Adam Eckfeldt
Encyclopedia
Adam Eckfeldt was a worker and official in the early days of the United States Mint
. A lifelong Philadelphian, Eckfeldt served as the second chief coiner
of the Mint, from 1814 until 1839.
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 die
s, and is responsible for the designs of early American copper coinage, as well as the 1792 half disme
which some 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.
Even after his 1839 retirement, Eckfeldt continued to perform his duties at the Mint until his 1852 death. Eckfeldt's death caused his replacement, Franklin Peale, to seek an assistant.
, Bavaria
about 1764 with his wife Maria Magdalena Eckfeldt. John Jacob Eckfeldt had made dies for Robert Morris's coinage in 1783 and owned a large smithy. Adam was his father's apprentice, and was skilled in iron work and machinery.
According to numismatic
historian Don Taxay, as early as 1792, Adam Eckfeldt helped strike the Getz and Birch pattern coins which served as a basis for the eventual Mint issues. When the Mint was founded, Eckfeldt was hired to construct some of the machinery for it, and helped superintend the early coining. Eckfeldt built the first screw press
for the Mint.
, used for turning dies. Eckfeldt is believed to have made the die from which the 1792 half disme
, 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[who] 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, while Eckfeldt is given as the source for the tradition that the half dismes were struck at the request of President George Washington
to be used as presents. Eckfeldt also produced a pattern disme, of which only a few were struck. When the Mint's initial cents were found to be excessively crude and attracted public ridicule, Eckfeldt was called upon to design replacements. He placed a wreath on the back of the cent instead of the original chain, and placed a trefoil
under Liberty's
head on the obverse. He also engraved the first half cent dies, later the same year.
In 1793, he built a device for automatically feeding planchet
s into the die collar and ejecting the struck coins. Eckfeldt is mentioned on the October 1795 Mint payroll as a "Die Forger and Turner" at $500 per year. On January 1, 1796, Mint Director Elias Boudinot
appointed him as Assistant Coiner, with the consent of President Washington. His duties in that capacity were broad, and in 1806, Mint Director Robert Patterson
requested a pay increase of $200 for him, writing to President Thomas Jefferson
that Eckfeldt had "the management of the whole coining department".
's National Numismatic Collection
.
Even after his resignation in 1839, Eckfeldt continued to work at the Mint, without compensation. He continued to perform the functions of chief coiner without pay until a few days before his death. He died on February 6, 1852. After his death, his replacement as chief coiner, Franklin Peale, wrote what Taxay terms a "frantic letter" to Mint Director George N. Eckert, seeking the appointment of an assistant.
A biographical sketch of Eckhardt, published in 1897, describes him:
Eckhardt had a taste for horticulture
, and owned rural property in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, which was owned by his two sons after his death. Adam Eckfeldt's son, Jacob R. Eckfeldt
, was appointed in 1832 as Assayer
of the Mint, and served in that capacity for forty years.
United States Mint
The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...
. A lifelong Philadelphian, Eckfeldt served as the second chief coiner
Coining (mint)
In minting, coining is the process of manufacturing coins using a kind of stamping which is now generically known in metalworking as "coining".A coin die is one of the two metallic pieces that are used to strike one side of a coin...
of the Mint, from 1814 until 1839.
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 die
Die (manufacturing)
A die is a specialized tool used in manufacturing industries to cut or shape material using a press. Like molds, dies are generally customized to the item they are used to create...
s, and is responsible for the designs of early American copper coinage, as well as the 1792 half disme
1792 half disme
The 1792 half disme was an American silver coin with a face value of five cents. Although it is subject to debate as to whether this was intended to be circulating coinage or instead an experimental issue, President George Washington referred to it as "a small beginning" and many of the coins...
which some 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.
Even after his 1839 retirement, Eckfeldt continued to perform his duties at the Mint until his 1852 death. Eckfeldt's death caused his replacement, Franklin Peale, to seek an assistant.
Early career
Eckfeldt was born in Philadelphia on June 15, 1769, the son of a large-scale tool manufacturer. He was the son of John Jacob Eckfeldt, who had immigrated from NurembergNuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Bavaria
Electorate of Bavaria
The Electorate of Bavaria was an independent hereditary electorate of the Holy Roman Empire from 1623 to 1806, when it was succeeded by the Kingdom of Bavaria....
about 1764 with his wife Maria Magdalena Eckfeldt. John Jacob Eckfeldt had made dies for Robert Morris's coinage in 1783 and owned a large smithy. Adam was his father's apprentice, and was skilled in iron work and machinery.
According to numismatic
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
historian Don Taxay, as early as 1792, Adam Eckfeldt helped strike the Getz and Birch pattern coins which served as a basis for the eventual Mint issues. When the Mint was founded, Eckfeldt was hired to construct some of the machinery for it, and helped superintend the early coining. Eckfeldt built the first screw press
Screw press
A screw press is a type of machine press in which the ram is driven up and down by a screw. The screw shaft can be driven by a handle, or a wheel. It works by using a coarse screw to convert the rotation of the handle or drive-wheel into a small downward movement of greater force. The overhead...
for the Mint.
Coin designer and Mint official
In 1792; the Mint acquired three balances from Eckfeldt. He also lent the Mint his latheLathe
A lathe is a machine tool which rotates the workpiece on its axis to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.Lathes are used in woodturning,...
, used for turning dies. Eckfeldt is believed to have made the die from which the 1792 half disme
1792 half disme
The 1792 half disme was an American silver coin with a face value of five cents. Although it is subject to debate as to whether this was intended to be circulating coinage or instead an experimental issue, President George Washington referred to it as "a small beginning" and many of the coins...
, 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
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
to be used as presents. Eckfeldt also produced a pattern disme, of which only a few were struck. When the Mint's initial cents were found to be excessively crude and attracted public ridicule, Eckfeldt was called upon to design replacements. He placed a wreath on the back of the cent instead of the original chain, and placed a trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
under Liberty's
Liberty (goddess)
Goddesses named for and representing the concept Liberty have existed in many cultures, including classical examples dating from the Roman Empire and some national symbols such as the British "Britannia" or the Irish "Kathleen Ni Houlihan"....
head on the obverse. He also engraved the first half cent dies, later the same year.
In 1793, he built a device for automatically feeding planchet
Planchet
A planchet is a round metal disk that is ready to be struck as a coin. An older word for planchet is flan. They are also referred to as blanks.-History:The preparation of the flan or planchet has varied over the years...
s into the die collar and ejecting the struck coins. Eckfeldt is mentioned on the October 1795 Mint payroll as a "Die Forger and Turner" at $500 per year. On January 1, 1796, Mint Director Elias Boudinot
Elias Boudinot
Elias Boudinot was a lawyer and statesman from Elizabeth, New Jersey who was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a U.S. Congressman for New Jersey...
appointed him as Assistant Coiner, with the consent of President Washington. His duties in that capacity were broad, and in 1806, Mint Director Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson (educator)
Robert Patterson was an American educator and director of the United States Mint. He was born on a lease-held farm near Hillsborough, County Down, Ireland, emigrated to the United States in 1768, and lived for a time in Philadelphia.In 1774, he became principal of an academy in Wilmington, Delaware...
requested a pay increase of $200 for him, writing to President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
that Eckfeldt had "the management of the whole coining department".
Chief coiner
On the death of the first chief coiner, Henry Voigt, in early 1814, Eckfeldt was appointed as his successor, and served in that capacity for a quarter century. Eckfeldt put aside "master coins"—coins struck with extra care using new dies and polished planchets. He also put aside interesting foreign coins sent in to the mint as bullion. These pieces became the Mint's Cabinet, or coin collection. Among the pieces acquired for the Mint was a Brasher doubloon, 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 Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
's National Numismatic Collection
National Numismatic Collection
The National Numismatic Collection is the national coin cabinet of the United States. The collection is part of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.-Overview:...
.
Even after his resignation in 1839, Eckfeldt continued to work at the Mint, without compensation. He continued to perform the functions of chief coiner without pay until a few days before his death. He died on February 6, 1852. After his death, his replacement as chief coiner, Franklin Peale, wrote what Taxay terms a "frantic letter" to Mint Director George N. Eckert, seeking the appointment of an assistant.
A biographical sketch of Eckhardt, published in 1897, describes him:
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 by the officers associated with him and the extended circle of his acquaintance.
Eckhardt had a taste for horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, and owned rural property in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, which was owned by his two sons after his death. Adam Eckfeldt's son, Jacob R. Eckfeldt
Jacob R. Eckfeldt
Jacob Reese Eckfeldt was an assayer for the United States Mint in Philadelphia.-Biography:...
, was appointed in 1832 as Assayer
Assayer
An assayer is a person who tests ores and minerals and analyzes them to determine their composition and value. They may use spectrographic analysis, chemical solutions, and chemical or laboratory equipment, such as furnaces, beakers, graduates, pipettes, and crucibles.An assayer separates metals...
of the Mint, and served in that capacity for forty years.