The E-Sylum:  Volume 3, Number 52, December 17, 2000, Article 7

BIBLIOGRAPHY SUBMISSION 

   Dick Johnson writes: "I support an NBS-sponsored project of 
   compiling a 19th century Numismatic Bibliography.  And I have 
   an unreported candidate for inclusion. 

   This is a 3-part series of articles which ran in the weekly 
   newspaper "Philadelphia Dispatch" January 23 and 30, 1853 
   and February 6, 1853.  Headlined "The Way Coins Are Made, 
   A Rare Visit to The United States Mint," it is outstanding for 
   reporting the technology in use by the Mint at that time. 

   The articles are unsigned, and nowhere is the author's identity 
   revealed. I suspect he was either an Englishman, or one who 
   was trained in England.  Seven words are spelled in British 
   English (yet color was not spelled in British English, "colour"). 

   I have visited the National Archives in Philadelphia twice and 
   have examined the Philadelphia Mint Visitors Registers for 
   January and February 1853 and the year prior to learn the 
   author's name, but without luck. I found no useful notation. 

   The author's scenario goes through the Mint a department 
   at a time -- he calls them rooms -- and describes what goes 
   on in 14 such rooms.  There is no mention of a Director or 
   Superintendent, but the author gives credit to Edward C. Dale, 
   the Mint treasurer, who, I suspect, was his guide." 

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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