In the last E-Sylum, the receipt from Carson City by the Superintendent for the gold clippings was very cool.

There is a reason that this receipt was by the Carson City Superintendent at this time.

Prior to the Mint Act of 1873, the Treasurer would have received these clippings, just as he would receive all of the struck coins. The 1873 Act removed the Treasurer from the Mint and changed the delivery of clippings and coins to the office of the Superintendent. Prior to 1873, the Mint Director was the de facto Superintendent in Philadelphia. This act split these positions with the Mint Director removed to Washington. The branch mints always had Superintendents, of course with Philadelphia finally having this position starting in 1873.

The first Philadelphia Superintendent was former Mint Director James Pollock. He served as Superintendent from 1873 to 1879, when Col. Archibald Loudon Snowden took over the position (1879-1885). Because the Superintendent received all the coins, one can imagine how things went. Snowden had been Chief Coiner from 1866 to 1876, so after becoming the Superintendent in 1879, he was able to easily obtain some very interesting items! There is a reason the only 1884 and 1885 Trade dollars appeared in the marketplace in the early twentieth century, as well as the "believed melted" two 1877 Half Unions sold to William Woodin in 1909 for $10,000 each. The good Col. Snowden died in 1912.

Attached is a Philadelphia receipt for silver clippings and delivered coins from 1868 to the Mint Treasurer. Also attached is one from July 1873, where the Treasurer is marked out and Superintendent is added.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
A CARSON CITY MINT GOLD CLIPPINGS RECEIPT (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n19a22.html)