2016-10-05 Wed

An 1830s German or French vintage coin screw press was offered at the Stacks January 2011 New York Americana Sale. The screw press belonged to two businessmen who formed a jewellery partnership in 1853 located in San Francisco.

Some of the coins that were struck using this machinery were recovered from the shipwreck of the SS Winfield Scott, which left the San Francisco port on 1st December 1853. The coins had a 14k core of gold with copper and were coated with seven microns of 18K gold. Some of the California gold fractional coins have the initials “F.D.” and some others were issued without any names.

The hand-thrown centrifugal rod at the top presses a 2? screw down on a square shaped length of iron that moves vertically giving a force on the hammer die mounted at its base. The square shape of the iron reduces the rotational force from the screw action eliminating the uneven striking. Where the hammer die meets the planchet, a straight downward direction force is applied on the planchet which is held by a collar and supported on the lower die.

The arched iron or steel press appears original, the screw and the seat for holding the hammer die are intact. The base to hold the anvil die is not present, the swinging arm was recently replaced and machined.

This 22? high by 15? wide apparatus sits on the oak base which is 14? wide by 12? deep and about 30? high. The Screw Press was sold for $16,100.