The mints of the United States have . . .

. . . coined since they commenced operations – a period of less than twenty years – the large amount of $800,000,000 – about one fifth of the whole metallic currency of the world.  Of this amount $520,000,000 were derived from the mines of the United states.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 4