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Read, and laid upon the table.
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To the House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit a report from the Director of the Mint, showing the operations of that institution during the year 1837; and also, the progress made towards the completion of the branch mints, in North Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana.
M. VAN BUREN.
January 16, 1838.
. . . . . . . .
Mint of the United States,
Philadelphia, January 13, 1838.
Sir: In compliance with the law which requires that, "in the month of January of every year, the Director shall make report to the President of the United States of the operations of the Mint and its branches for the year preceding," I have the honor to submit the following statement:
The coinage executed in 1837 has amounted to $3,299,898; comprising $1,148,305 in gold, $2,096,010 in silver, and $55,583 in copper and composed of 13,010,721 pieces of coin. (Statement A.)
The deposites of gold within the year amounted to $1,145,000; of which only $282,000 was derived from the mines of the United States. (Statements B and C.)
The necessities of the circulation having required a large amount of small coins, the proportion of such coins struck in 1837 greatly exceeds that of any former year; the number of pieces of less value than the half dollar being more than nine millions. (Tabular statement D.)
The laws authorizing deposites with the Mint of public funds, "for the purchase of bullion for coinage," and "for enabling the Mint to make the returns to depositors with as little delay as possibble," have proved of great benefit in our own operations, and, during the late derangements in the currency, of great importance to the public interests. At the close of the year there was within our vaults, on these accounts, the amount of $789,218 73 in gold and silver; and there had been withdrawn, on Treasury drafts, coins to the amount of $476,449 08.
The increased efficiency of the Mint, and the possession of the Government deposites, have enabled us, during the past year, for the first time, to avoid the delays to which we were formerly forced to subject depositors of bullion, and to make returns to them in coins as soon as the value of their deposites could be ascertained. I have, therefore, on this occasion, the satisfaction to report that not a single dollar of deposites made before the close of the year remains unpaid.
The machinery of the New Orleans branch mint was executed, and the steam-engine set in action, in May last; and there would have been no difficulty in putting the mint in full operation, but for the apprehensions from the climate. Two of the officers and all the workmen were from the Middle States, and unacclimated; and I was advised by the resident officers that they would incur great risk in going to New Orleans in the warm season. The ouccurrence of a fatal epidemic, soon after, proved that these apprehensions were too well founded; and the officers and men from this place were thereby prevented from reaching New Orleans before the beginning of December. They are now, however, all at their stations, and making every exertion to commence the operations of the mint at an early day.
The machinery for the branch mint at Charlotte, North Carolina, was shipped to Charleston in April; and, in the following month, competent workmen were sent forward to put it in operation. Great delay and difficulty occurred, however, in transporting the heavy machinery to Charlotte, so that the steam-engine was not set in action until the middle of August.
The machinery for the branch mint at Dahlonega, in Georgia, was sent to Savannah in May, and difficulty and delay also occurred in its transportation thence by land. After the workmen employed at Charlotte had finished their task, they proceeded to Dahlonega, to erect the machinery there; and they completed this work early in November.
To put up the furnaces and refineries of these mints, masons were sent from Philadelphia; and, in order that this important part of the work might be properly executed, as well as for the purpose of giving advice and aid in other essential points, one of the officers of this Mint was requested to go to Charlotte and Dahlonega; and I have reason to believe that his visit was of great importance.
The mint building at New Orleans is completed, so far as is necessary for the mint operations; only one of the wings, intended for the residence of the officers, being unfinished. The mint at Dahlonega is nearly completed, except as to the enclosure and out-buildings. The mint at Charlotte is entirely finished, and has commenced operations, so far as to be receiving deposites and assaying. The certificates of this branch are, for the present, paid here; so that it may, in this way, retain gold to furnish a fund, for the purpose of enabling it hereafter to make prompt payments on the spot, for the bullion that may be furnished for coinage.
In consequence of the location of the new mints in places where there are no manufactories and few mechanical resources, it has been necessary to send from here every article of machinery and apparatus, many even of the ordinary materials, and all the workmen required for erecting the machinery, furnaces, refineries, and other fixtures. If, therefore, there has been much delay in getting these mints in operation, it is but just to observe that the task presented peculiar difficulties. The delay, moreover, has been accompanied by one important advantage: since it has given full opportunity to the officers and the principal hands to perfect themselves in their respective departments, by actual practice in this Mint; so that, when they begin their operations at the branches, the public may have confidence in their ability to discharge them with skill and accuray.
I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your faithful servant,
R.M. PATTERSON,
Director of the Mint.
To the President of the United States.
Statement of the coinage at the Mint of the United States, Philadelphia, in the year 1837.
| Denominations. | Pieces. | Pieces. | Value. | Value. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold: | |||||
| Half eagles | 207,121 | $1,035,605 | |||
| Quarter eagles | 45,080 | 112,700 | |||
| 252,201 | $1,148,305 | ||||
| Silver: | |||||
| Half dollars | 3,629,820 | $1,814,910 | |||
| Quarter dollars | 252,400 | 63,100 | |||
| Dimes | 1,042,000 | 104,200 | |||
| Half dimes | 2,276,000 | 113,800 | |||
| 7,200,220 | 2,096,010 | ||||
| Copper: | |||||
| Cents | 5,558,300 | 55,583 | |||
| Whole number of pieces | 13,010,721 | Whole value | 3,299,898 | ||
Statement of deposites of Gold for coinage at the Mint of the United States, Philadelphia, 1837.
| The deposites of gold for coinage amount to | $1,145,000 | |||||||||||
| Of which was received from the United States, viz: | ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
| $282,000 | ||||||||||||
| Coins of the United States of the old standard, | $21,800 | |||||||||||
| Coins and bullion from Europe, | 633,500 | |||||||||||
| Coins and bullion from Mexico and S.America, | 174,400 | |||||||||||
| Bullion from Africa, | $22,100 | |||||||||||
| Jewelry, | $11,200 | |||||||||||
| $1,145,000 | ||||||||||||
Statement of the annual amounts of deposites of Gold, for coinage, at the Mint of the United States, Philadelphia, from the mines of the United States.
| Virginia. | North Carolina. |
South Carolina. |
Georgia. | Tennessee. | Alabama. | Not ascertained. |
Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1824 | $ 5,000 | $ 5,000 | ||||||
| 1825 | 17,000 | 17,000 | ||||||
| 1826 | 20,000 | 20,000 | ||||||
| 1827 | 21,000 | 21,000 | ||||||
| 1828 | 46,000 | 46,000 | ||||||
| 1829 | $ 2,500 | 134,000 | $ 3,500 | 140,000 | ||||
| 1830 | 24,000 | 204,000 | 26,000 | $ 212,000 | 466,000 | |||
| 1831 | 26,000 | 294,000 | 22,000 | 176,000 | $ 1,000 | $ 1,000 | 520,000 | |
| 1832 | 34,000 | 458,000 | 45,000 | 140,000 | 1,000 | 678,000 | ||
| 1833 | 104,000 | 475,000 | 66,000 | 216,000 | 7,000 | 868,000 | ||
| 1834 | 62,000 | 380,000 | 38,000 | 415,000 | 3,000 | 898,000 | ||
| 1835 | 60,400 | 263,500 | 42,400 | 319,900 | 100 | $12,200 | 698,500 | |
| 1836 | 62,000 | 148,100 | 55,200 | 201,400 | 300 | 467,000 | ||
| 1837 | 52,100 | 116,900 | 29,400 | 83,600 | 282,000 | |||
| 427,000 | 2,582,500 | 327,500 | 1,763,900 | 12,400 | 1,000 | 12,200 | 5,126,500 |
Tabular statement of the amount of coinage at the Mint of the United States, in the several denominations of coin, since the commencement of its operations until the 31st of December, 1837, inclusive.
| Periods. | Eagles. | Half Eagles. | Quarter Eagles. | Dollars. | Half Dollars. | Quarter Dollars. | Dimes. | Half Dimes. | Cents. | Half Cents. | Pieces of Gold. | Value of Gold. | Pieces of Silver. | Value of Silver. | Pieces of Copper. | Value of Copper. | Whole coinage in pieces. | Whole coinage in value. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1793 to 1795 |
2,795 | 8,707 | 204,791 | 323,144 | 86,416 | 1,066,033 | 142,534 | 11,502 | $71,485 00 | 614,351 | $370,683 80 | 1,208,567 | $11,373 00 | 1,834,420 | $453,541 80 | |||
| 1796 | 6,934 | 6,196 | 963 | 72,920 | 3,918 | 5,894 | 22,135 | 10,230 | 974,700 | 115,480 | 14,093 | 102,727 50 | 115,097 | 79,077 50 | 1,090,180 | 10,324 40 | 1,219,370 | 192,129 40 |
| 1797 | 8,323 | 3,609 | 859 | 7,776 | 252 | 25,261 | 44,527 | 897,510 | 107,048 | 12,791 | 103,422 50 | 77,816 | 12,591 45 | 1,004,558 | 9,510 34 | 1,095,165 | 125,524 29 | |
| 1798 | 7,974 | 24,867 | 614 | 327,536 | 27,550 | 979,700 | 33,455 | 205,610 00 | 355,086 | 330,291 00 | 979,700 | 9,797 00 | 1,368,241 | 545,698 00 | ||||
| 1799 | 17,483 | 7,451 | 480 | 423,515 | 904,585 | 12,167 | 25,414 | 213 285 00 | 423,515 | 423,515 00 | 916,752 | 9,106 68 | 1,365,681 | 645,906 68 | ||||
| 1800 | 25,965 | 11,622 | 220,920 | 21,760 | 24,000 | 2,822,175 | 211,530 | 37,587 | 317,760 00 | 266,680 | 224,296 00 | 3,033,705 | 29,279 40 | 3,337,972 | 571,335 40 | |||
| 1801 | 29,254 | 26,006 | 54,454 | 30,289 | 34,640 | 33,910 | 1,362,837 | 55,260 | 422,570 00 | 153,293 | 74,758 00 | 1,362,837 | 13,628 37 | 1,571,390 | 510,956 37 | |||
| 1802 | 15,090 | 53,176 | 2,612 | 41,650 | 29,890 | 10,975 | 13,010 | 3,435,100 | 14,366 | 70,878 | 423,310 00 | 95,525 | 58,343 00 | 3,449,466 | 34,422 83 | 3,615,869 | 516,075 83 | |
| 1803 | 8,979 | 33,506 | 423 | 66,064 | 31,715 | 33,040 | 37,850 | 2,471,353 | 97,900 | 42,908 | 258,377 50 | 168,669 | 87,118 00 | 2,569,253 | 25,203 03 | 2,780,830 | 370,698 53 | |
| 1804 | 9,795 | 30,475 | 3,327 | 19,570 | 156,519 | 6,738 | 8,265 | 756,838 | 1,055,312 | 43,597 | 258,642 50 | 191,092 | 100,340 50 | 1,812,150 | 12,844 94 | 2,046,839 | 371,827 94 | |
| 1805 | 33,183 | 1,781 | 321 | 211,722 | 121,394 | 120,780 | 15,600 | 941,116 | 814,464 | 34,964 | 170,367 50 | 469,817 | 149,388 50 | 1,755,580 | 13,483 48 | 2,260,361 | 333,239 48 | |
| 1806 | 64,093 | 1,616 | 839,576 | 206,124 | 348,000 | 356,000 | 65,709 | 324,505 | 1,045,700 | 471,319 00 | 704,000 | 5,260 00 | 1,815,409 | 801,084 00 | ||||
| 1807 | 84,093 | 6,812 | 1,051,576 | 220,643 | 165,000 | 727,221 | 476,000 | 90,905 | 437,495 | 1,437,219 | 597,448 75 | 1,203,221 | 9,652 21 | 2,731,345 | 1,044,595 96 | |||
| 1808 | 55,578 | 2,710 | 1,368,600 | 1,109,000 | 400,000 | 58,288 | 284,665 00 | 1,368,600 | 684,300 00 | 1,509,000 | 13,090 00 | 2,935,888 | 982,055 00 | |||||
| 1809 | 33,875 | 1,405,810 | 44,710 | 222,867 | 1,154,572 | 33,875 | 169,375 00 | 1,450,520 | 707,376 00 | 1,377,439 | 8,001 53 | 2,861,834 | 884,752 53 | |||||
| 1810 | 100,287 | 1,276,276 | 6,355 | 2,458,500 | 215,000 | 100,287 | 501,435 00 | 1,282,631 | 638,773 50 | 1,673,500 | 15,660 00 | 3,056,418 | 1,155,868 50 | |||||
| 1811 | 99,581 | 1,203,644 | 65,180 | 218,025 | 63,140 | 99,581 | 497,905 00 | 1,268,824 | 608,340 00 | 281,165 | 2,495 95 | 1,649,570 | 1,108,740 95 | |||||
| 1812 | 58,087 | 1,628,059 | 1,075,500 | 58,087 | 290,435 00 | 1,628,059 | 814,029 50 | 1,075,500 | 10,755 00 | 2,761,646 | 1,115,219 50 | |||||||
| 1813 | 95,428 | 1,241,903 | 418,000 | 95,428 | 477,140 00 | 1,241,903 | 620,951 50 | 418,000 | 4,180 00 | 1,755,331 | 1,102,271 50 | |||||||
| 1814 | 15,454 | 1,039,075 | 421,500 | 357,830 | 15,454 | 77,270 00 | 1,460,575 | 561,687 50 | 357,830 | 3,578 30 | 1,833,859 | 642,535 80 | ||||||
| 1815 | 635 | 69,232 | 635 | 3,175 00 | 69,232 | 17,308 00 | 69,867 | 20,483 00 | ||||||||||
| 1816 | 47,150 | 20,003 | 2,820,982 | 67,153 | 28,575 75 | 2,820,982 | 28,209 82 | 2,888,135 | 56,785 57 | |||||||||
| 1817 | 1,215,567 | 3,948,400 | 1,215,567 | 607,783 50 | 3,948,400 | 39,484 00 | 5,163,967 | 647,267 50 | ||||||||||
| 1818 | 48,588 | 1,960,822 | 361,174 | 3,167,000 | 48,588 | 242,940 00 | 2,321,496 | 1,070,454 50 | 3,167,000 | 31,670 00 | 5,537,084 | 1,345,064 50 | ||||||
| 1819 | 51,723 | 2,208,000 | 144,000 | 2,671,000 | 51,723 | 258,615 00 | 2,352,000 | 1,140,000 00 | 2,671,000 | 26,710 00 | 5,074,723 | 1,425,325 00 | ||||||
| 1820 | 263,806 | 751,122 | 127,444 | 942,587 | 4,407,550 | 263,806 | 1,319,030 00 | 1,821,153 | 501,680 70 | 4,407,550 | 44,075 50 | 6,492,509 | 1,864,786 20 | |||||
| 1821 | 34,641 | 6,448 | 1,305,797 | 216,851 | 1,186,512 | 389,000 | 41,089 | 189,325 00 | 2,709,160 | 825,762 45 | 389,000 | 3,890 00 | 3,139,249 | 1,018,977 45 | ||||
| 1822 | 17,796 | 1,559,573 | 64,080 | 100,000 | 2,072,339 | 17,796 | 88,980 00 | 1,723,653 | 805,806 50 | 2,072,339 | 20,723 39 | 3,813,788 | 915,509 89 | |||||
| 1823 | 14,485 | 1,694,200 | 17,800 | 440,000 | 14,485 | 72,425 00 | 2,152,000 | 895,550 00 | 2,166,485 | 967,975 00 | ||||||||
| 1824 | 17,340 | 2,600 | 3,504,954 | 1,262,000 | 19,940 | 93,200 00 | 3,504,954 | 1,752,477 00 | 1,262,000 | 12,620 00 | 4,786,894 | 1,858,297 00 | ||||||
| 1825 | 29,060 | 4,434 | 2,943,166 | 168,000 | 510,000 | 1,461,100 | 63,000 | 33,494 | 156,385 00 | 3,621,166 | 1,564,583 00 | 1,524,000 | 14,926 00 | 5,178,760 | 1,735,894 00 | |||
| 1826 | 18,069 | 760 | 4,004,180 | 1,517,425 | 234,000 | 18,829 | 92,245 00 | 4,004,180 | 2,002,090 00 | 1,751,425 | 16,344 25 | 5,774,434 | 2,110,679 25 | |||||
| 1827 | 24,913 | 2,800 | 5,493,400 | 4,000 | 1,215,000 | 2,357,732 | 27,713 | 131,565 00 | 6,712,400 | 2,869,200 | 2,357,732 | 23,577 32 | 9,097,845 | 3,024,342 32 | ||||
| 1828 | 28,029 | 3,075,200 | 102,000 | 125,000 | 2,260,624 | 606,000 | 28,029 | 140,145 00 | 3,302,200 | 1,575,600 00 | 2,866,624 | 25,636 24 | 6,196,853 | 1,741,381 24 | ||||
| 1829 | 57,442 | 3,403 | 3,712,156 | 770,000 | 1,230,000 | 1,414,500 | 487,000 | 60,845 | 295,717 50 | 5,712,156 | 1,994,578 00 | 1,901,500 | 16,580 00 | 7,674,501 | 2,306,875 50 | |||
| 1830 | 126,351 | 4,540 | 4,764,800 | 510,000 | 1,240,000 | 1,711,500 | 130,891 | 643,105 00 | 6,514,800 | 2,495,400 00 | 1,711,500 | 17,115 00 | 8,357,191 | 3,155,620 00 | ||||
| 1831 | 140,594 | 4,520 | 5,873,660 | 398,000 | 771,350 | 1,242,700 | 3,359,260 | 2,200 | 145,114 | 714,270 00 | 8,285,710 | 3,175,600 00 | 3,361,460 | 33,603 60 | 11,792,284 | 3,923,473 60 | ||
| 1832 | 157,487 | 4,400 | 4,797,000 | 320,000 | 522,500 | 965,000 | 2,362,000 | 161,887 | 798,435 00 | 6,604,500 | 2,579,000 00 | 2,362,000 | 23,620 00 | 9,128,387 | 3,401,055 00 | |||
| 1833 | 193,630 | 4,160 | 5,206,000 | 156,000 | 485,000 | 1,370,000 | 2,739,000 | 154,000 | 197,790 | 978,550 00 | 7,217,000 | 2,759,000 00 | 2,893,000 | 28,160 00 | 10,307,790 | 3,765,710 00 | ||
| 1834 | 732,169 | 117,370 | 6,412,004 | 286,000 | 635,000 | 1,480,000 | 1,855,100 | 120,000 | 849,539 | 3,954,270 00 | 8,813,004 | 3,415,002 00 | 1,975,100 | 19,151 00 | 11,637,643 | 7,388,423 00 | ||
| 1835 | 371,534 | 131,402 | 5,352,006 | 1,952,000 | 1,410,000 | 2,760,000 | 3,878,400 | 141,000 | 502,936 | 2,186,175 00 | 11,474,006 | 3,443,003 00 | 4,019,400 | 39,489 00 | 15,996,342 | 5,668,667 00 | ||
| 1836 | 553,147 | 547,986 | 1,000 | 6,546,200 | 472,000 | 1,190,000 | 1,900,000 | 2,111,000 | 398,000 | 1,101,133 | 4,135,700 00 | 10,109,200 | 3,606,100 00 | 2,509,000 | 23,100 00 | 13,719,333 | 7,764,900 00 | |
| 1837 | 207,121 | 45,080 | 3,629,820 | 252,400 | 1,042,000 | 2,276,000 | 5,558,300 | 252,201 | 1,148,305 00 | 7,200,220 | 2,096,010 00 | 5,558,300 | 55,583 00 | 13,010,721 | 3,299,898 00 | |||
| 132,592 | 3,933,834 | 902,100 | 1,440,517 | 87,897,993 | 5,692,029 | 12,862,100 | 14,729,243 | 75,871,102 | 7,440,713 | 4,968,526 | $23,250,340 00 | 122,621,882 | $48,835,192 90 | 83,311,815 | $795,915 58 | 210,902,223 | 72,881,448 48 |