THE
NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE,
•
JOURNAL OF THE NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.)
EDITED BY
JOHN YONGE AKERMAN,
FELLOW AND SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF LONDON.
AND
W. S. W. VAUX, M.A., F.S.A.
VOL. XX.
Al'RH,, 1857.— JANUARY, 1868.
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Factum abiit — monumenta manent— Ov. Fatt.
LONDOxN: JOHN RUSSELL SMITH, 30, SOHO SQUARE.
SOLD ALSO BY M. ROLL1N, RUE VIVIENNE, NO. 12, PARIS. X.DCCC.LIX.
I
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641178
LONDON :
PRINTED BY WEKTHE1MER AND CO F1N8DOBT CIBCrS.
TO
JOHN FREDERICK WILLIAM DE SALIS, ESQ.
OF HILLINGDON PLACE, IN THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX,
THIS, OUR TWENTIETH VOLUME,
IS INSCRIBED.
CONTENTS.
ANCIENT NUMISMATICS .
Page On a Gold Coin of Epaticcus. By John Evans, F.S.A. .- ]
Tetradrachm of Alexander. By L. Miiller ... 39 On a Barbarous Coin or Amulet of Helena, the Mother of
Constantine. By John Evans, F.S.A. ... 43 On some Coins of Tasciovanus, with the Legend " VER
BOD." By John Evans, F.S.A 57
On some Roman Coins discovered in a Hypocaust at
Wroxeter. By C. Roach Smith, F.S.A. . -..>•» 79 On the Coins found upon and near the Site of Ancient
Verulam. By John Evans, F.S.A. . . ... • .101
Le Mancus des Anglo-Saxons . By Prof. Holmboe . 1 49
Remarkable Coin of Seuthes I. By Samuel Birch, F.S.A. 151 On some Rare and Unpublished Ancient British Coins.
By John Evans, F.S.A. 157
MEDIEVAL AND MODERN NUMISMATICS.
Shilling of Edward VI. By John Evans, F.S.A. . . 22 Notices of Six Plates of Tokens of the Seventeenth
Century, having reference to London and Southwark.
By William Boyne, F.S.A. . . 17G'
Unique Gold Coins of Edward VI. By R. M. Murchiton 187
CONTENTS.
ORIENTAL NUMISMATICS.
Pago
On Coins discovered by W. K. Loftus, Esq., at Susa. By
W. S. W. Vaux, F.S.A 25
On aome Coins of Characene, brought from Baghdad, by
Dr. Hyslop. By W. S. W. Vaux, F.S.A. . . 32
Coins of Seistan. By W. S. Vaux, F.S.A. . .49
On Coins of Marathus, and of Kamnaskires and Anzaze.
By W. S. W. Vaux, F.S.A. . . . . . 84
MISCELLANEA.
Recent Finds in Scotland < . ... . . '; 192
American Coins — Extracted from the American " Historical
Magazine" . ... " . , . . ' * 66 Essays on Indian Antiquities, Historic, Numismatic, and
Pala?ographic. By the late James Prinsep, F.R.S. . 142 Recherches sur la Numismatique Judaique. By F. De
Saulcy . . . ' .'•.-. . . vii-,;: 8
CORRESPONDENCE — Discovery of Roman Gold Coins and Torques at Lengrich; a Letter from Dr. Bell, Phil. D., to W. S. W. Vaux, F.S A. . . . ., • . 189
NOTICE ....... 191
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.
SESSION 1855—56.
NOVEMBER, 29, 1855. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
The following Presents, received during the recess, were an- nounced, and laid upon the table : —
Bulletin de 1'Academie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres, et des Beaux Arts de Belgique. Part II, for 1854, completing Vol. XXI, and Part I, of Vol. XXII. 1855. 8vo. Brussels, 1854 — 5.
Annuaire de 1'Academie Royale, &c., &c., ) Belgique, 12mo. pp. 276. Brussels, 1855. )
Bibliographic Academique ou Liste des ouv- rages public's par les Membres correspon- dants, et Associ^s residents de 1'Academie Royale de Belgique. 12mo. pp. 254. Brus- sels, 1855.
Antiquarisks Tidskrift utgivet af det kongelige Nordiske Oldskrift-Selskab. (Antiquarian Journal, published by the Royal Northern Antiquarian Society) 1 849 — 1851. 8vo. pp. 348, and 3 plates, Copenhagen, 1 852.
Ditto for 1852—1854. 8vo. pp. 320, wood- cuts, Copenhagen, 1854.
PRESENTED BY
THE ACADEMY.
DITTO.
DITTO.
THE SOCIETY.
DITTO
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
Mdmoires de la Societe" Royale des Anti- quaires du Nord, 1848—1849. Svo.pp. 438, and 5 plates, Copenhagen, 1852.
Nordboernes Forbindelser med Oesten i det niende og noermest fdlgende Aarhundreder (The relations of the Northmen with the East in the ninth and immediately following centuries). By Carl Christian Rafn. 8vo. pp. 8. Copenhagen, 1854.
Discovery of America by the Northmen, (In English, Danish, and French). 8vo. pp. 4. Copenhagen.
Saga jatvardar Konungs Hins Helga, udgiven efter Islandske Oldboger af det kongelige Nordiske Oldskreft-Selskab. (The Jatvard Saga of the holy king Hins, published from Icelandic MSS., by the Royal Northern Antiquarian Society). 8vo. p. 43, and a plate of facsimile. Copenhagen, 1852.
Me" moires de la Societe1 Arche"ologique de 1* Orle"anois. Tome III., royal 8vo., pp. 356, Orleans, Chartres, and Paris, 1855.
Bulletin de la Socie'te' Arch<k>logique de 1' Orle"anois. Nos. 15 to 20, royal 8vo. Or- leans, 1853 to 1855.
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. Vol. XV. Part II. 8vo. plates and wood-cuts. Lon- don, 1855.
PRESENTED BY
THE SOCIETY.
DITTO.
DITTO.
DITTO.
DITTO.
DITTO.
DITTO.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of ) Scotland. Vol. I. Part III., completing f the volume. Small 4to., many wood-cuts, f Edinburgh, 1855. )
Journal of the Photographic Society, to No.
36. November, 1855. Royal. 8vo. Lon- \ DITTO. don.
Revue Numismatique Beige. Vol. IV. Parts
8 and 4. Vol. V. Parts 1 , 2, and 3. Royal I- THB EDITOR. 8vo. with many plates. Brussels, 1854—5.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.
3
PRESENTED BY
Jahrbiicher des Vereins von Altesthumsfreun- j den im Rheinlande. (Annual of the Society / of Antiquaries of the Rhine). No. XXII. > THE SOCIETY. 8vo. pp. 168, and 2 Lithographic plates. I Bonn, 1855.
Ch. M. Frsehnii nova supplementa ad recensio- N nem numorum Muhammedanorum Acade- miae Imp. Scient. Petropolitanae additaruentis Editoris aucta, subjunctis ejusdem de Frsehnii vita operibus impressis et Bibliotheca rela- tionibus. Edidit Bernh. Dorn Musei Asiatic! Director. Royal 8vo. pp. 451. Petersburg, 1855.
Du. DOKN.
Lettre dM.de Longperier sur les Moutons d'or frappes en Normandie par le Roi d'Angleterre Henri V. Par M. B. le Car- pentier. Royal 8vo. pp. 15 and a plate. Blois, 1855.
Descriptive Notice of the Drawings, Tracings, Models, and Miscellaneous publications of the Arundel Society, exhibited November, 1855, in the Crystal Palace, Sydenham. 12mo. pp. 46, many wood-cuts. London, 1855.
Catalogue of select examples of Ivory Carvings from the Second to the Sixteenth Century, preserved in various public and private col- lections in England and other Countries. By Edmund Oldfield. 4to. pp. 28. London, 1855.
Descriptive Catalogue of London Traders' Tavern and Coffee-House Tokens in the Corporation Library, Guildhall, formerly collected for Mr. Beaufoy. By Jacob Henry Burn. 2nd Edition, 8vo. pp. 287. Portrait and Plates. London, 1855.
History of the Art of Pottery in Liverpool. By Joseph Mayer, Esq., F.S.A. 12mo. pp. 37, many wood-cuts. Liverpool, 1855.
TUB AUTHOR.
THE ARUNDIO. SO- CIETY.
DITTO.
LIBRARY COMMITTEE, GUILDHALL.
THE AUTHOR.
4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
Mr. Pfister exhibited a bronze medal (about size 11) of Francesco Quirini, Patrician of Venice, and Procurator of San Marco, by the eminent Engraver and Gem-cutter, Giovanni Cavino, of Padua, executed about the year 1550, and considered as one of his best works of that class.
Obv.— The bust, FRANC. QVIRINVS.
-fov.—The Roman Wolf and Twins, with legend PERPETVA SOBOLES indicating the supposed origin of the family.
Mr. Akerman exhibited impressions of 1. A Gaulish Coin of a type similar to an example in the Collection of the British Museum, engraved in the Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. XI. p. 147. No. 12 of the plate ; but the metal is a very pale electrum. 2. A Gold British Coin lately found at Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire, of type similar to No. 3, in the Plate at p. 80 of Vol. XVI. of the Numismatic Chronicle. The letters ANDO below the horse are remarkably distinct.
Mr. Evans exhibited a rare Gaulish Coin in gold, bearing the inscription VIROS. A similar coin is engraved in Lelewel's Type Gauloise, Plate IV., No. 17.
Mr. Sainthill, presented to the Society through the Treasurer, a Bronze Medal, the obverse of which presents his own portrait, " Richard Sainthill, of Topsham, Devonshire, Numismatist, born Jan. 28. 1787 ;" and the reverse, a personification of the Science of Numismatics, extending her right hand to a young female, who represents Time present, and with her left withdrawing a curtain and disclosing an old man seated, as a type of Time past. The legend is " IRRADIATING THE PRESENT — RESTORING THE PAST." The Medal is 2£ inches diameter, and is the work of Mr. Leonard C. Wyon.
The Treasurer exhibited and read a paper on —
1st, a gold piece of Edward VI.
Obv. The bare-headed bust of the king, as on Pl.vii. No. 12 of Ruding ; but with the legend, SCVTVM FIDEI PROTEGET EVM. M. M. a cinquefoil.
Rev. 1547. ANNO DE CIMO ETAT IS EIVS in four lines across the field : the date forming the first line ; the other three.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 5
containing the inscription, divided in the second and third words, as indicated by the spaces. The cinquefoil is repeated above and helow the inscription, and also between the words.
Weight, 108 grains.
This piece, which is hitherto unknown, and believed to be unique, is of the same class as that engraved in Ruding, PL vii. No. 14, which has on the obverse a leafed rose, and on the reverse INSIGNIA POTENTISSIMI REGIS ANGLIE. 1547; and which was formerly in the Pembroke Cabinet. That, also, is sup- posed to be unique in gold ; but the Museum possesses a very fine specimen in silver. On examining the piece now exhibited, it appeared that the inscription on the reverse had not been struck from a die like the obverse ; but had been afterwards put in, letter by letter, by separate punches ; the obverse being placed upon lead or putty, to prevent its being defaced by the operation. The inscription on the reverse of the silver piece hi the Museum, seems to have been produced in a similar manner ; and thus the extreme rarity of these pieces is accounted for.
Mr. Bergne then proceeded to discuss the question, whether these pieces were intended as patterns for a coin, or merely as medalets or jettons ; and stated his reasons for concluding that they are both jettons.
2nd, a denarius of Vespasian, unpublished both as to obverse and reverse.
Obv. The full-length figure of the emperor in a military habit : the right arm extended; in the left, from which hangs a mantle, he holds a lance with the point downwards. Across the field, VESPASIA NVS on each side of the figure, as divided by the space.
Rev. The full-faced and radiated head of the sun, as on the corns of the Mussidia family.
Denarii of Vespasian exist which were struck at Ephesus, and bear the monogram of that city ; and it is possible that the coin now exhibited was struck at Rhodes, in commemoration of the visit
6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
of Vespasian, on his voyage from Alexandria to assume the imperial power.
The paper has been published in the Numismatic Chronicle, with an illustrative plate.
Mr. Williams read a paper on some curious' and remarkable Chinese coins, which had lately come under his notice. These coins, thirteen in number, ranged from the very earliest period of the Chinese coinage, down to the beginning of the 18th century. The earliest professed to be struck by the Emperor Shun, who, according to the Chinese annals, ascended the throne B.C. 2251, or at least by one of his immediate successors ; but even taking it at B.C. 2100, this would, if true, establish the use of pieces of metal with inscriptions on them, as the medium of exchange, more than a thousand years before the earliest coin with which we are acquainted — a period long before the Trojan war, or the foundation of the most celebrated cities of antiquity. How far the annals of China are to be regarded as authentic, is a matter still open for investiga- tion ; but they contain nothing that is inherently improbable. Be the truth what it may, corns — if such they are tc be called — like the earliest of the series now exhibited, are evidently of very high antiquity, possibly dating long before the Christian era. Nos. 2 and 3 were specimens of what is called knife-money, of the date of about the commencement of the Christian era. No. 4, a piece of about the same period, of shape similar to No. 1, but far less rude. The remaining specimens are of the same shape as the Chinese money of the present day, round, with a square hole in the centre ; but with various devices and inscriptions, and ranging in date from A.D. 560 to A.D. 1720. They ah1 belong to the Master of the Mint, and were brought to Mr. Williams by a mutual friend for examination.
The President read a paper by Mr. Burgon, of the British Museum, on some rare coins lately acquired by that establishment. The coins illustrated were as follows : —
1. Corinth. — Obv. Female head to the right ; the hair tied at the back of the head.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 7
Rev. COL. L. IVL. C[OR]. A lioness standing on the back of a recumbent ram. The group is placed on the capital of a fluted Doric column. JE. size 5.
2. Corinth. — Obv. SE. A naked male figure standing, seen nearly in front, holding a rudder in each hand, and being a per- sonification of the Isthmus.
Rev. COR. Pegasus galloping to the right. JE. size 3£.
3. Corinth. — Obv. Pegasus galloping to the left ; his wings curled in archaic style ; under him, <p as usual.
Rev. TPIH, or TPHI, or THP1. Full-faced head of Medusa, with tongue protruded, within a sunk square ; the four letters being placed in the angles, ^ffi,. size 1 \.
4. Which is new, is exactly similar, in metal, type, size, and age, to No. 3, with the exception that the Pegasus on the obverse is going to the right, and that the letter under him is A. It was therefore struck at Leucas, in Acarnania, an ancient colony of Corinth. The place intended by the letters on the reverse is unknown.
5. Is also new.
Obv. A naked Jupiter standing, seen nearly in front, having in his extended right hand a victoriola, and in his left a long sceptre.
Rev. rOPTYNIflN. AXAIflN. A female seated to the left ; a patera in her extended right hand, and a long sceptre in her left. Beneath, a monogram, which seems to be composed of the letters ATP or ARAT. M. size 4£.
This coin not only adds a new town, Gortyna in Arcadia, to the twenty-seven towns already known of the Achaian League, but a new town to numismatic geography.
6. Is also new.
Obv. Boeotian buckler.
Rev. OPX across the field. JE. size 5.
This coin is of Orchomenus. Coins of similar type, size, metal . and fabric, were already known of Arisba, Plataea, Tanagra, Thes- pise, and Lebadea ; and Mr. Burgon suggested that they afforded a
8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
presumption of having been struck on the occasion of some Boeotian league.
The President exhibited casts of two medals of Indian princes, which are of some interest from their unusual size, and from the representations of those princes which they bear. The first is of the famous Akbar, the most celebrated of the Moghul rulers of Hindostan, who reigned at Delhi from A.H. 962 to A.M. 1014, i.e. A.D. 1556—1605. The other is that of Shah Alem, the last of the Moghul emperors of Delhi, who ascended the throne A.H. 1173 — A.D. 1760.
These casts were given to Mr. Vaux by the late lamented Dr. Scott ; they were procured by him together some years since ; and had, he believed, belonged to the celebrated De Sacy. It is not known where or whether the originals exist. The first has already been published in the work of Bonneville, which is referred to by Marsden in a note at p. 600, vol. ii., of his work. The other is believed to be new. The workmanship of the second is very infe- rior to that of the first. Had it not been for this manifest inferiority of fabric, Mr. Vaux would have supposed it probable that Shah Alem had caused a series of medals of his predecessors to be struck, of which these two might have formed a part. Although no express date is placed upon the medal of Shah Alem, yet it states, that he had reigned twelve years ; and this fixes the date to the year of the Hejra 1184 — A.D. 1771, when he abandoned the British protection and fled to the Mahratf as, who placed him nominally on the throne. The medal is evidently intended to commemorate this event.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.
DECEMBER 20, 1855. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
The following Presents were announced, and laid upon the table :—
Abbildungen von Mainzer Altertliiimern, mit > Erklarungen, herausgegeben von dem Verein zur Erforschung der rheinischen Geschichte und Alterthiimer. (Views of the Antiqui- ties of Mayence, with Explanations. Pub- lished by the Society for the Investigation of Rhenish History and Antiquities.) Part VI. 4to. pp. 28. Two Plates, and many Woodcuts. Mayence, 1855.
Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Vol. XXII. Part VI. Polite Literature. 4to. Dublin, 1855.
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy for the year 1854-5. Vol. VI. Part II. 8vo. Dublin, 1855.
PRESENTED BY
'I'm SOCIETY.
THE ACADEMY.
DITTO.
Proceedings and Papers of the Historic Soci- ] ety of Lancashire and Cheshire. Sessions ( ,.,
T J 1TTT * »«• T-«, 1 - 1 V I UK SOCIETY.
I. to VI J. 7 vols. Many Etchings and ( Woodcuts. 8vo. )
Miscellanea Graphica. Parts V. and VI. (in ) LORD LONDES- continuation). j BOROUGH.
Mr. Whitbourn exhibited and presented a small copper coin struck by the late Sultan Mahmoud, at Tarablus (Tripoli) in Barbary, which was found on the Racecourse at Guildford.
READ : — I. A paper by Mr. Birch, of the British Museum, on a Chinese coin recently sent to the Museum by Sir John Bowring. He stated, that it appears to be rather a medal than a coin. It is, indeed, in the usual form of the Chinese Tsien or cash ; but the background of the letters is lined, and the characters themselves have been chased. On the obverse, in the usual characters, are
c
10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
inscribed Toe ping lien kwo, i.e. "The celestial kingdom of universal peace " ; the Neen haen, or title of the reign assumed by the present leader of the revolt, who is more familiarly known as the Tae-ping- ivang. As this usurper commenced his career in 1851, from which he dates his first regnal year, the medal is, of course, later than that period, and probably emanated recently from his mint. On the reverse are four other characters : these read, Tung le ching keeouj i.e. " General control ; governing religious." Since the coins of China at no time had four characters on the reverse, but only two, to designate the place of mintage, while the medals often have four on each side, this appears to be a piece used as a medal, rather than one intended for general circulation as money. Of course, the reverse alludes to the universal progress of Christianity, which the Toe-ping has embraced ; and the medal, which shows more skill and care in its production than is usual on these objects when made in China, has probably been coined for some particular occasion. It is to be regretted, that some more precise information has not been received from China, as to its object and intent ; because it is only on the spot, that the exact meaning and design of these ephemeral productions can be satisfactorily and entirely made out. Had the medal contained on its reverse, like the actual currency of the Chinese empire, the name of the mint by which issued, it would then have assumed an historical interest. Mr. Birch concluded by stating, that he was unable to explain the particular allusion of the inscription on the reverse.
2. A letter from Professor Henslow to Mr. Birch, accompanying the impression of a gold British coin dug up by a labourer in the parish of Great Waldingfield (near Sudbury), in Suffolk. The type, which is very barbarous, much resembles that of the silver coin in Ruding, PI. III. No. 44; and the copper coin No. 52 of the same plate. The metal is very base ; the weight, 96- 1 gr.; specific gravity, 11 '0.
3. A note from the Rev. Daniel H. Haigh to Mr. Roach Smith, on the subject of the coin of Beohrtric, engraved in the Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. XVII. p. 59. He states, that the type of this coin
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 11
confirms the attribution which had previously been made of the other known specimen to East Anglia ; for it resembles the coin of Ethelstan with A on the obverse, and CO on the reverse. The place where the legend begins, shows that the letter on the reverse is fl)> not CD. On the coin of Ethelstan, the 00 has the stroke above it ; whereas, if it were intended for GO, it would have the stroke thus, CIO. On the newly-discovered coin of Beohrtric, however, as on many coins of ^thelwulf and Berhtulf, the A on the obverse is so formed as to be a monogram of ACU. There is, therefore, no ground for Mr. Shaw's conjecture, that Beohrtric reigned in Mercia as well as in East Anglia.
Mr. Bergne read the substance of a communication which he had received from Mr. Sainthill, relative to a hoard of coins discovered a short time ago, in the course of removing the stones of a cairn on Scraba Hill, near Newtonards, in the county of Down. A skeleton, deposited in a chamber composed of large blocks of stone, was dis- covered ; and, in the immediate vicinity, upwards of 100 coins, which, however, must have been a separate and later deposit. Some of them were of the bracteate class ; others, though equally thin, have both obverse and reverse. The obverses of these latter present a head with the Hiberno- Danish tiara, nearly similar to Nos. 52 and 53 in the Supplement to Lindsay's Irish Coinage ; the reverses resemble the coins of Cnut (Ruding, PI. XXIII. Nos. 3, 11, 13, and 15); and therefore the date may probably be about the middle of the eleventh century. None of them have any intel- ligible legend ; and the fabric of the whole is of the most barbarous description. Mr. Sainthill obtained two specimens from the hoard ; one of the type possessing both obverse and the Cnut reverse ; the other a bracteate of the type of the same reverse, but with no obverse. These two coins being from one and the same find, and having the same peculiar type and fabric, prove that a bracteate coinage, and a coinage both obverse and reverse, were contempo- rary.
12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
JANUARY 31, 1856. W. S. W. VAUX, Esq., President, in the Chair.
The following Presents were announced, and laid upon the table :—
PRESENTED BY Memoires de la Societe des Antiquaires de ]
Normandie. Second Series, completing > THE SOCIETY.
Volume X. 4to. pp. 556. Paris, 1855. )
Ditto. Third Series. Vol. I. 4to. pp. 538. ) . n • IOCK f DITTO.
Pans, 1855. )
Memoires de la Soci&£ des Antiquaires de ]
1'Ouest. Annee 1853. 8vo. pp. 332, and I DITTO. 10 Plates. Poitiers, 1854. )
Ditto. Annee 1854. 8vo. pp. 358, and 3 ) Plates. Poitiers, 1855. )
Bulletins of Ditto. Third and Fourth Quar- )
terly Parts for 1854, and First, Second, and > DITTO. Third for 1855. 8vo. )
Table des Manuscrits de Fonteneau conserves ]
a la Bibliotheque de Poitiers. 8vo. pp. 47. > DITTO. Poitiers, 1855. )
Revue Numismatique Beige. Vol. V. Part IV. ) „, _, 8vo. Brussels, 1855. j
Monnaies de M6tal pretendument produit par ]
les proc6d6s occultes de 1'Alchimie. Par > THE AUTHOR. Renier Chalon. 8vo. pp. 9. Brussels, 1855. )
Le Baron de Blanche, et sa Monnaie de J
Schonan. Par Renier Chalon. 8vo. pp. 9. > DITTO. Brussels, 1855. )
Rapport de M. Chalon sur un De"p6t de Mon-) naies du XIIm« Siecle, d^couvert a Tillet I pres de St. Hubert. Notice de M. 1'Abbe" ( Germain. 12mo. pp. 6. )
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.
13
Supplement a 1'Essai de Monographic d'une sdrie de Me'dailles Gauloises imit^es des deniers consulaires au type des Dioscures. Par le Marquis de Lagoy. 4to. pp. 1 5, and 1 Plate. 1856.
Sur 1'e'tablissement d'une Langue universelle. Par M. A. Charma. 8vo. pp.31. Paris, 1856.
Die Pehlevy-Miinzen des Asiatischen Museums der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissen- schaften. III. Die Miinzen der Ispehbede, Chalifen, und deren Statthalter. (The Pehlevi Coins of the Asiatic Museum of the Imperial Academy of Science. III. The Coins of the Califs and their Lieutenants.) By Bernhard Dorn. 8vo.
PRESENTED BY
THE AUTHOR.
DITTO.
DITTO.
Report of the Council of the Art-Union London, for the Year 1855.
of
THE COUNCIL
Edward Wigan, Esq., of Highbury Terrace, was balloted for and elected into the Society.
Samuel Birch, Esq., Assistant-Keeper of the Antiquities in the British Museum, was balloted for, and elected an Honorary Member of the Society.
Mr. Roach Smith exhibited —
1. An extremely rare oval medal, in lead, of Charles I., recently found in the Thames.
Obv. A three-quarter figure of the king wearing a capacious cloak, standing by a table, upon which is laid his hat; by the side is drapery. An inscription, incuse, runs halfway round: — CAROL. MAG. BRI. FRM. ET. HIB. REX.
Rev. The king on horseback ; above, an angel with wreath and palm-branch:— HONNI. SO1T. QVI. MAL. LI. PANS, (also MMMMk)
The work of this medal is extremely good ; and as the dies were doubtless made for silver or gold, this may probably be a pattern or trial-piece. It would appear to have been prepared shortly before
14 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
the decapitation of Charles, or immediately after. If there be any of the silver medals extant, they cannot be common ; but, hitherto, Mr. Roach Smith has failed in getting access to a single example.
2. A unique and unpublished brass coin of Allectus, found in Kent. It is of the smaller size.
Obv. IMP. C. ALLECTVS. P. F. AVG : radiated head, bust in armour, to the right.
Rev. VIRTVS. AVG. ; in the exergue, Q. L. A galley with rowers, but without mast. In the centre, and upon the deck of the galley stands a figure of Victory, extending her right hand, which holds a wreath ; in her left she holds a palm branch.
3. An engraving of coins of Carausius and Allectus, in the Cabinet of Lord Londesborough, among which is one of Allectus, of the galley type, with the usual legend, with a figure of Victory standing upon the prow. There are one or two more known of this type ; but the coin exhibited is unique.
4. Eight examples of the " Britannia" type of Hadrian ; and six- teen of the " Britannia " type of Antoninus Pius, all in middle brass, found in the Thames, opposite London. They are all in his own cabinet.
Mr. Beddome exhibited a coin of a Count of Hainault, of the class commonly denominated counterfeit sterling.-
READ: — 1. A paper by Mr. Birch, on the Coins of Germanus. After referring to the disputed question of the reading of the Coins of Cunobeline, which bear the legends of TASC. FIL orTASC. FIR he describes the well known coins reading GERMANVS INDVTILLI F or L. Like the coins of Cunobeline, these are distinguished for the excellence of their fabric, and are some of the best of the German or Celtic mintage. They are always of bronze ; they resemble in type the denarii of Julius Caesar and of Augustus, which have on their reverse a butting bull, and are admitted to be of the Augustan age. The last word of the legend of these coins has been variously read by different writers, but Mr. Birch on a close inspection of several specimens, is of opinion that it is INDVTILLI. L. The presence of a point after the word INDVTILLI in the
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 15
best preserved examples, shows that the word is in the genitive case, and that the contraction after it, must have a connection with the word before it in that case ; and Mr Birch suggests that then it may be read as INDVTILLI Libertus, the freedman of Indu- tillus. As his paper will appear in full in the Numismatic Chronicle, it is unnecessary here to detail the reasons which he adduces for this suggestion, or his arguments for reading the legend according to the formulas of the Latin language.
2. A paper by Mr. Evans on the attribution of certain Ancient British Coins to Addedomaros. The classes of coins in question are those figured in Ruding, Plate II. Nos. 40 and 35, and in the Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. XIV. Plate I. No. 1. There are traces of letters on most of the specimens of these coins ; but the inscriptions, even where they have been recognized at all, have been read only in part ; and it is by the comparison of a considerable number of specimens, that Mr. Evans has been enabled to complete them, and thus bring them together under one head, and still farther to attribute them with some degree of certainty to a Prince whose name, as it appears on the coins, was Addedomaros ; those letters which are deficient or doubtful on one coin being supplied or made clear by others of the same type, with the single exception of the letter M on the first type. Mr. Evans then gives his reason for concluding it the name of a prince and not of a people; and infers from the weight of the coins, which ranges from 84 to 87 grains, and which therefore rather exceeds the weight of the gold coins of Cunobeline, that they are of a date earlier than the latter. The places of discovery of the different specimens examined by Mr. Evans are for the most part unknown. Two of them, however, were found at Norwich and Cambridge ; and from this circumstance, and the resemblance of the ornament on the obverse of the type No. 40 of Ruding, to that of some uninscribed gold coins discovered in Nor- folk, and the correspondence of other details with those on some of the small Icenian silver coins, he thinks it probable that the Adde- domaros was a prince of the Iceni. This paper will also nppear in the Numismatic Chronicle.
16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
3. A letter from Mr. Akerman to the President, inclosing a Translation of a letter addressed to him by M. Chalon of Brussels, describing a new example of those continental imitations of English coins which are generally denominated counterfeit sterlings.
The specimen in question strongly resembles the pennies of the later coinage of Henry III. Ruding, Plate II. No. 17, and reads —
Obv. P0NRICVS RflX TR^I.
Rev. CMI|TCL|3V3|IOP.
M. Chalon proposes to read the legends thus ; HENRICUS REX TeodeRiCI CoMITes CLEVE lOHannes (Monetarius), and to assign the coin to Thierri, Count of Cleves, one of the four of that name who ruled successively from 1244 to 1311.
FEBRUARY 28, 1856. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
READ : — A paper by Mr. John Evans, in reply to some observa- tions by Mr. Beale Post on his reading of the legends of several British coins, in which Mr. Evans shewed with great clearness that there could be no doubt of the accuracy of the legend on the coins of Cunobeline ; viz., CVNOBELINVS • TASCIOVANI • F • and its variations. It had been suggested that TASC • FIR could be deciphered on one of the coins in the possession of Mr. Wigan : Mr. Fairholt, however, who had examined this coin, stated that this was not the case.
2. Dr. Loewe read a paper, in which he gave an account of some Jewish coins which he had met with during his recent visit to Jerusalem, and at the same time exhibited some of the specimens which he described.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 17
MARCH 27, 1856. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
Thomas Kerr Lynch, Esq., was duly elected a Member of the Society.
READ: — 1. A paper, communicated by Mr. Bergne, on a penny of William I. or II. This coin, which is at present in the collection of W. Brice, Esq., of Bristol, exhibits the usual Pax type for its reverse ; but, on the obverse, has a head in profile, with a sword instead of the sceptre.
2. A paper by Mr. John Evans, in which he criticised at some length many of the attributions recently put forward in M. de Saulcy's Re'cherches Judaiques. For instance, Mr. Evans called attention to that savant's attribution of the early shekels and half- shekels to Jaddus. the High Priest contemporary with Alexander the Great. He observed, that if the privilege of coining money had been granted by the Greek conqueror, we have no reason to sup- pose that it was withdrawn till the treacherous capture of Jerusalem by the first Ptolemy — a period which comprised many more years than the four which we find recorded on the coins ; while, at the same time, this same monetary period would have to be yet further reduced, if we exclude the money dated in the fourth year, and which is exclusively of copper, and apparently of a fabric much more recent. This argument, which depends on the fact that the weight of the shekels is the same as that of the tetradrachms of the Egyptian standard, has not so much force as has been attributed to it, or as it would primd facie seem to possess ; for some of the very late shekels of Simon Barchochebas have the same weight. There can, however, be no reasonable doubt that these shekels are of an early date, if not belonging to the High Priest whom Alexander appointed ; while it bias been held by some that they belong to a period antecedent to Alexander himself.
Mr. Vaux remarked, that, judging from the fabric and character
D
18 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
of the coins in question (exclusive of the copper), he was still inclined to believe them considerably anterior to the time of Alexander, and not improbably referrible to a period shortly after the return of the Jews from the captivity. The character of the writing on them, usually termed Samaritan letters, is of a decidedly archaic type, bearing a striking analogy with the earliest Phoenician inscriptions preserved ; while the form and shape of the coins themselves are unlike those of any money of the time of Alexander and his successors. Mr. Vaux expressed his opinion, that the date of these successive years, supposed to be those of the high priesthood of Simon, did not necessarily, bear that interpretation. If struck during the short period of the rebuilding of the city, the coinage might not unnaturally have been stopped, on the interruption of this resto- ration.
APRIL 24, 1856. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
Mr. Williams exhibited a medal struck in honour of the well- known mathematician, Dr. Gauss, by order of the King of Hanover. Specimens of this medal, both in silver and copper, were laid before the Society.
Mr. Webster exhibited a small gold coin, having a head in profile on the obverse, with the letters AN on the reverse. Though there seemed to be considerable doubt upon this subject, Mr. Webster expressed his opinion that the coin in question was a Saxon one.
Dr. Loewe read a short paper in illustration of some Jewish coins, which he at the same time exhibited, as the result of his researches while recently travelling in the East.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. I '.>
MAY 22, 1856. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
Colonel Anderson, C.B., of the H.E.I. C.S., was elected a member of the Society.
READ. — Mr. Bergne read a letter from Mr. Sainthill.
Mr. Poole read a paper, containing an account of a hoard of coins recently discovered near Pulborough (Petworth), in Sussex. These coins, consisting of Roman third brass coins, chiefly of the reign of Constantino the Great, and bearing his name and those of his sons as Caesars, were discovered in an old dipping-well on the borders of Wiggenholt Common. They do not present any new or very rare types, but are interesting as showing from what mints the English currency of the time of Constantine was supplied.
Mr. Evans read a paper, " On a rare noble of the first coinage of Edward IV." One of these coins, then believed to be unique, was exhibited by Mr. Evans nearly four years ago to the Society, and this second specimen has been recently acquired by him. Both are in remarkably good preservation, and differ enough to be held to be varieties of the same type. Mr. Evans considered that the disap- pearance of these nobles is probably due to the fact that their intrinsic worth was really greater than their nominal value, and that they were therefore, melted down in or after the year 1465, — the year imme- diately following that in which they appear to have been struck.
GENERAL MEETING. JUNE 26, 1856.
The minutes of the last General Meeting were read and con- firmed.
20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
The Report of the Council was presented and read, from which it appeared, that the numerical state of the Society, was as follows: —
Original. Elected. Honorary. Associates. Total.
Members ) 26 49 3 46 124
June, 1855, ) Since Elected 31 4
26 52 4 46 128
Deceased 1 2 3
Resigned 2 — . — 2
June 1856 23 50 4 46 123
The list of papers contributed during the previous Session was then read.
In consequence of the low state of the Finances of the Society; it appearing from the Treasurer's report, that the receipts had fallen from £139 5s. 9d., to £119 9s. 7d., it was determined to accept the President's offer, that the Society should for the future meet at his Rooms, at No. 13, Gate Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. And, on the motion of Edward Hawkins, Esq., seconded by J. Evans, Esq., this proposal was put to the Meeting, and carried unanimously, and the thanks of the Society were offered to the President for his offer. The Meeting proceeded to ballot for the officers of the ensuing year, when the following gentlemen were elected : —
President. W. S. W. VACX, ESQ., M.A., F.S.A., M.R.A.S.
Vice Presidents.
JOHN LBE, ESQ., LL.D., F.R.S., F.S.A. THE LORD LONDESBOROUGH, K.C.H., F.S.A.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 21
Treasurer. J. B. BERGNE, ESQ., F.S.A.
Secretaries.
JOHN EVANS, ESQ., F.S.A.
R. STUART POOLE, ESQ., M.R.S.L.
Foreign Secretary. J. Y. AKERMAN, ESQ., F.S.A., Hon. M.R.S.L.
Librarian. JOHN WILLIAMS, ESQ.
Members of the Council.
E. CLIVE BAYLEY, ESQ., H.E.I. C.S. W. BRICE, ESQ.
F. W. FAIRHOLT, ESQ., F.S.A.
W. H. HAGGARD, ESQ., F.S.A., M.R.A.S. EDWARD HAWKINS, ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A., F.L.S. DR. LOEWE. J. G. PFISTER, ESQ. REV. J. B. READB, M.A., F.R.S. W. H. ROLFE, ESQ. C. ROACH SMITH, ESQ., F.S.A. EDWARD THOMAS, ESQ., H.E.I.C.S., M.R.A.S. H. H. WILSON, President R.A.S., and Boden Professor of Sanscrit, Oxford.
The Society then adjourned until November 20th.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
SESSION 1856—57.
NOVEMBER 20, 1856. W. S. W. VAUX, President, in the Chair.
The following Presents, received during the recess, were an- nounced, and laid on the table: —
PRESENTED BY Revue de la Numismatique Beige. 2Je Series ) „ ,-,
fj~ , f JLHE r-DITOR.
lorn. vi.
M. R. Chalons, Gros de Thibaut de Bai1.
f Anne Charlotte de Lorraine.
Quaterons de Mirepoix. Esterlings de Henri III. Monnaies de Navarre.
M. R. CHALONS.
Bulletins de la Societ£ des Antiquaires de \
1'Ouest. • THE SOCIETY.
Memoires de la M6me Socie'te.
Transactions of the Historical Society of Lan- | T „ cashire and Cheshire. Vol. VIII. Part V. J
M. Pulszky, on the Ivories of the Feiervary )
/-« 11 A • f -M* -* ULZKY.
Collection. )
Memoires de la Soci^te de Luxembourg THE SOCIETY.
M. Namur, sur une veritable Lachrymatoire M NAMUR.
Statere de Macedoine. DITTO.
M. F. L6normant, Sur les Lagides
— sur le Chamaerops humilis (, M LmfOBMAHX.
sur les Monuaies les plus
Anciennes Merovingiennes
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 23
PRESENTED BY Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy )
Vol. VIII. Part III. J TlIE ACADEMV.
Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. )
Vol. XXIII. Part I. f DlTTO-
Transactions of the Photographic Society, )
Nos. 43, 44, and 47. ] THE s°CIK'rf-
M. Fraehn. Nova Supplementa. Edid. B. )
Dorn. M- DORN-
Captain W. H. Smyth. Descriptive Catalogue ) THE DCKE OF of Roman Family Coins. ] NORTHUMBERLAND.
W. Sainthill. Suggestions for a Medal for ) w Discovery of the N.W. Passage. f
Colonel Sir H. C. Rawlinson, K.C.B.
William Hook Morley, Esq., Barrister-at-Law.
Edwin Norris, Esq., Secretary Royal Asiatic Society.
Edward Stanley Poole, Esq., Science and Art Department, Privy Council Office.
George Scharf, Esq., Jun.
George Henry Virtue, Esq. were duly elected Members of the Society.
Mr. J. G. Pfister, exhibited a Gold Coin of Astulphus, King of Italy, struck at Lucca.
Mr. Bergne, read a paper communicated by the Rev. J. F. Dymock, on the Half-Crowns of Charles I, with W under the horse, on the field of the obverse, in which the writer gave strong reasons for the supposition that the coins in question were struck at Weymouth.
Mr. Bergne read a paper, communicated by Mr. Evans, describing an unpublished Coin of Offa, King of Mercia; accompanied by a rubbing furnished by Mr. C. Roach Smith.
Mr. Williams read a notice of Three Chinese Silver Medals.
24 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
DECEMBER 18, 1856. W. S. W. VAUX, Esq., President, in the Chair.
Mr. Evans read a paper on a coin of great rarity lately added to his collection — a shilling of Edward VI, similar to that engraved in Hawkins' Silver Coins of England, No. 419 ; on which that author remarks, that it was probably only a pattern for a shilling struck in 1551; and that it was unique and unpublished. The Mint mark of both specimens (for no third is known), appears to be the head of an Ostrich.
Mr. Webster communicated a notice of two coins, believed to be new varieties : one, a penny of Athelstan, with the Mint mark, DOR CVIT. probably that of Dorchester ; and the second, an unpublished half-crown of Charles I, from the Tower Mint.
Mr. Poole read a paper contributed by Edward Clive Bayley, Esq., H.E.I.C.S., on some double struck coins of the Bactrian king, Azes or Azas. The most common coins of this king are of two types: one having on the obverse, an Elephant ; and on the reverse an Indian Bull — the other, on the obverse, a seated figure of Demeter, and on the reverse, a standing one of Hermes — the legend of the two, being identical. A large number of these coins having fallen into Mr. Bayley's hands, he was able -to ascertain the cause of their having been so constantly re-struck. He noticed that most of those bearing Greek types»have been struck over earlier types of the same king, and which appeared to be always the Indian ones of the Bull and the Elephant. The intention seems to have been to recall one type in favour of another ; and as Azas was a potent monarch, and con- quered many of the territories of the Grseco-Indian kings, the writer suggested that for this reason, he substituted the Greek for the Indian types ; a change which is to be considered not so much as an abandonment of Buddhism, as an attempt to conciliate his new subjects. The paper concluded with a few observations on the Monograms of some of these coins.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 25
JANUARY 22, 1857. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
W. Boyne, Esq., and James Morant, Esq., were elected ordinary Members of the Society.
Mr. Poole read a paper, on " Certain Coins usually attributed to Alexander II., King of Epirus," the principal point of which was, the attribution by M. Finder, of the Berlin Museum, of the fine tetra- drachms, generally ascribed to this king, to Alexander ^Egus, son of Alexander the Great. The coins themselves may be described as follows: —
Obv. — Youthful head to R. crowned with the skin of an Elephant's head, beneath which appear a diadem, and a Ram's horn.
Rev.— AAE&ANAPOY. Pallas Promachos to R. hurling a spear. In front Eagle to R. and Monogram.
M. Pinder has changed the previous attribution of these coins, chiefly on the grounds, that Alexander had an Egyptian coinage, and that, according to the present classification, we have none such of the subsequent Macedonian sovereigns, until Ptolemy I., who chiefly used the titles of SiiTHP and BASIAEYS attached to his name. We should naturally suppose, that both Philip Arrhidseus and Alexander JEgus, would have an Egyptian coinage, and accordingly we find, that the coins of the former sometimes come from Egypt, — while the tetradrachms under consideration have never been found (as far as can be ascertained) elsewhere. There are, moreover, no coins of any other class, which could be assigned to Alexander ^Egus ; while these tetradrachms could not be supposed to be those of Ptolemy Alexander, as their weight is that of the money of Alexander the Great, for they are not of
E
26 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
the Ptolemaic, but of the Attic standard. In addition it may he remarked that the types of these tetradrachms are found on Ptolemaic coins, while there is one with the obverse and reverse of Alexander the Great, which seems to connect the two classes, for by its date (KA=24), it would seem certainly to belong to Alex- ander ^Egus. An examination of the other coins attributed to Alexander II. of Epirus, and to Ptolemy offers striking confirmation of this view, and M. Finder, had he pursued his inquiry so far, would have materially strengthened his case.
FEBRUARY 19, 1857. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
The following presents were received.
Nos. X and XI. of the Collectanea Graphica, from Lord Londesborough.
Bulletins de la Socie'te' des Antiquaires de 1' Ouest. An. 1853, 4, 5. VIII Series.
Literary Gazette, Nos. 2086—2091.
Journal of the Photographic Society, No. 50.
Dr. Loewe read a paper, on a Gold Memlook Coin, struck by com- mand of the Sultan, El-Melik-edh-Dhahir Rokn-ed-deen Beybars ; in which he gave an interesting account of the dynasty to which this Sultan belonged ; and of the Memlook princes, as illustrated by the existing specimens of their coinage. Dr. Loewe also read a very curious letter, which he had translated, addressed by Beybars to Bohemond, the son of Robert Guiscard, announcing the capture of the city of Antioch, by the Sultan's forces, and the overthrow of the Christians.
MM IS. \IAT1C SOCIETY. 27
MARCH 19, 1857, W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
The Reverend Churchill Babington, M.A , Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, was elected an ordinary Member of the Society.
Mr. Evans read a paper on some unpublished types of British Coins, which he shewed grounds for attributing to particular towns and districts, on account of the places where they had been disco- vered, and of their resemblance to known inscribed coins.
Mr. Vaux read a paper on five rare coins lately acquired by the British Museum, viz., a tetradrachm, bearing the name of Antiochus the Great, but almost certainly struck by Diodotus, first satrap, and then king of Bactriana, and which was probably issued before he had rendered himself independent : and three tetradrachms, two of which were those of Euthydemus I., king of Baqtriana, and the third of a later Euthydemus, who may, probably, be called Euthy- demus II., though his precise date has not been, as yet, determined. Mr. Vaux also exhibited a very remarkable coin of the class com- monly called sub- Parthian, struck upon a tetradrachm of Alexander the Great, and gave many reasons for assigning it to a period about 150 years later than that monarch's reign.
APRIL 23, 1857. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
Lieut. -General C. R. Fox was elected an ordinary member of thu Society.
The following Presents were received : —
Revue Numismatique Beige, torn. vi. parts 3 and 4.
Literary Gazette, the Nos. for April 4 and 11.
Mr. Evans read a short paper on a coin of Carausius.
I'ROCKE DINGS OF THK
MAY 21, 1857.
W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
Mr. Roach Smith forwarded, for exhibition, an impression of a new British coin, the property of Mr. H. Wickham. It bore, on the obverse, the inscription COM. F. within a wreath, and on the reverse, a horseman within a border of annulets, inclosing pellets, and below a starlike ornament. The coin is probably one of Ep- pillus.
Mr. J. G. Pfister exhibited a medal struck to commemorate the opening of St. George's Hall, at Liverpool, and read a letter from Mr. Mayer descriptive of it.
Mr. Whitbourn exhibited a new British gold coin, bearing the in- scription EPATICCV and doubtless of the same ruler as the coins inscribed EPATI (one of which he also exhibited). This type was first found on Farley-heath.
Mr. Whitbourn also exhibited some rare coins of the Saxon and English periods.
Mr. Evans read a paper on the coins of Epaticcus above-mentioned, and gave good reasons for concluding that this prince was a son of Tasciovanus, and the brother of Cunobelinus ; and that, at the death of the former, a partition of the kingdom took place between the two brothers, by which Epaticcus became ruler of the Segon- tiaci.
Dr. Loewe read a paper on an early gold deenar, bearing the date A.H. 83, and struck in the Khalifat of Abd-el-Melik ibn Marwan.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 29
GENERAL MEETING.
JUNE 25, 1857.
The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed. The report of the Council was presented and read. The numerical state of the Society was as follows: —
|
Original. |
Elected. |
Honorary. |
Associates. |
Total. |
|
|
Members ) |
|||||
|
June, 1856, j |
23 |
50 |
4 |
46 |
123 |
|
Since elected |
— |
11 |
— |
1 |
12 |
|
23 |
61 |
4 |
47 |
135 |
|
|
Deceased |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
|
Resigned |
— |
1 |
— |
- — |
1 |
|
June, 1857 |
23 |
59 |
4 |
47 |
133 |
A list of papers contributed to the ordinary meetings of the Society was then read.
The Meeting then proceeded to ballot for the officers for the ensuing year, when the following gentlemen were duly elected: —
President, W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., M.A., F.S.A., F.R.A.S.
Vice Presidents.
JOHN LEE, E8Q./L.L.D., F.R.S., F.S.A. THE LORD LONDESBOROUGH, K.C.H., F.S.A.
Treasurer. GEORGE H. VIRTUE, ESQ., F.S.A.
30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
•
Secretaries.
JOHN EVANS, ESQ., F.S.A. R. STUART POOLK, ESQ., M.R.S.L.
Foreign Secretary. J. Y. AKHRMAN, ESQ., F.S.A., Hon. M.R.S.L.
Librarian. J. WILLIAMS, ESQ.
Members of the Council.
E. CLIVB BAYLEY, ESQ., H.E.I.C.S. J. B. BBRGNE, ESQ., F.S.A.
W. BOYNK, ESQ., F.S.A.
F. W. FAIRHOLT, ESQ., F.S.A.
EDWARD HAWKINS, ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A., F.L.S. DR. J.OKWE.
W. H. MORLBY, ESQ., F.R.A.S. EDMUND OLDFIELD, ESQ., M.A., M.R.S.L. J. G. PFISTKR, ESQ. C. ROACH SMITH, ESQ., F.S.A. EDWARD THOMAS, ESQ., H.E.I.C.S.
H. H. WILSON, ESQ., F.R.S., President R. A.S., and Boden Professor of Sanscrit, Oxford.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 31
SESSION 1857—58.
NOVEMBER 19, 1857.
W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
The following Presents, received during the recess, were laid upon the table, and thanks were ordered to be returned to the re- spective donors.
PRESENTED BY Bulletin de 1' Academic Royale des Sciences *
des Lettres et des Beaux Arts de Belgique. /
Tome XXII. 2nde Tartie, 1855. f TnE AcA™MY-
Tome XXIII. lere & 2nde Partie, 1856.
Annuaires de I'Acad^mie Royale de Belgique, ) n for 1856 and 1857. )
Recherches sur les Monnaies des Comtes de ]
Hainault. Par Renier Chalon. Troisieme > THE AUTHOR. Supplement, 1857. )
Anciens Jetons et M^reaux. Par Renier ) „ , Chalon, 1857. f
Quelques Monnaies Seigneuriales In^dites. j Par Renier Chalon, 1857. j
Deux Jetons inedites. Par Renier Chalon, 1857.
Pieces & retrouver. Par Renier Chalon. DITTO.
Le Pere Andr^ et Charles de Quens, Notices ) Biographiques. Par A. Charma. 1857. j
32 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
PRESKNTED BY Memoires de la Socie'te des Antiquaires de )
Normandie. 3me Serie, 2nde Vol. lere and >• THE SOCIETY. 2nde Livraisons, 1856 and 1857. )
Collectanea Antiqua ; or, Etchings and No- ]
tices of Ancient Remains. By Charles > THE AUTHOR. Roach Smith. Vol. V. Part I. )
Colonel Sir Henry Rawlinson, K.C.B., exhibited fourteen gold oriental coins lately discovered at Se'istan, and belonging chiefly to a dynasty which ruled in that country.
Mr. Evans exhibited a so-called imitation of the Israelitish shekel, now on sale in many shops in London ; and commented on the fact that an imitation of a barefaced forgery, accompanied by a printed description of it, full of the most ludicrous inaccuracies, was so readily palmed upon the public. The piece in question is an ill-executed copy, in white metal, of the spurious shekel with the ordinary modern Hebrew characters.
Mr. Vaux read a paper on coins discovered at Susa, by W. K. Loftus, Esq. These were of the early Mohammadan period, and were discovered during recent excavations upon the largest of the mounds at Susa, which covers the remains of a palace once inhabited, if not originally constructed, by Xerxes, the king of Persia. The coins, about 1 70 in number, were, when found, in an earthen pot, which was broken by the workmen, from whom the coins t were, with some difficulty, recovered. Many adhered together through oxidation, so that 110 only could be separated; but of these, fifty-two bear dates or places of mintage new to the previous collection in the Museum.
The earliest coin in the collection is of Abd-el-melek ibn Marwan, the sixth Khaleefeh of the House of Ommiah, and the eleventh in descent from Mohammad. He was the first to strike the ordinary Dirhem; and, as the earliest date that has hitherto been met with on Kufic coins, is A.H. 78 or A.D. 696-7, it is curious to find on one of these so early a date as A.H. 79. The following is a list
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 33
of the towns where the coins were struck, and the dates upon them : —
Damascus . . . A.H. 79, 82, 83, 84, 86, 100, 105, 106.
Busval .... 80, 82, 87.
Waset .... 88, 94, 99, 105, 106.
Sus (Susa) ... 90.
Rhey 90.
Herat 90.
Teimar .... 91.
Shapur .... 91, 92, 94.
Istakr (Persepolis) . 91.
Sedjestan (Sei'stan) . 92.
Darabjerd ... 92, 97.
Dschey .... 92, 94.
Merv 93.
Kirman .... 95.
Kufa 101.
Mahi 106.
The inscriptions on the dirhems do not differ from those already known and engraved in Marsden. It was suggested as that the hoard was originally deposited by some soldier who had followed in the course of Muhammedan conquest, from the commencement of the war, as the variety of names of towns and the dates upon the coins renders probable.
Mr. Evans read some notes upon a barbarous coin, struck in imitation of those of Helena, casts of which were forwarded for exhibition by Mr. Goddard Johnson. It is of gold, weighing 52 grs., and was found at Chapel-hill, in Markshall, a hamlet to Caistor, the Venta Icenorum, well-known as prolific of Roman remains. On the Obv. is the head of Helena, with braided hair, and embroidered collar, with the legend 3? EILE1IA 3? AVGVE- TEV for HELENA AUGUSTA, and on the Rev. is the legend TNPH ^, EATA THRANQVILT NOC, apparently intended to stand for
F
ftt PROCEEDINGS OF THE
'IVmporum Beata Tranquillitas — Const. ; and, in the centre, within
S
a wreath IGEN probably derived from the SIC. V. SIC. X. on X
the coins of Constans. Though Ibis coin is of gold, the devices and legends seem to have been derived from third brass coins rather than from gold. Its date is of very difficult determination; but it was considered by Mr. Evans to belong to the interval that elapsed between the cessation of the Roman occupation of this country, and the establishment of anything like a Saxon coinage in England. Tt was considered by Air. Webster as not improbably struck in Gaul.
DKCEMBER 17, 1857.
W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair. The following present was announced, and laid upon the table : —
Epigraphisches, by Dr. C. L. Grotefend.
1. Ein Stempel eines Romischen Augenarzts (a stamp of a Roman oculist). 2. Norica. Hanover, 1857. From Dr. Lee.
Capt. R. Murchison, of Bath, was balloted for, and elected a member of the Society.
Admiral Smyth exhibited, by the hands of Dr. Lee, a silver medal, by Kirk, of Hugh, First Duke of Northumberland, struck on the occasion of Alnwick Castle being restored in 1766. On the obverse is the portrait of the Duke, and a view of the castle on the reverse.
The Rev. W. H. Black exhibited, also through Dr. Lee, a silver- gilt medal, struck to commemorate the raising of the siege of Lej den, after five months' duration, in 1574, which was effected by the Prince of Orange cutting the dykes, and thus inundating the
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. OO
besieging force of Spaniards. On the obverse is a view of Jeru- salem with the angel of death coming down amidst the encamp- ment of Assyrians in the foreground. Above is the legend, VT SANHERIB A IERVSALEM — 2 REG. 19. On the reverse is shown Leyden, with the Spaniards retreating to their boats, and the legend SIC HISPA. A LEYD. NOCTV FVG.— 3 Oct. 1574. The medal will be found in Bizot's Histoire M&allique de la Republique de Hollande. Vol. I. p. 27. Ed. 1688.
Mr. Warren of Ixworth, sent for exhibition casts of a curious foreign sterling, struck in imitation of the long-cross pennies of Henry III, but with the inscriptions BGRNHARDV on the obverse, instead of the name of the king, though the reverse reads HGNRI ONVNDG, as if struck in London. In the centre of the cross is a small cinquefoil or rose.
It closely resembles one of the coins communicated to the Society in 1850, by Professor Thomsen, of Copenhagen (Numismatic- Chronicle, Vol. VIII. p. 67, No. 5) ; but varies in the moneyer's name and other minor respects. A coin with the name of B^RNHARDVS conjoined with the word BLOM^NB^RICJ, is engraved in the Numismatic Chronicle, Vol, XIV. p. 44, and con- sidered by M. Chalon, who communicated it, to have been struck at Blumberg, in Alsace. This, however, was not the case, as the coins were struck under Bernard, Count of Lippe, in the Duchy of Westphalia ; one of the chief towns in whose county was Blomberg.
Captain Murchison communicated a paper on three unique gold coins of Edward VI, lately added to his collection; and offered to present an engraving of them to the Society.
The first is a gold crown of the first coinage of Edward VI.
Obv.— RVTILANS ROSA SINE SPINE. A rose crowned between E.R. crowned M.M. an arrow.
GR'K' AGL' FRS' Z HIB' R^X. Shield with th,- Royal Arms, crowned between J?.i\. crowned. 1V1.M. \ pellet within a circle, weight 46 grs.
36 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
The second is also a crown with the obverse from the same die as the first, but on the reverse, EDWARD' 6 D'G AG'FR' Z HIB REX. Shield with the Royal Arms, crowned, between E.R., crowned, M.M. an Arrow; weight 48 grains. The only coins that have hitherto been known of the first coinage of Edward VI, are the half-sovereign and half-crown, to which the crown must now be added. The first piece is very remarkable, from a die of the 37th year of Henry VIII, having been employed for the coinage of his son. The mint-mark of the arrow occurs on both the half- sovereign and half-crown, as well as on these crowns.
The third piece is a pattern for a half-sovereign of the third year of Edward VI.
Obv.— EDWARD' VI. D.G. ANGL. FRA. Z. HIB. REX. Large Bust to the right in armour, crowned. M.M. A Bow.
Rev.— EDWARD' VI. D.G. ANGL. FRA. Z. HIBE. REX. The Royal Arms, in an oval shield, garnished and crowned, between E.R. M.M. a Bow.
From the mint mark it would appear, that this pattern was struck at Durham House, in the Strand, under the authority of Sir Martin Bowes.
A plate of these remarkable pieces, kindly presented by Captain Murchison, will illustrate his account of them in the Chronicle.
Mr. Evans communicated an account of another coin, of the time of Stephen, but bearing the name of PERERIEr or Wereric, instead of that of the king. These coins had first been noticed by Mr. Rashleigh, Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. XII. p. 138, who has engraved two specimens, with the moneyer's name Godricus on Lu. A second variety was exhibited to the Society, (Proc. 1850-51, p. 5), with the moneyer's name, RAMVN-NIEOL, and a third had been pointed out by the writer, in the Museum Collection, (Numismatic Chronicle. XIV. p. 153), with the moneyer's name PILLEM NP, apparently struck at Warwick or Norwich. The coin now brought forward was found at Lincoln, and gives a fourth
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 37
moneyer's name, . .ARD ON NI EO possibly R1CARD ON NICOL, or Lincoln. The type of all four varieties, is that of Stephen ; Hawkins, 270. Though apparently struck by an Earl of Warwick, nothing is known of their origin.
Mr. Evans read a paper by the late Dr. W. H. Scott, commu- nicated by his Executor, Mr. Sim, upon a large brass coin of Maximinus, but bearing the portrait of one of the African Gordians. The type of the reverse is that of VICTORIA AVG with the running Victory, with garland and palm branch. Dr. Scott made some suggestions as to the means of accounting for the appearance of the portrait of one Emperor, with the name and titles of another. The paper will be printed in extenso in the Numismatic Chronicle.
JANUARY 28, 1858.
W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
Mr. Vaux read a paper, on some Gold Oriental coins of Selstan, lately procured by Colonel Sir H. C. Rawlinson, in which he pointed out the rarity of the local money of this province, and stated, that no specimens, so far as he was aware, had as yet been published of this class.
Almost all those exhibited in illustration of the paper, belonged to a ruler named Kholf ben Ahmed, who governed that district of Asia towards the close of the fourth century of the Hejra, and who was, after a long and gallant resistance, ultimately conquered by the celebrated Mahmud of Ghazna.
38
PROCEEDINGS OF 1111
LIBRARY COMMITTEE, GUILDHALL
FEBRUARY 25, 1858. W. S. W. VAUX., ESQ., President, in the Chair.
The following presents were announced and laid upon the table :-
PRESENTED BY From the Corporation of London, through
Sergeant Merewether, a bronze Medallion,
struck in commemoration of the visit of the
Emperor and Empress of the French to the
City of London, April 19th, 1855. On the
obverse are the busts of the Emperor and
Empress, three quarter face, and the inscrip- tion, NAPOLEON III, ET EUGENIA, GAL-
LORUM IMPERATORET IMPERATRIX. That on
the reverse is CONCORDES SERVAT AMICITIA.
LoNDiNiRECEPTi, 19ApRiL, 1855,thedevice
being an allegorical group of Britannia,
presenting France to the City of London.
The engraver is Mr. B. Wyon.
The History of Wisconsin, Vol. I. and III. ) FROM THE STATE His- Madison the Capital of Wisconsin, and other > TORICAL SOCIETY OF Publications. ) WISCONSIN.
Revue de la Numismatique Beige. 3me Serie, Vol. I. 4ieme Livraison.
Meraoires de la Societe des Antiquaires de
1'Ouest; for 1856. Bulletins de la Soci6te des Antiquaires de
TOuest. Parts 3 and 4, 1856 ; and 1 to 4,
1857.
Memoires de la Societe Imperiale de 1'Emula- tion d' Abbeville. 1852 —It 57. 1 Vol. 8vo.
Antiques Celtiques. Vol. II, by M. Boucher de Perthes.
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY OF BELGIUM.
THE SOCIETY.
DITTO.
THE AUTHOR.
\( MISMATIC SOCIETY. 39
PRESENTED BY
Numismatic and other Crumbs. By Richard 1 Sainthill. Privately printed. 1858. j
Publications de la Societe Royale Grande j
Ducale du Grande Duche de Luxembourg, > THE SOCIETY. Vol. XII. 1856. )
Colonel Tobin Bush, late H. E. I. C. S. was balloted for and elected a Member of the Society.
READ. — 1. A paper by the late Dr. W. H. Scott, on the attribution of a small silver coin to the Sindi ; a Caucasian tribe inhabiting the coasts of the Black Sea, and the first heights of the Caucasus. The coin in question is described as follows: —
Obv. Head of Hercules, with lion's skin to the right.
Rev. SINAiiN. Head of a horse to the right in an indented square. M. A Diobolus.
The absence of the 2 from the first specimen discovered, had rendered its attribution uncertain; but a coin described in the Bulletin Scientifique de Fe"russac, Vol. XVII. p. 28, and discovered in the Isle of Taman, completed the legend and fixed the attri- bution.
2. A paper also by Dr. Scott, on some unpublished Roman Coins.
1. Of Tiberius.
Obv.— TI. CAESAR. AVGVS. F. JMPER. Laureated head to
the right. Rev. — S.C. Minerva to the right, protecting herself with her
shield, and about to throw a javelin. JE 2. A reverse of
Claudius.
2. Tiberius.
Obv.— TI . CAESAR . DIVI . AVG . F . AVGVSTVS. Laureated head to the right.
40 PROCEEDINGS OF THE
Rev.— PONT . MAX . TRIE VN . POT, Tiberius seated on a curule chair, holding out a garland. In exergue, S.C. JE. 3.
Suggested to have been struck on his bestowing the crown of Parthia on Phraates or Tiridates.
3. Nero.
Obv.— NERO. CLAVD. CAESAR. AVG. GERM. Retrograde.
Bare head to right, more resembling Mark Antony than
Nero. Tfo;. — CER QVIN. The table, with urn and garland as usual.
below, S.C. M. 3. Remarkable for its retrograde legend and singular portrait.
4. Vespasian.
Obv.— IMP . VESP . AVG. Laureated head to left. Rev. — PON.TR.POT. Winged Caduceus. M. 3. Supposed to have been struck at Antioch, but possibly has been a plated coin.
5. Titus.
Obv.— IMP.T.VESP. -OS VIII. Helmeted head to right.
Rev. — S.C. in a garland. ^E. 4, An unpublished variety.
3. A paper by Mr. Vaux, on the coins of Characene, a small district near the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris, and nearly corresponding with the district now called Khuzistan. The names of the Princes of whom coins are known are as follows : —
Apodacus.
Tirseus.
Attambilus I.
Adinnigaus.
Attambilus II.
Monneses.
and Meredates and his queen Uiphoba, though Mr. Vaux considers that some of these attributions are still uncertain ; the coins extend
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 41
over a period from about B.C. 70, to A.D 150, and occur both in silver and copper.
Mr. Vaux' paper will appear in full in the Numismatic Chronicle.
MARCH 25, 1858. W S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
The following Presents were announced, and thanks were ordered to be returned to their respective donors.
The Law of Treasure-trove. How can it best ]
be adapted to accomplish useful results ? > THE AUTHOR. By A. Henry Rhind, F.S.A.
Notes on the Medals of Leonard C. Wyon ; j
and a plate of a suggested type for our > K. SAINTHILL, ESQ. Indian coinage. )
Collectanea Antiqua, Vol. V. Part II. By ) _
^-i -n -L. a -ii? f THE AUTHOR.
C. Roach Smith. }
Mr. Warren, of Ixworth, communicated a cast of a gold Mero- vingian coin lately found on the coast of Norfolk. It is very similar in type to one engraved in the Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. VI. p. 171, No. 27, and its weight is 19 grains.
Mr. Boyne exhibited some fine bronze medallions of Faustina the Younger, Commodus and Verus, Numerianus and Carinus.
Mr. Evans exhibited a cast of a gold coin of Tasciovanus of the type of Hawkins, No. 11, found in the Victoria Park ; and also a gold coin of the same prince but inscribed, TASCIO — RICON, lately found at St. Ives, Hunts. Its type is that of Num. Chron. Vol. III. p. 152, No. 1. The horseman on each of the coins is apparently armed with a cuirass, formed of a number of bosses, which tends to show that the two coins are of precisely the same period.
I'J PllOCEEDINGS OF TUE
Mr. Evans then read a paper upon two copper coins lately acquired by the British Museum, and reported to have been found in Suffolk. On the obverse of each is a long, hexagonal ornament, enclosing two crescents back to back, the legend on one being VER (retrograde) BOD and on the other VRE (also retrograde) BOD. On the reverse of the first is a horseman armed with a spear, and on the other, merely a horse, the legend on both being TASCIA. Mr. Roach Smith had called the attention of the Society to a similar coin in 1850 ; but the legend was at that time read as VRE RCI, which these coins serve to correct. Mr. Evans con- sidered them to have been struck under Tasciovanus, and threw out a suggestion that their place of mintage was a town of the name of Verbodunum, of which no record has been preserved in history. This hypothesis is supported by the analogy of the coins on which the names of the towns Verulamium and Segontium appear in conjunction with that of Tasciovanus, and also by there being already known such places as Verometum, Viroconium, Cam- bodunum, Maridunura, etc. There is also a record of a goddess Verbeia having been worshipped in Britain ; and if Camulodunum was so called in honour of the Celtic divinity Camulus, Verbodu- num (if such a place ever existed) may have been so called in honour of the goddess Verbeia.
Mr. Evans's paper, with a plate of the coins, will be found in the Numismatic Chronicle.
APRIL 22, 1858. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
Mr. Evans exhibited one of the very rare half-groats of the 37th year of Henry VIII., with the legend REDDE CVIQ ^ QD SVVM EST around the royal arms on the reverse M.M. a bow. The only other specimen known is that in the collection of the
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. 43
Rev. J. Martin engraved in Hawkins, No. 410, from which the present specimen differs in several minor details, the legend of the obverse being HENRIC. 8. D.G. AGL FRA Z HI REX.
A communication was read from Dr. L. Miiller, Inspector of the Royal Danish cabinet of coins, containing some remarks on a tetra- drachm of Alexander the Great, cited by the late Dr. W. H. Scott, pp. 221, 222, Vol. XIX., of the Numismatic Chronicle, and assigned by him to Aradus. Dr. Miiller, on the contrary, shows good grounds for supposing the coin in question to have been struck at Melitcea, in Thessaly.
Dr. Miiller's paper, together with a notice of his lately published " Numismatique d' Alexander le Grand," and " Die Miinzen des Thracischen Konig's Lysimachus," will be found in the Chronicle.
Mr. Goddard Johnson sent for exhibition the gold coin struck in imitation of those of Helena, to which attention had already been called on the 19th of Nov. last. From a paper by Mr. Hudson Turner, in Notes and Queries, Vol. I. p. 100, it appears, that the Moncta Sanctae Helenae was known in the middle ages as a specific against the " morbum comitialem," or epilepsy ; and it was sug- gested that possibly this piece had been struck as an amulet.
MAY 26, 1858. W. S. W. VAUX, ESQ., President, in the Chair.
The following presents were laid upon the table, and thanks were ordered to be returned to their respective donors : —
Catalogue du Cabinet des Monnaies et Me- \
dailies Russes appartenant au General de ( RUSSIAN EMBASSY AT Vlnfanterie T. F. Schubert. lcre Partie ( STUTTQABDT. Monnaies, 4to. Carlsruhe, 1857. )
11 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.
PRESENTED BY
Descriptive Catalogue of the Beaufoy Cabinet J TlIE LIBRARY COM- of London Tokens. 2nd Edition. 8vo. > MITTEE OF THE
•JOCK I CORPORATION.
H. G. Blackraore, Esq., was elected a member of the Society. Mr. Boyne exhibited an unpublished shilling of Henry VIII., coined at Bristol.
Obv. — Full-faced bust of the king with the legend
HENRIC' 8' D' G' HGL' FR7T. X HIB REX.
Rev. — A rose crowned between the letters; H. R. also crowned, the legend being CIVITAS BRISTOLIE, with three triple florets before each word. M. M. WS in monogram. It was, therefore, struck at the time when William Sharrington was chief officer of the mint at Bristol. Groats, half-groats, and pennies issued from thence are well known ; but no Bristol shillings have as yet been described in any of the works on the English coinage. Mr. Boyne's coin is probably of the fourth coinage, or that of the ,36th year of Henry VIII., being identical, in all respects, with the London testoon of that year, except in the name of the town and the mint mark.
Dr. Lee exhibited some coins found in a bog, near Sligo, in Ireland, being a short-cross penny of Henry III., and a St. Patrick's farthing, both of ordinary types.
Dr. Loewe exhibited a Turkish piastre of A.H. 1223=A.D. 1806, which he considered to have been struck during the short usurpa- tion of power by Mustapha IV., who was elevated by the Janissa- ries to the throne of Turkey in that year.
NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
i.
ON A GOLD COIN OF EPATICCUS.
[Read before the Numismatic Society, May 21st, 1857.]
BY the kindness of our esteemed member, Mr. Whitbourn, of Godalming, I am enabled to call the attention of the Society to one of the most remarkable coins of the ancient British series, which it has lately been his good fortune to add to his collection. The coin, was, I believe, found some- where in the neighbourhood of Guildford, but the exact locality is not known, the present state of the law of treasure-trove having probably induced the finder to con- ceal all particulars of the place of finding. It is of red gold, weighing 82 grs., of exceedingly fine work, and in the highest state of preservation.
• On the obverse, or convex side of the coin (that on which VOL. XX. B
2 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
the representative of the wreath of the head on the Mace- donian staters usually appears), is an ear of bearded corn, very similar to that on the ordinary gold coins of Cunobe- line, but instead of the legend CAMV, we find TASCI F in one line across the field.
On the reverse is a spirited figure of a naked horseman prancing to the right ; on the left arm he bears a large oval shield, and in the right brandishes a short lance or staff. Around runs the legend EPATICCV, or, not improbably, EPATICCUS, the final S being joined on to, and probably unintentionally forming part of, the tail of the horse. The whole within a grained border.
Before considering the attribution of this coin, and the information to be gathered from its inscription and types, it will be well to make some remarks upon another point of interest attaching to it, which arises, I may say, from a source extraneous to the coin itself. To numismatists of the present day the type is entirely unknown ; or, more properly, no similar coin was known to be in existence at the time when Mr. Whitbourn's coin was discovered. And yet, upwards of 200 years ago, in the dawn of antiquarian knowledge in this country, not only was the type known and published, but engravings were made from two speci- mens, one apparently in fine preservation, and the other, probably, rather abraded, as a variation is made in the legend. This latter was engraved by Camden, and is the ninth coin in Philemon Holland's Translation of the Britannia, in the edition of 1637, but it also probably appears in still earlier editions. He gives the devices pretty correctly, but makes the legend TASCI E and CEARATIC, and gives the following description of the coin : " The ninth, wherein is represented a horseman with spear and shield, and these letters in scatteringwise CAERATiC 1 would deeme to be a
ON A GOLD COIN OF EPATICCUS. 3
coine of tbat warlike prince, Caractacus, whose praises Tacitus highly extolleth."
This engraving was copied in various later editions, but in that of Gough of 1806, it is expunged as not then known ; and, wonderful to relate, a coin of Carissa in Hispania Bsetica is made to take its place among the ancient British coins in its stead. Camden's version of the coin was also copied by that romantic and credulous antiquary, Pegge, in whose work on the coins of Cunobeline it figures as No. 2 in Class VI. It is also given by Stukeley, PI. XII., No. 5. but the inscription is made CARATIC, the better to suit its supposed attribution to Caractacus.
In Speed's Chronicle, however, pp.34 and 61, Ed. 1623, is a more accurate engraving, and apparently from a better specimen — it might, in fact, have been made from the coin now before us ; but though it gives the legend of the re- verse as EPATICA, yet " by the scattered letters therein inscribed, it was by the judicious observers of such ancient monies supposed to be of Caractacus. " I need not at the present day trouble you with any remarks on the fallacious- ness of such an attribution, but would instance the re- appearance of this type, to shew, that the existence of a coin published by our early chroniclers, is not to be denied merely because the type is not at present known, and also to shew that we need never despair of such coins again coming to light. So convinced had I been of the probability of the existence of this type, that I had inserted it in a catalogue of ancient British coins I have in course of pre- paration, in company with that reading DIAS. in the centre of two interlaced squares, a specimen of which still remains to be found, which I hope Mr. Whitbourn's or my own researches may yet be able to produce.
But to return to the coin of Epaticcus. There can be no
4 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
doubt that this name is identical with that which appears in the more abbreviated form EPATI, upon the small silver coins, with the head of Hercules in the lion's skin on the obverse, and the eagle standing on a snake, on the reverse, which have also been found in the neighbourhood of Guild- ford. The completion of the legend on the gold coin, and the absence of anything that could possibly be mistaken for a K upon it, shews how egregious was the. error committed by a modern writer on British coins in converting the paws of the lion into a K, and then by regarding the other letters as Greek, making the legend KEPAT, and therefore attri- buting the coins to Caractacus.
In like manner, the reading of the name of " Mepati " upon these coins must now be given up, even by non- antiquarian readers ; and Mr. Martin Tupper, in the next edition of his poems, must convert " young Mepati " into Epaticcus, and also considerably modify his chronology, in order to bring it in accordance with the data given by this newly discovered coin, as we shall subsequently see.
The desire to identify a coin as being one of Caractacus, is, however, in a measure excusable, as we have all heard of Caractacus and his heroic deeds and magnanimous speeches from our earliest childhood, but who has heard of Epaticcus ? —
'' Vixere fortes ante Caractacum Multi ; sed omnes illacrymabiles Urgeutur, ignotique longa
Nocte, carent quia vate sacro."
Who and what he was, we must seek to discover from these coins, and this, like that of " what song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though a puzzling question, is not beyond all conjecture."
ON A GOLD COIN OF EPATICCUS. 6
As to the period at which he lived, there can be but little doubt, the type of the obverse of the gold coin, even to the number of grains upon the ear of corn, and the shape of the leaflets on its slem, being exactly similar to that of the com- mon gold coins of Cunobeline. In the same manner, the horseman on the reverse is exactly similar to that on the copper coins of the same prince (Num. Chron.Vol.xviii. p. 36, Rud. PI. V. 29), even to the shape of the shield and the short dart, staff or javelin. The workmanship is also similar, and the weight the same as that of coins of Cunobeline. But the legend of the obverse not only fixes the coin to this same period, but also shews the relationship that existed between Cunobeline and Epaticcus ; that they were, in fact, brothers. There can, at the present time, be but little doubt that the legend Tasciovani F. has been rightly interpreted by Mr. Birch as Tasciovani Filius, the son of Tasciovanus ; and this coin, while it shews that Epaticcus was, like Cunobeline, a son of Tasciovanus, at the same time corroborates this interpretation of the legend Tasci. F.
The number and importance of the coins on which the name of Tasciovanus appears by itself, shews that he must have been a prince of great note, whose reign was also probably of some duration. From his coins we may gather that his principal city was Verulam, while on the coins of Cunobeline, the name of that town ceases to appear; and we find upon them only that of Camulodunum, in its stead. This change in the seat of empire has always appeared as a difficulty in adopting the hypothesis, that Cunobeline was the son and successor of Tasciovanus, as if so, it is but reasonable to suppose that his coins would have been issued from the same mint. If, however, we consider, as it now appears we are authorized to do, that Tasciovanus had two
6 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
sons, between whom at his death his kingdom was divided, and that Cunobeline had the Eastern, while Epaticcus inherited the Western part of his domains, we may readily imagine both sons as strenuously challenging the title of Tasciovani Filius, upon their coins ; and also see a reason for Cunobeline transferring the seat of his power to a more eastern town than Verulam. Or, again, we may assume that Cunobeline was left as his father's successor in nearly the whole of his domains, and that the transference of his mint from Verulam to Camulodunum, arose from his con- quest of the latter place; and that Epaticcus was left as prince over a single tribe, or else was chosen by some tribes who may have revolted from Cunobeline, or have formerly been under some other chief unknown to history, as their ruler; under which circumstances he would still have challenged the title of Tasciovani Filius, both as wishing to show his descent from so illustrious a chief, and also as claiming equality with the more widely ruling Cunobeline, What was the name of the tribe over which he ruled, we will shortly try to discover ; but I must premise that these are of course the merest speculations, and I must claim your forbearance for having indulged in them. I think, however, that when we find some three apparently con- temporary princes, with the title Com. F. upon their coins, and know from history that there was a distinguished British prince of the name of Commius ; and when we also find coins of two contemporary princes with the title of Tasciovani F. upon their coins, and gather from other coins that there was a well-known ruler of the name of Tasciovanus, it may be regarded as an almost esta- blished fact, that the F. in these formulas represents Filius, as it would have done upon Roman coins of the same period.
ON A GOLD COIN OP EPATICCUS. 7
Of the name of the tribes over which Epaticcus ruled, or that of his chief town we know nothing certain, it would, however, appear from the locality where alone, as far as our knowledge at present goes, his coins have been found, that the western parts of Surrey formed part of his domain. If, however, as has been supposed, and that with much pro- bability, the capital of the Segontiaci Vindonum was near Farnham, and the coins of Tasciovanus, with the name of Sego. upon them, were struck at this place ; it would appear probable, that Epaticcus .succeeded his father as ruler of the Segontiaci, and probably of no other tribes, as from the scarcity of his coins, his domain must either have been very limited, or the duration of his reign very short. The Segontiaci are mentioned among the tribes who sub- mitted to Caesar, whose capital city, Vindonum (as Camden says), dropped its own name and took that of the nation, as Lutetia took that of the Parisii. It was called by the Britons, Caer Segont, q. d., the city of the Segontiaci, and so it is called by Nennius, in his catalogue ; and whether Caer Segont was at Silchester, as Camden places it, or at Farnham, as Horsley, with greater probability, suggests, it is sufficiently near the place of finding of these coins to justify me in submitting to you the hypothesis that Epaticcus succeeded his father Tasciovanus, as the ruler of the Segontiaci.
It now only remains to make a few remarks upon the name of this prince, which bears no great analogy to that of any other British prince, whether recorded in history, or merely known by his coins. We find, however, consider- able resemblance to the former part of the name, in the Gaulish Epasnactus (or Epad of coins), and Eporedorix, mentioned by Caesar. The final — ticcus, is to be found in the name of Casticus, a prince of the Sequani, mentioned
8 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
by Caesar; and in Suticcos, a name which appears on Gaulish coins. As to the meaning of the name Epaticcus, and no doubt it originally possessed some signification, I will not venture a conjecture, but leave it to those who have more knowledge of the ancient British tongue, and more confidence in its application.
It is sufficient for me to have enrolled the name of Epaticcus on the list of British Princes, who struck coins, and to have offered a few suggestions as to his parentage and territory.
JOHN EVANS.
II.
RECHERCHES SUR LA NUMISMATIQUE JUDAIQUE. PAR F. DB
As the subject of the Jewish coinage has hitherto hardly received the attention it deserves in the pages of the Numis- matic Chronicle,2 1 think that a review, or rather, an abstract
1 Paris, 1854, Didot Freres.
8 It is lamentable to see the gross ignorance that still exists on the subject of Jewish coins, among what may be considered the well-informed classes, as testified by the so-called imitation of the Jewish shekel, now sold in such numbers in London. This ill-fabricated copy of the spurious shekel, with the Assyrian or ordinary Hebrew characters upon it, is said, in the description given with each specimen, to be '' a correct copy and representa- tion of the old Hebrew money (from an original, which can be seen at Messrs. Pinches and Co.'s, Medallists, &c., 27, Oxendon- street), current during the life time of our Saviour, for thirty pieces of which He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot." It would be hard to imagine a more gross concatenation of absurdities and
RECHERCHES SUR LA NUMISMATIQUE JUDAlQUE. 9
or resume of one of the latest Continental works upon the subject, accompanied by a few remarks upon the views therein advanced, will not be altogether unacceptable to its readers, even should they possess the book itself, from which the following pages may almost be considered as extracts : — The Kecherches sur la Numismatique Juda'ique, of M. F. De Saulcy. Its author has had many opportuni- ties of acquiring an intimate knowledge of this class of coins, his own extensive collection having been partly formed during his travels in the East, and partly by additions made of coins discovered at Jerusalem, which he has been able to obtain through the connexion he formed when there, with the resident dealers in coins.
The Plates which illustrate his work, twenty in number, give representations of nearly 200 coins, and comprise not only the Jewish coins proper, or those with Samaritan inscriptions, but also those of the Idumsean rulers, and the Imperial coins relating to, or rather struck in, Judea. The execution of the Plates is remarkably good, and they appear to contain very faithful representations of the coins.
M. De Saulcy divides the series of Jewish coins into the following classes, all of which I intend slightly to notice^ and where his classification differs from that of Bayer, and others, to adduce and discuss some of his reasons for suggesting a novel arrangement.
1st EPOCH.
Autonomous coins, struck during the reign of Alexander the Great.
falsehoods — yet the thing sells. Populus vult decipi et dedpi- etur ; but if they must be taken in, let it be by something with merely the pleasant admixture of a lie, and not false altogether.
VOL. XX. C
10 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
2nd EPOCH. Coins of the Asmonean Princes.
3rd EPOCH.
Coins struck during the revolt of the Jews, including those of Simon Barcochab.
With regard to those of the first Epoch, M. De Saulcy places under this head : — ,~
1st. The shekels of a thick fabric, with the inscription Plfc^np D7&y<n<' (Jerusalem the Holy}, and the flowering rod of Aaron (or a lilyj on the obverse ; and 7tf ISJ^ 7pfc? (Shekel of Israel), with the cup-shaped vase on the reverse, and, above, the numeral N.
2nd. The half shekel, with the same types, except that it reads on the reverse 7p^H ^H (Half the Shekel).
3rd and 4th. The shekel and half shekel, with the same inscriptions and types, except that a * is inserted in D v£?1"V and the article H before fl&SHp; and that they have the letters 2 ' W» for 3'J"0&?, the second year, above the cup. This dualizing of the name of Jerusalem is very remark- able, and has not been satisfactorily accounted for.
5th. A similar shekel, but with >£?, the third year.
6th. A copper coin, rather larger than the shekel.
Obv.— |VX rx: The redemption of Sion. A palm-tree between two baskets.
Rev.— »*n ymx JW The fourth year — half. A fir-cone, or fruit of the palm between two " loulabs " or bundles of branches, such as were carried at the feast of tabernacles.
7th. A similarly inscribed coin, but the I egend of the reverse terminating JT31 (a quarter), as being half the preceding. On the obverse is a cone, and on the reverse two loulabs.
RECHERCHES SUR LA NUMISMATIQUE JUDAlQUE. 11
8th. Copper coins inscribed JV¥ H/frO?, with a vase similar to that on the shekels; and on the reverse ^SIN fO^, the fourth year, and the loulab between two fir-cones.
Now all these coins have hitherto been considered to have been struck under Simon Maccabanis, or about 140 B.C. ; but M. de Saulcy carries them back to a much earlier period, viz., the pontificate of Yaddous, or Jaddus, or Jad- dua, about 330 B.C.
His reasons for thus classifying and assigning them, may be thus summed up. That the proup which consists of coins of silver, struck during the first three years, and of copper, during the fourth, by the conformity of style, type and letters, is shown to be one ; and that the coins all belong to the same period, which is evidently anterior to that of the Asmonsean Princes. What that era was, he attempts to determine in the following manner.
The Jews, under the Persian rule, could have had no right of striking autonomous coins ; indeed, it appears, that what coins were struck by the last satraps at Samaria, were of the Persian system, with Phoenico-Persian types. It is, therefore, vain to seek for coins of purely Jewish types of the period when they were under the Achsemenian rule.
That, on the submission of Judaea to Alexander, he accorded to the petition of Yaddous, permission for the Jews to govern themselves by the laws of their fathers; and that such was, in fact, autonomy, and included the privilege of striking their own coins. That, soon after the death of Alexander, Jerusalem fell into the hands of Ptolemy Soter, and was again despoiled of its autonomous rights ; and that it was during this brief period of their freedom, that these coins were struck; and their dates are the years of the autonomy of the Jews. That it may be shown from history
12 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
that there was no period of freedom for the Jews, or Jeru- salem, from the time of Ptolemy Soter till the liberation of Jerusalem, under Judas Maccabseus, when a purely Jewish coinage could have existed. That the Jewish shekel was exactly equivalent to the tetradrachm of the Egyptian standard, and that the weights of these shekels correspond in a remarkable manner with that of the tetradrachm of Ptolemy Soter, being in both cases, about 216 grs.
Such are the reasons given by M. de Saulcy, for his attribution of this class of coins to the era of Yaddous ; and they certainly have some weight, as the appearance and fabric of the shekels assuredly point to an earlier period than that usually assigned them. There are, how- ever, objections to M. de Saulcy's theory, which it will be well to mention. Though there may be some difficulty in determining the interval that elapsed between the submission of Yaddous to Alexander, and the treacherous conquest of Jerusalem by Ptolemy Soter, yet there can be no doubt that there were many more years between these events than the four of which we find record on the coins: indeed, the death of Alexander did not take place until nine years after his interview with the high priest ; why, then, should the Jews have struck money during only four of these years, and why should the coinage of the last year be exclusively of copper? I must confess, that I very much doubt the propriety of classing these copper coins with the shekels, both from the formation of the letters and especi- ally of the ty, and from the nature of the inscriptions, which so closely resemble some of those on the coins of Simon Barcochab. Besides which, these coins are common as compared with those of silver. The argument from the weight of the coins does not amount to as much as would at first sight appear, as some of the shekels of Barcochab
RECHERCHES SUR LA NUMISMATIQUE JUDAlQUE. 13
are of the same weight; still I think there can be no doubt of the shekels of this class being of an early date, from their appearance, possibly even antecedent to the age of Alexander ; and since, from history, there are difficulties in supposing them to have been struck earlier, we may, with some degree of safety, adopt M. De Saulcy's era for them. At the same time it must be confessed, that there is nothing but their appearance of possessing greater antiquity — which is not always a safe criterion — against their having been struck in the days of Simon Maccabaeus, when, according to Josephus, the formula " In the first year of Simon, the benefactor and Ethnarch of the Jews,"3 came into use in the public records. The shekels with the name of Simon are not» however, by any means to be attributed to Simon Maccabaeus, as we shall presently see.
We will now take a glance at the coins of the second Epoch, or those struck by the Asmonean Princes, to which series M. De Saulcy makes great and important additions, engraving and describing coins of the following princes. Judas Maccabaeus . . '.;>' B.C. 164-161 Jonathan . ?«J*E * .^ »• . > , „ 161-143 John Hyrcanus ><<>. -•'•• -» .•" .' „ 135-106 Judas Aristobulus and Antigonus „ 106-105 Alexander Jannaeus . >* .; . „ 105-78 Alexandra . ; . . „ 78-69 Antigonus . .-'"". ••".*.• „ 40-37 These coins are all in brass or copper, and mostly of small module, those of Antigonus being the only exceptions.
Of Judas Maccaba3us there is but one type given, and that, perhaps, of rather doubtful attribution, as it is very like one of the varieties of the coin of Jonathan, and the
3 See also 1 Maccabees, xiii. 42.
14 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
first three letters of the names of Judas, Jonathan and John are in most cases the same 1!T.
On the obverse, M. de Saulcy reads the inscription Tl!T
D'"1PI7! "Dm 7VT3 |PDn " Judas the Hi£h Priest ancl tlie friend of the Jews," or, I think, possibly, " The society or community of the Jews." The whole within an olive wreath. On the reverse, the device is a pomegranate be- tween two cornuacopiae. There is certainly no reason why coins of Judas Maccabeeus should not exist ; but I am not satisfied that those of M. de Saulcy are correctly read.
Of the coins of Jonathan, several specimens are en- graved, all very nearly resembling the one already de- scribed, but the inscription being JJ"0* or jHilPP "Jonathan the High Priest," and " the community of the Jews." The bi-lingual coins, with the name of Jonathan combined with that of Alexander, are carried forward by M. de Saulcy to Alexander Jannaeus.
To Simon Maccabseus, to whom nearly all the Jewish coins known have hitherto been ascribed, M. de Saulcy is unable to find grounds for the attribution of any, though he admits the probability of their existence. We shall see that he has good reason for this opinion/ when we come to the consideration of the coins of Simon Barcochab.
The coins of John Hyrcanus closely resemble those of his predecessors Judas and Jonathan, the legend being usually
onrvn -am hir\ jron prnrv.
Up to this period, the coins of the Maccabees bear purely Hebrew legends, and their analogy with the coins bearing the name of Simon which have been usually assigned to Simon Maccabseus is but slight. It is certainly remarkable, that no coins of Simon of the type of his predecessor Jonathan, and his successor John Hyrcanus, have yet been found ; but there cannot be a doubt of the
RECHERCHES SUR LA NUMISMATIQUE JUDAlQUE. 15
correctness of the reading of the names of these two princes on these coins, as I can myself testify from specimens in my own collection.
Ten specimens of John Hyrcanus are engraved by M. de Saulcy, some of which have a Greek A above the inscription, which he considers to refer to the alliance of Hyrcanus with Antiochus Sidetes or Alexander Zebina.
Of the coins of the former, M. de Saulcy engraves two specimens of copper of the same module as those of John, and which there is every reason to suppose to have been struck at Jerusalem (where also they were found). On the obverse is the anchor of the Seleucidae, with the legend BASIAEiiS ANTIOXOY EYEPFETOY, and the date AIIP or BDP 181 and 182 of the Seleucidan era, or 132 and 131 B.C., in which latter year Hyrcanus followed Antiochus in his disastrous expedition against the Parthians. On the reverse, is a lily or flower very like that on the coins with the joint names of Jonathan and Alexander.
The coins attributed to Judas Aristobulus and Antigonus bear Greek legends, possibly IOYAA : BA2IA with the pomegranate and cornuacopia?, or else an anchor, on the obverse, and a star on the reverse ; but their attribution is rather questionable.
Of the coins of Alexander Jannaeus, there can be but little doubt. They bear the legend AAE57ANAPOY BASIAEflS round an anchor on the obverse, and a star within a beaded circle on the reverse, around which there are some traces of another inscription. To this prince, M. de Saulcy, fol- lowing in the steps of Eckhel and Bayer, also attributes two bi-lingual types, which have been considered as belong- ing to Jonathan, and as marking his close alliance with Alexander Bala. These coins give the inscription AAES- ANAPOY BASIAEiiS round an anchor on the obverse, and,
16 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
on the reverse, a lily or balaustium, with the legend T?Jbn (Jonathan the King), or else a wheel, amid the spokes of which the same legend is to be found. M. de Saulcy gives it as his opinion that these are coins of Alexander Jannaeus, whose Hebrew name he considers to have been Jonathan, in the same manner, as we learn from Josephus,4 that Alexandra's Hebrew name was Salome. There are good grounds for supposing this to have been the case ; or at all events good reasons for not assigning them to the earlier Jonathan. If they are, for instance, to be carried back to the time of Alexander Bala and Jonathan, probably the other coins ascribed to Alexander Jannseus must accom- pany them, and we should have bi-lingual and Greek lettered coins preceding those with purely Hebrew inscriptions. It is worthy of remark, that Alexander Jannaeus was the first who assumed the title of King instead of that of High Priest ; a fact which is noticed by Strabo,5 TT^COTO? av& lepecos dveSeigev eavrov /3acri\ea }4Xe£avSpo9, and now appears to be borne out by the coins. The correctness of their attribution to Jannaeus is, moreover, to a certain extent, supported by the coin given to Alexandra, his widow, which bears the legend AAE37ANA BASIAI2 around an anchor on the obverse, and a star similar to that on the coins of Alex- ander on the reverse, the type of the obverse being also identical with that of the bi-lingual coins. This piece was found at Jerusalem, and appears to give BA2IAIS most distinctly.
From the character of Alexandra, as 'given by Josephus, as a woman who showed no signs of the weakness of her sex, and preferred the power of an imperious dominion above all things, there is every probability that she should
4 Ant.Jud.l.xiii.c. 12. 5 1. xvi. p. 1085, ed. Ox. 1807.
RECHERCHES STIR LA NUMISMATIQUE JUDA1QTJE. 17
have assumed and exercised the right of coining. It would be a most satisfactory solution of the question, whether the coins of Alexander with the Hebrew name of Jonathan are those of Alexander Jannseus, who was known as Jonathan by the Jews, if a coin of Alexandra were found bearing her Hebrew name of Salome on the reverse.
After her death, there is a considerable hiatus in the Jewish series, no coins being known of Hyrcanus or Aristo- bulus ; but the coinage reappears, though in a larger module and bi-lingual, under Antigonus. On the obverse of his coins we read BASIAEQS ANTIFONOY either within or around a garland, and on the reverse two cornuacopiae on the larger coins, and one on the smaller, accompanied by a rather uncertain Hebrew legend which seems to be hnSn jrOPl (Pl)KWia " Mattathias the High Priest."
M. de Saulcy, following Barthelemy, is inclined to con- sider Mattathias as the Hebrew name of Antigonus, rather than as the name of his great ancestor, placed upon his coins in order to shew his illustrious descent.
And if this be the case, it strengthens the supposition of Jonathan having been the Hebrew name of Alexander. There is, indeed, an a priori improbability in supposing that these Jewish chiefs were not known by their country- men by some Jewish names, as High Priests, rather than by the Greek names of Alexander and Antigonus.
After Antigonus, the coins with Hebrew inscriptions cease for a considerable period, and only again re-appear on the eve of the total destruction of the nation.
The coins of the Iduiniuan dynasty give none but Greek inscriptions, though the familiar types of the anchor and cornuacopia3 are still preserved. I will not, however, enter upon an examination of them, nor of the Imperial coins struck in Judaea, of which several plates are given, as they VOL. XX. D
18 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
are not purely Jewish coins, but will proceed at once to the consideration of the coins supposed by M. de Saulcy to have been struck during the Jewish war, which ter- minated in the total destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. These are the copper pieces of such ordinary occurrence with the vase or urn, and the vine-branch as types, and the legend JV¥ H^H (the liberation of Zion) around the vine- branch, and the year DTlfc? fOfc? (the second year), or J"0£? t^7^ (the third year), around the vase. M. de Saulcy argues that the Jews, who made such heroic efforts for the recovery of their liberty, must in all probability have had if merely as one of the means of asserting their inde- pendence, a purely Hebrew coinage of their own ; and if so, these pieces, by their style, size and fabric, which approach so nearly to those of the coins of Nero, struck at Jerusalem in A.D. 59, may be traced to this origin.
Those of the third year are much rarer than those of the second, while there are none of the first and fourth, which may be accounted for on the hypothesis, that, in the first year of the war, independence was not re-established at Jerusalem ; and in the fourth and last year, anarchy and intestine divisions were already preparing and facilitating for Titus the conquest he had undertaken.
There seems to me much probability in this appropriation of these coins, which cannot certainly lay claim to a much higher antiquity. It is, however, possible that they should be carried down to the time of Barcochab.
We now come to the most numerous, and what has hitherto been the most perplexing class of Jewish coins, viz., those bearing the name of Simon. These have hitherto, for the most part, been considered as appertaining to Simon Maccabaeus, but are, without a single exception, attributed by M. de Saulcy, as had been done before by Henrion, to
RECHEKCHES SUR LA NUMISMATIQUE Jl'DAlQUE. 19
Barcochab, ^"O'^O (the son of a star), the leader of a protracted revolt of the Jews, under Hadrian, that termi- nated in their utter defeat and banishment from Jerusalem.
It is true, that in history this leader is only mentioned as Barchochebas, or Cochebus, without there being any founda- tion for the assumption that his name was Simon, beyond numismatic evidence. This, however, is strong, as the coins bearing the name Simon were certainly struck in the reign of Hadrian ; and as he was the leader of the noted revolt which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem, and its conversion into the Roman ^lia Capitolina, there is every reason to believe that his name was really Simon (Barcochab being evidently a sort of surname), or that he assumed the name of Simon, to convey the idea that he would prove to the Jews, a second deliverer like Simon Maccabaeus.
The types are numerous both in silver and copper, and as some of the former are struck on coins of Trajan and Vespasian, and one of the latter in the British Museum, on a coin of Domitian or Vespasian, there can be no question as to the correctness of the attribution of at least these "palimpsest" coins to Simon Barcochab ; and the other pieces, which closely resemble and are even identical in type and fabricj must needs go with them. We must, therefore, I am afraid, give up for the present, the attribu- tion of any coins to Simon Maccabaeus, though I have no doubt that ere long, some of the small copper pieces similar to those of Jonathan and John Hyrcanus, will be found inscribed with his name.
But to return to the coins of Barcochab, which may be divided into those of his first year, including those without a date ; and those of his second year. Among the former class are shekels of two types, viz., those with the front of
20 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
a temple on the obverse, and a loulab on the reverse, the legends being either p$?OB> and th&ft HTTP, Simon - the Liberty of Jerusalem ; or D^W and nSiwS HPIX JW ^6Ofc?\ Jerusalem — the first year of the Kedemption of Israel; or on a doubtful piece, the initials Dfc? ••• IT and ^NIEJ" ••• "IfD, Jerusalem Simon — the Liberty of Israel. The obverse of the quarter shekels, or denarii, of which there are several varieties, bears in most cases a bunch of grapes, with the legend jiy££?, Simon ; and on the reverse a palm- branch, or two trumpets, or a lyre, with the legend D/fc?W, the Liberty of Jerusalem. Others have within a wreath, and a wine-jug, or oenochoe and palm- branch on the reverse, with the same legend of the Liberty of Jerusalem. In copper there are several varieties, mostly with a palm tree and the name of Simon, on the obverse, and a vine leaf, with the Liberty of Jerusalem inscribed around it on the reverse. These are of the second brass size, and one of those engraved has been struck on a second brass Greek coin, of Trajan, AYT KAI TPA being legible upon it. Others have a lyre on the obverse, and a palm branch within a garland on the reverse, with nearly the same legends ; and there are small pieces with the type of a palm-tree on the obverse, and a bunch of grapes on the reverse. None of the above bear a date, and must there- fore be referred to the first year of Simon. There are, however, several specimens on which this year is inscribed. The first is a magnificent coin of large brass —
Obv.— N1B» K'EO pyDP (Simon, Prince of Israel), within a garland.
Rev.— W ... V«i^> nntf r\W (The first year of the Redemption of Israel), around a two-handled vase of elegant form.
There are also second brass coins, with the palm-tree
RECHERCHES SUR LA NUMISMATIQUE JUDAiQUE. 21
and vine-branch, with the same legends; and others of a smaller volume, with the legend W J"l7JO7 HHX H3&? around the bunch of grapes on the obverse, and an unin- telligible inscription beneath a palm-tree, on the obverse. There is little doubt, that in thus dating the coins " In the first year," Simon Barcochab intended to remind the Jews of what was recorded of his illustrious namesake, Simon Maccabaeus. " Then the people of Israel began to write in their instruments and contracts — In the first year of Simon, the High Priest, the governor and leader of the Jews." 3 And this inscription, intended to inspirit the Jews at that time, has served to mislead many Christians since.
The coins of the second year are much fewer in number than those of the first, and consist of a shekel with the temple and loulab, a quarter shekel with the bunch of grapes and the renochoe, and second brass coins with the palm-tree and vine-branch ; the legend of the reverse being in all cases httW Th O'fc?. The second year of the Liberty of Israel. In no case does the final HI of Win? appear.
With these coins terminates the Jewish series; but M. de Saulcy gives representations and an account of all the colonial coins struck under the Roman Emperors, at M\ia Capitolina, the city built by Hadrian, on the ruins of Jerusalem, where coins were struck as late as the days of Hostilianus, A.D. 249 and 251. Nor even then did the coinage at Jerusalem cease, or its heathen name of /Elia Capitolina disappear ; for there are coins given, apparently struck by the Caliph Abdoul Malik, about A.D. 695. With the legend, Mahomed is the Apostle of God, on the obverse, and ttlia. of Palestine, on the reverse. Could the desola- tion of the Holy City be more complete ?
3 1 Mace, xiii, v. 42.
22 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
•
I have now, I think, presented the reader with a fair abstract of M. de Saulcy's work, and must leave him to draw his own conclusions as to the correctness of his views, with most of which I must acknowledge myself to concur. All will, however, hail his book, both from the number of coins engraved and described, and the fidelity with which they are represented, as a most valuable addi- tion to Jewish Numismatics.
The absence of coins of Simon Maccabseus, seems to me incontestable ; and as an additional reason for bringing the coins that have been assigned to him, down to the later date of Simon Barcochab, I beg to throw out the question for those better versed in Hebrew than myself, and who would still refer the coins bearing the name of Simon to Simon Maccabseus, whether the word HI^H, in the sense of liberty or freedom, had been introduced into the lan- guage at so early a period as that of the Maccabees ; or at all events, was at that time sufficiently Hebraized, to appear upon their coins ?
JOHN EVANS.
III.
SHILLING OF EDWARD VI.
[Read before the Numismatic Society, Dec. 18th, 1856,]
I HAVE much pleasure in exhibiting to the Society a coin of great rarity, which I have lately added to my collection. It is a shilling of Edward VI., similar to that engraved in Hawkins' " Silver Coins of England," No. 419, of which
SHILLING OF EDWARD VI. 23
the author says : " The piece No. 419 is of fine silver, and, as appears from the date, was struck at this time of im- provement (1551) ; it was probably only a pattern for a shilling, but being, as we believe, unique and unpublished, we could not refrain from giving a representation of so singular a piece."
On the obverse is the king on horseback, galloping and in armour, wielding his sword above his head, which is guarded by a helmet. The attitude of the horse is singular, both the hind and fore-legs being placed close together. Around runs the legend SDWTVRD'.VI.D.G. TYGLig. FRTVn. Z.HIB.R^X. On the reverse is a square-topped shield, crowned, between <J, R, with the legend TIMOK, DOMInl, FOnS VITtf M.D.L.I. The shape of the Roman M is sin- gular, being little more than two 1 1 placed side by side, and it is the more remarkable from its occurring in con- junction with the Lombardic n. The mint-mark on both sides is by Mr. Hawkins stated to be a bird's head. I am, however, doubtful whether it is not rather the head of some beast, or that of a dragon or griffin, such as is found on the gold coins, though I at first inclined to the belief that the head of an ostrich was intended. Guillim says, "it hath been long a doubt whether this creature should be reckoned a bird or a beast ; yet because of his wings and feathers, I make no scruple to sort him among the former;" but I found another reason for believing this mint-mark to be the head of an ostrich, as in ft Burke's General Armory " the crest of the Peckham family is stated to be an ostrich proper. It seemed, therefore, probable, that this was the crest of Sir Edmund Peckharn, High Treasurer of the Mint in South- wark, at the time when this piece was struck, and that he is thus symbolized upon the coin in the same manner as Sir John Yorke, the Under Treasurer, by Y ; Throgmorton, of
24 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
the Tower Mint, by the ton ; or Sir Martin Bowes by the swan or bow, both of which occur in his coat of arms. The ostrich's head, if such it be, occurs in no other coins than those of Edward VI.
Sir Charles Young, however, to whom I had applied rela~ tive to the arms and crest of Sir Edmund Peckham, kindly informs me that his crest was, after all, a leopard's head, transfixed with three cross crosslets fitchy, and that there is no sign of an ostrich either in his arms or crest. My theory, therefore, falls entirely to the ground ; it is, how- ever, a singular coincidence, that the crest of the Sussex Peckhams should have been an ostrich, which would also have been that of Sir Edmund Peckham had he been of the Sussex family, instead of a London family, to which he is supposed to have belonged.
The weight of my coin is 98 grs., and that of the Mu- seum specimen 76^ grs.; but both shew a considerable amount of wear, so that they must be regarded as pattern pieces, the weight of the ordinary fine shillings of Edward being 96 grs.
JOHN EVANS.
25
IV.
ON COINS DISCOVERED, BY W. K. LOFTUS, ESQ., AT SUSA.
[Read before the Numismatic Society, November 19th, 1857.]
IT will, perhaps, be within the recollection of the Society, that, in speaking of some curious coins which had recently been brought from the East, I called attention, in a former paper, to a remarkable inscription, which had been found at Susa- a short time since by Mr. Loftus, bearing the name of Pythagoras, probably the Greek leader of the Persian King's body-guard ; and, at the same time, pointed out the identity of this name with one which has been long known upon a Persian Daric in the National Collection, but of which there has been previously no satisfactory explanation.
I wish now to say a few words on a collection of Oriental coins of the early Mohammedan period, which were disco- vered by the same enterprising traveller on the same cele- brated site, during some excavations he conducted under the superintendence of Sir Henry Rawlinson. These coins are now, together with a considerable number of bricks and other antiquities, deposited in the British Museum, and form by no means the least interesting portion of that gen- tleman's discoveries. As the manner in which these coins were found is very interesting, I will quote here the nar- rative which Mr. Loftus has given of it.
" Not far," says Mr. L., u from its southern extremity
VOL. XX. E
26 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
on the edge of the platform,1 where the depth of the earth above the pavement did not exceed six feet, an interesting discovery was made. I was at this time examining some recent acquisitions in another part of the ruins, when one of my master workmen rushed into the tent, every muscle of his face distorted with mingled expressions of astonish- ment, delight, fear, and anxiety, while he threw down at my feet as many silver Kufic coins as his two hands could contain, rushing out again, with an intimation that there were more in the trench, which he could not carry.
u The workmen had come upon a small glazed pot during the temporary absence of their overseer. As it felt extremely heavy, the cupidity of the Persians tempted them to break it, when out rolled the coins, and a general scramble took place. The master- workman, however, being responsible for the rest, secured as many as he could, and honestly delivered them up to me. He was delighted at the discovery, but afraid of the result, doubting whe- ther the Prince ought not to receive the treasure, and, at the same time, aware that his men had taken care of themselves.
" Ovaunes was immediately sent to look after them, and presently returned with fifty more coins, laughing at the credulity of the Lurs. With ready wit, he hinted that I had found an account of the number, and that several were missing. He therefore recommended the men to produce them, because, if sold in Di/ful, the fact would reach the Prince's ears, and the sellers would be punished. They
1 Mr. Lof'tus is speaking of the excavations he had made upon the largest and most extensive of the mounds at Susa, in which he discovered the remains of a palace now known to have been, inhabited, if not originally constructed, by Xerxes, the king of Persia.
ON COINS DISCOVEUED AT SUSA. 27
looked at each other. At length, one more timid than the rest pulled forth a coin, and his example was followed by all. Some handed out one, some two or three, and so on, until fifty were collected. Still my factotum was not satis- fied ; when the day's work was over, he obliged every man to declare by the head of Ali, by Baba Buzurg, and all his favourite saints, that he had no more coins in his possession. Those who refused the oath were to receive none of the tobacco, about to be distributed in honour of the discovery In this manner eleven other coins were recovered that evening, and by dint of perseverance, about one hundred and seventy were in all collected. Several were cohering together at the bottom of the jar in a hard solid mass, but the greater number were bright and unworn, as though but recently struck off from the die."
The total number which have been placed in my -hands for examination, and which were, at the same time, tolerably legible, and not so glued together by the oxidation as to be inseparable, was about one hundred and ten ; of these fifty- two exhibited dates, or places of mintage, of which we had not previously any illustration from the existing collection at the Museum. As Mr. Loftus states, the majority of them were nearly perfect, and some as fresh as if they had just come from the die.
Two important questions are suggested by this dis- covery: first, When were these coins deposited in their present position ? and, secondly, Is it possible to draw any conclusions from the place in which they were found, as to the period when the building was destroyed near which they were discovered ? About the date of its erection we have satisfactory proof, relics having been found of Xerxes, as previously stated ; while we have some grounds for believing that it was commenced, if not completed, by his
28 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
father Darius. It would, therefore, be of much interest could we determine, from any evidence afforded by these coins, whether this structure had been, at the time they were buried, long in ruins. Now we may be sure, from the sharpness of the impression on these coins, that the hoard was buried within a short time after the latest date which occurs among them ; and that no lengthened period could have passed away during which they were in circulation. Again, as there was a considerable accumulation of soil between them and the pavement of the buried palace, we may be equally certain that they must have been deposited long after this palace was ruined. Centuries at least must have elapsed, to allow for the mass of earth which was heaped above this pavement.
Nor does this view lack some other corroborative proofs. Thus around some of the bases of the fallen columns were found several urns of Parthian and Sassanian workman- ship, thus affording clear and demonstrative evidence that long after the overthrow of the temple, of which they formed the support and decorations, other races occupied the mound on which it had stood — lived, died, and buried their dead. Taking these facts into consideration, it seems a fair inference, that the actual demolition of the great structure must have been due to the remote period of Alexander the Great, or to that of his successors, during the Greek occupation of Susiana. Though we have no record of this event in any of the historians of the campaigns of the Greek monarch, they describe, not without some natural feelings of regret, how be wantonly set fire to the rival and sister structures of Persepolis, and sacrificed to the mad revelry of a courtesan the pride and the glory of Persian architecture.
With regard to this fire, there is, indeed, some room for
ON COINS DISCOVERED AT SUSA. 29
doubt whether it was, after all, Persepolis which was sacri- ficed to the vanity or the fury of the Greek monarch. Strabo indeed, states that Alexander burnt the palace at Persepolis to avenge the Greeks for similar injuries which had been inflicted on them by the Persians (xv. p. 729) ; but this seems, to say the least, an exceedingly improbable asser- tion. Arrian merely avers that Alexander burnt a royal palace, contrary to the expressed entreaty of Parmenio ; but he does not say where this palace was (Anab. iii. 13). Curtius alone describes the disgraceful character of this deed of an incendiary, and fixes the place at Persepolis; the evidence in his favour being the probability that he drew his materials from many journals of the officers of Alexander's army extant in his day (Curt. v. 4. 6). On the other hand, Mr. Loftus remarks that a careful examination of the ex- isting columns, and of the injuries they have suffered during the 2,300 years which have elapsed since their first erec- tion, fails altogether in shewing those marks which would naturally indicate the action of this devouring element. The whitened aspect which many of them exhibit is really due to the atmosphere, and not to fire; hence the probability is suggested, that the proceedings supposed to have oc- curred at Persepolis really took place at Susa, and that the destruction visible at the latter site, is, in fact, that which has left the darkest stain on the memory of the greatest conqueror of ancient times.
It would, indeed, be, in the highest degree, unlikely that coins and relics of the Parthian Princes should be found at Susa beside the fallen and buried columns, and generally above them, if the temple or palace, to which they belonged, was still standing when the people who struck them still lived there. It is much more reasonable to suppose that, as in the case of Nineveh, more than one
30 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
race successively settled on these mounds, after the buildings of the earlier people had fallen down and been covered over, unconscious, it may be, of the monuments of the past which lay buried under their feet.
The earliest coin in this collection is from the mint of Damascus, and its date is A.H. 79, corresponding with A.D. 697-8. It was struck by Abd-al-Malek ben Merwan, the sixth Khalif of the house or family of Ommiah, and the eleventh in descent from Mohammed himself. It is weP known that this Khalif was the first to strike the ordinary dirhem, which became so well known in after-times ; or, at all events, that no dirhem of any earlier Prince has yet been met with. The earliest known date is A.H. 78, of which a specimen on a gold dinar is preserved in the British Mu- seum. It is not a little curious to find one of the very next year in a miscellaneous hoard of coins, like that we are now considering. I may add that no dirhem of A.H. 78 has been discovered, but that the British Museum possesses another specimen of the date of A.H. 79 (struck, however, at Kufah), and that there is one also in the Collection at Milan. I am not aware that any other Museum possesses dirhems of this early date, which are, therefore, unques- tionably of considerable rarity and interest. The latest date in the collection is that of a coin struck at Mahi in A.H. 106 (A.D. 725), by Hesham, one of the sons of the former Khalif Abd-al-Malek, the eleventh Khalif of the same family. The whole number of coins, therefore, ranges over a period of only twenty-eight years.
Besides the two coins I have mentioned, which were minted at Damascus and Mahi respectively, I have been able to decipher forty-eight other specimens, struck at the following towns and in the subjoined years : —
ON COINS DISCOVERED AT SUSA. 31
A.H.
At Damascus- - - - (79) 82, 83, 84, 86, 100, 105, 106.
„ Busrah 80, 82, 87.
„ Waset 88, 94, 99, 105, 106.
„ Siis (Susa)- - - - - 90.
„ Rhey 90.
„ Herat 90.
„ Teimar 91.
„ Shapur 91,92,94.
„ Istakhr (Persepolis) - - 91.
„ Sejistan (Seistan) - - 92.
„ Darabjerd 92, 97.
„ Dschey 92, 94.
„ Merv ------ 90.
„ Kirman 95.
„ Kufa 101.
„ Mahi - - - - (106) 6?
1 may remark, en passant, that the list of names and the order of the places correspond pretty nearly with the course of Mohammedan conquest ; and that it is, therefore, highly probable that the hoard may have been made by some soldiers, who had accompanied the march of the Arabian armies from the commencement of the war. As the inscriptions on these dirhems do not differ materially from those which have been published with sufficient accu- racy by Marsden, Fraehn, and other writers, I have not thought it requisite to take up unnecessary space by their transcription here.
With regard to the coin bearing the name of Susa as its mint place, and the date of A.H. 90, it is interesting to know, as we do from it, that Susa was occupied, and be- came a town of sufficient importance to possess a mint of its own, within fifty years after the conquest of the country, of which it had once been the second capital. The Arabian historic work, called the Ruzut-al-Saffa, states that in the year A.D. 638, the whole of Khuzistiin (the ancient Susiana) was over-run by the troops of the Khalif Omar, under the
32 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
immediate command of Abu Si'urah, the chief places men- tioned as having been attacked being Ahwaz, Dumharhaur, Suttar, and the fortress of Sus ; and it would seem that the possession of the latter place rendered any further oppo- sition on the part of the Persians no longer available.
In conclusion, I may remark, that Mr. Loftus, in the course of his researches, met with a considerable number of bronze arrow-heads, lying scattered along the crests of the mounds. It seems not unlikely that these weapons may be relics of the assault on the citadel of Susa by the Mohammedan army.
W. S. W. VAUX.
CHARACENE COINS. 33
many travellers and residents, in the neighbourhood of Baghdad, has been called to the collection of money of this description, that ere long we may be in possession of sufficient materials, to reconstruct with tolerable certainty, the lost history of a Dynasty, which, it would seem probable, must have ruled for a considerable period of time.
Before I notice the legends usually found on coins of this class, and of which nine specimens are now on your table, I think it will be worth while to recapitulate, as briefly as possible, what is at present known concerning this race of kings, and the locality from which they derive their name.
There can be little doubt that the name of Characene has been rightly assigned to a small district near the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris, bounded on the S. by the Persian Gulf, but with very uncertain and varying limits to the N.E. and W. Generally, it may be considered as a part of the larger province of Susiana, though at different periods under independent governors, and not to have extended far, if at all, to the W. of the united stream of those great rivers. It must have corresponded nearly with the district now called Khuzistan, a little to the S.E. of the well-known mart of Bussorab.
The name Charax, from which Characene is derived, is not unknown in ancient geography, and Stephanus By- zantinus has collected all the instances in which it occurs, and which were known in his days. Thus we find a Charax Alexandria near Celaenae in Phrygia; another, which was th»» most ancient name of Tralles, in Caria ; a third, which was an e^jropiov in the Gulf of Nicomedia, in Bithynia ; a fourth in Pontike, on the borders of the Euxine Sea.
Others are elsewhere mentioned on the coast of Africa and in Media; and, last of all, we have the one with
VOL. XX. F
34 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
which alone we are interested here, and which bore the dis- tinguishing title of Charax Pasinu or Spasinu.
The occurrence of so many places of the same name may be probably accounted for by the fact, that the meaning of the original word .g^apo-f, is a " stake" or "pole" — hence it became the natural designation of many places where a ** stockaded fortification" had been made use of.
In ordinary language, Charax would, I believe, be the correct title of a camp hastily fortified, in contra-distinction to a fortress or town with regular or scientific defences.
To return to Charax Spasinu.
Our chief information concerning it is derived from Stephanus Byzantinus, Ptolemy, Dion Cassius, and Pliny. Of these, the last, Pliny, describ.es it as a town at the top of the Persian Gulf, situated on a mound made by the hand of man, between the streams of the Tigris and Eulaeus and near their confluence. He states that it was first founded by Alexander the Great, and colonized by the invalides of his army and other useless soldiers ; and that its first name was, in consequence, not unnaturally, Alex- andria. This town, after standing for a few years, was washed away during a flood, but was, two centuries later, restored by Antiochus V , and called after him, Antiochia. The second town was not fortunate in a much longer duration than the earlier city. It appears to have soon fallen into decay ; till, at length, after many years, it was rebuilt by the Prince of a neighbouring tribe of Arabs, called Spasines or Pasines (the son of Saggonadaces), from whom it derived the title it has usually borne since of Charax Pasinu (or %«/>«£ Snaa-ivov), and by which, as we have seen, it is recorded in Stephanus. Pliny adds, that it was first built on the shore about ten stadia from the sea, and had a small port attached to it, called Vipsanda. Owing,
CHARACENE COINS. 35
however, to the vast quantity of alluvial deposit, brought down annually by the combined waters of the Tigris and Euphrates, already in the time of Juba (a little before the Christian year), Charax is said to have been fifty miles from the sea: while, at the time when Pliny wrote, in the middle of the first century of the Christian era, the merchants, who carne to Rome, informed him, that it was then as much as 120 miles from the sea. There is no doubt that the Roman geographer has been much misinformed with regard to these dis- tances, and that he has made them much greater than they really were. There is, however, no question whatever that there has been a regular and well authenticated increase of land, at the rate of something like three miles in a century ; so that places are now fifty miles from the Persian Gulf, which, at the commencement of the Christian era, were standing on the sea-shore.
Charax Pasinu is famous in History and Geography, as the birth-place of two eminent ancient geographers, Dio- nysius (called from his extensive wanderings Periegetes) and Isidorus (who from his birth-place is usually called Isidorus of Charax). The Princes who have hitherto been attributed to this province, and of whose money specimens have been preserved, are named, Apodacus, Tiraeus, Attambilus I., Adinnigaus, Attambilus II., Monneses, and Meredates and his Queen Uiphoba.
As I stated at the commencement of this paper, I do not regard the determination of these personages as rulers of Characene, as a matter absolutely certain: — I am willing, however, to accept it for the present, in the absence of any direct proof to the contrary. The period when they reigned can, in some instances be fixed by the dates on their coins : in other cases, may be inferred
36 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
from the similarity of the workmanship they exhibit, with that of other coins of known personages or of certain periods.
The earliest, in point of date, is unquestionably the first mentioned in our list :
I. APODACUS. It may be described as follows : —
Obv. — Head of king to the right. Filleted.
Rev. — BASIAEftS AIIOAAKOY. Heracles seated on seat to left, his right holding club, his left reposing on his
seat. In the field, Monog., [\ — in the exergue, T2M. (243) B.C. 69.
The coin is in silver; and bears considerable resemblance to a debased type of the money of the Seleucidse.
II. TlRAEUS.
Obv. — Head to right, filleted — and wearing a long beard. The character of the physiognomy decidedly Parthian, and unlike that of Apodacus which is clearly Greek.
Rev. — BA2IAEUS TIPAIOY .SflTHPOS, some letters, perhaps, of MEFALoY. or EYEPrETOY, same type.
YY<* Monog., J,^, but no date.
As this coin bears no date, its period can only be inferred from the analogy of the portrait, and from its resemblance to the coins of the later Arsacidae. On these grounds I should be inclined to attribute it to the first century before the Christian era — a date not much later than the coin of Apodacus. The coin is in silver : —
III. ATTAMBILUS I.
Obv. — Bearded head of the king to right, before it •&. The same remark on the physiognomy of the last coin applies also to this. The features are clearly - Parthian or Oriental.
CHARACENE COINS. 37
Rev. — . . . ASIA . . . ATTAMB . SOTHP . . . EYEP.
Same type much degraded.
Several coins exist of this prince, with different
dates HQS . 298 (B.C. 15.)
T . 300 (B.C. 13.)
TIT . 313 (A.D. 1.)
•3TT . 316 (AD- 5.)
IV. ADJNNIGAUS.
Obv. — Same type.
Rev.— BAZIAE . . . AAINNIFAO . . . ilTHP— in the ex- ergue, ART. 321. A.D. 9. Same type.
The coin is in very base silver. The Museum possesses this one specimen only, but Mionnet has published another with the date, TAX*. 333, A.D. 21.
V. ATTAMBILUS II.
Obv. — Same type — but head unbearded and marked with
Monog., JN-
Rev.— -ATTAMB .... CCUTHP . 6YE. Same type, but much degraded.
Monog., fU. Date TOP (376), A.D. 64.
The general character of the work fully bears out this data, and shews how much a style, originally even, some- what barbarous, had degenerated during a period compara- tively short.
VI. MON'NESES.
Mionnet records a prince of this name, the character of whose coinage is precisely like that of those monarchs we have already noticed, but bearing the date YKB, 422, A.D. 110. If this be correct, there can be no doubt that he must have been contemporary with Trajan, the Roman Emperor, and Chosroes of Persia. If so, it is clear that Dion Cassius' statement, which makes Attambilus follow, instead of precede Monneses, must be incorrect.
38 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
The last rulers we have to notice are Meredates and Uiphoba, and concerning the attribution of the coins bearing these names, we have considerable doubt. They are not uncommon; and the Museum possesses severa\ specimens — there is nothing, however, certain to be made out from what remains of their legends.
Obv. — Head of the king to right — wearing a beard and head dress like that of the Sassanfans.
Sev.— MGPeAAToY -BAEIAG&C .YM>oB A — Meredates and Uiphoba— and the dateYNA, 454 (A.D. 142.)
As far as I have been able to ascertain, all the known specimens of the money of these rulers are alike, and bear the same date, namely, the fourth year of Antoninus Pius. It will, however, be noticed that their type is wholly different from that of the coins previously described, while the work- manship and portraits have a character directly connecting them with those of the later Arsacidse or earlier Sassanian. Besides these types, to which I have referred, there are a large number of coins exceedingly rude in their workman- ship, which are usually comprehended in this class, and which may not improbably be derived from the later speci- mens of these princes of Characene. For the present, I believe, we must be content, with the brief notice I have given above, but I am not without hopes, that, as the atten- tion of collectors in the East, is now drawn to this subject, we may ere long obtain new and better specimens, from the comparison of which a more clear and satisfactory account may be deduced.
W. S. W. VAUX.
39
VI.
TETRADRACHM OF ALEXANDER.
Copenhagen, 27 st February, 1858. SIR,
No. LXXIV. of Numismatic Chronicle, published in November, 1857, contains, pp. 221, 222, an examination of the late Mr. W. H. Scott on a tetradrachm of Alexander, concerning which J make so free as to send you some remarks.
Mr. Scott thinks this tetradrachm is unpublished, or at any rate unexplained, and maintains the opinion, that it has been struck at Aradus, because it has a bee and an A below the throne, and before the figure a mark resem- bling an F, which he takes for the Phoenician tf. With respect to the fabric, he does not decide if it is of Syrian or Phoenician workmanship, and admits, that it has the thick massive form which, according to Cousinery, belong to those usually found in Macedonia, though he thinks the fabric different from that of the coins of Alexander classed to Amphipolis.
This tetradrachm is also in the British Museum, and has been published in my work on the coins of Alexander ; it is to be found, p. 185, PI. VII. No. 513, in a series belong- ing to Melitaea in Thessaly. I shall take the liberty to give the reasons why it must have been struck in this town.
A bee is seen as a mark on different coins of Philip, father of Alexander, and of Demetrius II. of Macedonia,
40 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
and can on all these coins denote no other city but Melitaea in Thessaly, this land, as well known, having been joined by Philip to Macedonia. Melitsea was first noticed, as a place that struck money, by M. Prokesch von Osten, in whose collection there are several autonomous coins with the names of this city and a bee as " armes parlantes " on the reverse.1 No other city in the lands belonging to Philip's empire had this type. A number of Alexander's coins must be assigned to the same city for the following reasons. On the coins of Alexander, an A is several times adjoined to the bee, and this letter is likewise seen on some of Philip's coins, together with the bee ; hereof may be concluded, that both the first and the latter are from the same city, and that the letter A represents the name of a person employed at the mint, who has passed from Philip's reign to that of Alexander. A considerable number of the initials arid monograms, which, on Alexander's coins, accompany the bee and signify persons, are found on other coins of the same king, which, according to their marks and fabrics, are struck in Macedonian cities ; it is natural that the same persons were employed to super- intend the minting in Macedonia and Thessaly, as both these lands were under the same government. The tetra- drachms with these marks are of the thicker kind, and have a strong relief, as in general tliose which issued from the mints of the European provinces of Alexander's empire. All Alexander's coins with the mark of a bee have usually been assigned to Ephesus. The coins here treated of can- not be attributed to this city, firstly, owing to their fabric, as those that were coined in the West of Asia Minor, were
1 Gerhard, Archaeol. Zeitung, 1847, No. 10, Taf. X., 7—9. Wien. Acad, Deutschr., 1854, p. 248, Taf. I., 30—34.
TETRADRACHM OF ALEXANDER. 41
flatter or at least of a less elevated relief; secondly, because some of the tetradrachtns contain the title of king, which is never appended to the name of Alexander on the coins struck in the western part of Asia Minor ; and lastly, be- cause there are on the drachmas monograms, which are repeated on the drachmas of Philip III. (Arrhidseus), with the bee, and must be explained as indicating the same magis- trate as upon these ; but the coins of this last king were not struck in the cities of Western Asia Minor. That, especially the tetradrachm in question must be classed not to Ephesus, but among those struck at Melitsea, is to be seen both by the fabric, which points to Greece, and by the letter A, which also is added on the coins of Philip II.
The reason why Mr. Scott has assigned this coin to Aradus, is particularly the character before the figure, which he has thought to be a Phoenician tf. I do not know if this mark on the specimen Mr. Scott has examined has been indistinct ; but it is certain, that on the coin in the British Museum, this mark can be no Phoenician letter. It is either F (the ^Eolian digamma), which is not unfrequently found on Greek coins, or a similar Greek monogram, which has the horizontal line above prolonged to the left ; as the coin on the left of the monogram is somewhat worn, this is not certain. All the coins of Alexander, that can with cer- tainty be assigned to Aradus, contain a monogram, arranged different ways, composed of P, the signification of which as the monogram of Aradus is proved either by the addition of a palm tree, of distinct Punic letters or numbers, of Greek initials or monograms representing other Syrian cities, that were connected with Aradus, or by the fabric of the coin as peculiar to the tetradrachms of Alexander struck in Syria. There is no coin of Alexander containing a bee, that can with any reason be attributed to Aradus.
VOL. XX. G
42 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
As in this article of Mr. Scott, reference is made to the works of Pellerin, Eckhel and Cousinery, but not to my work, I conclude that this was not known to him at the time he wrote this paper — nor, perhaps, even now to many English Numismatists — I may, therefore, be allowed to state, that it was published in 1855, in French, under the title: u Numismatique d'Alexandre le Grand, suivi d'un Appendice contenant les monnaies de Philippe II and III." The coins described in this work, of which scarcely a third part has been before edited, are principally those which are found in the public and many of the private collections in England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and Scandinavia, at St. Petersburg, and in some Italian cities. I have myself examined the greatest part of them. The different coins of Philip II. amount to 300, those of Alex- ander to 1,714, and those of Philip III. to 139. Twenty- nine engraved plates contain, first a number of the coins themselves, in order to show the principal differences in the fabric, and afterwards all their marks, which are ranged in the form of tables, with the names of the cities or countries where the coins are struck. To these are added some tables, giving a review of. all the marks of cities occurring on the coins of the Macedonian kings and of Lysimachus, for the use of the classification. In the text is to be found both the fullest details relating to the coins, and the motives that have led to their present classification An alphabetical register of the small types of cities makes it easy to find the single coins.
Yours respectfully,
L. MULLER.
Inspector of the Roy. Danish Cabinet of Coins. To John Yonge Akcrman, Esq.
VII. — ON A BARBAROUS COIN OR AMULET OF HELENA, THE MOTHER OF CONSTANTINE.
THE coin represented in the accompanying woodcut, is in the possession of Mr. Goddard Johnson, who kindly trans- mitted the original for exhibition to the Numismatic Society.
It is of gold, weighing 52 grs., and was found at Chapel Hill, in Markshall, a hamlet to Caistor, theVenta Icenorum,1 a locality well known as prolific of Roman remains.
On the obverse is a female head to the left, having the hair plaited so as to give rather the appearance of a helmet, and encircled with a jewelled diadem ; the bust enveloped in a jewelled and embroidered collar, and altogether present- ing a close imitation of the head of Helena, as she appears upon some of her third brass coins. The legend is as follows: *EILEIIA ^AVGVETHV. On the reverse is the legend TNPH • * • EATA THRAN QVILT with CON following, reading the reverse way, as if intended for an exergual inscription, though in reality it is at the left hand side of the commencement of the legend at the top of the coin. In the centre is a wreath enclosing the inscription —
S
IGEV X
1 See Archse., Vol. xxii. p. 412, etc.
44 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
There can be but little doubt that this coin was struck at a period long posterior to that of the Helena whose name and effigy it bears. This would, according to the classifi- cation of2 Eckhel, have been regarded as Helena the wife of Julian the Apostate — the latest of the three Helenas to whom coins have been ascribed. It would, however, appear from the researches of Marchant, Lenormant, and our late lamented associate, Dr. W. H. Scott,3 that even Eckhel is occasionally in error; and that there is good reason for referring all the coins bearing the name of Helena, to the mother of Constantine the Great, some having been struck before and some after her decease. Eusebius4 records that Constantine caused her to be recognised as Augusta, and struck gold money with her effigy. Of these, however, but one type is known in gold ; viz. of Securitas Reipublicte, with a standing female figure holding a palm-branch, and that is of extreme rarity. Her coins in third brass are common ; and from one of these, I am inclined to think, the engraver took the design for the obverse of his coin.
The reverse is also derived from a third brass rather than a golden source, though it is apparently not taken from any single coin. It runs back to not quite so early an age as the obverse ; the inscription in the centre being probably imitated from the SIC V. SIC X. of the coins of Constans, but instead of the w Gaudium Populi Romani" we have a barbarous imitation of the Beata Tranquillitas legend of the era of Constantine, with a trace of the Fel. Temp. Reparatio of a later age, in the TNPH prefixed ; making the entire legend K Temporum Beata Tranquillitas ;" a formula I believe not known upon Roman coins.
2 See Eckhel, Vol. viii. p. 145.
3 Num. Chron., Vol. xv. p. 188.
* As also Theophanes, Sozomen, and Nicephorus.
ON A BARBAROUS COIN OR AMULET OF HELENA. 45
Though the whole would appear to have been formed from memory, rather than from actual imitation of genuine coins, it is very remarkable that the exergual CON. for Constan- tinople, should have been preserved, though in a position it never could have originally occupied. Altogether, it is a most remarkable piece, and belongs to a class of which but few examples are known. It cannot well be ranked with the Saxon imitations of Roman coins, of which many have been found in Kent and elsewhere, as their workmanship is more rude, and they are generally degenerate imitations of actual gold coins : this, on the contrary, has a considerable degree of finish about it ; and some of the letters, if taken sepa- rately, might appear to be really of Roman work. The sign of the cross too, prefixed to several words of the legend, is a remarkable feature, and encourages the opinion that it was struck in Christian times. It is, however, to be re- marked, that a similar small cross appears on the field of some of the small brass coins both of Helena and Theo- dora.
It is a curious fact, that during the middle ages, the coins of Helena were believed to be endowed with healing powers, and enjoyed some therapeutic celebrity in consequence. This was pointed out by Mr. Hudson Turner, a few years ago, in the pages of Notes and Queries (Vol. i. p. 100), in the following " Note," which I venture to reproduce entire.
" In the Wardrobe Account of the 55th year of Henry the Third, it is stated, that among the valuables in the charge of the keeper of the royal wardrobe, there was a silken purse, containing ' monetam Sancte Helene.'
u It is well known that during the middle ages, many and various objects were supposed to possess talismanic virtues. Of this class were the coins attributed to the mother of Constantino, the authenticity of which is questioned by
46 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
Du Cange,5 in his treatise ' de Inferioris aevi numismatibus.' He observes, also, that the same name was given, vulgarly, to almost all the coins of the Byzantine emperors, not only to those bearing the effigies of St. Helena, but indeed to all marked with a cross, which were commonly worn suspended from the neck, as phylacteries; 'hence,' he subjoins, 'we find that these coins are generally perforated.'
u It was quite in accordance with the superstitious cha- racter of Henry the Third, that coins of St. Helena should be preserved in his wardrobe, among numerous other amu- lets and relics. But what was the peculiar virtue attributed to such coins ? Du Cange, in the same treatise, says, on the authority of Bosius, that they were a remedy against the " comitialem morbum" or epilepsy. The said Bosius, or rather Bozius, wrote a ponderous work, ' de Signis Eccle- siae Dei,' (a copy of which, by the by, is not to be seen in the library of the British Museum, although there are two editions of it in the Bodleian), in which he discourseth as follows : — ' Monetse adhuc aliquot exstant, quae in honorem Helense Augustae, et inventae crucis, cum hujusmodi imagi- nibus excusae antiquitus fuerunt. Illis est praesens reme- dium adversus morbum comitialem : et qui hodie vivit Turcarum Rex Amurathes, quamvis a nobis alienus, vim sanctum illarum expertus solet eas gestare ; e morbo nam- que hujusmodi interdum laborat. Nummi quoque Sancti Ludovici, Francorum regis mirifice valent adversus non- nullos morbos.' — Lib. xv. sig. 68.
" The mention of the Sultan Amurath carrying these coins about his person as a precaution against a disease to which he was subject ; and, indeed, the whole passage shows that a belief in their efficacy was still prevalent in the six- teenth century, when Bozius wrote. It only remains to add,
5 Qy. Du Fresne ?
ON A BARBAROUS COIN OR AMULET OF HELENA. 47
that Du Cange, in his Glossary, does not enumerate the 'Money of St. Helena' under the word ' Moneta'; nor does he allude to the coins of St. Louis, which, according to Bozius, were endowed with similar properties."
Mr. Johnson therefore suggests, that this coin, for so it may still be called, must be regarded as an amulet, and that the numerous crosses that are intermixed with the barbarous legend, are so many additions to its prophylactic powers. There is certainly some probability in such a supposition, though the coin is not perforated, and shows no sign of ever having had a loop attached for its suspension. The belief in the efficacy of certain coins and gems as amulets or charms, is of very early date ; we find St. Chrysostom6 inveighing against the use of the coins of Alexander the Great, as amulets ; Trebellius Pollio mentions the virtues attaching to the portraits of Alexander in his history of Quietus, one of the Thirty Tyrants, and narrates how the family of the Macriani were remarkable for wearing the head of Alexander in their gold and silver rings and other ornaments, and adds that he mentions this fact, because those who wear the head of Alexander expressed in gold or silver, are said to be prospered in all their undertakings. Alexander7 himself had probably no idea of the virtues attaching to his sculptured likeness, when he issued his edict that no one should presume to carve his likeness on gems, except Pyrgotales; but Augustus may have promoted the idea of some innate virtue in the head of Alexander, when he adopted it as his seal and discarded the sphinx.
But our present business is with the Moneta Sanctae Helenas ; and on this subject I am not able to add to the
6 Ad Ilium. Catechesis, torn. ii. p. 287; and in Epist. ad Ephes?., cap. iv.; Horn. 12, torn. xi. 108. Ed. Paris, 1834-40.
7 Plin. Nat. Hist., xxxvii. 1.
48 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
information collected by Mr. Hudson Turner, except that there is an article on the subject of the Heleniani Nummi, in that mine of learning, Hofinann's Lexicon Universale; and that, singularly enough, a Michael de SanctA, Elena was Reparator Cuneorum, or repairer of the dies to the mint of Henry III., among whose effects the Moneta Sancte Helene is mentioned..
An interesting notice of the virtues attaching to various gems, will be found in Mr. Roach Smith's Coll. Ant., vol. iv. p, 65, and in a paper by Mr. Wright, Arch., vol. xxx. p. 449.
As to the period to which Mr. Johnson's coin is to be attributed, I cannot think that is of nearly so late a date as the time of Henry III. ; and though the fact of its being so good an imitation, that at first sight it might be taken for a Roman coin, renders any attempt, to determine the age in which it was minted a difficult task, I am inclined to con- sider it as dating from the fifth or sixth century of our era. This is, however, purely conjectural, as there is so little collateral assistance to be gained from other specimens. It is much to be desired that some one would take in hand the numerous, and not unimportant class of coins struck in imitation of those of the Roman Emperors, such numbers of which are to be found in every district of this country, and from which possibly some light might be thrown upon the darkest period of our history.
JOHN EVANS.
Num. Chrorv. Vol?£L.p 49.
IT? 4.
6.
J~. Ctfykfwi. . dd et Sculp.
COINS OF SEISTAN
49
VII.
COINS OF SEISTAN.
[Read before the Numismatic Society, January 28th, 1858.]
AT the last meeting of the Numismatic Society, I exhibited some gold coins from Col. Sir H. C. Rawlinson ; but, as I believe, I stated at the time, I had only received them the same day, and had, therefore, not had time to attempt de- cyphering them. Since then, I have examined them care- fully, and as they turn out to be more curious than I had anticipated, I propose to give the Society, this evening, a brief description of them.
I stated, when I exhibited them previously, that they had been lately forwarded to Col. Rawlinson from Seistan, a district of Eastern Persia, which has been little visited by travellers, and about which, therefore, we know compara- tively little.
The result of my examination is, that the coins, thirteen in number, belong to the following classes of dynasties, in the following chronological order: —
1 . One Samanide, Mansur ben Nuh, A.H. 361, A.D. 972.
2. Nine Soffaride, of which one belongs to Taker, ten to Khalfben Ahmed, A.H. 334 — 375, A.D. 946-985.
3. One Ghaznavide, Mahmud of Ghazna, A.H. 418, A.D. 1028.
With regard to the first of these, Mansur ben Nuh, it is a gold coin in very perfect preservation, and was struck VOL. XX. H
50 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE,
at Bokhara in the year of the Hejra, 361, corresponding with A.D. 972. Obv.—
_ J
Round.— aL*^ <d)l Jf*j Juc^sy* etc. Rev.— First general symbol ; above which, below, y)i
Round. — etc. 1 jl^sx» tT->7-i
A.M. 361— A.D. 972.
Mansur was the seventh Prince of the Samanian dynasty, one of the earliest that arose on the first decline of the Khalafat. These princes, of whom there has been found, not only in Asia, but along the Baltic — in the islands of that sea — and even in England, at Cuerdale, and elsewhere, a considerable quantity of money, ruled over part of Central Asia between the years A.H.261 — 389, A.D. 874—998, having for part of that period their chief capital at Samarkand. A large number of other places of mintage, however, occur, such as Bokhara, Shash, Balkh, Badakhshan, Nisbapur, Enderabe, Ferghana, etc. It is not at all, therefore, contrary to probability, that coins of one of these rulers should be found in the pro- vince of Seistan not more than 300 to 400 miles from Bokhara.
I may add, that though the silver coins of the Samanian princes are very numerous — those in gold are rare — and that I have not as yet met with any specimen of the same date in collections at home or abroad.
With regard to the next piece, which I have assigned to the Soffaride or Taheride dynasties, I am ready to admit that there are some grounds for doubt whether this attri- bution can be maintained ; at the same time, I am not
COINS OF SE1STAN. 61
aware of any other dynasty to whom it can with more probability be ascribed. The chief difficulty consists in the legends, which are anything but satisfactory.
The Obv. is apparently —
j*>^ - ^J QU k \ - <dj j-J\yt
The Rev. is clearly —
c - <dl\ - Jj~^ " iXKsyc - <di The margin is entirely cut off. PI. No. 1.
No date remaining on the coin, it is of course impossible to assign the exact period when this money was struck ; but as the Khalif 's name, Al Tai, is perfectly legible, I have no doubt it must have been between A.H. 363 (A.D. 974) and A.H. 381 (A.D. 991). It is a much more difficult point to determine who was the striker of it ; and upon this question I am not at present able to give any decided opinion. In character of workmanship, and date, it is nearly connected with the coins we are about to notice of Khalf ben Ahmed. I am not, however, aware of anjr prince of Seistan who bore the name of Taher.
As we are not acquainted with the names of any of the princes who preceded or followed Khalf, it is quite possible that this man may have been ruler of that district a few years before Khalf obtained the power.
About the next coin. No. 3, I admit I have been long in doubt ; and when I read the paper to the Society six months ago, I stated my belief, that it must belong to one of the princes of the Soffaride dynasty — one of the smaller ruling families which made their appearance in Oriental history in the fourth century of the Khalifat. I expressed, too, a doubt whether or not it might not be classed with the coins of Noh ben Nasr, the fifth prince of the Samanides, who ruled at Bokhara between A.H. 331 — 343, A.D.
52 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
943 — 954. These doubts are now dispelled, as I am now able to read on the obverse the name of Khalf, the ruler of Seistan of whose coins I have this day exhibited to the Society some of the best specimens.1 The legends are as follow : —
Obv. -
Marg.
A.H. 334.
Several letters are left out in this inscription, but the date is sufficiently clear.
Rev. - 4L - ^JlCjuuXxM - <OJ\ Jj-; - J^O^c
Margin. — Apparently the remainder of the Second Symbol, commencing with ^jdb <&LcjU etc., etc. — PI. No. 2.
There can be no doubt that the name i_4W, the letters of which are very small, refer to Khalf, to whom, also, the following coins belong.
With regard to Khalf ben Ahmed, to whom I have attributed this coin, it is known that he ruled in Sejistan, or Seistan, during the 4th century of the Hejra. They have considerable interest, from the light they thus throw upon a very obscure portion of Oriental history, and on a district about which we have few, if any, records ; and also from the fact, that no other coins of this Prince have been published in any of the many works which record the Oriental treasures of the European museums. \ may
1 Mr, Thomas attributes this coin to Hussain ben Tdhir, a co- temporary of Khalf ben Ahmed, whose identification will be found in full detail in the forthcoming number of the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, in a paper on the coins of the kings of Ghazni.
COINS OF SEISTAN. 53
state, too, what indeed the members of the society are able to judge from their own inspection, that the coins are in a perfectly unaltered condition, and though, in some instances, partially broken or defaced, have no appearance of having been injured by circulation. They would seem, indeed, with the exception of occasional fractures, to be as nearly as possible, as when they left the die. As the inscriptions are generally nearly the same, I will not occupy the time of the society by a separate descrip- tion of each specimen, but will content myself with stating the principal features of the whole collection, and with throwing together at the end of the paper, for the informa- tion of Oriental students, all the inscriptions on each coin in one list.
The usual inscription is, on the —
Obv. — The name of the Khalif, and then — (JiX^. - Jc*oj>~i .jJ u-filrv.
Kholf ben Ahmed. And on the
Rev. — The usual inscription, Muhammed is the Prophet of God, with the date.
The names of three Khalifs who reigned in succession are found upon them ; those of Al-Mostakfi-lillah, A.H. 333—334, A.D. 944—946; Al-Moti-lillah, A.H. 334—363, A.D. 946 — 974; and Al-Tai-lillah, A.H. 363 — 381, A.D. 974— 991. The dates of A.H. 360, 366, 375 (A.D. 971,977,985) are distinctly legible ; on others, there are other individual numeral words, but none sufficiently com- plete for us to be perfectly sure of the year. As, however, the first-named Khalif, Al-Mostakfi, only reigned part of two years (namely, A.D. 944 — 946), we are able to determine, with considerable accuracy, the date of the
54 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
commencement of the series. If then, A.H. 333, A.D. 946, be taken as the beginning of the rule of the dynasty, we know, at least, that Kholf was still on the throne, A.H. 375, A.D. 971, 42 years subsequently; and we have, therefore, evidence capable of proof from these coins, that the dynasty to which he belonged, endured at least as long as this. The only place of mintage is Seistdn, which is of some interest, as showing how purely a local currency this was- Indeed, it is this very limitation of its sphere, which has, doubtless, rendered these coins themselves unknown. This name may be quite distinctly read on one of the coins, and can be inferred from part of the word which occurs on another.
The well-known Oriental history of the Khalasat al Akhbar, gives the following account of this Prince —
" In the year A.H. 353, Kholf, the son of Ahmed, descended by the mother's side from the Sufariah or race of Leis ibn Omar, being compelled, by the revolt of one of his principal subjects, to abandon the province of Seistan, now sought the assistance of Amir Mansur, and receiving from him an ample supply of troops and treasure, was enabled to return to his capital, and to resume, with additional lustre, his authority in the territory of Nemniz. This Kholf, the son of Ahmed, is represented at the same time as equally adorned and distinguished by his acquire- ments in all the learning of his age and country, by the liberality and benevolence of his mind, and by his un- bounded patronage of genius and science, however ex- hibited " (Price, vol. ii. 243).
We further learn, from a subsequent passage, that Kholf was living as late as A.H. 394, in which year he incurred the wrath of Mahmud of (Jliazna, then the chief ruler of Asia, West of the Indus, who ultimately defeated
COINS OF SEISTAN. 66
him, and shut him up in the fortress of Jurgan where he died, probably soon after; but the date is not given.
The last coin of this collection is a very well preserved one, of the famous Mahmud of Ghazna. It is, like the rest, in gold, and was struck at Ghazna in A.H. 418, A.D. 1039. It is not unlike several published by Mr. Edward Thomas, in his memoir on the Kings of Ghazna. As Mahmud reigned from A.H. 388 — 421, A.D. 998—1030, it must have been issued near the close of the eventful reign of that celebrated conqueror.
The coin bears on the Obverse in the area, the usual legend, " There is no God but God, and He has no equal," and the name of the Khalif, K Al Kader Billah" whose reign extended to the unusual length of forty years, and synchronizes exactly with the whole of that of Mahmud.
Round the inner circle is the date, A.H. 418, and the place of mintage, Ghazna ; and on the outer circle, is a legend, taken from the xxx Surah of the Koran, ver. 4, 5, to the effect — "That dominion, both past and future, is of God, and in that day the faithful shall rejoice in the aid of the Lord."
On the Reverse is the usual statement that Mohammed is the Prophet of God, and on the margin, a longer legend, made up of two selections from Surah ix. ver. 33, and Ixi. ver. 9, of the Koran, to the effect — " Mohammed, the Apostle of God, whom He sent with instruction and the true faith, that he might exalt it above all other creeds, even though unbelievers be adverse thereto."
With the transcript of the legends on each specimen, which here follow, I conclude what I have at present to say of the small but curious collection of coins, which Sir H. C. Rawlinson has placed in my hands.
56 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
LEGENDS ON COINS OP KHOLF BEN AHMED. 4. Obv. — c - <OJ'. -
Marg. — &j \A$JJ * - ^J
PI. No. 3.
5. Obv.— <d) j-jUal^ - *iJl J^-j - Juo^sy* - ai! Ji/argf. — Illegible, but probably part of Second Symbol.
Rev.— jkAsJ ^J c_al Marg. — fa Uilj j ^^j*
A.H. 375.— PI. No. 4.
6. Obv.— £=** - &\ - J^, - j^sj^
r. — Nearly obliterated, but part of First Symbol.
Rev. —
A.H. 365.— PI. No. 5.
7. Obv.— ^ - & jjUaM -...!! Marg.— ..... - *J& jjl blto . . .
Marg.— . . . ^^ j . . . PI. No. 6.
8. Obv.- fc . . . - *U! - J
Marg.— Part of First Symbol —
l i X Jo-j
U - <dJ
c- Sejistdn, A.H. 3 — .
A/
COINS OF TASCIOVANVS.
ON SOME COINS OF TASCIOVANUS.
9. Obv. — U^ - <Ur- Jj-u >j - Marg. — Probably part of First Symbol.
Rev. —
Marg. — Date ? but nearly gone.
10. Obv. -
Marg. — Gone.
Marg. — Gone.
VIII.
ON SOME COINS OF TASCIOVANUS, WITH THE LEGEND " VER. BOD."
[Read before the Numismatic Society, March 25th, 1858.]
ON the 23rd of May, 1850, Mr. Roach Smith presented to this Society casts of a copper coin found in Suffolk, on the borders of Essex, bearing on the obverse an ornament, partly formed of two crescents back to back, with an inscription partly retrograde, then supposed to be VRE above the ornament, and RCI below ; the device of the reverse being a horse, walking, with the legend TASCI This coin was commented upon by Mr. Beale Poste, in the Journal of the Archaeological Association, Vol. VII. p. 22, who made out the legend to be VREIS R — which, VOL. XX. I
58 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
in conjunction with the TASCI on the reverse, he expounded as meaning, Prasutagus, Rex Tasciovanus, '' Prasutagus, King and Ruler/' and regarded the coin as finally esta- blishing the titular sense of TASCIO, as sovereign or ruler.
In some remarks upon Mr. Poste's Coins of Cunobeline, and of the Ancient Britons, which were published by me in the pages of the Numismatic Chronicle (Vol. XIV. p. 126), I ventured, from the singularity of the weight, type, and workmanship of the coin, to throw some doubts on its authenticity ; but maintained that, even supposing it to be genuine, the inscription VRE RSI had yet to be ex- plained. I must now confess, that my doubts with respect, to the authenticity of the coin, have proved to be entirely unfounded, and that I was in error in supposing it other- wise than genuine. But this is not the only error that has now to be rectified, as from the two specimens of the same class lately discovered, it is evident that the legend of the obverse was misread on Mr. Roach Smith's coin.
In the accompanying Anastatic plate, I have given, I hope, faithful representations of two out of the four coins of this class, that are at present known ; they are both in the National collection, the third in that of Mr. Roach Smith, and the fourth in my own collection.
On the obverse of each is an ornament, formed of two crescents, back to back, their cusps terminating in four of the angles of an elongated hexagon. On the first coin the legend is distinctly VER, retrograde above the ornament (in which two pellets are inserted between the crescents), and BOD below. On the other coins, the legend is VRE (retrograde) BOD, the more perfect pre- servation of the coin No. 2, enabling us to correct the
ON SOME COINS OF TASCIOVANUS. 59
reading of the specimen that was formerly exhibited by Mr. Roach Smith, which is of the same type.
The reverses present us with two types, that of No. 1 and of my own coin, being a horseman with a spear to the left, and the legend, TA SCI A. That of No. 2 and Mr. Roach Smith's coin, being a horse without a rider, and the same legend. They are all of brass or copper, and their weights are 57 grs., 52 grs., 23 grs., and 64 grs. respectively.
Three of the coins are stated to have been found in a barrow in Suffolk. The fourth, as I have before remarked, to have been found in Suffolk, on the borders of Essex.
The questions suggested to my mind by the examination of these coins, are, first, is there anything in the type, workmanship, or inscriptions, such as would lead to the conclusion that the word TASCIA upon them, must be regarded in some other light than as representing Tascio- vanus the father of Cunobeline ? And secondly, in what manner is the inscription VER or VRE BOD to be inter- preted ?
Now with regard to the types of these coins ; it is true that the ornament on the obverse bears a considerable general resemblance to that which appears upon some of the silver coins of the Iceni,1 and on the gold coins found in Norfolk (Hawkins, No. 2), and some of the gold coins of Addedomarus (Num. Chron. Vol. xviii. p. 155), and, therefore, suggests a probability, that these are coins of the Iceni, and, in consequence, not to be classed with the other coins bearing the name of Tasciovanus. But it by no means follows that this is the case ; on the contrary, I have shown some eight or nine years ago (Numismatic Chronicle Vol. xii. p. 127), how nearly the types of the Icenian coins
1 See Num. Chron. Vol. xv. p.
60 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
are allied to those of coins of Tasciovanus ; and the dis- covery of the present coins with TASCIA upon them, and with a type very similar to that on the Icenian coins, is now only an additional instance of a resemblance already known. The provenance of these coins in Suffolk, upon the borders, or even within the bounds of the supposed territory of the Iceni, does not assist the hypothesis, that these are not coins of Tasciovanus, but only goes to prove that his dominions abutted upon, or even comprized some portion of the Icenian territory. I have, indeed, heard of an instance of one of the coins inscribed TASCIO RICON, having been found near Norwich, and possess one found at St. Ives. On all the silver Icenian coins, there are, moreover, remains of the wreath (the badge of the de- rivation of the type), running at right angles to the hexagonal ornament, containing the crescents, and a sort of leaflets, springing out from the angles. These are both wanting on the coins now under consideration, and the ornament upon them bears as close, if not a closer resemblance, to the centre portion of that on one of the coins of Verulamium struck by Tasciovanus, as to that on the Icenian coins. A representation of this type is given in the PI. (No. 4), from an imperfect specimen in my own collection, restored in part, from Ruding, PI. v. No. 5. The reverse of this piece is also a horse to the left, with the legend, TASCI. In Stukely, PL xiii. No. 5, is engraved a coin, which, though not at present known, may, possibly, have been in existence in Stukeley's time, and which much more nearly resembles these coins ; it cannot, however, legitimately be brought forward in evidence. As to the horse on the reverse, it is a common type on coins of Tasciovanus in all metals » the horseman is also a favorite device, though I am not
ON SOME COINS OF TASCIOVANUS. 61
aware of any instance where he is armed with a spear in a similar manner, to what he is on No. 1.
There is nothing, therefore, in the type of these coins, that is in any way irreconcileable with their being the produce of the mint of Tasciovanus.
With regard to the workmanship, there can be no doubt that its character is very peculiar and very different from that of some of the coins of Tasciovanus. The horses, more especially, are tamer, and drawn with less spirit, than those usually found on his coins. There is, however, so wide a range in the art displayed upon the different pieces struck both under Tasciovanus and Cunobeline, their workmanship varying from the most barbarous; style (such as Ruding, App. PI. xxix. 9, and Akerman, PI. xxiv. 16), to one nearly approaching that of contemporary Roman coins (such as Ruding, PI. v.34 and 17), that we cannot say that there is anything in the workmanship of these pieces to preclude the possibility of their having been struck under Tascio- vanus. If their style does not closely resemble that of any of the known coins of this monarch, it certainly comes no nearer to that of any other class of British coins, and is entirely different in feeling and character from that of the silver Icenian coins, the ornament on which approxi- mates in general form, though, by no means, in the minor details, to that on the obverse of these coins. The same may be said of the weight of the coins, which is nearly equally anomalous with the workmanship. But does their inscription militate against the hypothesis that they were struck by Tasciovanus? Most assuredly not ; for we find TASCIA upon them, which, in all other cases, there are reasonable grounds for supposing to represent his name, and his name alone, being found only upon his coins or those of his sons, Cunobeline and Epaticcus. Its con-
62 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
junction with VER-BOD forms only an addition to a series of similar inscriptions, where the name of Tascia is found in combination with apparently the name of some town, as TASCIA— VER (for Verulamium), TASCIO-SEGO (for Segontium), TASCIO-RICON (for the name of some town, probably unknown, and which I cannot agree with Mr. Haigh1 in thinking to have been Uriconium).
A specimen of this latter class of coins, which was found at St. Ives, is given as No. 3 on the Plate and will serve still farther to illustrate the analogy of the types of the coins under consideration with those of other recognized coins of Tasciovanus.
My answer, then, to the first question propounded is, that there is nothing in the type, workmanship, or inscriptions on these coins inconsistent with their attribution to Tas- ciovanus.
The second question, in what manner is the inscription VER or V RE-BOD to be interpreted is not so readily an- swered. It would not be fair upon my part to forestal the school of antiquaries, who disbelieve in the existence of Tasciovanus, and regard his name as a mere title, or I might at once suggest, that we had here on the first type the name and titles of K the female Vergobrete, Boadicea the Ruler," and on the second, the joint names of " Prasu- tagus or Vreisutagus and Boadicea the Rulers," the one type having been struck before and the other after the decease of Prasutagus. I might also point out how the finding in Suffolk confirmed this attribution, and how the horseman with the spear, on the reverse of the first coin, typified the masculine spirit of Boadicea ; but I will refrain from occupying another's ground, and acknowledge that I
1 Num. Chron. Vol. iv. p. 27.
ON SOME COINS OF TASCIOVANUS. 63
have no solution of the legend to offer that can be based on a surer foundation than that of the merest conjecture.
When, however, we meet with such inscriptions upon ancient British coins as TASCIA VERBOD, TASCIO RICON, etc., we must be content either to receive a hypothetical inter- pretation, founded upon historical and numismatic analogy, or else to leave the interpretation of such legends entirely in suspense. If adopted " without prejudice " to any future discoveries, the former course is perhaps the more satisfactory, though, beyond doubt, the latter is the safer plan. An explanation of a difficulty, even if erroneous, may sometimes form a stepping-stone to a true solution, so that I have the less reluctance in offering the following interpretation of the legend now before us.
It appears to me, then, that the name of some town may have been intended by the VER BOD upon the coins, but whether that of Verulamium, with the addition of some distinguishing title commencing with Bod, or that of some other town which may formerly have existed, with some such name as Verbodunum, is a matter for further con- jecture. The probabilities are rather against its having been intended for Verulamium, as in that case the trans- position of VRE for VER, which occurs on three out of the four coins, could hardly have occurred with even such rude and barbarous workmanship. In favour of the latter hy- pothesis, is the fact that we have already the names of several British towns commencing with Ver besides that of Verulamium, as Verlucio, Verometum, Verterae, Viro- conium, Virosidum. in Britain, and Verbinum and Viro- dunum, in Gallia Belgica, . so that such a name as Verbodunum would be borne out by analogy, both with these and such names as Cambodunum, Camulodunum, Branadunum, Maridunum, Burgodunum, etc. It will also
64 NUMISMATIC CHKONICLE.
be borne in mind, that a goddess, Verbeia was worshipped in Britain,1 an altar inscribed VERB El AE SACRVM having been discovered at Ilkley, in Yorkshire (Olicana). If it were then from the Celtic divinity Camulus2 that Camulodunum received its name, we should here have a Verbodunum receiving its name in like manner from the goddess Verbeia. Verbeia has, however, been supposed to have been a local nymph or goddess personifying the river Wharf, which runs by the place where this altar was found. That there is no mention of such a place as Verbodunum or Riconium (assuming such a place to be typified by the RICONI of the coins), is the less surprising, when we consider that it is quite as improbable, that the names of all the British towns should have been recorded by the Roman geographers as that those of all the British princes should have been chronicled by the Roman historians. Of the princes whose names appear upon the coins, but few are mentioned in history ; we find, indeed, the names of Commius, Cunobeline, and probably Dubnovellaunus ; but who has ever read of Tasciovanus, Eppillus, Addedomaros, Tincomius or Epaticcus, and the many others whose names we are as yet unable to complete. The supposition that VER BOD represents the name of a town, is moreover, as I have before incidentally remarked, supported by the analogy of the coins reading TASCIA VER, undoubtedly -struck at Verulam, and those reading TASCIO SEGO, which, especially since the discovery of the gold coin of Epaticcus, there is good reason for supposing to have been struck at Segontium.
1 Gough's Camden vol. Hi. p. 239 and 289 ; Weight's Celt, Roman, and Saxon, p. 295.
2 See Lelewel Type Gaulois, sect. 115; Gough's Camden, "«1. ii. p. 122, etc.
ON SOME COINS OF TASCIOVANUS. 65
Such, then, is the conjectural hypothesis I venture to throw out ; and those who adopt it in preference to leav- ing the question entirely in suspense, will regard these coins as having been struck under Tasciovanus, at some town within his dominions, whose name they will, for the present, consider to have been Verbodunum, until further discoveries either confirm or lead them to change their opinion.
JOHN EVANS.
VOL. xx.
(50
MISCELLANEA.
(The fallowing, taken from the American " Historical Magazine" Vol. /., .\ u. 1 0, may be regarded as a supplement to Ending's Account of Colonial Money.}
An American Coin, or Medal was issued in 1776, an inch and u half in diameter ; on one side was inscribed, in a circular ring near the edge, CONTINENTAL CURRENCY, 1776, within the ring, a rising sun, with the word FUGIO at the side, shining upon a dial, under which was the motto MIND YOUR BUSINESS. On the reverse were thirteen small circles joined together like the rings^of a chain, on each of which was inscribed the name of some one of the thirteen States : on another ring, within these, was inscribed AMERICAN CONGRESS, and in the centre, WE ARE ONE. No coins were ever in circulation, as currency, of this type ; but copies of the Medal are extant struck in white metal.1
In 1763, there were coined at Annapolis, in Maryland, Shillings, Sixpences, and three-pences ; they bore on the obverse the in- scription, J. CHALMERS, ANNAPOLIS, around a wreath, in which are two hands clasped. On the reverse, ONE SHILLING 1783, in- closed by a circle ; in the centre of the coin are the figures of two birds with a branch in their beaks.
These coins are quite rare, and are seldom to be found, even in the locality where they were coined.
There is, in the collection of the writer, a copper coin, believed to be unique, of nearly the size of the half-dollar. Obverse, MASSACHUSETTS STATE, with a pine tree, in the centre of the coin. Reverse, LIBERTY AND VIRTUE, 1776, a female seated on a globe holding in her right hand an olive leaf, in her left a staff. Of this date there is al o a copper coin the size of a half-cent, having on one side a Janus head, and on the reverse GODDESS OF LIBERTY,
1 A medal of this type, in white metal was procured by H. G. Somerby, Esq., while in England in 1853, and presented by him to M. A. Stickney, E-<I., of Salem, in whose collection the writer saw it.
67
1776.2 The die for this and the preceding coin, is believed to have been cut by that well known patriot of the Revolution, Col. Paul Revere, who was by trade a goldsmith and engraver.3
A copper coin of the size of a half-cent, supposed to have been struck at this time (1776), has upon one side thirteen stars, which run parallel to and are equi-distant from each other. Upon the reverse are the letters u. s. A., the s being of larger size and partly extending across the other letters.
Another copper coin, called the Columbia Token, without date, of about the size of a dime has on the obverse a head with the word COLUMBIA ; reverse, a female figure seated, holding a balance ; of this there are three varieties.
The most common of the so-called Washington Cents, bears on the obverse a laureated head with the inoription WASHINGTON AND INDEPENDENCE, 1783. Reverse, a wreath with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE CENT. Another of the same date, with a similar head, has on the reverse a figure of Liberty seated, holding in her right hand a branch of olive, and in her left a staff sur- mounted by a liberty cap, with the words UNITED STATES above.
In 1783 a cent was issued having in the centre of the obverse an eye, with rays diverging from it and surrounded by thirteen stars, encircling which are the words, NOVA CONSTELLATIO, the reverse bears a wreath of laurel inclosing the letters u. s. ; around the coin is the legend, LIBERTAS ET JUSTITIA, with the date, 1786.
In 1776, was coined a New York cent ; the obverse bears a bust supposed to have been intended for General Washington in the costume of the Continental Army ; encircling it is the motto
* In the collection of M. A. Stickney, Esq.
3 Paul Revere and Nathaniel Kurd, of Boston, Amos Doolittle, of New Haven, and an Englishman, named Smithers, in Philadelphia, were the only engravers in America at that time (1775). Hurd engraved as early as 1760. Revere began a little later. In 1766, he engraved a picture em- blematic of the repeal of the Stamp act. This, and a caricature, called the Seventeen Rescinders, were very popular, and had nil extensive sale. He engraved and published a print in 1770, representing the -'Boston Massacre," and in 1774 he engraved another of a similar size, representing the landing of the British troops in Boston. In 1775, he engraved the plates, made the press, and printed the bills of the paper money ordered by the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts. — Lossing, Vol. I, p. 317.
Feb. 2, 1781. The Government of Massachusetts paid to Paul Revere, of Boston, for engraving a seal under the Constitution of the State, £8 in silver, £15 of the State paper money, of the new emission, and £600 of the old emission. — Mass. Records.
One Spanish milled dollar was equal to forty dollars of the old emission of paper money, at this time; and one dollar and seven eighths of a dollar of the new emission was equal to one dollar of silver. — J. B. Felt.
68
NON Vi VIRTUTE Vici. The reverse has the figure of Liberty, seated on a pedestal, holding in her right hand a staff surmounted by a liberty-cap, and in her left the scales of justice; around the coin are the words NEO EBORACENSIS, with the date, in the exergue, 1786.
The Vermont Cents were coined for four successive years — one variety has on the obverse an eye with rays extending from it which are divided by thirteen stars ; around the coin are the words QOARTA DECIMA STELLA; reverse, the sun rising from behind the mountains, a plough in the foreground, with the legend VERMONT ESSIUM RES PUBLICA, with the date, 1785. Another type has, upon the obverse, a poorly cut head with the words VERMON AUCTORI ; on the reverse, INDE ET LIB. with the date, 1788. Another with the same legend, reads ET LIB INDE, 1788.
The Connecticut Cents bear dates 1785, 1786 and 1787. The obverse has a head with the words AUCTORI CONNEC : on the reverse a figure of Liberty holding a staff in one hand, and an olive branch in the other, surrounded by the motto INDE ET LIB : and the date. There are many varieties of this cent, all of which are very poorly executed.
There is a rare cent of the following description. Obverse, a laureated head with the inscription AUCTORI : PLEBIS. Reverse a female seated ; at her right hand a globe, on her left an anchor on which she is reclining; legend, INDEP : ET. LIBER. 1787.
Without date, is a Cent having on one side the motto UNANIMITY is THE STRENGTH OF SOCIETY, encircling a hand holding a scroll, on which is subscribed OUR CAUSE is JUST. Reverse, fifteen stars in the form of a triangle ; on the stars are indented the initials of the several States, Kentucky heading the column. This was struck at Lancaster, England, in 1791, for circulation in America, and was called the KENTUCKY CENT.
The New Jersey Cents bear dates 1786, 1787, and 1788, of several different types varying slightly from each other ; on the obverse a shield surrounded by the legend E PLURIBUS UNUM ; on the reverse, the State Arms, a horse's head and a plough, with NOVA CAESARAE, 1786.
A rare copper coin of 1787 has upon the obverse a female figure in a sitting posture, holding in one hand a spread banner, and in the other a balance ; around the coin is inscribed IMMUNIS COLUMBIA, 1787. On the reverse, a spread Eagle with the legend E PLURIBUS UNUM.
In 1787, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ordered from its mint, a copper coin having on one side an Indian with his bow and arrow, near his forehead a star — around the coin the word COMMONWEALTH ; on the other side the American Eagle holding
69
in his right talon an olive branch, in the left a bunch of arrows, on its breast a shield on which is inscribed the word CENT, around the edge of the coin MASSACHUSETTS, 1717. Half cents of the same type were struck.1 This coinage was continued for two years, but upon the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, which prohibited the several States from coining money, the mint was abolished.2 A few thousand dollars had been struck in cents and halves, but without any profit arising from it.
A New York Cent of 1787, has upon the obverse an Indian standing with a raised tomahawk in his right hand, and in his left a bow ; encircling the coin is the inscription LIBER NATUS LIBERTATUM DfiFENDo. On the reverse are the arms of the State of New York, with the date 1787 and the motto EXCELSIOR. Another type has the same obverse, but bears on the reverse an eagle standing on a half globe with the inscription NEO EBORACUS EXCELSIOR, 1787.
In 1787, the General Government ordered that their coin should bear the following devices. On one side, thirteen circles linked together, a small circle in the centre with the words UNITED STATES around it, and in the circle WE ARE ONE. On the reverse, a dial with the hours expressed upon it, with FUGIO on the left, and the date, 1787, on the right; a meridian sun above the dial, and, below it, the words MIND YOUR BUSINESS.
In 1791, the celebrated Washington Cent was issued bearing a well-cut bust of Washington in military costume, around which is inscribed WASHINGTON PRESIDENT. On the reverse a spread eagle with upraised wings ; eight stars below a circle of clouds ; in the right talon of the eagle a branch of olive, in his left a bunch of arrows; below the figure the words ONE CENT. This type is of the greatest rarity. Another variety bears the same style of head and inscription; the eagle on the reverse is much larger than the first mentioned, and holds in his beak a scroll on which is inscribed UNUM E PLURIBUS — over its head the words ONE CENT; in his right talon a branch of olive and in his left a bunch of thirteen arrows — on the outer edge of the coin is indented UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
1 Oct. 17, 1786. A vote was passed by the Massachusetts Assembly to establish a mint; and 70,000 dollars of cents and half cents were ordered to be made. Part of the works and machinery for the mint was erected on Boston Neck, and a part at Dedham.
9 One section of the U. S. Constitution provides that no state should "coin money, emit bills of credit, or make anything but gold and silver a tender in payment of debts."
70
la the collection of the United States Mint is a very remark- able gold coin, equal in value to a doubloon; it was coined in New York by Blasher, whose name it bears. Obverse, a range of hills, sun rising behind them ; in front a representation of the sea; encircling this, the inscription NOVA EBORACA. COLUMBIA. EXCELSIOR. Reverse, a spread eagle surrounded by a wreath, outside of which is UNUM E PLURIBUS, with the date 1787,
A copper coin or Medal, was struck in 1792 of about the size of a half dollar, having a fine cut bust of Washington in military costume, around the coin, G. WASHINGTON PRESIDENT. I. 1792. Reverse, a spread eagle with fifteen stars, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A few coins were struck in silver from this die; they are known as the Washington half-dollars.
Bearing date 1794, is a cent of the usual size with the inscrip- tion on the obverse TALBOT ALLUM & LEE, NEW YORK. ONE CENT. Device, a ship under full sail. Reverse, a full length figure of Liberty, holding a staff surmounted by a liberty cap in her right hand; with her left she supports a rudder at her side. A bale of merchandise on her right. Legend, LIBERTY & COM- MERCE, 1794. Another variety bears date 1795. The first is engraved in " O'Callaghan's History of New York."
Besides the Washington Cents, previously mentioned, are the following: Obverse, bust of Washington. Legend, WASHINGTON PRESIDENT, 1791. Reverse, LIVERPOOL HALFPENNY; device, Ship under full sail.
Another, same obverse as the preceding. Reverse, HALF PENNY, 1793, Ship under full sail.
Another, bust; GEORGE WASHINGTON. Reverse, LIBERTY & SECURITY, 1795. Device, spread eagle over the American Shield, on which are emblazoned the stars and stripes.
Another, GEORGE WASHINGTON — having a finely executed bust of Washington, but without date. Reverse, the American Eagle over a shield which bears the stars and stripes. On the edge of the coin AN ASYLUM FOR THE OPPRES'D OF ALL NATIONS.
Another of larger size probably intended as a medal. Ob- verse, bust, GEORGE WASHINGTON, 1796. Reverse, GEN'L OF THE AMERICAN ARMIES, 1775. RESIGN'D THE COMM'D, 1783. ELEC'D PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 1789. RESIGNED THE PRESIDENCY, 1796; within a circle in the centre, military trophies and a banner on which is inscribed REPUB: AMER:. All of the above are finely executed, and specimens of them are quite rare.
Upon the establishment of a mint by the United States, in 1792, Congress passed a law that no copper coins, except the
71
• •cuts and half cents, authorised by the ;ict, should be current, thereby preventing the circulation of the English pennies, half- pennies and farthings, and also the copper coins of the several states, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut and Mas- sachusetts.1
J. C.
THE WASHINGTON CENTS.
(From the "American Historical Magazine" Vol. /., No. 4.)
Herewith is a communication made to the " Pittsburg Morning Chronicle," in 1843, by Dr. Jonas R. McClintock, who was then the Chief Refiner of the United States Mint. As various and conflicting statements have appeared from time to time, respecting what is termed the " Washington Cent," this paper may (if not too long) be deemed worthy of insertion in the " Historical Magazine." Full reliance may be placed on the facts stated ; they were furnished to Dr. McC., by the venerable Mr. Adam Eckfeldt, a most estimable gentleman, who had been engaged in the construction of the first machinery for the mint, and who had always held an office in the establishment until his voluntary retirement in the year 1839, on account of advanced age. During the most of the time he had filled the office of Chief Coiner. After his retirement from duty, and until his decease in 1852, he passed the most of his time at the mint, in which a room was allotted to his use. In that room I have passed many pleasant hours with him in interesting conversations about the early operations of the mint, as well as about matters of the " olden time " generally, of all which his recollections were very clear.
' The immense quantity of old copper money had become burdensome to the community; in addition to the coinage of several States, was the miserable worn-out English half pence. In 1749, the Government of Great Britain granted to the Colony of Massachusetts 653,000 ounces of silver and 10 tons copper which was received for redemption of paper money. The copper was in coins of George II. principally " Wood's half-pence," — large quantities of them were melted up by founders. In 1854, a large hoard of the latter coins was found on excavating for the foundation of a block of warehouses in Congress street; they were buried several fret under ground.
72
Mr. Eckfeldt had reserved a few of these Washington Cents- The one, which I possess, was kindly presented to me by him several years before his decease. It is now before me as sharp and fresh as when it was first struck. The date is 1791; and it corresponds exactly with the description given by Dr. McClintock. Wax impressions of both the Obverse and the Reverse are furnished herewith : around the edge are the words, " United States of America."
RETSILLA.
Philadelphia, Sept. 19, 1857.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 5th, 1843. To the Editors of the Morning Chronicle.
In perusing your paper a few days since, I noticed a descrip- tion of specimens of the " Washington Cent," said to be in pos- session of residents of your city, accompanied by a statement, that only thirteen similar pieces had been struck at the mint. I would have corrected the error at the time, had not business interposed, and am now induced to undertake the task, in view of the multiplied mistakes of a subsequent article, contained in the Chronicle of the 28th ultimo.
In the course of your latter observations on the subject, you introduce the story (perhaps true) of the discovery, some fourteen years ago, at Norfolk, Va., of one hundred pounds of copper coins, bearing the likeness of Washington, that had been imported from Birmingham, England, which, with the numerous resurrec- tions of like character, that from time to time have been reported, is calculated to lead to the belief, that the cent in the possession of the Albany Institute, and those in the private collections of your citizens, are of like spurious origin.
The correspondent of the "Albany Daily Advertiser," it appears, expresses the opinion, " that neither of the specimens referred to, were taken from the die General Washington ordered to be broken," — having been led to this conclusion, from what he assumes as a fact, " that there were no cents coined in the United States until 1783."
The judgment expressed in the first part of the preceding paragraph, as well as the statement in the latter clause, will in the sequel be clearly demonstrated to be erroneous.
73
The cent preserved in the Albany Institute, is thus described, proving it to be a fac-simile of the pieces at Pittsburg, and pre- senting the distinguished marks of the genuine die. " It has on the front the bust of Washington, with the circular inscription, ' Washington President,' and below ' 1 791 ; ' on the reverse, is the American Eagle, with arrows in one claw, a leafy branch in the other, and a scroll issuing from his mouth; and supported on the shoulders, with the inscription, 'Unum E Pluribus;'' neither of the surfaces presenting stars.
The foregoing would have been more conclusive in relation to the true character of the specimen, if it had given the words, "United States of America," on the edge, and "one cent" (the denomination of the piece) on the reverse, which the genuine spe- cimen presents.
You have here, a perfect likeness of one of the tivo designs for the cent of 1791, which has been ascertained by a careful com- parison with a well authenticated sample in the cabinet of the U. S. Mint, from which I have taken a matrix in fusible metal, the accompanying impressions in wax having been thus obtained. These models, will enable the possessors of those interesting relics of the past century, to judge of their true or counterfeit character. (The writer here refers to the impressions in wax, which he has been so kind as to send. We regret that we cannot give an engraving of them, for the satisfaction of our readers.)
I have confined my remarks to but one of the three different designs of the \Vashingfon copper coins, prepared for the adop- tion of the Government, in consideration of the fact, that it is not only more generally known, but the one, on which the recent newspaper speculations have been founded.
To prevent, if possible, the destruction of any of the three varieties now in the keeping of the curious the following descrip- tion, and fac-similes of specimens in the custody of the Treasury Department, are appended.
These cents were unquestionably coined at the periods indicated by their dates, and consequently one, and two years previous to the issue of the first adopted copper coinage from the presses of the mint in the latter part of 1793, under the provisions of the act of the preceding year.
The first cent of 1791, corresponds with the description already given. The second issue of 1791, has the same obverse as the first, with the exception of the absence of the date ; the reverse, exhibiting a change in the model of the eagle, in the substitution of stars for the motto and scroll, and in the transfer of the year from its position below the bust to this, its opposite
VOL. XX. L
74
surface — the words, " United States of America." being milled on its edge or circumference, as in the previous specimen.
The increased diameter of the " 1792 " cent, will readily dis- tinguish it from the former two. It presents on one side, an enlarged bust, underneath which is the date 1792, and encircling which is the inscription, " G. Washington President, I : " and on the other surface, an Eagle, much larger, but of similar model to that of No. 2, the date being restored to the obverse, as in No. 1 ; and neither surface displaying the words, " one cent."
The dies from which these specimens were struck, were the only ones known as " experimental," (of the cent domination), and that were executed with the knowledge and consent of the public authorities. Others, it is true, were engraved, retaining the Washington head and coupling it with various devices, but without the countenance of the officers of the Treasury.
Nos. 4: and 5, are impressions from this spurious, or other unauthorized coinage, the history of which, it is found impossible to trace.
No. 4: presents on one side, the likeness of Washington, and bears the record, " George Washington, born Virginia, Feb. 1 1th, 1732," (old style,) and on the opposite " General of the American Armies 1775 — resigned 1783 — President of the United States 1789."
No. 5 is much larger, with the name and likeness of Washing- ton, on the obverse, and the Eagle perched on the shield, over- hung by the motto, " Liberty and Security ; " on the reverse, the edge displaying the sentiment, " An Asylum for the oppressed of all nations."
These are but two representatives of a great variety of un- authorized coinage, now carefully cherished in the cabinets of Institutes and individuals, as the true impressions from the dies executed under the eye of Washington.
It may not prove uninteresting whilst engaged in discussing the subject of the " Washington cents " to refer briefly to their history.
At an early period after the establishment of the Government under the present Constitution, the question of a national coinage commenced to be agitated, and whilst the Secretary of the Treasury and Congress were deliberating on the matter, and prior to the passage of the law establishing the mint in April, 1792, artists were engaged, with the knowledge of the proper authorities, in devising models and sinking dies for their ap- proval.
It was under this partial supervision, and antecedent to the completion of the mint, that Mr. Jno. Harper, (an extensive
75
manufacturer of saws), then located on the comer of Sixth and Cherry Streets, caused dies to be engraved under the direction of Mr. Robt. Birch, [Qu. Robert Scott?] and which were, it is believed, executed by a German artist in his employment, with the exception of the lettering, which in all probability was done by himself.
From these dies, all the Washington cents were struck , those of 17i>l having been manufactured in the cellar of the premises occupied by Mr. Harper, on a press supposed to have been im- ported from Great Britain on his own account, and those of 1792 on a press fitted up in an old coach shop in Sixth street near Chesnut, and directly opposite Carpenter street, its site being at present occupied by a more modern building, appropriated to the manufacture and sale of coaches.
The latter press was manufactured at Mr. Harper's own ex- pense, under the supervision of Mr. Adam Eckfeldt, who sub- sequently superintended the building of all the machinery of the mint, and finally became the chief coiner of that In-