New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-03-20
Old Coins.

The Rev. S. J. Knapp, OF Patterson, New
jersey, has received from his brother In Spain
a collection Of rare coins, which are thus de.
scribed by the Guardian Of that city:
The two Roman coins were called Aureus,
having the date A. D. 397, or 1850 from the
foundation of Rome, 753 B. C.
One has the image of the Emperor Homo
RUS, with the inscription ID. n. Honorius,
P. F. Aug."-that is, Sour Lord Honorius,
Augustus" (emperor.) On the other side Is
the picture Of Roman legionary soldier,
with the Roman siguum Cor standard) in the
right hand, and the representation of "Vic-
tory" perched on globe and In the act of
GROWING the triumphant soldier-all held in
the legfonary's left hand. He Is standing
with his foot on the body Of PROSTATE Goth.
The reading is, THE victory Of Augustus
(the emperor over the Goths." The date
IS below: sc. o. NJ. o. L." (C.-lO0: NJ
1000; L-50)-lls0-A. D. 397.
The other coin Is nearly the same, with the
exception of the name Arcadius, instead of
that of his brother Honovius.
These coins are in a handsome state Of
preservation. They are free from anything
like tarnish, and the gold has q yellower,
pU:er, clearer look than even the gold Of to-
day. The intricate representations upon
them, with all the finest lines; the very ex-
pressions, not only in the vignettes Of the
emperors, but in the minute expressions of
the smaller soldier and Goth, are as perfect
as can be. Indeed, there Is no United States
coin Of the present day that begins to have
as clear outlines and perfect engraving. 1t
would put to shame the majority Of tho die
sinkers to-day. 1t Is an evidence that in
some respects-and this is ore-the ancients
possessed knowledge Of art superior to the
present day: The edges Of the coins are not
so finely finished as those Of to-day, but in
all other respects they are more perfect.
The first two silver coins are of the reign
Of AE-ustus Cesar, the first Emperor OF
Rome, .ho died A. D. IA. He was called
Paf"' lGtsIe, or 1.-THE Father Of His Coun.
tn, - by formal decree Of the Roman Sen.
d; about twenty years before Christ. Christ
vas born under him, and he Is the Cesar
mentioned in Luke H., /. The picture of this
Emperor appears upon the coins as perfect
as freshly-taken photograph.
| The third silver coin is of the reign of I'll.
berius Cesar, who died A. D. 81. 1t was
under him that Christ was put to death. He
was the second Emperor Of Rome. This is
the penny" Of which Christ said, "Show
me pennyw (Denarius.)
| The fourth silver coin is one Of the reign o.
Nero, who died A. D. c.. 1t was him tc
whom Paul appealed, saying: II appea
unto Cesar" and before whom he was
brought at Rome, and under whom he was
put to death in A. d. ee-two years before
the death of Nero himself. Judging from TIT
coin, the features Of Nero betray him as be-
ing precisely such man as history records
him. He was heartless, blood-thirsty
looking emperor, holding his head up in {
manner at once suggesting cruelty and AFRO
gance. If there is any truth in the legend o
Nero fdd!ing while Rome burned, this is tht
very man who did 1t.
All these coins are in perfect state 0
preservation, the letters and pictures show
ing forth plainly, although little worn
These coins appear to have been in use
while the gold ones are apparently new Ii
new can be applied to anything l,4!s year
old)-we mean just from the mint"
The silver coins Of Augustus are abou
1900 years old. That Of Tiberius abou
1880 years old. That Of Nero abou
] 300 years old. All these were recently
found in Spain, in buried sarthen jar, tn,
latter, by the way, beng apparently as per
feet as when 1t was just moulded"