Gazette and sentinel., 1860-05-26

. Presents pour in upon the Japanese
from all quarters, and the people seem
determined that their stay Of a month
shall be as pleasant as possible.
VIM. c. Zantzinger, Flag Secretary
to Commodore Mckinney, Of the Home
Squadron, who is now here, is a great
favorite with the Japanese, and has been
invited by them to stay with them du-
ring their visit.
The CONS OF JArAN.-We we're yes
terday shown several Japanese coins,
respectively representing the value Of
one hundred dollars, twenty dollars, six
dollars, two dollars, three shillings, and
two cents, which have just been receiv-
ed. All Of these arc curiOsities of q
rare character, and indicate the pro-
gress and enterprise of q people, who.
if they have been heretofore accredited
as semi-barbarians, So far as some Of
their arts are concerned, are nearly, if
not fully, equal to any civilized nation
in the world. The one hundred dollar
coin we have already described. tits OF
gold so pure as to be almost flexible. 1t
is six inches long, Of an oval shape, and
as thick as an American twenty dollar
gold piece. The edge is millied, being
of a more figured and ornamental char
aCtcr. Mr.. L. w. Barr, jeweler of this
city, informs us that these pieces are
probably manufactured by being first
cast say onc-sixth smaller than they are
intended to be when complete. They
are then put iuto the hands Of al artit-
Ger, who, with a peculiar shaped ham
mer, having an almost acute edge, pro-
coed to beat the metal out upon an an
vii until it assumes the desired shape.
Such is the experiences with which
this operation is performed, that the en-
tire surface appears as if it had been
thus corrugated in a machine, the thick
ness of the coin being preserved so uni
formly that a pair of callipers passed
e its surface does not reveal the min
utes variation. Upon the face of the
piece certain Japanese characters are
painted in ink, while upon either side
sundry characters are stamped, evident
ly with a die, probably fixing the ma
~tiOnality of the coin, or indicating tho
time aud reign Of the Emperor when it
was made. The remaining gold coins,
excepting those representing two dol
lars, are similar to the above, being
oval shaped, and forged and stamped
with figures corresponding to their
value.
The two dollar coin is Of the shape
Of a parallelogram, three-quarters Of a n
inch long and about half an inch wide
Unlike the other money, it appears to
have been stamped, both sides being
covered with the mysterious configura-
ton of a Japanese die. The two shill-
ing coin is similar to the one last des-
cribed, differing only in the fact that it
is of silver, and is a size or two larger.
The two cent col. is Of copper, evident
ly alleged with zinc, and is Of an oval
shape. 1t has a square hole in the cell
ter, and a smooth surface around the
edge, is about the size of a longitudinal
section of a hens egg, is stamped with
| Japanese characters, and, like nearly
all the other coins exhibited, would be
an i~ncOnvenient object to carry around
in the ordinary breeches pockets of our
Yankee tinanciers. All the coins indi-
cate great perfection of workmanship.
and they only require the amalgama-
ton of American improvements to rem
der them equal if not superior to any
thing of the kind we have among us.