5373. MONEY, Coinage.—[further continued].
I think it my duty to inform
Congress that a Swiss, of the name of
Drost, established in Paris, has invented a
method of striking the two faces and the
edge of a coin, at one stroke. By this, and
other simplifications of the process of coinage,
he is enabled to coin from twenty-five to
thirty thousand pieces a day, with the assistance
of only two persons, the pieces of
metal being first prepared. I send you by
Colonel Franks three coins of gold, silver and
copper, which you will perceive to be perfect
medals; and I can assure you, from having
seen him coin many, that every piece is as
perfect as these. There has certainly never
yet been seen any coin, in any country, comparable
to this. The best workmen in this
way, acknowledge that his is like a new art.
Coin should always be made in the highest
perfection possible, because it is a great guard
against the danger of false coinage. This
man would be willing to furnish his implements
to Congress, and if they please, he
will go over and instruct a person to carry on
the work; nor do I believe he would ask
anything unreasonable. It would be very desirable,
that in the institution of a new coinage,
we could set out on so perfect a plan as
this, and the more so as while the work is
so exquisitely done, it is done cheaper.—
To John Jay. Washington ed. ii, 89.
(P.
Jan. 1787)
