£8S EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



ever} 7 nation on the globe, and consequently there is prob- 

 ably no place where one finds so much foreign money in 

 circulation as here. To give you a striking example, I 

 shall mention the present contents of my purse which is 

 divided into four parts: 



First pocket : One French five-francs dollar ; one Peru- 

 vian piaster ; one French half- franc ; two Chilean 

 reals. 



Second pocket: Four French francs; one Prussian half- 

 florin; two Spanish two-real pieces. 



Third pocket: One East India rupee; tbree American 

 half-dollars; two American dimes. 



Fourth pocket: One Dutch ten-florin gold-piece; one 

 American Eagle— ten dollars. 



In all, nineteen dollars and seventy-five cents in coins 

 from no less than eight different countries. Is not that 

 an example of Babylonic confusion? 



Some of you folks may be greatly interested in this 

 coin question and, for their benefit, I will undertake to 

 give you as close a list of current coins, including of 

 course, all foreign money, as we daily run across it. To 

 make it a quick and comprehensive description, I shall 

 mention the American value first, to be followed by its 

 respective foreign competitors, some of which have a 

 history of their own, which afford interesting reading. 



Copper coins do not exist here. 



Silver coins: 



Half dime— five cents — is very scarce as people do not 

 care to handle so small a coin, and which in reality is 

 therefore of little use. I consequently commence my 

 coin table with: 



I. The Dime— ten cents— 4 silvergroschen 2y 2 pfg. 

 Prussian; or French half-franc piece; or Spanish real— 

 which is very common here and generally counts eight to 

 the dollar, though many people do not consider the dif- 

 ference, and pass them for dimes. These reals, (which 

 in fact are I2V2 cents) come from Spain, Mexico, Central 

 and South America. 



