operation, shall be considered as the true weight of the bull ion deposited. The fitness of the bullion to be received fitness and mode of melting, how shall be determined by the assayer, and the mode of melting determined. by the melter and refiner. ion; p. 116. SEC. 23. That from every parcel of bullion deposited for, Assay of bullcoinage or bars, the superintendent shall deliver to the as- R. S., 3522, post, sayer 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 superintendent by the assayer. SEC. 24. That the assayer shall report to the superintend- report of assayer. R. S., 3523, post, ent the quality or fineness of the bullion assayed by him, p. 116. and such information as will enable him to compute the amount of the charges hereinafter provided for, to be made to the depositor. p. 116. SEC. 25. That the charge for converting standard gold Charges for converting bullion bullion into coin shall be one-fifth of one per centum; and into coin, and preparation of the charges for converting standard silver into trade-dol- bars; lars, for melting and refining when bullion is below stand-R. S., 3524, post, 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 Secretary of the Treasury, so as to equal but not exceed, in their judg- not to exceed the actual average ment, the actual average cost to each mint and assay-office cost. of the material, labor, wastage, and use of machinery employed in each of the cases aforementioned. fy certain calcu tersign certifi SEC. 26. That the assayer shall verify all calculations Assayer to verimade by the superintendent of the value of deposits, and, lations and counif satisfied of the correctness thereof, shall countersign the cate. certificate required to be given by the superintendent to the RS., 3525, post, depositor. p. 117. bullion for silver coinage. R. S., 3526, post, p. 117. Gain to be credited to silver SEC. 27. That in order to procure bullion for the silver Purchase of coinage authorized by this act, the superintendents, with the approval of the Director of the Mint, as to price, terms, and quantity, shall purchase such bullion with the bullion fund. The gain arising from the coinage of such silver bullion into coin of a nominal value exceeding the cost thereof shall be profit fund, and credited to a special fund denominated the silver-profit fund. Treasury. 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. paid into the Silver coins to be paid out where and for what. R. S., 3527, post, p. 117. Proviso. metal for the p. 117. only at Philadelphia. profit fund. SEC. 28. That silver coins other than the trade-dollar shall be paid out at the several mints, and at the assay-office in New York city, in exchange for gold coins at par, in sums not less than one 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 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 silver parted from gold, as provided in this act, or for change less than one dollar in settlement for gold deposits: Provided, 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. Purchase of SEC. 29. That for the purchase of metal for the minor minor coinage; coinage authorized by this act, a sum not exceeding fifty R. S., 3528, post, thousand dollars in lawful money of the United States shall be transferred by the Secretary of the Treasury to the credit to be carried on of the superintendent of the mint at Philadelphia, at which establishment only, until otherwise provided by 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 Minor-coinage 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 proMinor coins vided. The balance remaining to the credit of this fund, able, &c.; 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 may, at the discretion of the Director of the Mint, be delivered R. S., 3529, post, in any of the principal cities and towns of the United States, at the cost of the mint, for transportation, and shall be exchangeable at par at the mint in Philadelphia, at the discretion of the superintendent, for any other coins of copper, bronze, or copper-nickel heretofore authorized by law; and where deliver exchangeable for what; p. 118. what sums. it shall be lawful for the Treasurer and the several asssistant treasurers and depositaries of the United States to redeem, in lawful money, under such rules as may be pre- redeemable in scribed 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; and whenever, under Such coinage to 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 otherwise ordered by him. cease when. fining. R. S., 3530, post, SEC. 31. That parcels of bullion shall be, from time to Melting and retime, transferred by the superintendent to the melter and refiner; a careful record of these transfers, noting the p. 118. 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 subjected to the several processes which may be necessary to form it into ingots of the legal standard, and of a quality Ingots for coinsuitable for coinage. age; certificate given; SEC. 32. That the ingots so prepared shall be assayed; to be assayed and and if they prove to be within the limits allowed for deviation from the standard, the assayer shall certify the fact to the superintendent, who shall thereupon receipt for the p. 118. same, and transfer them to the coiner. R. S., 3531 post, they differ from, &c. SEC. 33. That no ingots shall be used for coinage which not to be used if differ from the legal standard more than the following pro- &c., more than, portions, namely: In gold ingots, one-thousandth; in silver R. S., 3533,. post, ingots, three-thousandths; in minor-coinage alloys, twentyfive-thousandths, in the proportion of nickel. SEC. 34. That the melter and refiner shall prepare all bars required for the payment of deposits; but the fineness thereof shall be ascertained and stamped thereon by the assayer; and the melter and refiner shall deliver such bars to the superintendent, who shall receipt for the same. p. 119.. for pay Bars their fineness, &c. ment of deposits, RS, 3534,. post, p. 119. Ingots for coinered to coiner. age to be deliv R. S., 3532, post, SEC. 35. That the superintendent shall, from time to time, deliver to the coiner ingots for the purpose of coinage; a careful record of these transfers, noting the weight p.118. 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 necessary to make from them coins in all respects conformable to law. Deviations in weights of gold ceed, &c.; p.119. SEC. 36. That in adjusting the weights of the gold coins, coins not to ex- the following deviations shall not be exceeded in any single R. S., 3535, post, piece: In the double-eagle and the eagle, one-half of a 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 delivered 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 three-dollar pieces, and in one thousand one-dollar pieces. of silver coins; p. 119. SEC. 37. That in adjusting the weight of the silver coins R. S., 3536, post, the following deviations shall not be exceeded in any single piece: In the dollar, the half and quarter dollar, and in the dime, one and one-half grains; and in weighing large numbers of pieces together, when delivered by the coiner to the superintendent, and by the superintendent to the depositor, the deviations from the standard weight shall not exceed two-hundredths of an ounce in one thousand dollars, halfdollars, or quarter-dollars, and one-hundredth of an ounce in one thousand dimes. of minor coins. p. 119. SEC. 38. That in adjusting the weight of the minor coins R. S., 3537, post, provided by this act, 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. Coiner to de liver coins to sup. R. S., 3538, post, p. 119. and if not satisfactory, &c. SEC. 39. That the coiner shall, from time to time, as erintendent; coins are prepared, deliver them to the superintendent, who shall receipt for the same, and who shall keep a careful coins to be tested, record of their kind, number, and actual weight; and 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. Proceedings at each delivery of er to a superintendent. SEC. 40. That at every delivery of coins made by the cons by the coin- coiner to a superintendent, it shall be the duty of such superintendent, in the presence of the assayer, to take indisR. S., 3539, post, criminately 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 p. 120. ACTS OF EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-THREE. 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 superintendent 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 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 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 pieces may, at any time, be taken for such tests as the Director of the Mint shall prescribe. Clippings, &c., of bulliou. R. S., 3540, post, 120. charged with credited. 120. SEC. 41. That the coiner shall, from time to time, deliver to the superintendent the clippings and other portions of bullion remaining after the process of coining; and the su- p. perintendent shall receipt for the same and keep a careful record of their weight and character. SEC. 42. That the superintendent shall debit the coiner Coiner to be with the amount in weight of standard metal of all the bullion placed in his hands, and credit him with the amount in weight of all the coins, clippings, and other bullion returned p. by him to the superintendent. Once at least in every year. and at such time as the Director of the Mint shall appoint, and refiner to be fully settled at there shall be an accurate and full settlement of the accounts least once in each of 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 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 settlement. Accounts of coiner and melter year, the coiner and SEC. 43. That when all the coins, clippings, and other Superintendent to examine the bullion have been delivered to the superintendent, it shall accounts, &c., of be his duty to examine the accounts and statements ren-melter and redered by the coiner and the melter and refiner, and the dif ference between the amount charged and credited to each What amount officer shall be allowed as necessary wastage, if the super- essary wastage. finer. R. S., 3542, post, p. 121. allowable as nec |