"General Print Mint" For

FOR ESTABLISIUWO, BY ACT OF CONOREBS,NOTA OWN 'MD4T, FOR THERE IS ONE ALREADY, BUT A W.3LUHOTON FOR THE EMISM9N OF PArkE MO r TO THE AMOUNT flRHAP& OF. - H TO 3Z SOUnDED UPON A ROCH, Afl UPON A CRfl)IT OF TLSYEAR$ATS !tVnYq: WHIOD WILL It PRODUCTIVIorARItOF PXOPEWET ILP -: - 10, 15, rztaa,. 20PZR CZRT., aflOflmflafl asx.t - E' -- :. BY EDWAn 0. OQflctLL, Title page of an early pamphlet in the collection of the Library of Congress proposing a "General Print Mint" for the United States.The author shipped a quantity of his treatise to the Postmaster General at Washington requesting that official to distribute the copies to the Members of Congress. HISTORY of the BUREAU of ENGRAVING and PRINTING 1862-1962 TREASURY DEPARTMENT Washington, D.C. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C.20402.Price $7.00 CENTENNIAL HISTORY STAFF MICHAEL L. PLANT Office of the Controller ARTHUR BARON LOUISE S. BROWN Office of Office of Plant Currency and Stamp Manufacturing Facilities and Industrial Procurement JOHN J. DRISCOLL MICHAEL J. EVANS Internal Audit Staff Internal Audit Staff The Introduction, giving a brief history of the art of engraving and its application in American colonial and early Federal days, was prepared by Robert L. Miller of the Bureau's Designing Staff, Office of Engraving and Plate Manufacturing. II Foreword RE IDEA of publishing ahistory of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to commemorate the centennialanniversary of its establishment was nurtured in the knowledge that a recitalof its accom- plishments was a story that well deserved the telling.It is not a subject that has been dealt with widely.Much of what has already appeared inprint concerning the Bureau is in the nature of guidebookmaterial or relates to its products, especially currency notes and stamps, ratherthan to the agency itself. The purpose of this volume is to fill that gapto tell the storyof the hap- penings and conditions that have had an intrinsic bearing onthe printing of our Government's securities. Throughout the events recounted here will be found a definiteconsistency in one common endeavor, and that is the constantstriving for excellence of the printed products and the timeliness in meetingthe monetary and security needs of the Nation at peace and at war.These engravings, touched with an artistic eloquence that portrays the strength, the integrity,and the dignity of the sovereign state, have earned an unswerving respectthrough their character and perfection. This enduring excellence is a magnificent tribute to thosepublic servants who plodded faithfully through the century and peopled this story. III Hurm EnVrnvil & PrIImIi )'(iNAL HOME 1882 - 1880 tHF Li- !'-'!!JJh!'!j--f 0-sn :rIflT1VtTu.i.., r IJ!! miup111W nfl i ii, IDS$'aUui nuu...,lp In-1- __=r ---_-.......- - FIRST BUILDING 1880 - 1914 of Ofl4Yanig/ (Yand iniih1 MAIN BUILDING 1914 !!!tEilIA b I I 2)4 L//N9%J7t; YI OUREAU OF ENGRAViNG AND PRINTING ANNEX 1938 Acknowleci gment HIS HISTORY of the Bureau of Engraving and Print- ing is the product of many persons' efforts.Regretfully, it is impractical to cite all those who have had a part in the preparation of the volume, for their names are legion.Innumerable Bureau employees, both those now on the rolls and those who have joined the ranks of the retired, gave invalu- able suggestions concerning points warranting coverage in this story and con- tributed their recollections of those events. Many persons, in other Govern- ment agencies and in private life as well, willingly gave their time and advice.Each has the deep gratitude of the history staff. Appreciation for their help is accorded the staffs of the Bureau Issues Association Columbia Historical Society Library of Congress: Information and Publications Office Manuscripts Division Prints and Photographs Division National Archives and Records Service: Diplomatic, Legal, and Fiscal Branch Legislative Branch Social and Economic Branch Treasury Department: Office of the Assistant to the Secretary (Public Affairs) Library Division of Retired Securities, Bureau of the Public Debt U.S. National Museum: Division of Numismatics, Department of Civil History Division of Philately and Postal History, Department of Civil History U.S. Patent Office: Examining Division Handling the Printing Art Scientific Library V A special note of thanks is tendered Hope K. Holdcamper and Philip R. Ward of the Diplomatic, Legal, and Fiscal Branch, National Archives and Records Service, George P. Perros of the Legislative Branch of that Service, and William E. Lind of the Social and Economic Branch, for their patient and unstinting assistance in locating historical and legislative material per- taining to the Bureau and the Treasury Department; Edith R. Saul, Chief, and C. Frances Manwaring, Assistant, Washingtoniana Division, District of Columbia Public Library, for help in securing data concerning the Bureau in the community life of the Capital; and Geneva H. Penley, Documents Li- brarian, National Archives Library, who so graciously gave her time, talents, and advice in locating and making available legislative background material for this history.Her insight and encouragement did much to bring this volume to fruition. VI Contents Page Centennial History Staff II Foreword III Acknowledgment V Contents VII Introduction XI An Ancient Art XI Copperplate Printing of Securities XIII A New American Industry XIV Mechanical Steel Plate Engraving XVI Banknote Printing Becomes of Age XVII The Need for Federal Paper Currency XVIII CHAPTER I.The Early Years (1862-1867) 1 Foundation Stones 2 The Bureau's Charter 3 Printing at the Department 5 Original Engraving Staff 7 Fractional Currency 8 Other Early Production 13 The 1864 Investigation 13 The Green in "Greenbacks" 17 Hydrostatic Printing 18 CHAPTER II.Growing Painsa name of its own (1868-1879). 21 First International Award 24 Internal Revenue Stamps 27 Power Plate Printing Presses 30 Distinctive Currency Paper 35 CHAPTER III.The Bureau Comes of Agea home of its own (1880-1893) 40 The 1880 Rule Book 49 The Civil Service and Servants 52 Division of Work 57 CHAPTER IV.Production Expandednew horizons in a new century (1894-1913) 60 Philippine Currency and Postage Stamps 65 Coiled Postage Stamps 67 Savings from Improved Methods 71 VU! CONTENTS CHAPTER IV.Production ExpandedContinued Page Currency Laundering Machines 76 Rotary Web-Fed Postage Stamp Press 79 CHAPTER V. A Bigger Homean expanded workload (1914- 1928) 84 Supply Problems 90 Liberty Loan Bonds 92 Photolithographic Offset Printing 95 Offset Printed Postage Stamps 97 Space at a Premium 98 Wartime Personal Effort 99 A Bit of Nostalgia 101 Postwar Years 102 The Dismissal Fiasco 103 Power Presses Vindicated. 106 Electrolytic Plates 108 CHAPTER VI. A Smaller Productthe depression and national recovery (1929-1940) 110 The End of an Era 114 Extensive Furlough Plan 115 "Emergency Currency" 116 A Big Check Job 117 "Baby Bonds" and Other Securities 119 New Currency Designs 121 Printing of Foreign Currencies 123 Development of Electric-Eye Perforating Equip- ment 125 The Annex Building 128 Expanded Research and Development Program 130 Two Notable Sets of Postage Stamps 131 Food and Cotton Order Stamps 134 CHAPTERVII. World War II Yearsthe Bureau on the home- front (1941-1948) 137 War Savings Bonds 138 A Dime at a Time 140 Money as a Weapon 141 Military Postage Stamps 147 Cloaks and Daggers and Currency 148 "Overrun Countries" Stamps 149 "R" and "S" Notes 149 Personal Effort 150 CONTENTS IX CHAPTER VII. World War II YearsContinued Page The Bureau as a Tourist Attraction 151 The Case of the Russian Plates 153 CHAPTER VIII. Technological Advancementnew ways for old (1949-1962) 156 Nonoffset Inks 157 18-Subject Currency 159 Flatbed Plate Printing Press Improvements. 159 New Designs for Federal Reserve Notes 163 Business-Type Budget 165 Payment for Lost Sheets 166 High-Speed Stamp Presses 167 The "Big" Robbery 169 Sheet-Fed Dry Printing 172 "In God We Trust" 176 Job Security 178 Multicolor Postage Stamps 179 Project Mercury Stamp 181 Fini3 183 Bibliography 186 Index 189 THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Introduction HE PRINCIPAL means of printing at the Bureauof Engraving and Printing is from intaglio plates made from hand-engraved dies.Typographic and lithographic methods of printing are also employed here, but these and other methods like gravure printing are all absolutely reliant on photographic processes for pictorial reproduction.Consequently, they lack the fidelity of fine line inherent in steel engraving and do not possess the distinctive third-dimensional effect of ink deposited on paper. These features have long been the principal means for legitimate producers of paper securities to deter counterfeiting.Today as a further protection, distinctive paper and secretly formulated inks are used in the printing of U.S. securities, but the last bastion of defense lies in the exactness of the myriad of lines that must be plate printed to reproduce the image engraved on the steel die.It is this challenge that makes a good counterfeit rare and a perfect one virtually impossible. An Ancient Art Aborigines of every culture utilized cut or scratched lines for decorating the surfaces of their most cherished possessions.The extension of this prac- tice through several ages led to excellent achievements in the decoration of metals.By the time of the Renaissance, the burin or graver had become a familiar tool in the skilled hands of goldsmiths and other workers in non- ferrous

Load more