty centavos and of the weight of two weight in
hundred and eight grains, a coin of the denomination of creased'
twenty centavos and of the weight of eighty-three and ten
one-hundredths grains, and a coin of the denomination of
ten centavos and of the weight of forty-one and fifty-five
one-hundredths grains; and the standard of said silver
coins shall be such that of one thousand parts, by weight,
nine hundred shall be of pure metal and one hundred of
alloy, and the alloy shall be of copper. ”
Sec. 5. That the Philippine peso herein authorized and frTo^be ^coined
the subsidiary silver coins authorized by section seventy- purchased,
seven of the act of July first, nineteen hundred and two,
as amended by the preceding section of this act, shall be
coined under the authority of the government of the Phil
ippine Islands in such amounts as it may determine, with
the approval of the Secretary of War of the United States,
except as limited in section two of this act, from silver
bullion purchased by said government, with the approval
of the Secretary of War of the United States: Provided^ Promo.
That said government may, in its discretion, in lieu of the
purchase of bullion, recoin any of the silver coins now in Recoinageperor hereafter received by the treasury of the governmentmittedof the Philippine Islands into the coins provided for in
this act, or in the act of July first, nineteen hundred and
two, as herein amended, at such rate and under such reg
ulations as it may prescribe; and the subsidiary silver Legal-tender
coins authorized by this act and by the act of July first, Sy eoinsSUbsld
nineteen hundred and two, shall be legal tender in said
islands to the amount of ten dollars.
Sec. 6. That the coinage authorized by this act shall be
■ subject to the conditions and limitations of the provisions Limitations,
of the act of July first, nineteen hundred and two, entitledc Pub. Laws, 1st
“An act temporarily to provide for the administration of se&s., p. 710.
the affairs of civil government in the Philippine Islands,
and for other purposes,” except as herein otherwise pro
vided; and the government of the Philippine Islands may
adopt such measures as it may deem proper, not incon
sistent with said act of July first, nineteen hundred and
two, to maintain the value of the silver Philippine peso at ^Maintenance
the rate of one gold peso, and in order to maintain such tween silver and
parity between said silver Philippine pesos and the goldg01d peso
pesos herein provided for, and for no other purpose, may
issue temporary certificates of indebtedness, bearing inter- Issue of tempoest at a rate not to exceed four per centum annually, pay-of^ndetaedn^
able at periods of three months or more, but not later than
one year from the date of issue, which shall be in the
denominations of twenty-five dollars, or fifty pesos, or
some multiple of such sum, and shall be redeemable in gold Redemption,
coin of the United States, or in lawful money of said

100

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

islands, according to the terms of issue prescribed by the
government of said islands; but the amount of such cerMax i mumtiticates outstanding at any one time shall not exceed ten
amount.
million dollars, or twenty million pesos, and said certifiExempt from cates shall be exempt from the payment of all taxes or
taxation.
duties of the government of the Philippine Islands, or any
local authority therein, or of the Government of the United
States, as well as from taxation in any form by or under
any State, municipal, or local authority in the United
Proviso.
" States or the Philippine Islands: Provided, That all the
use of pro- proceeds of said certificates shall be used exclusively for
the maintenance of said parity, as herein provided, and
for no other purpose, except that a sum not exceeding
three million dollars at any one time may be used as a
continuing credit for the purchase of silver bullion in
execution of the provisions of this act.
nowVin use‘rs
®EC1 ^' That the Mexican silver dollar now in use in the
ceived until Jan. Philippine Islands and the silver coins heretofore issued
i, 1904.
by the Spanish Government for use in said islands shall be
receivable for public dues at a rate to be fixed from time
to time by the proclamation of the civil governor of said
islands until such date, not earlier than the first day of
January, nineteen hundred and four, as may be fixed by
public proclamation of said civil governor, when such coins
ProoMo,
shall cease to be so receivable: Provided, That the public
ireferences.
o^ces of the government of said islands shall give a pref
erence for all public dues to the silver pesos and the silver
certificates authorized by this act, and may at any time
refuse to receive such Mexican dollars and Spanish coins
as may appear to be counterfeit or defective.
issue of silver
gEC g, That the treasurer of the Philippine Islands is
deposit of silver hereby authorized, in his discretion, to receive deposits of
pDenomination, the standard silver coins of one peso authorized by this
act to be coined, at the treasury of the government of said
islands or any of its branches, in sums of not less than
twenty pesos, and to issue silver certificates therefor in
denominations of not less than two nor more than ten
pesos, and coin so deposited shall be retained in the treas
ury and held for the payment of such certificates on de
mand, and used for no other purpose. Such certificates
shall be receivable for customs, taxes, and for all public
'
dues in the Philippine Islands, and when so received may
be reissued, and when held by any banking association in
said islands may be counted as a part of its lawful reserve,
purchase of
Sec. 9. That, for the purchase of metal for the silver
Philippine peso authorized by this act, an appropriation
may be made by the government of the Philippine Islands
from its current funds, or as hereinbefore authorized, which
shall be reimbursed from the coinage under said sections,
place of coinSec. 10. That the silver Philippine pesos hereinbefore
authorized may be coined at the mint of the government
of the Philippine Islands at Manila, or arrangements may
be made by the said government with the Secretary of the

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

101

Treasury of the United States for their coinage or any
portion thereof at any of the mints of the United States,
at a charge covering the reasonable cost of the work.
Sec. 11. That the silver Philippine peso hereinbefore lnreripttons.a nd
authorized shall bear devices and inscriptions to be pre'
scribed by the government of the Philippine Islands, and
such devices and inscriptions shall express the sovereignty
of the United States, that it is a coin of the Philippine
Islands, the denomination of the coin, and the year of the
coinage.
Sec. 12. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby n„tesandcertifiauthorized and directed, when requested by the govern-cates,
ment of the Philippine Islands, to cause to be made and
prepared any drawings, designs, and plates, and execute
any coinage, engraving, or printing of notes and certificates
authorized by this act, and to make a proper charge for
the same, covering as nearly as may be the actual cost,
which shall be defrayed from the revenues of said islands.
Sec. 13. That section seventy-eight of the act of July ^e^W9
first, nineteen hundred and two, and all acts and parts of sess., p. no. ’
acts inconsistent, with the provisions of this act, and all
provisions of law in force in the Philippine Islands mak
ing any form of money legal tender after December thirtyfirst, nineteen hundred and three, except as provided in
this act, are hereby repealed.
Approved, March 2, 1903.

Chap. 186.—An Act Rtla&tg to Hawaiian silver coinage and silver certifi
cates. ■

Be it enacted Sy the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, ThatcRa^auansilver
the silver coins that were coined under the laws of Hawaii, Q^ye*^*”^
when the same are not mutilated or abraded below the3u^ernmen
standard of circulation, shall be received at the par of their
face value in payment of all dues to the government of the
Territory of Hawaii and of the United States, and the
same shall not again be put into circulation, but they shall
be recoined in the mints as United States coins.
Sec. 2. That when such coins have been received by jnTutit^icstates
either Government they shall be transmitted to the mint subsidiary mins,
at San Francisco, in sums of not less than five hundred transwta?ion°
dollars, to be recoined into subsidiary silver coins of the
United States, the expense of transportation to be paid by
the United States.
Sec. 3. That any collector of customs or of internal reve- TTEJc?a%e ffor
nueof the United States in the Hawaiian Islands shall, if he is coins6
a 68
so directed by the Secretary of theTreasury, exchange stand
ard silver coins of the United States that are in his custody
as such collector with the government of Hawaii, or with
any person desiring to make such exchange, for coins of
the government of Hawaii, at their face value when the

102

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

same are not abraded below the lawful standard of circu
lation, and the Treasurer of the United States, under the
direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, is authorized,
to deposit such silver coins of the United States as shall
be necessary with the collector of customs or of internal
revenue at Honolulu or at any Government depository for
the purpose of making such exchange under such regula
tions as he may prescribe.
p?7™e”t J °r
Sec. 4. That any silver coins struck by the government
mu i a c c
. of jjawajj ^^ are mutjlated or abraded below such stand
ard may be presented for recoinage at any mint in the
United States by the person owning the same, or his or
her agents, in sums of not less than fifty dollars, and such
owner shall be paid for such coins by the superintendent
of the mint the bullion value per troy ounce of the fine
silver they contain in standard silver coin of the U nited
States, and such bullion shall be coined into subsidiary
coinage of the United States.
to be legal Sec. 5. That silver coins heretofore struck by the govuaryr i9w?Jan ernment of Hawaii shall continue to be legal tender for
debts in the Territory of Hawaii, in accordance with the
laws of the Republic of Hawaii, until the first day of Jan
uary, nineteen hundred and four, and not afterwards.
sn v^r^eertifi1
^EC‘ ^’ That any silver certificates heretofore issued by
cates. r 1
' the government of the Hawaiian Islands, intended to be
circulated as money, shall be redeemed by the Territorial
government of Hawaii on or before the first day of Jan
uary, nineteen hundred and five, and after said date it
shall be unlawful to circulate the same as money.
Limitation of
Sec. 7. That nothing in this act contained shall bind the
bnitydStates ia United States to redeem any silver certificates issued by
the government of Hawaii, or any silver coin issued by
such government, except in the manner and upon the con
ditions stated in this act for the recoinage of Hawaiian
silver.
forAtpr°priatinn
®EC- $• That the sum of ten thousand dollars, or so much
coinsraDspor mg thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated, from
any moneys in the Treasury of the United States not other
wise appropriated, for the payment of the expenses of
transporting said coins from the Hawaiian Islands to the
mint at San Francisco, and a return of a like amount in
the subsidiary coins of the United States to the Hawaiian
Islands.
Approved, January 14, 1903.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

103

Chap. 1006.—An Act Making appropriations to supply deficiencies in the Deficiencies
appropriations for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred aPProPrla ons>
and three, and for prior years, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by th# Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
*******

To enable the President to cooperate through diplomatic tems otSons8"
channels with the Governments of Mexico, China, Japan, of“”™^ticne
and other countries, for the purpose set forth in the mes- “hip ot gold and
sage of the President and accompanying notes submitted gjver standards
to Congress January twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and
.
three, and printed as Senate Document Numbered One
.
hundred and nineteen, second session Fifty-seventh Con
gress, twenty-five thousand dollars.
*******
Approved, March 3, 1903.

Chap. 1007.—An Act Making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of
the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred
and four, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
*******
Transporting
Transportation of silver coin: For transportation silver
coins.
of silver coin, including fractional silver coin, by regis
tered mail or otherwise, one hundred thousand dollars; and
in expending this sum the Secretary of the Treasury is
authorized and directed to transport from the Treasury or
subtreasuries, free of charge, silver coin, when requested
to do so: Provided, That an equal amount in coin or currency Proviso.
shall have been deposited in the Treasuryor such subtreas Deposits.
Subsidiary
uries by the applicant or applicants. That the authority coinage,
limita
tion
removed.
given to the Secretary of the Treasury to coin subsidiary
Vol. 31, p. 47,
silver coin by the eighth section of an act entitled “An act to amended.
define and fix the standard of value, to maintain the parity
of all forms of money issued or coined by the United States,
to refund the public debt, and for other purposes f approved
March fourteenth, nineteen hundred, may hereafter be
exercised without limitation as to the amount of such sub
sidiary coin outstanding. And the Secretary of the Treas
ury shall report to Congress the cost arising under this
appropriation.

*******

Approved, March 3, 1903.

104

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Chap. 1015.—An Art To amend section three of the “Act further to prevent
counterfeiting or manufacturing of dies, tools, or other implements used
in manufacturing,’’ and so forth, approved February tenth, eighteen hundeed and ninety-one.

Be it enactedhy the Senate and House ofRepresentatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
section three of an act entitled “An act further to prevent
counterfeiting or manufacturing of dies, tools, or other
implements used in manufacturing, and providing penal
ties therefor, and providing for the issue of such warrants
vol. 26, p. 742, in certain cases,” approved February tenth, eighteen hun:»->„i1w<;
^^ ftnj ninety-One, be, and it hereby is, amended so as
to read as follows:
using adver“Sec. 3. That every person who makes, or causes or
toeicokw,slnetc.'procures to be made, or who brings into the United States
prohibited.
from any foreign country, or who shall have in possession
with intent to sell, give away, or in any other manner use
the same, any business or professional card, notice, placard,
token, device, print, or impression, or any other thing
whatsoever, in likeness or similitude as to design, color, or
the inscription thereon, of any of the coins of the United
States or of any foreign country that have been or here
after may be issued as money, either under the authority
of the United States or under the authority of any foreign
penalty.
government, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished
illustrations for by a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars.
But nothing
books* Setc^ not in this act shall be construed to forbid or prevent the printprohibited.
jng and publishing of illustrations of coins and medals, or
the making of the necessary plates for the same, to be
used in illustrating numismatic and historical books and
journals and the circulars of legitimate publishers and
dealers in the same.”
Approved, March 3, 1903.
'
counterfeiting,

"'"''

18^Ubl*C—N° ^HAP- 1301, 1901-1902.—An Art
__ ___________
June 28,1902.

Making appropriations for sundry civil
expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nine<6ro hundred and three, and for other purposes.

Be it enactedby the Senate and House of Representatives
ofthe United States of America in Congress assembled, That
the following sums be, and the same are hereby, appropri
ated, for the objects hereinafter expressed, for the fiscal
year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and three,
namely:
.
*******
issue of gold
“Sec. 12. That the national commission hereby author
ized. r author ized shall cease to exist on the first day of July, nineteen
hundred and five: Provided, That upon the approval of
this Act the Secretary of the Treasury shall cause to be
coined at the mints of the United States two hundred and
fifty thousand gold dollars of legal weight and fineness, to
be known as the Louisiana Exposition gold dollar, struck

COINAGE LAWS GE THE UNITED STATES.

105

iti commemoration of said exposition. The exact words,
devices, and designs upon said gold dollars shall be deter
mined and prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury,
and all provisions of law relative to the coinage and legaltender quality of all other gold coin shall be applicable to
.
the coin issued under and in accordance with the provi
sions of this Act. ' And in payment of so much of the five Deduction
million dollars appropriated by said Act of March third, priation voP^l,
nineteen hundred and one, to aid in carrying forward saidp-1444Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the Secretary of the
.
Treasury shall pay said two hundred and fifty thousand
gold dollars so coined as aforesaid to the said Louisiana Pur
chase Exposition Company, subject to all the provisions
of said Act, except that payment of said gold dollars may
be made at any time upon the request of said exposition
company, and upon said company filing with the Secretary
of the Treasury a bond in a sum sufficient to protect the
Government and satisfy him as to the future performance
of all the conditions under which said five million dollars
so appropriated is to paid to the said exposition company:
Andprovidedfurther, That the proviso of section twentyone of said Act, approved March third, nineteen hundred
and one, be amended so as to read as follows: ‘Provided, operation of
That the branch office authorized hereby, if the same shall bank vol. 31, p.
be a branch of a national bank, shall not be operated for 1444a period longer than three years, beginning not earlier
than July first, nineteen hundred and two, and closing not
later than July first, nineteen hundred and five:’ And pro- salary of secre
vided farther^ That the Secretarv of the Louisiana Pur- ta""y'
chase Exposition Commission shall hereafter receive a
salary of four thousand dollars.”

REVISED STATUTES OF THE UNITED STATES.
ACT OF JUNE 22, 1874.

Sections relating to coinage.

otEmin™”nd as" Sec. 3495. The different mints and assay-offices shall be
say-offices.
known as—
cii*2 im^ec1^
First. The mint of the United States at Philadelphia.
2 Sup'p.R. s.; 416^
Second. The mint of the United States at San Francisco.
Third. The mint of the United States at New Orleans.
Fourth. The mint of the United States at Carson.
Fifth. The mint of the United States at Denver.
Sixth. The United States assay-office at New York.
Seventh. The United States assay-office at Boise City,
Idaho.
Eighth. The United States assay-office at Charlotte,
North Carolina.a
officers of mints.
Skc. 3496. The officers of each mint shall be a superinsee23.Feb'’ 1873, tendent, an assayer, a melter and refiner, and a coiner
^2 supp. a. s„ and, for the mint at Philadelphia, an engraver; all to be
'"
appointed by the President, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate.
eiSPrf*certain
^EC- 3497. The superintendents of the mints at Philadelmiiits to perform phia, San Francisco, and New Orleans shall be, and perform
dunes of trcas- ^e duties of, treasurers of said mints respectively.
salaries of offiSec. 3498. The officers of the several mints shall be encers of mints,
tdled to the following salaries, to be paid monthly:
First. The superintendents of the mints at Philadelphia
and San Francisco, to four thousand live hundred dollars a
year each.
Second. The assayers, melters and refiners, and the coin
ers to those mints, to three thousand dollars a year each.
^2 supp. r. s., Third. The engraver of the mint at Philadelphia, to three
'
thousand dollars a year.
Fourth. The superintendent of the mint at Carson City
to three thousand dollars a year.
Fifth. The assayer, the melter and refiner, and the coiner
of the mint at Carson City, to two thousand five hundred
dollars a year each.
“Assay office at Helena, Mont., established May 12, 1874. Supp. R. S., vol. l,p.9.
2 Supp. R. S., 416.
Assay office at St. Louis, Mo., established February 1, 1881. Supp. R. S., vol. 1,
p. 315.
~
Assay office at Deadwood, S. Dak., established February 19, 1897. Supp. R. S.,
vol. 2, p. 555.
Assay office at Seattle, Wash., established May 21, 1898. Supp. R. S., vol. 2, p.
766.
‘
"
106

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

109

Sec. 3499. There shall be allowed to the assistants andg,^^68 Berks’
clerks of the several mints such annual salaries as the Direct- and laborers emor of the Mint may, with the approbation of the Secretary ployed ln mmtsof the Treasury, determine, and to the workmen employed
therein such wages as may be customary and reasonable
according to their respective stations and occupations, to be
determined by the superintendent, and approved by the
Director of the Mint. The salaries provided for in this and
the preceding section, and the wages of workmen perma
nently engaged, shall be payable in monthly installments.
Sec. 3500. Every officer, assistant, and clerk appointed of officers,
for any mint shall, before he enters upon the execution of ants, and clerks,
his office, take an oath before some judge of the United
States, or judge of some courtof record of the State in which
such mint is located, faithfully and diligently to perform the
duties thereof; in addition to other official oaths prescribed
by law, such oath, duly certified, shall be transmitted to
the Secretary of the Treasury. The superintendent of each
mint may require such oath from any of the employes of
the mint.
Sec. 3501. The superintendent, the assayer, the melter B°nda 9f. °®*
and refiner, and the coiner ot each mint, before entering and clerks,
upon the execution of their respective offices, shall become
bound to the United States, with one or more sureties,
approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, in the sum of
not less than ten nor more than fifty thousand dollars, with
condition for the faithful and diligent performance of the
duties of his office. Similar bonds may be required of the
assistants and clerks, in such sums as the superintendent
shall determine, with the approbation of the Director of
the Mint; but the same shall not be construed to relieve
the superintendent or other officers from liability to the
United States for acts, omissions, or negligence of their
subordinates or employes; and the Secretary of the Treas
ury may, at his discretion, increase the bonds of the super
intendents.
Sec. 3502. Whenever any officer of a mint or assay-office ab^ncetoofCtDb
shall be temporarily absent, on account of sickness or any rector, superm
other cause, it shall be lawful for the superintendent, with officer. ’
the consent of such officer, to appoint some person attached
to the mint to act in the place of such officer during his
absence; but all such appointments shall be forthwith re
ported to the Director of the Mint for his approval; and in
all cases whatsoever the principal shall he responsible for
the acts of his representative. In case of the temporary
absence of the superintendent, the chief clerk shall act in ■
his place; in case of the temporary absence of the Director
of the Mint the Secretary of the Treasury may designate
some one to act in his place.
Sec. 3503. The superintendent of each mint shall have oIGes”e™l d"d®s
the control thereof, the superintendence of the officers and ents^mints.11
persons employed therein, and the supervision of the busi
ness thereof, subject to the approval of the Director of the
Mint. He shall make reports to the Director of the Mint

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

at such times and according to such forms as the Director
may prescribe; which shall exhibit in detail, and under ap
propriate heads, the deposits of bullion, the amount of gold,
silver, and minor coinage, and the amount of unparted,
.
standard, and refined bars issued, and such other statistics
and information as may be required.
Sec. 3504. He shall keep and render, quarter-yearly, to
the Director of the Mint, for the purpose of adjustment
according to such forms as may be prescribed by the Sec
retary of the Treasury, regular and faithful accounts of
his transactions with the other officers of the Mint and the
depositors; and shall also render to him a monthly state
ment of the ordinary expenses of the mint or assay-office
under his charge. He shall also appoint all assistants,
clerks, one of whom shall be designated “chief clerk,”
and workmen employed under his superintendence; but
no person shall be appointed to employment in the office
of the assayer, melter and refiner, coiner, or engraver,
except on the recommendation and nomination in writing
of those officers, respectively. He shall forthwith report
to the Director of Mint the names of all persons appointed
by him, the duties to be performed, the rate of compensa•
tion, the appropriation from which compensation is to be
made, and the grounds of the appointment; and if the
Director of the Mint shall disapprove the same, the ap
pointment shall be vacated.
coins reduced
gEC. 3505. Any gold coins of the United States, if re
abrasion.
" duced in weight by natural abrasion not more than onehalf of one per centum below the standard weight pre
scribed by law, after a circulation of twenty years, as
shown by the date of coinage, and at a ratable proportion
for any period less than twenty years, shall be received at
their nominal value by the United States Treasury and its
offices, under such regulations as the Secretary of the
Treasury may prescribe for the protection of the Govern
ment against fraudulent abrasion or other practices.
intendentVmre
Sec. 3506. The superintendent of each mint shall receive
spect to coin and and safely keep, until legally withdrawn, all moneys or
bullion.
bullion which shall be for the use or the expenses of the
mint. He shall receive all bullion brought to the mint for
assay or coinage; shall be the keeper of all bullion or coin
in the mint, except while the same is legally in the hands
of other officers; and shall deliver all coins struck at the
mint to the persons to whom they shall be legally payable.
From the report of the assayer and the weight of the bull
ion, he shall compute the value of each deposit, and also
the amount of the charges or deductions, if any, of all
which he shall give a detailed memorandum to the depositor;
and he shall also give at the same time, under his hand, a
certificate of the net amount of the deposit, to be paid in
coins or bars of the same species of bullion as that deposited,
the correctness of which certificate shall be verified by the
assayer, who shall countersign the same, and in all cases of
transfer of coin or bullion, shall give and receive vouchers,
stating the amount and character of such coin or bullion.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

109

Sec. 3507. The assayer shall assay all metals and bullion, Dutfesof assaywhenever such assays are required in the operations of the ers'
mint; and shall make assays of coin or samples of bullion
whenever required by the superintendent.
Sec. 3508. The melter and refiner shall execute all the Duties of meitoperations which are necessary in order to form ingots ot
standard silver or gold, and alloys for minor coinage, suit
able for the coiner, from the metals legally delivered to him
for that purpose; and shall also execute all the operations
which are necessary in order to form bars conformable in
all respects to the law, from the gold and silver bullion
delivered to him for that purpose. He shall keep a careful
record of all transactions with the superintendent, noting
the weight and character of the bullion, and shall be re
sponsible for all bullion delivered to him until the same is
•
returned to the superintendent and the proper vouchers
obtained.
Sec. 3509. The coiner shall execute all the operations erfuties of coin"
which are necessary in order to form coins, comformable in "
all respects to the law, from the standard gold and silver
ingots, and alloys for minor coinage, legally delivered to
him for that purpose; and shall be responsible for all bull
ion delivered to him, until the same is returned to the
superintendent and the proper vouchers obtained.
Sec. 3510. The engraver shall prepare from the original
igmal
o£ en"
■d for
dies already authorized all the working-dies requires
1... . Amended Sept.
.
.,
~
i
X
j
i
26> 1890> 26 Stat,
use in the coinage ot the several mints, and, when newr., 484: i supp.
coins or devices are authorized, shall, if required by theR S ’806’ ■
Director of the Mint, prepare the devices, models, molds,
and matrices, or original dies, for the same; but the Di
rector of the Mint shall nevertheless have power, with the
■ approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, to engage tem
porarily for this purpose the services of one or more artists,
distinguished in their respective departments of .art, who
shall be paid for such service from the contingent appro
priation for the mint at Philadelphia.
■
•Sec. 3511. The gold coins of the United States shall be a
S^t^
one-dollar piece, which, at the standard weight of twenty-andtheirweight.
five and eight-tenths grains, shall be the unit of value; aze^i89o;d26 stat
quarter-eagle, or two and a half dollar piece; a three-dollar
piece; a halt-eagle, or five-dollar piece; an eagle, or ten-k.s., 1119.
dollar piece; and a double-eagle, or twentv-dollar piece.
And the standard weight of the gold dollar shall be twenty five and eight-tenth grains; of the quarter-eagle, or two
and a half dollar piece, sixty-four and a half grains; of the
three-dollar piece, seventy-seven and four-tenths grains;
of the half-eagle, or five-dollar piece, one hundred and
twenty-nine grains; of the eagle, or ten-dollar piece, two
hundred and fifty-eight grains; of the double-eagle, or
twenty-dollar piece, five hundred and sixteen grains.
Sec. 3512. Any gold coins in the Treasury of the United gofd coins®6 °f
States, when reduced in weight by natural abrasion more
than one-half of one per centum below the standard weight
prescribed by law, shall be recoined.

110

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

and’the'irw'e'ight - ®EC1 3513. The silver coins of the United States shall
March 3, 1887; be a trade-dollar, a half-dollar, or fifty-cent piece, a quarterseeactssMar., dollar, or twenty-five cent piece, a dime, or ten-cent piece;

the weight of the trade-dollar shall be four hundred
twenty grains troy; the weight of the half-dollar shall
be twelve grams and one-half of a gram; the quarter-dollar
and the dime shall be, respectively, one-half and one-fifth
of the weight of said half-dollar.
»^’^^«ii&
Sec. 3514. The standard for both gold and silver coins
coins.
ot the United btates shall be such that or one thousand
parts by weight nine hundred shall be of pure metal and
one hundred of alloy. The alloy of the silver coins shall
be of copper. The alloy of the gold coins shall be of cop
' per, or of copper and silver; but the silver shall in no case
■
exceed one-tenth of the whole alloy.
Minor coins,
Sec. 3515. The minor coins of the United States shall be
aiioy.
a nve-cent piece, a three-cent piece, and a one-cent piece.
26Ai*8«)ndedSepLThe alloy for the five and three cent pieces shall be of
i su'^ r s485' coPPer and nickel, to be composed of three-fourths copper
8O7.Supp ’ "P' and one-fourth nickel.
The alloy of the one-cent piece
122Supp.R.s.,p. shall be ninety-five per centum of copper and five per
centum of tin and zinc, in such proportions as shall be
determined by the Director of the Mint. The weight of
the piece of five cents shall be seventy-seven and sixteenhundredths grains troy; of the three-cent piece, thirty
grains; and of the one-cent piece, forty-eight grains.
issue of other
Sec. 3516. No coins, either of gold, silver, or minor
c°seePet jan^ coinage, shall hereafter be issued from the Mint other than
18is stat l p e. those of the denominations, standards, and weights set
i supp. it. s.,' forth in this Title.
Inscriptions
Sec. 3517. Upon the coins there shall be the following
upon coins.
devices and legends: Upon one side there shall be an im
pression emblematic of liberty, with an inscription of the
word “Liberty” and the year of the coinage, and upon
the reverse shall be the figure or representation of an eagle,
with the inscriptions “United Statesof America” and “E
Pluribus Unum,” and the designation of the value of the
coin; but on the gold dollar and three-dollar piece, the
dime, five, three, and one cent piece, the figure of the eagle
shall be omitted; and on the reverse of the silver trade
dollar the weight and the fineness of the coin shall be
inscribed.
Gold and silver
Sec. 3518. At the option of the owner gold or silver
baAct June 22, may be cast into bars of fine metal, or of standard fineness,
18?«
t
or unparted, as he may prefer, with a stamp upon the
i supp. r. s., same designating the weight and fineness, and with such
p'4°6upp. r. s„devices impressed thereon as may be deemed expedient to
1811
prevent fraudulent imitation, and no such bars shall be
issued of a less weight than five ounces.
coining gold
Sec. 3519. Any owner of gold bullion may deposit the
posits mavhbe re- same at any mint, to be formed into coin or bars for his
fused.
' '
benefit. It shall be lawful, however, to refuse any deposit
isox1 JuIy 14, of less value than one hundred dollars, or any bullion so
p ^"pp- R- s- base as to be unsuitable for the operations of the Mint. In
res5^^?7 July and
22,1876.' ’
and

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Ill

case where gold and silver are combined, if either metal ^ s ’ $$ 3519'
be in such small proportion that it cannot be separated
advantageously, no allowance shall be made to the deposi
tor for its value.
■
Sec. 3520. Any owner of silver bullion may deposit the^1™"^1*™”"
same at any mint, to be formed into bars, or into dollars for forming into
of the weight of four hundred arid twenty grains troy, Par"”tradedo1
designated in this Title as trade-dollars, and no deposit of ReP®aled ™
silver for other coinage shall be received. Silver bullion i9,i887,sec.2.
contained in gold deposits, and separated therefrom, may, j^sup^'R^s7;
however, be paid for in silver coin, at such valuations as p 668
may be, from time to time, established by the Director of
the Mint.
Sec. 3521. When bullion is deposited in any of the mints, ii™eifT^‘^™!r
it shall be weighed by the superintendent, and when prac-taming its value,
ticable, in the presence of the depositor, to whom a receipt
shall be given, which shall state the description and weight
of the bullion. When, however, the bullion is in such a
state as to require melting, or the removal of base metals,
before its value can be ascertained, the weight, after such
operation, shall be considered as the true weight of the
bullion deposited. The fitness of the bullion to be received
shall be determined by the assayer, and the mode of melt
ing by the melter and refiner.
.
Sec. 3522. From every parcel of bullion deposited for jA886? of bulcoinage or bars, the superintendent shall deliver to the 1 "
assayer a sufficient portion for the purpose of being assayed.
The bullion remaining from the operations of the assay
shall be returned to the superintendent by the assayer.
Sec. 3523. The assayer shall report to the superintend- ^^y1®^®"
ent the quality or fineness of the bullion assayed by him, tendent Sqnauty
and such information as will enable him to compute the ^ye^uillon as"
amount of the charges hereinafter provided for, to be made
to the depositor.
Sec. 3524. The charge
for converting
standard gold charges for
”
v converting bulbulhon into coin shall be one-fifth of one per centum. The lion, &c., into
charges for converting standard silver into trade-dollars for com'
melting and refining when bullion is below standard, for ^^^ ®
toughening when metals are contained in it which render P4,ri87o, secA "
it unfit for coinage, for copper used for alloy when the Amend’s.^'zi
bullion is above standard, for separating the gold and silver stat-gy-’374^' s
when these metals exist together in the bullion, and for the 319. PP' ' "
preparation of bars, shall be fixed, from time to time, by ^ i8iop" R' S”
the Director, with the concurrence of the Secretary of the
Treasury, so as to equal but not exceed, in their judgment,
the actual average cost to each mint and assay-office of the
material, labor, wastage, and use of machinery employed in
each of the cases aforementioned.
Sec. 3525. The assayer shall verify all calculations made jf^^Scuutfons
by the superintendent of the value of deposits, and, if sat- c^t®^®®^
isfied of the correctness thereof, shall countersign the cer-te?sign 3
tificate required to be given by the superintendent to thecatesdepositor.
'
"

112

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

binnonCfor silver
^C- 3526. In order" to procure bullion for the silver cpincoinage: the sii- age authorized by this title, the superintendents, with the
v‘a pt‘jViy'22, approval of the Director of the Mint, as to price, terms, and

18i6supp' r s Quantity, shall purchase such bullion with the bullion-fund.
125.
' ' ’’The gain arising from the coinage of such silver bullion into
coin of a nominal value exceeding the cost thereof shall be
credited to a special fund denominated the silver-profit fund.
This fund shall be charged with the wastage incurred in
the silver coinage, and with the expense of distributing
such silver coins as hereinafter provided. The balance to
the credit of this fund shall be from time to time, and at
least twice a year, paid into the Treasury of the United
States.
paying out snSEC, —3527. Silver
coins .other
than _ the trade-dollar
shall
ver coins lor gold .
.
.
.
„
.
coinsauthorized. be paid out at the several mints, and at the assay-ofhce in
2i
p?ti New York City, in exchange for gold coinsat par, in sums
264 mpp" R" s’’ n°t lesa than one hundred dollars.
It shall be lawful, also,
”
to transmit parcels of the same, from time to time, to the
assistant treasurers, depositaries, and other officers of the
United States, under general regulations proposed by the
Director of the Mint, and approved by the Secretary of the
Treasury. Nothing herein contained shall, however, pre
vent the payment of silver coins, at their nominal value, for
silver parted from gold, as provided in this Title, or for
change less than one dollar in settlement for gold deposits.
But for two years after the twelfth day of February, eight
een hundrea and seventy-three, silver coins shall be paid
at the mint in Philadelphia, and the assay-office in New
York City, for silver bullion purchased for coinage, under
such regulations as may be prescribed by the Director of
the Mint and approved by the Secretary of the Treasury.
metairfor minor
Sec. 3528. For the purchase of metal for the minor coin
coinage; the age authorized by this Title, a sum not exceeding fifty
proi\°t-fund.nage thousand dollars in lawful money of the United States ‘
shall be transferred by the Secretary of the Treasury to
the credit of the superintendent of the mint at Philadel
phia, at which establishment only, until otherwise provided
by law, such coinage shall be carried on. The superin
tendent, with the approval of the Director of the Mint as
to price, terms, and quantity, shall purchase the metal
required for such coinage by public advertisement, and
the lowest and best bid shall be accepted, the fineness of
the metals to be determined on the mint assay. The gain
arising from the coinage of such metals into coin of a
nominal value, exceeding the cost thereof, shall be credited
to the special fund denominated the minor-coinage profit
fund; and this fund shall be charged with the wastage
incurred in such coinage, and with the cost of distributing
said coins as hereinafter provided. The balance remain
ing to the credit of this fund, and any balance of profits
accrued from minor coinage under former acts, shall be,
from time to time, and at least twice a year, covered into
the Treasury.
.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE . UNITED STATES.

113

Sec. 3529. The minor coins authorized by this Title may, „ ®e’i^7„°.£ “?
at the discretion of the Director of the Mint, be delivered in demption.
any of the principal citiesand towns of the United States,
at the cost of the Mint, for transportation, and shall be ex
changeable at par at the mint in Philadelphia, at the discre
tion of the superintendent, for any other coins of copper,
bronze, or copper-nickel heretofore authorized by
law. It
"
•y law.
il assistant
shall be lawful for the Treasurer and the several
_______
treasurers and depositaries of the United States to redeem,
in lawful money, under such rules as may be prescribed
by the Secretary of the Treasury, all copper, bronze, and
copper-nickel coins authorized by law when presented in
sums of not less than twenty dollars. Whenever, under
this authority, these coins are presented for redemption in
such quantity as to show the amount outstanding to be
redundant, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and
required to direct that such coinage shall cease until other
wise ordered by him.
,
Sec. 3530. Parcels of bullion shall be, from time to time, non'"^rp-n^
transferred by the superintendent to the melter and refiner, tion into ingots.
A careful record of these transfers, noting the weight and
character of the bullion, shall be kept, and vouchers shall
be taken for the delivery of the same, duly receipted by the
melter and refiner. The bullion thus placed in the hands of
the melter and refiner shall be subjected to the several proc■ esses which may be necessary to form it into ingots of the
*
legal standard, and of a quality suitable for coinage.
Sec. 3531. The ingots so prepared shall be assayed. If sa^d^and16^
they prove to be within the limits allowed for deviation ceipted for.
from the standard, the assayer shall certify the fact to the
superintendent, who shall tnereupon receipt for the same,
and transfer them to the coiner.
Sec. 3532. The superintendent shall, from time to time, ^oustocmiierfor
deliver to the coiner ingots for the purpose of coinage. A coinage,
careful record of these transfers, noting the weight and
character of the bullion shall be kept, and vouchers shall
be taken for the delivery of the same, duly receipted by the
coiner. The ingots thus placed in the hands of the coiner
shall be subjected to the several processes necessary to
make from them coins in all respects conformable to law.
Sec. 3533. No ingots shall be used for coinage which dif-. Standards of
fer from the legal standard more than the following proper- coin^e™6*1 for
tions, namely: In gold ingots, one thousandth; in silver
'
ingots, three thousandths; in minor-coinage alloys, twenty five thousandths, in the proportion of nickel.
Sec. 3534. The melter and refiner shall prepare all bars Preparation and
required for the payment of deposits; but the fineness formpaymentbaof
thereof shall be ascertained and stamped thereon by the deposits,
assayer. The melter and refiner shall deliver such bars to
the superintendent, who shall receipt for the same.
Sec. 3535. In adjusting the weights of the gold coins, Deviations aitbe following deviations shall not be exceeded in any single in^^-eighti^
piece: In the double-eagle and the eagle, one-half of agoldcoins9463—04----- 8

114

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

grain; in the half-eagle, the three-dollar piece, the quarter
eagle, and the one-dollar piece, one-fourth of agrain. And
in weighing a number of pieces together, when delivered
by the coiner to the superintendent, and by the superin
tendent to the depositor, the deviation from the standard
weight shall not exceed one hundredth of an ounce in five
thousand dollars in double-eagles, eagles, half-eagles, or
quarter-eagles, in one thousand three-dollar pieces, and in
one thousand one-dollar pieces.
Of silver coins.
Sec. 3536. In adjusting the weight of the silver coins the
following deviations shall not be exceeded in any single
[The word “a”
inserted in fourth piece: In the dollar, the half and quarter dollar, and in the
line, after dime, one and one-half grains.
And in weighing [a] large
“weighing,” by
act of Feb. 27, number of pieces together, when delivered by the coiner
1877, vol, 19, p. to the superintendent, and by the superintendent to the
249.]
depositor, the deviations from the standard weight shall
not exceed two-hundredths of an ounce in one thousand
dollars, half-dollars, or quarter-dollars, and one-hundredth
of an ounce in one thousand dimes.
Of minor coins.
Sec. 3537. In adjusting the weight of the minor coins
provided by this Title, there shall be no greater deviation
allowed than three grains for the five-cent piece and two
grains for the three and one cent pieces.
Delivery of
Sec. 3538. The coiner shall, from time to time, as coins
coins by coiner
and trial of are prepared, deliver them to the superintendent, who shall
pieces.
receipt for the same, and who shall keep a careful record of
their kind, number, and actual weight. In receiving coins
it shall be the duty of the superintendent to ascertain, by
the trial of a number of single pieces separately, whether
the coins of that delivery are within the legal limits of the
standard weight; and if his trials for this purpose shall
not prove satisfactory, he shall cause all the coins of such
delivery to be weighed separately, and such as are not of
legal weight shall be defaced and delivered to the melter
and refiner as standard bullion, to be again formed into
ingots and recoined; or the whole delivery may, if more
convenient, be remelted.
Trial-pieces to
be sealed up and . Sec. 3539. At every delivery of coins made by the coiner
transmitted to a superintendent, it shall be the duty of such superin
quarterly to the
mint at Philadel tendent, in the presence of the assayer, to take indiscrimi
phia.
nately a certain number of pieces of each variety for the
annual trial of coins, the number for gold coins being not
less than one piece for each one thousand pieces or any
fractional part of one thousand pieces delivered; and for
silver coins one piece for each two thousand pieces or any
fractional part of two thousand pieces delivered. The
pieces so taken shall be carefully sealed up in an envelope,
properly labeled, stating the date of the delivery, the num
ber and denomination of the pieces inclosed, and the amount
of the delivery from which thev were taken. These sealed
parcels containing the reserved pieces shall be deposited in
a pyx, designated for the purpose at each mint, which shall
be kept under the joint care of the superintendent and
assayer, and be so secured that neither can have access

" COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

115

to its contents without the presence of the other, and the
reserved pieces in their sealed envelopes from the coinage
of each mint shall be transmitted quarterly to the mint at
Philadelphia. A record shall also be kept at the same time
of the number and denomination of the pieces so taken for
the annual trial of coins, and of the number and denomi
nations of the pieces represented by them and so deliv
ered, a copy of which record shall be transmitted quarterly
to the Director of the Mint. Other pieces may, at any
time, be taken for such tests as the Director of the Mint
shall prescribe.
Sec. 3540. The coiner shall, from time to time, deliver pl®gP^ofclip"
to the superintendent the clippings and other portions of
’
bullion remaining after the process of coining; and the
superintendent shall receipt for the same and keep a care
ful record of their weight and character.
Sec. 3541. The superintendent shall debit the coiner Yearly settiewith the amount in weight of standard metal of all the bul- ™ecoiner®andnof
lion placed in his hands, and credit him with the amount in ™dter andrefin"
weight of all the coins, clippings, and other bullion returned
by him to the superintendent. Once at least in every year,
and at such time as the Director of the Mint shall appoint,
there shall be an accurate and full settlement of the accounts
of the coiner, and the melter and refiner, at which time
those officers shall deliver up to the superintendent all the
coins, clippings, and other bullion in their possession,
respectively, accompanied by statements of all the bullion
delivered to them since the last annual settlement, and all
the bullion returned by them during the same period,
including the amount returned for the purpose of settle
ment.
Sec. 3542. When all the coins, clippings, and other bul-Wa8^ance Ior
lion have been delivered to the superintendent, it shall be
~
his duty to examine the accounts and statements rendered
by the coiner and the melter and refiner. The difference
between the amount charged and credited to each officer
shall be allowed as necessary wastage, if the superintendent
shall be satisfied that there has been a bona-fide waste of
the precious metals, and if the amount shall not exceed, in
the case of the melter and refiner, one thousandth of the
whole amount of gold, and one and one-half thousandths of
the whole amount of silver delivered to him since the last
annual settlement, and in the case of the coiner, one
thousandth of the whole amount of silver, and one-half
thousandth of the whole amount of gold that has been
delivered to him by the superintendent. All copper used
in the alloy of gold and silver bullion shall be separately
charged to the melter and refiner, and accounted for by him.
Sec. 3543. It shall also be the duty of the superintendent ba®aM™sheet to
to forward a correct statement of his balance-sheet, at the be forwarded by
close of such settlement, to the Director of the Mint; who to^Director of
shall compare the total amount of gold and silver bullionthe MhaL
and coin on hand with the total liabilities of the mint. At
the same time a statement of the ordinary expense account,

116

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

and the moneys therein, shall also be made by the superin
tendent.
_
Sec. 3544. When the coins or bars which are the equivator.
lent to any deposit of bullion are ready for delivery, they
shall be paid to the depositor, or his order, by the superin
tendent; and the payments shall be made, if demanded, in
the order in which the bullion shall have been brought to
the mint. In cases, however, where there is delay in ma
nipulating a refractory deposit, or for any other unavoid
able cause, the payment of subsequent deposits, the value
of which is known, shall not be delayed thereby. In the
denominations of coin delivered, the superintendent shall
comply with the wishes of the depositor, except when im
practicable or inconvenient to do so.
Payment in
Sec. 3545. For the purpose of enabling the mints and
itorawhendvaiue the assay-office in New York to make returns to depositors
a^es^ppe<R s with as little delay as possible, it shall be the duty of the
p. to, 200,251. " Secretary of the Treasury to keep in such mints and assayis«ct June ^ office, when the state of the Treasury will admit thereof,
i878Ct June 19’sac^ an amount of public money, or bullion procured for
...
the purpose, as he shall judge convenient and necessary,
out of which those who bring bullion to the said mints and
assay-office may be paid the value thereof, in coin or bars,
as soon as practicable after the value has been ascertained.
On payment thereof being made, the bullion so deposited
shall become the property of the United States. The Sec
retary of the Treasury may, however, at any time with
draw the fund, or any portion thereof.
Exchange of
Sec. 3546. Unparted bullion may be exchanged at any of
iorptoe b^SU1°u the mints for tine bars, on such terms and conditions as
igAef June 19, may be prescribed by the Director of the Mint, with the
’ i supp. r. s., approval of the Secretary of the Treasury.
The fineness,
r-200weight, and value of the bullion received and given in ex
change shall in all cases be determined by the Mint assay.
The charge to the depositor for refining or parting shall
not exceed that allowed and deducted for the same opera
tion in the exchange of unrefined for refined bullion.
andPmerti™eof
®EC" ^^- To secure a due conformity in the gold and
asda™eommis-silver coins to their respective standards of fineness and
aioners.
weight, the judge of the district court for the eastern dis
trict of Pennsylvania, the Comptroller of the Currency, the
assay er of the assay-office at New York, and such other per
sons as the President shall, from time to time, designate,
shall meet as assay-commissioners, at the mint in Philadel
phia, to examine and test, in the presence of the Director
of the Mint, the fineness and weight of the coins reserved
by the several mints for this purpose, on the second Wednesdayin February, annually, andmay continue their meet
ing by adjournment, if necessary. If a majority of the com
missioners fail to attend at any time appointed for their
meeting, the Director of the Mint shall call a meeting of the
commissioners at such other time as he may deem conven
ient. If it appears by such examination and test that these

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

117

coins do not differ from the standard fineness and weight
by a greater quantity than is allowed by law, the trial shall
be considered and reported as satisfactory. If, however,
any greater deviation from the legal standard or weight ap
pears, this fact shall be certified to the President; and if, on
a view of the circumstances of the case, he shall so decide,
the officers implicated in the error shall be thenceforward
disqualified from holding their respective offices.
Sec. 3548. For the purpose of securing a due con-pound1!™ the
formity in weight of the coins of the United States to the^F^tion 01
provisions of this Title, the brass troy-pound weight pro- 2 supp, r. s„
cured by the minister of the United States at London, jn194>1812the year eighteen hundred and twenty-seven, for the use
of the Mint, and now in the custody of the mint in Phila
delphia, shall be the standard troy pound of the Mint of
the United States, conformably to which the coinage
thereof shall be regulated.
,
Sec. 3549. It shall be the duty of the Director of the weights Vor
Mint to procure for each mint and assay-office, to be kept
and assay
safely thereat, a series of standard weights corresponding 2 siipp. r. s„
to the standard troy pound of the Mint of the United1812,
States, consisting of a one-pound weight and the requisite
subdivisions and multiples thereof, from the hundreth
part of a grain to twenty-five pounds. The troy weight
ordinarily employed in the transactions of such mints and
assay-offices shaft be regulated according to the above
standards at least once in every year, under the inspection
of the superintendent and assayer; and the accuracy of
those used at the mint at Philadelphia shall be tested annu
ally, in the presence of the assay-commissioners, at the
time of the annual examination and test of coins.
Sec. 3550. The obverse working dies at each mint shall, tij^fy obv™sCe
at the end of each calendar year, be defaced and destroyed working-dies,
by the coiner in the presence of the superintendent and
assayer.
.
Sec. 3551. Dies of a national character may be executed othSsd'h
by the engraver, and national and other medals struck by ™ytbe struck at
the coiner of the mint at Philadelphia, under such regula- phia.
tions as the superintendent, with the approval of the Direc
tor of the Mint, may prescribe. Such work shall not,
however, interfere with the regular coinage operations, .
and no private medal dies shall be prepared at any mint,
or the machinery or apparatus thereof be used for that
purpose.
■
Sec. 3552. The moneys arising from all charges and fr^chlr^sanl
deductions on and from gold ana silver bullion and the deduetion^tobe
manufacture of medals, and from all other sources, except Masury “
e
as provided by this Title, shall, from time to time, be
covered into the Treasury, and no part of such deductions
or metal charges, or profit on silver or minor coinage, shall
be expended in salaries or wages. All expenditures of the
mints and assay-offices, not herein otherwise provided for,
shall be paid from appropriations made by law bn estimates
furnished by the Secretary of the Treasury.

118

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 3553. The business of the United States assay-office
at New York shall be in all respects similar to that of the
.
mints, except that bars only, and not coin, shall be manu
factured therein; and no metals shall be purchased for minor
coinage. All bullion intended by the depositor to be con
verted into coins, of the United States, and silver bullion
purchased for coinage, when assayed, parted, and relined,
and its net value certified, shall be transferred to the mint
at Philadelphia, under such directions as shall be made by
'
the Secretary of the Treasury, at the expense of the contin
gent fund of the Mint, and shall be there coined, and the
proceeds returned to the assay-office. And the Secretary of
the Treasury is hereby authorized to make the necessary
arrangements for the adjustment of the accounts upon-such
transfers between the respective offices.
Appointmentot
Sec. 3554. The officers of the assay-office at New York
York.
shall be a superintendent, an assayer, and a melter and
refiner; each of whom shall be appointed by the President,
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
offimre^at^New
®EC‘ 3555. The duties of the superintendent, the assayer,
York.
and the melter and refiner of the assay-office at New York
shall correspond to those of superintendents, assayers, and
melters and refiners of mints; and all the provisions of this
Title relating to mints and their officers, the duties and re
sponsibilities of such officers, and others employed therein,
the oaths to be taken, and the bonds and sureties to be given
by them, shall extend, as far as the same may be applicable,
to the assay-office at New York, and to its officers, clerks,
and employes.
..^LI'xaw Sec. 3556. The officers of the assay-office at New York
lork.
shall be entitled to the following salaries:
First. The superintendent, to four thousand five hundred
dollars a year.
Second. The assayer, to three thousand dollars a year.
Third. The melter and refiner, to three thousand dollars.
an^a^riS6 of
Sec. 3557. The appointment and compensation of assist
assistants and ants, clerks, and workmen in the assay-office at New York
emptoyssatNew^^j ^g regUiated in the same manner as is prescribed in
regard to mints.
Business of
Sec. 3558. The business of the mint of the United States
and^ssay^offices at Denver, while conducted as an assay-office, that of the
chariotteltyand United States assav-office at Boise City, and that of any
.... '....
other assay-offices hereafter established, shall be confined
to the receipt of gold and silver bullion, for melting and
assaying, to be returned to depositors of the same, in bars,
with the weight and fineness stamped thereon.
Appointment
Sec. 3559. The officers of the assay-offices embraced by
ver, Boise city, the preceding section shall be, when their respective servai2dsupp*dB&s., ices are required, an assayer and a melter; each of whom
88r s « 3558- shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice
3561'."" M x and consent of the Senate.
Their salaries shall not exceed
two thousand five hundred dollars a year each.
tiX°ofraassdyere
^sc. 3560. The assayer at each of the assay-offices
at assay-offices, embraced by section thirty-five hundred and fifty-eight,
«?lfc&
York.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

119

shall have general charge of the office; and may employ,
under the direction of the Director of the Mint, such clerks,
workmen, and laborers as may be authorized therefor by
•
law; and shall discharge the duties of disbursing agent for
the expenses of the office under his charge. The salaries of^^y^*10”
paid to clerks shall not exceed one thousand eight hundred' c p 8'
dollars a year each. Workmen and laborers shall receive
such wages as are customary according to their respective
stations and occupations.
Sec. 3561. Each officer and clerk appointed at either of ofB™Q(^d "^^
the assay-offices embraced by section thirty-five hundred clf^ended b
and fifty-eight shall, before entering upon the duties of acts Feb? 27,1377?
his office, take an oath pursuant to the provisions of Title andFeb 18,1875 ]
XIX, “Provisions APPLYING [applicable] to sev
eral classes of officers,” and shall give a bond to the
United States, with one or more sureties, satisfactory to
the Director of the Mint or to one of the judges of the
supreme court of the State or Territory in which the office
to which he is appointed is located, conditioned for the
faithful performance of his duties. [See §§ 1756, 1757.]
Sec. 3562. All provisions of law for the regulation of Laws relating
mints, the government of officers and persons employed [pn^1 °?a„q®„yl
therein, and for the punishment of all offenses connected °4^|- Revlsed
with mints or coinage, shall extend to all assay-offices as statutes, e^ec.
far as applicable.
54601,
Sec. 3563. The money of account of the United States temeesSbiishS^
shall be expressed in dollars or units, dimes or tenths, cents, yg2^1^1792’chor hundredths, and mills or thousandths, a dime being the ' se°' '
tenth part of a dollar, a cent the hundredth part of a dol
lar, a mill the thousandth part of a dollar; and all accounts
in the public offices and all proceedings in the courts shall
be kept and had in conformity to this regulation.
,
Sec. 3564. The value of foreign coin as expressed in the eig^coin? how
money of account of the United States shall be that of the as^^?n1^3 ch
pure metal of such coin of standard value; and the values 268, sec.’i. ’ '
of the standard coins in circulation of the various nations 521Oct"1890,secof the world shall be estimated annually by the Director^ suPP. r. s.,
of the Mint, and be proclaimed on the first day of January '
by the Secretary of the Treasury. (R. S., §§ 2838, 3564.
102 U. S., 612; 115 U. S., 27; 8 Fed. R., 468.)
Sec. 3565. In all payments by or to the Treasury, „ Value of tho
whether made here or in foreign countries, where it Found sterling,
becomes necessary to compute the value of the sovereign
or pound sterling, it shall be deemed equal to four dollars '
eignty-six cents and six and one-half mills, and the same
rule shall be applied in appraising merchandise imported
where the value is, by the invoice, in sovereigns or pounds
sterling, and in the construction of contracts payable in
sovereigns or pounds sterling; and this valuation shall be
the par of exchange between Great Britain and the United
States; and all contracts made after the first day of Jan
uary, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, based on an
assumed par of exchange with Great Britain of fifty-four
pence to the dollar, or four dollars forty four and four-

120

COINAGE LAWS OE THE UNITED STATES.

ninths cents to the sovereign or pound sterling, shall be
null and void.
'
fortigneo™ °f
Sec. 3566. All foreign gold and silver coins received in
9 Feb., 1793,'ch. payment for moneys due to the United States shall, before
^^Feb., 1857, being issued in circulation, be coined anew.
^^nyMand
Sec. 3567. The pieces commonly known as the quarter,
Mexican coins, eighth, and sixteenth of the Spanish pillar dollar, and of the
cb.M^c'.’!.1857, Mexican dollar, shall be receivable at the Treasury of the
United States, and its several offices, and at the several
post-offices and land-offices, at the rates of valuation fol
lowing: the fourth of a dollar, or piece of two reals, at
twenty cents; the eighth of a dollar, or piece of one real,
at ten cents; and the sixteenth of a dollar, or half-real, at
five cents
■
sionetorrarecSnSec. 3568. The Director of the Mint, with the approval
age.
of the Secretary of the Treasury, may prescribe sucn regch. 56, sec/ 2.
" ulations as are necessary and proper, to secure the trans
mission of the coins mentioned in the preceding section to
act'Feb<27di877y ^e mint ^or recoinage, and the " [re}turn or distribution
vol. 19, p. 249. ’ of the proceeds thereof, when deemed expedient, and may
prescribe such forms of account as are appropriate and
applicable to the circumstances. The expenses incident
to such transmission or distribution, and of recoinage, shall
be charged against the account of silver profit and loss,
and the net profits, if any, shall be paid, from time to time,
into the Treasury.
COUNTERFEITING COIN.
o?dUnorrfsiirer
®EC‘ 5457. Every person who falsely makes, forges, or
coin.
„
counterfeits, or causes, or procures to be falsely made,
i3b sw.'s!73^ forged, or counterfeited, or willingly aids, or assists in

f^^Y making, forging, or counterfeiting any coin or bars
in resemblance or similitude of the gold or silver coins or
f*ars which have been, or hereafter may be, coined or
stamped at the mints and assay-offices of the United States,
or in resemblance or similitude of any foreign gold or sil
ver coin which by law is, or hereafter may be made, cur
rent in the United States, or are in actual use and circulation
as money within the United States, or who passes, utters,
publishes, or sells, or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or
sell, or bring into the United States from any foreign place,
or has in his possession, any such false, forged, or counter
feited coin or bars, knowing the same to be false, forged,
or counterfeited shall be punished by a fine of not more
than five thousand dollars and by imprisonment at hard
labor not more than ten years.
mtoornctinsitin8
Sbc. 5458. Every person who falsely makes, forges, or
12 Feb., 1873, counterfeits, or causes, or procures to be falsely made,
ikc' '
- forged, or counterfeited, or willingly aids, or assists in
falsely making, forging, or counterfeiting, any coin in the
resemblance or similitude of any of the minor coinage
which has been, or hereafter may be, coined at the mints
17, Amended by
act Jan. is, 1877.
128, fs$p' R" S’’

° See act of February 21, 1857, ch. 56, sec. 2.

COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

121

of the United States; or who passes, utters, publishes, or
sells, or brings into the United States from any foreign
place, or has in his possession, any such false, forged, or
counterfeited coin, with intent to defraud any person what
soever, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one
thousand dollars and by imprisonment at hard labor not
more than three years.
Sec. 5459. Every person who fraudulently, by any art, Mutilating
way, or means, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, c°2nsupp. r. s„
falsifies, scales, or lightens the gold and silver coins which 579,
have been, or which may hereafter be, coined at the mints
.
of the United States, or any foreign gold or silver coins
which are by law made current or are in actual use and
circulation as money within the United States, shall be
imprisoned not more than two years and fined not more
than two thousand dollars.
Sec. 5460. If any of the gold or silver coins struck or Co?nagee&cntby
coined at any of the mints of the United States shall be officers ’ of "the
debased, or made worse as to the proportion of fine gold or mnit’
fine silver therein contained; or shall be of less weight or
value than the same ought to be, pursuant to law; or if
any of the weights used at any of the mints or assay-offices
of the United States shall be defaced, increased, or dimin
ished through the fault or connivance of any of the officers
or persons who are employed at the said mints or assay
offices, with a fraudulent intent; and if any of the said
officers or persons shall embezzle any of the metals at any
time committed to their charge for the purpose of being
coined, or any of the coins struck or coined at the said
mints, or any medals, coins, or other moneys of said mints
or assay-offices at any time committed to their charge, or
of which they may have assumed the charge, every such
officer or person who commits any or either of the said
offenses shall be imprisoned at hard labor for a term not
less than one year nor more than ten years, and shall be
fined in a sum not more than ten thousand dollars.
Sec. 5461. Every person who, except as authorized by. Making or utla W, makes, or causes to be made, or utters or passes, or semblance of
attempts to utter or pass, any coins of gold or silver or “s’1 June, ism,
other metal, or alloys of metals, intended for the use andch-114>™k13- ’
purpose of current money, whether in the resemblance of
coins of theUnited States or of foreign countries, orof orig
inal design, shall be punished by a fine of not more than
three thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not more than
five years, or both.
S. ec. . 5462. Every person not lawfully
authorized,
whosuing
Making or is
j
7
devices of
makes, issues, or passes, or causes to be made, issued, or minor coins,
passed, any coin, card, token or device in metal or its com- ch.^rseci 28661
pounds, which may be intended to be used as money for any
one-cent, two-cent, three-cent, or five-cent piece, now or
hereafter authorized by law, or for coins of equal value,
•
shall be punished by a tine of not more than one thousand
dollars and by imprisonment not more than five years.
9463—04----- 9