Numismatic events during the month of December include:

Week of Dec. 1

Dec. 1, 1814, British Royal Mint ordered to prepare rix-dollars for Ceylon with effigy of George III.

Week of Dec. 2 to 8

Dec. 2, 1835, President Andrew Jackson advocates gold coinage in message to Congress.

Dec. 3, 1870, Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper reports “Philadelphia is overrun with bogus fifty-cent currency.”

Dec. 5, 1864, Third Issue of fractional currency commences, according to U.S. Treasurer James Gilfillan.

Dec. 8, 1973, Treasury requests standby authority to issue aluminum cents.

Week of Dec. 9 to 15

Dec. 10, 1861, New York banker James Gallatin objects to Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase’s proposal to Congress to tax bank circulation.

Dec. 12, 1863, North Carolina authorizes $400,000 in 25- and 50-cent small change bills.

Dec. 13, 1979, Canada announces change in weight and fineness for Maple Leaf bullion coins for 1980.

Dec. 14, 1910, former U.S. Treasurer John N. Huston convicted of mail fraud in Washington, D.C.

Dec. 15, 1795, U.S. Senate confirms Elias Boudinot as Mint director.

Week of Dec. 16 to 22

Dec. 16, 1916, first Standing Liberty quarter dollars coined at Philadelphia Mint.

Dec. 17, 1860, Congress authorizes $10 million in interest-bearing Treasury notes.

Dec. 19, 1821, Alabama authorizes state Treasury notes for fractional parts of dollar.

Dec. 20, 1859, Mint issues earliest known printed circular advertising availability of Proof coins for collectors.

Dec. 22, 1885, auctioneer Ed Frossard sells William Lee Collection of Confederate notes.

Week of Dec. 23 to 29

Dec. 23, 1816, Missouri Territory approves bounty certificates on wildcats as legal tender for taxes.

Dec. 24, 1863, Confederate House passes bill to suppress circulation of greenbacks in the South.

Dec. 25, 1642, Royal Mintmaster Sir Isaac Newton born.

Dec. 26, 1862, Boston printer Louis Prang advertises to print small change bills for merchants.

Dec. 27, 1915, U.S. Mint invites three sculptors (Hermon A. MacNeil, Adolph A. Weinman and Albin Polasek) to redesign silver dime, quarter dollar and half dollar.

Dec. 28, 1989, Discovering America: the Coin Collecting Connection by Russ Rulau copyrighted.

Dec. 29, 1845, State quarter dollar subject Texas admitted to the Union.

Week of Dec. 30 to 31

Dec. 30, 1963, Congress authorizes Kennedy half dollar honoring slain president.

Dec. 31, 1836, first Seated Liberty (Gobrecht) dollars minted for circulation.

Fred Reed has been a collector and writer for many years. If you have additions or comments, you can reach him at www.fredwritesright.com or P.O. Box 118162, Carrollton, TX 75011-8162, and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.