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Thomas Jefferson. Act of Congress Signed ("Th: Jefferson") as Secretary of State. [Philadelphia: Printed by Fran...
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Description
Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson signs Congressional Resolution authorizing the creation of the U.S. Mint
Thomas Jefferson. Act of Congress Signed ("Th:
Jefferson") as Secretary of State. [Philadelphia:
Printed by Francis Childs and John Swaine, 1791]. One page, printed
broadside measuring 9.5 x 15 inches. Uncut folio sheet, creased
along old folds, minor foxing, minor paper loss to upper left and
lower right corners, not affecting text. Countersigned in type by
George Washington (President of the United States), John Adams
(Vice President, President of the Senate), and Frederick Augustus
Muhlenberg (Speaker of the House)."Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That a Mint shall be established under such regulations as shall be directed by law..."
The document states, in full:
"Congress of the United States: At the Third Session, Begun and held at the City of Philadelphia, on Monday the sixth of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That a mint shall be established under such regulations as shall be directed by law. Resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to cause to be engaged, such principal artists as shall be necessary to carry the preceeding [sic] resolution into effect, and to stipulate the terms and conditions of their service, and also to cause to be procured such apparatus as shall be requisite for the same purpose. FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, Speaker of the House of Representatives. JOHN ADAMS, Vice-President of the United States, and President of the Senate. Approved, March the third, 1791. GEORGE WASHINGTON, President of the United States. Deposited among the Rolls in the Office of the Secretary of State." Signed, "Th: Jefferson."
"The subject of a National Mint for the United States was first introduced by Robert Morris, the patriot and financier of the revolution; as head of the Finance Department, Mr. Morris was instructed by Congress to prepare a report on the foreign coins, then in circulation in the United States," (G. Evans). Morris presented his report to Congress in 1782, including a proposal for official American coinage; his connections with Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton pushed his efforts through and in April of 1790, Congress directed Hamilton, then the Treasury of the Secretary, to prepare an official plan for establishing a national mint.
Hamilton returned to the following session of Congress in 1791 with the requested plan in hand, titled "Report on the Subject of a Mint" and quoting approvingly the adage, "The perfection of the Coins is a great safeguard against counterfeits." The Act was reviewed and passed in both Houses and received executive approval on March 3, 1791; it was quickly followed by efforts to employ artists in creating designs that would be difficult to counterfeit and legislation guiding the location and building of the Mint, the first Federal building to be erected under the U.S. Constitution.
Evans 23880; George Evans, Illustrated History of the U.S. Mint, pages 7-12; Timeline of the United States Mint (2017, usmint.gov).
Auction Info
2022 July 16 Historical Platinum Session Signature® Auction #6258 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
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16th
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