Figure 40. — Mint balance built about 1835 by Joseph 

 Saxton in London at the order of Franklin Peale (see note 87). 

 On display in U.S. Mint, Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of the 

 U.S. Mint Service, Mrs. Rae V. Biester. 



consultation great changes were made from the 

 original plans, in all of which Mr. Peale took active 

 part, taking an immense amount of labor to secure 

 the best practical results. 



When we consider that all the improvements in 

 coining were made by Mr. Peale while acting in 

 capacitv of assayer, melter and refiner, and were 

 entirely extraneous to the duties due the country in 

 that capacity, and for which the salary — whatever 

 that might be — was considered the equivalent, we 

 can form some idea of how much the country at large 

 is indebted to his inventive genius and zeal. The bulk 



of the inventions were put into practical operation 

 while Mr. Eckfeldt was chief coiner, and it was not 

 until his retirement in 1839 that Mr. Peale got his 

 reward by being advanced to that position, giving 

 him the management and control of the products of 

 his own brain work. As to what the pecuniary ad- 

 vance was I know nothing. He served in the capacity 

 of chief coiner until the fall of 1854, during which 

 period no essential changes were made in his original 

 steam coining press, milling or other machinery. 

 Improvements were made in minor points, but the 

 general principles remain the same to the present 

 time .... [31] 



78 



