Newman Numismatic Portal intern Garrett Ziss provided this report on some interesting correspondence recently added to the site. Thanks!
I was unaware of this problem.
-Editor
Even though we're moving towards a cashless society, there are times when we need to grab a
few coins to complete a transaction. However, this task was not always straightforward during
the late 1800s. According to correspondence from the National Archives, recently transcribed
by the Newman Portal, brittle five-cent nickels (commonly referred to today as Liberty Head
Nickels) were returned to the Mint from banks in various states, including Iowa, Florida,
Kentucky, Texas, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Their composition was 25% nickel and 75%
copper and the main complaint was that these coins were chipping and breaking, even when
very little pressure was applied, and could not be used in commerce.
The institutions that returned these flawed five-cent nickels to the Mint were quite candid with
their assessment of the coins in their correspondence. For example, the Assistant Cashier of
The Citizens Bank of Mount Ayr, Iowa told the Mint that he would have considered them
counterfeit if we had not gotten them directly from you. Another recipient of the
compromised nickels bluntly stated, tis very evident that if the Nickel will not stand
transportation from the Mint to this city [Jacksonville, FL], it will certainly not be equal to the
rough usage it will receive from the general public.
According to this contemporary
correspondence, the issue was reported
at various times from late 1887 until early
1896. A Mint investigation determined
that they were not at fault for the brittle
five-cent nickels, but rather that their suppliers provided them with blanks that had not been
properly annealed. Even though they were not responsible for the subpar condition of these
coins, the Mint promptly sent replacement pieces to those who returned them.
Image: 5c PCGS MS64, ex. Heritage Auctions 2/17/2007, lot 3764, realized $253.
Image: Letter to the Superintendent of the Mint from Ambler, Marvin & Stockton of
Jacksonville, FL
Link to Mount Ayr, IA return letter:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/597553
Link to Jacksonville, FL return letter:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/597553
Link to 12 pieces of correspondence regarding brittle five-cent Nickels:
https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22U.S.%20Mint%22%20brittle
Wayne Homren, Editor
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