Q. David Bowers
First Dollar Struck (March 1878)
The following appeared in the Chicago Daily Tribune, March 12, 1878:(As reprinted in Van Allen-Mallis, p. 85, from a copy supplied by Numismatic News.)
"THE FIRST DOLLAR: It was coined yesterday afternoon at 3:17.
"Philadelphia, March 11. There had been no announcement of the time for beginning the coinage of the new silver dollars at the Mint, so it was by accident that your correspondent, dropping in at 2 o'clock this afternoon, was the only press representative there to see the first of the new coinage made. The dies were finished soon after noon, and the first pair was placed in the largest coining machine, used for double eagles. A little time was spent and a half dozen planchets spoiled before the dies were exactly adjusted. Then Albert Downing, foreman of the coining room, put a polished planchet under the press, and, giving the wheel a single revolution, the first dollar was stamped. It was removed by hand, and critical examination developing flaws, the pressure was readjusted and another put in.
"Ten more were then coined, but the 11th was found to be defective, and this, as well as the first, was at once defaced and returned to the melting room. The first 12 having been struck on polished planchets, were removed by hand, to prevent indentation, and each inclosed in an envelope numbered to show the order of coinage. The first goes to the president, and the second to Secretary Sherman. The first was struck at 3:17, and at 3:35 the steam was turned on and. the dollars began merrily clanking into the box at the rate of 80 a minute.
"Tomorrow two more pairs of dies will be finished, and another machine put to work, turning out $150,000 of the new shiners a day. The dies for the San Francisco and Carson mints will be ready then, and will be forwarded at once. The first delivery will be made on Thursday. The secretary has as yet made no orders for the first issue of the new coinage, but it is believed that it will be issued only for gold coin, because it will command the same price readily.(Q.D.B. note: As footnoted earlier, at the time, U.S. paper money could not be used to purchase silver or gold coins at par.)
Orders are already in for millions from store-keepers who want them for advertising purposes. Whatever silver finds its way into the Treasury will be promptly paid out for the purchase of bullion for coining purposes."
The New Dollar (March 1878) From Harper's Weekly, March 30, 1878:
"The design of the new silver dollar, of which we give an engraving, is very neat and graceful; but the motto, 'In God We Trust,' retained from previous coinages, is the subject of a great deal of good-natured bantering. The Christian Union suggests that the words, 'Forgive us our debts,' ought to be added. The New York Mail thinks the 412-1/2-grain men will 'find hereafter that there is no reciprocity in the sentiment.'
"Another paper, quoting the motto, adds, 'With about 8% off.' The Cincinnati Commercial alone of the newspapers we have seen treats the subject in a spirit of serious fault-finding, painful to witness in so staunch an advocate of the new dollar. Speaking of the design, that journal remarks: 'We can not say the art of it "makes us feel to rejoice." The eagle, we understand, was drawn by an Englishman. We should think so, too, from appearances. It doesn't seem to resemble the bird of our country. In fact, we are afraid the thing is a British grouse. There is also an absurd prominence given the "In God We Trust," which is a new thing in our coinage. The words should be, "One hundred cents." But that, as the Hartford Courant just remarks, "would be more of a-of awhopper than the other."
Review of the New Design
The American Journal of Numismatics, April 1878, printed this review:
"THE NEW DOLLAR. The recent action of Congress on the remonetization of silver has given employment to the officers of the Mint. Indeed, that or some similar course had been anticipated, and two designs have been under consideration: one by Mr. Barber, who has been for some time the designer of the Philadelphia Mint, the other by Mr. George T. Morgan, a young gentleman, formerly a pupil of Mr. Wyon, the engraver in the Royal Mint, at London (Leonard Charles Wyon had been appointed to the position of modeler and engraver to the Royal Mint in 1851.), but since October 1876 in the employ of our government. The description of the accepted design, which was that made by Mr. Morgan, is as follows:
"Obverse: A large head of Liberty to left, with the Phrygian cap and a wreath of wheat and cotton leaves and full flowing hair, partially covered, of course, by the cap. Above the head is the legend E PLURIBUS UNUM the circle being completed by 13 stars; while the year of mintage, as in the old pieces, is placed at the bottom of the coin.
"Reverse, the eagle with wings 'displayed,' somewhat like that on the National Arms; olive branch in its right talons, and arrows in the left, below which is a laurel wreath; immediately over its head is the motto in Old English letters, In God We Trust, completing the circle, ONE DOLLAR.
"Barber design [pattern coin] will be sought after by coin collectors as a specimen piece. The obverse is in some respects similar to the Morgan design, there being, however, the absence of the Liberty cap and wi-eath. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST is placed on this side in Roman capitals, while the motto EPLURlBUS UNUM is in the reverse in OldEnglish. In our judgment the Barber dollar is far superior to the one adopted."