Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-14
OLD COINS.

The Rev. S. ]. Knapp, of Patterson, n.
j., has received from his brother in Spain
collection of rare coins, which are thus de-
scribed by the Guardian of that city:
The two Roman coins we're called Azure
rs, having the date A. ID. 397, or 1850 from
tbs foundation of Rome, 753 B. e.
One has the image of the Emperor Hon
orius, with the inscription sd. N. Homo
RUS, P. F. Aug."-that is, sour Lord
Honorius, Augustus" (emperor). On the
other side is the picture of Roman legion
airy soldier, with the Roman signum Cor
standard) in the right hand, and the repre-
sentation of ''Vicbory'' perched on q globe
and in the act OF browning the triumphant
soldier all held in the legionary'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: &c. o.
MOL (C-100; M-1000; L-50)-1150
"A. D. 397.
The other is nearly the same, with the
exception of the name Arcadius, instead of
that of his brother Honorius.
These coins are in handsome state OF
preservation, They are free from anything
like tarnish, and the gold has yellower,
purer, clearer Look than even the gold OF
to-day. The intricate representations upon
them, with all the finest lines; the very ex-
pressons, not only in the yignettes 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
10 have as clear outlines and perfect engrav-
ing. 1t would put to shame the majority
of the die-sinkers to-day. 1t is an evidence
that in some respects-aud this is one-the
ancients possessed knowledge Of art su-
perior 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
Oh Augustus Cesar, the first Emperor of
Rome, who died A. d. IA He was called
Pdter PdtriB, "The Father of His Coun-
try" By formal decree Of the Roman Sem
ate about twenty years before Christ.
Christ was bora under him, and he is the
Cesar mentioned in Luke IL, l. The pic
ture of this Emperor appears upon the coins
as perfect as freshly-taken photograph.
The third silver coin is of the reign of
Tiberius Caesar, who died A. ID. At. It
was under him, that Christ was put to
death. He was the second Emperor Of
Rome. This is the "peuny" OF which
Christ said, "Show me penny" (Denqri-
HS.)
The fourth silver coin is one of the reign
of Nero, who died A. D. IS. 1t was him
to whom Paul appealed, saying: 81 appeal
unto you, Cesar" and before whom, he was
brought at Roma, and under whom he was
put to death in A. D. 66.-twO years before
the death of Nero himself. Judging from
the coin, the features of Nero betray him
as being precisely such man as history re-
cords hun. He was heartles, blood thirs-
tylook.ng emperor, holding his head up in
a manner at once suggesting cruelty and
arrogance. If there is any truth in the
legend of Nero fddling while Rome burned
this is the very man who did it.
All these coins are ia perfect state OF
preservation, the letters and pictures show
lug forth plainly, although little worn.
These coins appear to have been in use;
while the gold ones are apparently new (it
new can be applied to anything 1,476 years
old)-He mean just from the mint"
The silver coins of Augustus are about
1900 wears old. That of Tiberius about
1880 years old. That of Nero about 500
years old. All these were recently found
In Spaia, in buried earth jar, the latter,
by the way, being apparently as perfect as
when it was just nodded.