Worcester daily spy., 1861-12-20
QNoreester Daily Spy.
From the journal OF Commerce.
GOLD COINAGE OF THE ANCIEETS.

MATES a special study. 1t is remarkable that,
notwithstanding the immense number of pub
licatons relating to numismatology with which
the world has been supplied, Numbering many
thousand Volumes there is vet Il constant liza
bility among modern writers on general histo.
ry to fall inlO grave mistakes about coin aud
coinage. This is owing to the fact that few
modern books of reference on the subject can
be depended upon.
The writer in question says, "there are only
about dozen Greek gold coins in existence
three of which are in the British Museum"
This is singuIarly erroneous Many more
than this number may be seen in any ordinary
numismatic collection in America, and there
are without doubt more gold coins OF Phillip
and Alexander now in existence than there are
eagles or half eagles of America for any year
prior to 1900. Besides these, the phrase
"Greek coins, covers a vast field. The Brit.
ish museum collection, although lar from be-
ing the finest in the world, possesses speci-
mems of an .ient Greek gold TO the number of
several hundred. The Vienna collection is
much richer in the same line. The French
collection has as many or more than the Wen
nese, and the Madrid collection, which has
about 2 700 ancient gold coins, numbers, il we
are cOrrectlT informed, several hundred of
Greek. No large public or private collection
is without numerous specimens
We have seen many fine specimens of an
cient Greek gOlt! coins offered tor sale in New
York within the past year. Siaters of Alex
ander the Oreat, (whlcU were formerly called,
PhiIlps, from ms iather' as we now call ~
franc pieces Napole MS Or Louis, have been
quite common OF iate years, ana may oe pur-
chased at cheap rates. discovery OF large
quantity OF these COINS some years ago, at 81
don, made them abundant III the coin market
They were splendid specimens, in fine order
and possibly had been buried by paymaster,
iound* We have seen small handful Of
these same CONS, offered at little more than
Their value IN goIG:
The earliest gold coinage, however, the Ly
dIah @oio, OF the Mleuan, whenever was ear
hest, is scarce, ana always commands high
price Inc same Is true oi specimens OF Ac-
atthus ana otHer cary Mace"onlah, ana OF
CiaZomehs, Marohea, Cyfehe, ana nhmerou"
other Greek cities ana colonies IN the earlier
PERIOD OF coinage. AS a mater OF curiosity,
we annex a llst OF ,he prices at winch some
Greek gold Gems nave been sold, by auction,
IN England:
l. com OF the bret'lans Ia Greek CITY Ill
ltaiy,) tl2 los.
a com OF Cyrene' weight, l326-lO
grains, El5.
8 coin OF lleracler, f3 los.
4 An early Lydian coin, lion and bull fac
A"e' \" @ 20 ~ 'i'e I'ileoI Ni'o" II co""ee
very ruue'j %oV IoS'
o dahor.hus' stnalI con- Il l9S loo'
3. Iarentum, Head OF Minerva, &c.' 81 los
l. fhip IL OF Macedon, dldrachni, FL IS.
O. Ato'nSl o Io c1''i Vi imp ~ "e'sui"s 81
sralhs, = I'e ou.
o: .,e. ''e ~ ,n ''''iu' III
go,u' "Giehihg 200 ~ grams @V'
~ Diur"chui VI AeAdhuer the NteaI Il
rs:
- - A9tiHus Vi Hpl' Us iAe"u "a Di''i"' @c'
Ioo, A.,
4; nd'i"0nus M 80 90 u D5I'"' oiu'"chin
"tigut ioV s'a''S LUZ
To- 'oleily l., U! Hs9pt, Ao'trai'o ol
huIiaueiphus anu nisiuoe' |l0.
we hilgh. commune tl'S Gata'ogue inueh-
hltely' IL shoulu De ooseIEeu tnat eoiu COINS
are not more high-prlceu tnan siVef' OF even
Ihan eopper' because VI 'IeiF ptlhs solu'
mare coihs Oh 'he inferior metals orlng larger
prices thah common COINS OF gold' we anu'
Tor the oepent OF any VINO may WISH 10 pur
chase' the prices at whlch Lincoln, an English
uea'er' 10" one5S sumo HIeeH soiu COINS :,
Aoy uoS "e"u VI HPoilO' w. ('ely Sih"i'
hecloJIlos' o.,
Apyuos "e"u oL o. jupiter, same si1G-Il u.s.
90 AieA"iiuei ne ''ie oie"'' @'"'eis-'Si ioS' "
Aos. III. cos
1:4I. o':e' "a c., 20
~ sii''''''u p'"sIie % :" ~, 70 o.
ny Iyi uln9 "e"u Vi mn " - -.
imp ~ - ios ~ 10 'S'
Illi'p 1lI' heihiufacnth-loS
6u'ielhy - pei''au'aG'i'i'-I L, = l@S'
I'oie"'5 i'e"i'ufaciiii-Il oS'
syracuse ~ uIeeN com oI syracuse, ol Farl-