518:. Peale, like Eckfeldt of a mechanical bent, had many suggestions for improvements to the coinage machinery, some of which Eckfeldt adopted. Eckfeldt stated to Sellers, "If Mr. Peale had full swing he would turn everything upside down". According to Sellers, "the giving up of almost life-long pets that had been Mr. Eckfeldt's constant care would naturally go hard, and still harder coming from another department, but as improvements gradually crept in and proved their efficiency Mr. Eckfeldt gave full credit where it belonged, and I remember him becoming quite enthusiastic over the labor saving in duplicating working dies".
558:
465:
33:
306:
456:
peering through a window to see cents coined, and
Eckfeldt coming into the room to stop the work at the end of the day. Seeing the young Sellers, he had the boy come in, had him place a cent planchet on the press, and struck it for him. Sellers nearly dropped it because it was so hot, and Eckfeldt reminded him it had been cold when placed in the press. Eckfeldt bade him keep the coin until he learned why the cent had become hot, and then he could spend it on candy.
367:, considered by some the first official U.S. coin, was struck—in 1829, a visitor to the Mint met Eckfeldt and later described him as "an artist made the first die used in it". Other later accounts document Eckfeldt's role in this striking: an 1863 auction sold a half disme supposedly given by Eckfeldt to demonstrate his work. Eckfeldt is given as the source for the tradition that the half dismes were struck at the request of President
522:
381:
608:
545:, who sometimes did work for the Mint; the reverse may be by Fuerst or by Peale. Eckfeldt recommended Peale as his successor, and Peale was appointed. Nevertheless, Eckfeldt continued to perform the functions of chief coiner without pay until a few days before his death on February 6, 1852. After Eckfeldt's death, Peale wrote what Taxay terms a "frantic letter" to Mint Director
352:
490:. These pieces became the Mint's Cabinet, or coin collection. To fill gaps in this collection, he used old dies to strike postdated coins. Specialists have discovered that some dies he chose for this purpose had not been used together to strike coins for commerce, thus creating unique specimens. Among the pieces acquired for the Mint was a
513:
Sellers, in his memoirs, described
Eckfeldt as "a man of staunch integrity, a cautious, careful, orderly and painstaking man; he was not one of the dashing, pushing, inventive mechanics, though under his care many apparently slight improvements were gradually adopted that in the aggregate amounted to
371:
to be used as presents. Eckfeldt operated his screw press to strike these roughly 1,500 pieces on July 13, 1792. Since the first
Philadelphia Mint was still under construction at the time, these coins were produced in the cellar of John Harper, saw maker, at Sixth and Cherry Streets in Philadelphia.
597:
He was a man of large information on many subjects, possessed an inventive genius, and was enabled to introduce some excellent improvements in minting processes. He was singularly industrious and energetic, and for his social qualities and uprightness was universally respected, and, indeed, beloved
455:
knew
Eckfeldt; as Sellers's father was partner in a firm which sold machinery to the Mint Bureau, Eckfeldt often dined at his house. In the final years both of the 19th century and of Sellers's life, he published his memoirs, including memories of the first Philadelphia Mint. He recalled in 1812
280:
John Adam
Eckfeldt was born in Philadelphia on June 15, 1769, the son of John Jacob Eckfeldt, a large-scale manufacturer of edge-tools and implements. At the time, it was common for those of German descent to bear the first name "John" but be referred to by middle name. The elder Eckfeldt and his
565:
Eckfeldt married twice. No children were born of his brief first marriage in 1792 to Maria Hahn, which ended with her death; his second marriage to
Margaretta Bausch produced six children. Among them were his daughter Susanna, who married William Ewing DuBois, first curator of the Mint's coin
514:
a great deal in the economy of working. He was by no means deficient in inventive ability." Nevertheless, as
Eckfeldt aged in the service of the Mint in the late 1820s and into the 1830s, he was reluctant to adopt the innovations being proposed by his fellow Mint officer, Melter and Refiner
505:
In 1828, Eckfeldt again became involved in the real estate transactions to expand operations at the
Philadelphia Mint. For $ 1,000, he purchased one of the lots he had rented in 1805. After the mint moved to new premises in the 1830s, Eckfeldt discovered that the lot he had purchased had a
581:, which was inherited by his two sons after his death. He was the first president of the Good Will Fire Company, holding that office for nearly all of his adult life, and designed a system of levers for use in fire engines. A member of Concordia Lodge No. 67 of the
540:
In 1839, Eckfeldt retired after 25 years as chief coiner and over forty as a Mint employee. His fellow officers at the Mint presented him with a gold medal, with silver and bronze duplicates also struck. The obverse was designed by
Philadelphia engraver
376:
late that year, Washington noted the ongoing construction of a mint building and stated: "There has also been a small beginning in the coinage of half dismes, the want of small coins in circulation calling the first attention to them."
447:
that
Eckfeldt had "the management of the whole coining department". When the dies used proved too brittle and cracked easily, Eckfeldt came up with the idea of spraying water on the face of the die so the steel would temper evenly.
438:
In 1805, at Boudinot's request, Eckfeldt eliminated a security problem for the Mint by renting two houses adjacent to its operations, allowing it to shut an internal alley to public access. The following year, new Mint Director
537:. Although Eckfeldt would have preferred to apply steam to the existing coin presses, a new one was built for steam power, and commemorative medals were the first pieces struck by steam at the Philadelphia Mint, in early 1836.
263:
Eckfeldt served a quarter century as chief coiner, during which time the Philadelphia Mint moved to new premises. As he set aside unusual coins brought in as bullion, he started the Mint's coin cabinet, which evolved into the
415:
Eckfeldt continued to work intermittently for the Philadelphia Mint; in 1793, he built a device for automatically feeding planchets into the die collar and ejecting the struck coins, and the mint's records reveal that he did
570:, one of Adam's sons, was for forty years (1832–1872) Assayer of the United States Mint. Jacob's son Jacob Branch Eckfeldt exceeded both forebears in time of service, working at the Mint for 64 years, from 1865 to 1929.
510:; he was able to clear it and sold it in 1837 for the same sum for which he had bought it. The new mint building was at Juniper and Chestnut Streets, only six blocks from Eckfeldt's home at Juniper and Vine.
392:, of which only a few were struck. When the Mint's first cents (produced in 1793) were found to be excessively crude and attracted public ridicule, Eckfeldt was called upon to design replacements. He placed
992:
260:
which some authorities consider the first United States coin. He was appointed assistant coiner of the Mint in 1796, and became chief coiner on his predecessor's death in 1814.
252:
Eckfeldt's father owned a large smithy and involved himself in early attempts at American coinage. Adam Eckfeldt built early presses for the Mint, engraved some of its early
529:
In 1833, Peale was sent on a tour of European mints and came home with ideas for new machines and innovations, including the introduction of steam power, used at Britain's
486:
Eckfeldt set aside "master coins"—coins struck with extra care using new dies and polished planchets. He also put aside interesting foreign coins sent to the mint as
494:, of which only six are known today. Eckfeldt often spent from his own funds to acquire the coins for the Mint. The collection eventually evolved into the
1308:
1303:
483:
as successor. He served in that capacity for a quarter century. During his tenure, he continued to improve the machinery at the Philadelphia Mint.
1298:
1264:
1225:
1184:
1093:
996:
578:
268:. Even after his 1839 retirement, Eckfeldt continued to perform the duties of chief coiner; his death in 1852 caused his replacement,
1283:
1149:"On fire engines, hose, and some other apparatus manufactured and used in Philadelphia, for the purpose of extinguishing fire"
499:
409:
265:
549:, seeking the appointment of an assistant. Peale had spent the freed-up time designing and selling medals for private gain.
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appointed him as assistant coiner, with the consent of President Washington. His duties in that capacity were broad.
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Signature page from letter presented to Eckfeldt on his retirement, signed by Patterson, Peale, Jacob Eckfeldt,
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was ratified, Congress and many government offices came to be housed in Philadelphia, including the newborn
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237:(June 15, 1769 – February 6, 1852) was an American worker and official during the first years of the
348:
of that year. He also built other machinery for the Mint, and helped superintend the early coining.
421:
289:, around 1764. John Jacob Eckfeldt, in his large smithy, made dies for the 1783 coinage under the
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was passed by Congress authorizing a mint, and cut the obverse die for the experimental
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246:
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In 1792, the Mint acquired three balances from Eckfeldt, who also lent the Mint his
297:. Adam was his father's apprentice, and became skilled in iron work and machinery.
1207:
Orosz, Joel J. (June 2012). "The five founding fathers of the United States Mint".
574:
380:
242:
149:
75:
363:(used for turning dies). Eckfeldt is believed to have made the die from which the
1236:
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by the officers associated with him and the extended circle of his acquaintance.
476:
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by John Dunsmore. Eckfeldt is dressed in blue, just to the right of the seated
105:
324:
along the Atlantic coast of what is now the United States revolted, and so the
607:
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397:
345:
417:
355:
Eckfeldt's 1792 press, displayed beneath the Dunsmore painting depicting him
351:
282:
1140:
1246:
Smith, Pete (January 1997). "Adam Eckfeldt struck the first U.S. coins".
1259:(reprint ed.). New York: Sanford J. Durst Numismatic Publications.
593:. A biographical sketch of Eckfeldt, published in 1897, describes him:
487:
428:
424:
420:
there in July 1795. By October 1795 he was on the mint's payroll, as a
401:
443:
requested a pay increase of $ 200 for Eckfeldt, writing to President
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843:
431:, at a salary of $ 500 per year. On January 1, 1796, Mint Director
606:
556:
520:
463:
379:
360:
350:
304:
1132:
Early Engineering Reminiscences (1815–40) of George Escol Sellars
1086:
Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins
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830:
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punch bowl with his name and Masonic symbols survives in the
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1250:. Colorado Springs, CO: American Numismatic Association.
1211:. Colorado Springs, CO: American Numismatic Association.
1113:. Colorado Springs, CO: American Numismatic Association.
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from 1795 to 1806, he served as lodge master in 1803; a
1028:
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682:
1153:
The Franklin Journal and American Mechanics' Magazine
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479:, in early 1814, Eckfeldt was appointed by President
340:
for the new facility in 1792, the same year that the
1241:. Vol. III. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co.
468:
Silver replica of retirement medal for Eckfeldt, by
533:since 1810 on equipment purchased from the firm of
525:
The actual gold medal presented to Eckfeldt in 1839
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1167:Rural Pennsylvania in the Vicinity of Philadelphia
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1177:History of the United States Mint and its Coinage
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408:head on the obverse. He also engraved the first
1216:Orosz, Joel J.; Augsburger, Leonard D. (2011).
1105:"On the utility of a cabinet of historic coins"
595:
1235:Scharf, John Thomas; Westcott, Thomas (1884).
1056:
1198:Philadelphians and the China Trade, 1784–1844
1121:Illustrated history of the United States Mint
904:
834:
673:
16:Second chief coiner of the United States Mint
8:
1135:. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution.
59:February 15, 1814 – March 15, 1839
1170:. Philadelphia: George W. Jacobs & Co.
31:
20:
1218:The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint
281:wife Maria Magdalena had immigrated from
656:
475:On the death of the first chief coiner,
1220:. Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing LLC.
1179:. Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing LLC.
995:. The Royal Mint Museum. Archived from
619:
245:, Eckfeldt served as the second chief
1118:Evans, George Greenlief, ed. (1885).
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615:and other Mint officers and employees
328:secured its independence. After the
293:authorized by Philadelphia financier
7:
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561:Reverse of Eckfeldt retirement medal
508:cloud, or irregularity, on its title
1103:Camparette, Louis T. (March 1906).
1068:
396:on the back of the cent instead of
249:of the Mint, from 1814 until 1839.
579:Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania
384:The obverse of the 1792 half disme
201:Sarah (all children by Margaretta)
14:
1309:People from colonial Pennsylvania
1304:American people of German descent
1129:Ferguson, Eugene S., ed. (1965).
320:During Eckfeldt's childhood, the
1124:. Philadelphia: George G. Evans.
336:. Adam Eckfeldt built the first
173:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1164:Hotchkin, Samuel Fitch (1897).
301:Coin designer and Mint official
573:Adam Eckfeldt had a taste for
500:National Numismatic Collection
266:National Numismatic Collection
1:
1202:. Philadelphia Museum of Art.
1299:United States Mint engravers
577:and owned rural property in
886:Camparette & March 1906
1325:
591:Philadelphia Museum of Art
412:dies later the same year.
374:annual message to Congress
330:United States Constitution
310:Inspecting the First Coins
1257:The U.S. Mint and Coinage
1194:Lee, Jean Gordon (1984).
334:Mint of the United States
322:thirteen British colonies
291:Articles of Confederation
228:
123:
52:
39:
30:
1284:People from Philadelphia
1175:Lange, David W. (2006).
905:Smith & January 1997
835:Smith & January 1997
674:Smith & January 1997
587:Chinese export porcelain
326:United States of America
272:, to seek an assistant.
154:Province of Pennsylvania
44:2nd Chief Coiner of the
1238:History of Philadelphia
1088:. New York: Doubleday.
553:Private and family life
496:Smithsonian Institution
388:Eckfeldt also produced
1157:The Franklin Institute
1084:Breen, Walter (1988).
941:Orosz & Augsburger
862:Orosz & Augsburger
850:Orosz & Augsburger
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1045:Scharf & Westcott
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1255:Taxay, Don (1983) .
568:Jacob Reese Eckfeldt
453:George Escol Sellers
770:, pp. 152–153.
659:, pp. 348–349.
640:, pp. 110–111.
451:As a boy, inventor
1057:Franklin Institute
999:on August 12, 2014
617:
613:Christian Gobrecht
563:
535:Boulton & Watt
527:
473:
398:the original chain
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357:
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239:United States Mint
235:John Adam Eckfeldt
137:John Adam Eckfeldt
46:United States Mint
1266:978-0-915262-68-7
1227:978-0-7948-3244-5
1186:978-0-7948-1972-9
1095:978-0-385-14207-6
1020:, pp. 76–78.
943:, pp. 62–63.
864:, pp. 50–51.
710:, pp. 72–73.
369:George Washington
314:Martha Washington
232:
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184:Maria Hahn (died)
81:John Quincy Adams
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1155:. Philadelphia:
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993:"The modern age"
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547:George N. Eckert
492:Brasher doubloon
445:Thomas Jefferson
441:Robert Patterson
342:Mint Act of 1792
187:Margaretta Baush
170:
167:February 6, 1852
146:
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128:Personal details
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91:Martin Van Buren
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1209:The Numismatist
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1110:The Numismatist
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1047:, p. 1894.
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390:a pattern disme
365:1792 half disme
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258:1792 half disme
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158:British America
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695:, p. 102.
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516:Franklin Peale
461:
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433:Elias Boudinot
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270:Franklin Peale
241:. A lifelong
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171:(aged 82)
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1003:September 30,
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758:, p. 72.
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734:, p. 73.
733:
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722:, p. 59.
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689:
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676:, p. 61.
675:
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657:Hotchkin 1897
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583:Masonic Order
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543:Moritz Fuerst
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169:(1852-02-06)
150:Philadelphia
113:Succeeded by
76:James Monroe
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1294:1852 deaths
1289:1769 births
1159:. May 1827.
477:Henry Voigt
338:screw press
106:Henry Voigt
101:Preceded by
1278:Categories
1033:Taxay 1983
929:Lange 2006
917:Breen 1988
874:Evans 1885
816:Taxay 1983
804:Taxay 1983
792:Taxay 1983
780:Orosz 2012
768:Breen 1988
756:Taxay 1983
744:Taxay 1983
732:Taxay 1983
720:Taxay 1983
708:Taxay 1983
693:Taxay 1983
638:Evans 1885
603:References
531:Royal Mint
346:Birch cent
276:Early life
221:Margaretta
143:1769-06-15
418:piecework
410:half cent
406:Liberty's
283:Nuremberg
64:President
55:In office
1069:Lee 1984
1018:Ferguson
980:Ferguson
965:Ferguson
953:Ferguson
394:a wreath
372:In his
215:Susannah
212:Elias B.
205:Jacob R.
195:Children
488:bullion
402:trefoil
287:Bavaria
218:Adam C.
178:Spouses
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425:forger
404:under
247:coiner
361:lathe
1261:ISBN
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1137:OCLC
1090:ISBN
1005:2013
427:and
254:dies
164:Died
133:Born
498:'s
422:die
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
