Macon Time Capsule Opened

[Gary Morgan]

I don't know the details of this particular case, but stumbled across it in the news and thought it might be of interest.

Contents of Macon Confederate statue time capsules revealed

Two time capsules from a Confederate monument recently moved to Rose Hill cemetery have been opened, and the contents are fascinating.

www.13wmaz.com

 

[7thWisconsin]

I thought the Confederacy didn´t mint coinage. I wonder if the coins are from the 1870s and that´s an editorial slip.

 

[jepridgen]

It must be 1870s or commemorative. I can't remember any coinage made beyond maybe some "sample" pieces. That would be bigger news if they found some rare coins I'd imagine. I was stationed in Macon for several years and saw that statue all the time. Never knew it had that under it.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Doubt the coins recovered were 'Confederate coins' in the strict sense of the term.

When the large Federal Mint at New Orleans was seized in early 1861, the South (Louisiana, then the Confederacy) took over the facility and continued production (with existing dies) to mint U.S. silver half dollars and $20 gold coins until the city fell in 1862.

With the capture of the two smaller Federal Mints at Charlotte, NC, and Dahlonrga, GA, the South also minted U.S $1 and $5 gold coins until stock ran out and operations ceased.

(Believe it would be impossible to determine whether any of these above minted U.S. coins were produced by a mint under either U.S., Southern State or Confederate control).

Only four Confederate marked silver half dollars were minted (with new dies) at New Orleans.

The Confederacy also contracted with a Philadelphia Company in early 1861 to produce a Confederate marked penny (one cent coin). Although twelve nickel sample coins were produced, the coins never reached the Confederacy.

If not an editorial error, what might have been meant here was that the coins found were 'Confederate owned coins'.

 

[gjpratt]

Embedded in the story is a slideshow of the finds. The coins are included. The photo is not clear enough and I am not knowledgeable enough to I.d. them but they should be identifiable by someone with a better eye.

 

[jepridgen]

One coin is dated either 1826 or 1876. It's definitely not in the 1860s.

 

[John Winn]

I wonder if my John Winn attended the dedication ceremony. He lived in Macon at the time (and is buried there but not in Rose Hill; next door).

 

[Mike Serpa]

Postwar
"One capsule is from 1879, while the other comes from a few years down the road, in 1956."

Contents of Macon Confederate statue time capsules revealed

Two time capsules from a Confederate monument recently moved to Rose Hill cemetery have been opened, and the contents are fascinating.

www.13wmaz.com

 

[Carol]

I don't know the details of this particular case, but stumbled across it in the news and thought it might be of interest.

Contents of Macon Confederate statue time capsules revealed

Two time capsules from a Confederate monument recently moved to Rose Hill cemetery have been opened, and the contents are fascinating.

www.13wmaz.com

Thank You for sharing this. I wonder if they know who the soldier is in the photo?