JACOB PERKINS' COINING PRESS Publique Deposited
The E-Sylum: Volume 3, Number 53, December 24, 2000, Article 4
JACOB PERKINS' COINING PRESS
Dave Bowers writes: "I read with great interest (as always) the
latest "issue" of The E-Sylum. Concerning Jacob Perkins, one
might stop to consider if Perkins, who had extensive ties to
England and at one later time lived there, might have had some
sort of high-speed coining press from Boulton & Watt (Soho
Manufactory, Birmingham, England). As has been published,
by the 1790s B&W had high-speed steam-driven coining
presses that could be operated by a boy. These presses
produced high-quality coins, tokens, etc., including lettering or
engrailing the edge.Before discounting Perkins' claim as exaggeration, this possibility
might be explored. Moreover, as Newburyport was a rather
interactive community -- that is, most of the merchants knew
each other, news was shared, etc. -- if Perkins, who seems to
have been highly esteemed in the town, made such a claim, it
could be checked out easily by anyone visiting his premises.I wonder if anyone has visited Newburyport and used a
numismatic eye to look through old papers, etc.? It is a nice
town about an hour and a half drive from here -- and every time
I drive through I think of Perkins (also of Lord Timothy Dexter,
memorialized by John P. Marquand; Dexter's mansion is still
prominent on High Street). I am not a candidate to do this
research, but I imagine that with the great interest in history in the
town and also the comprehensive archives of the Mass. Historical
Society and the American Antiquarian Association in the same
state, a few interesting things could be found."- 2000-12-24
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