Figure 32. — Enlarged view of early coining press showing 

 the relatively short "quick-threaded" (that is, of long lead) 

 screw. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Mint Service, Mrs. Rae V. 

 Biester. 



out intruders, watching the men swing the levers of 

 the fly press; it must have been about noon, for Mr. 

 Eckfeldt came into the room, watch in hand, and 

 gave a signal to the men who stopped work. Seeing 

 me peering over the bar, he took me by the arms and 

 lifted me over it. Setting me down by the coining 

 press he asked me if I did not want to make a cent, at 

 the same time stopping the men who had put on their 

 jackets to leave the room. He put a blank planchet 

 into my hand, showed me how to drop it in, and where 

 to place my hand to catch it as it came out; the lever 

 and weights were swung, and I caught the penny as 



we boys called cents, but I at once dropped it. Mr. 

 Eckfeldt laughed and asked me why I dropped it? 

 Because it was hot and I feared it would burn me. 

 He picked it up and handed it to me, then certainly 

 not hot enough to burn; he asked if it was not cold 

 when he gave it to me to drop into the press; he told 

 me to look and see there was no fire, and feel the press 

 that it was cold; he then told me I must keep the cent 

 until I learned what made it hot; then I might, if I 

 liked, spend it for candy- 

 When I showed the bright new cent to my father, 

 whom I found in his workshop, and asked him to tell 

 me what made it hot, he said he would show me; he 



64 



