Hon. James Ross Snowden, LL.D., Ninth Director of the Mint
Mr. Snowden, who was appointed by President Pierce, June 3, 1853, was formerly a member of the State Legislature, and served two terms as Speaker; was afterwards elected for two terms as State Treasurer. During his official term the building was made fire-proof, the large collection of minerals was added, and nickel was first coined.
Mr. Snowden has placed the numismatic world under many obligations, by directing the publication of two valuable quarto volumes,—one of them a description of the coins in the Cabinet, under the title of “The Mint Manual of Coins of all Nations,” the other “The Medallic Memorials of Washington,” being mainly a description of a special collection made by himself. In the preface to the former work he gives due credit to the literary labors of Mr. George Bull, then Curator, and also to a reprint of the account of the ancient collection, by Mr. Du Bois, who also furnished other valuable material. These books are valuable as authority, and by reason of the national character of the last mentioned.