But the act of Feb. 28, 1878, 20 U. S. Stat. L. c. 20, restored the standard silver dollar of the act of Jan, 18. 1837, as a legal tender for all debts except where otherwise stipulated in the contract, and ,required the monthly purchase of not less than two million and not more than four, million dollars worth of silver bullion and the coinage of the same into standard silver dollars, but this latter clause was repealed by act of July 14, 1890. The act of Feb. 12, 1873, introduced the trade-dollar, of the weight of four hundred and twenty grains Troy, intended chiefly, if not wholly, to supplant the Mexican dol lar in trade with China and the East. It has found its way, however, all over the United States, and, as it has been declared by a joint resolution of con gress of July 22, 1876, 19 Stat. L. p. 215, not to be a legal tender, has led to great inconvenience. The coinage of the trade-dollar was terminated and its redemption and recoinage ih standard dollars was directed by the act of March 3, 1887, 24 Stat. L. 643. See also U. S. R. S. 1 Supp. 663, 774.
By the act of November 1, 1893, it is declared to be the policy of the United States to continue the use of both gold and silver as standard money, and to coin both gold and silver into money of equal in trinsic and exchangeable value, such equality be secured through international agreement, or by such safeguards of legislation as will insure the maintenance of the parity in value of the coins of the two metals, and the equal power of every dollar at all times in the markets and in the payment of debts. It Is further declared that the efforts of the Government should be steadily directed to the es tablishment of such a safe system of bimetallism as will maintain at all times the equal power of every dollar coined or issued by the United States, in the markets and in the payment of debts.
By the act of March 3, 1849, a gold dollar was authorized to be coined at the mint of the United States and the several branches thereof, conform ably in all respects to the standard of gold coins now established by law, except that on the reverse of the piece the figure of the eagle shall be omitted. It is of the weight of 25.8 grains, and of the fineness of nine hundred thousandths. This dollar was made the unit of value by act of congress Feb. 12, 1873, and it was further provided that such dollar, when worn by natural abrasion, and so reduced in weight after twenty years of circulation (as evidenced by date on the face of such coin), will be redeemed by the 'United States 'Treasury or its offices, subject to such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe for the protection of the Government against fraudulent abrasions and other practices ; U. S. Rev. Stat. §§ 3505, 3511. Its coinage was dis continued by act of September 26, 1890.
A charge of one-fifth per centum was formerly made for converting gold bullion into coin, but by act of Jan. 14, 1875, this law was repealed.
The one dollar and the three dollar gold pieces are no longer coined. See 26 Stat. L. 485.
When the word dolla*rs is used in a bequest or in any instrument for the payment of money, the amount is payable in whatever the United States declares to be legal tender, whether coin Or paper money, but not in real or personal property in which money has been invested ; Halsted v. Meeker's Ex're, 18 N. J. Eq. 136 ; Lanning v. Sisters of St. Francie, 35 N. J. Eq. 396 ; Bs* of State v. Burton, 27 Ind.
; Miller v. Lacy, 33 Tex. 351; Hart v. Flyn's Ex'rs, 8 Dana (Ky.) 190; Morris v. Bancroft, 1 U. N. C. (Pa.) 223.