The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-01-19
Ancient Coins.
WHAT THE MINT AT PHILADELPHIA
CONTAINS

Many people viii visit the United
States Mint in this city next year,
and among many other wonderful
things nothing will be Of more inter-
est 10 the curious than the extensive
and splendid collection of coins Of all
countries reaching from the remOtest
ages Of antiquity. There is a proba-
6llity that some Of these may be
placed in the Centennial Among
the most interesting specimens of the
coins Of the Greek republics are the
coins of Egina, which are supposed
10 be the oldest coinage in existence,
aud date back To the origin of the art,
atOut 700 years b. c. They bear
the device of tortoise, which is en-
blematic of the island. lying securely
IN the ater; the reverse bears no
mark or device except that Of the
stake OF which it laid while coming.
la the same collection is the silver
terra drachm, with the device, bead
of Minerva of ancient style; the re-
verse, large owl with the letters A.
o. E., initials of Athens-this being
coined in bold relief Historical facts
Indicate its age as from twenty-five
to twenty-three centuries. Its value
is about sixty weight cents in our
money. Another of interest is eOin
of Augustus and AgriPpa, in whose
day it was struck. la the case con-
tanning the coinage of the Greek mon
archs is small coin having the de-
vice of Macedonian horse and no re-
verse except push marks This is
supposed 10 date before the reign of
Alexander l., who lived about 500
B. c; also, one ofthe reign of Alex
ander Ill. bearing an earring, thus
proving that, as in these days, il was
fashionable to wear pendant orna-
ments, even in those ancient times.
The ancient realm Of Egypt had
no coined money before the Greek
Kings, a dynasty which resulted
from the conquest by Alexander of
Maceden, and began at his death.
\ noticeable coin Cf the PtOlemies
weighs over three ounces. In the
class of the Roman family coin is an
enormous bronze piece (aes), weigh
ing 81 ounces, and bearing the head
of janus 1t dates back about 800
years B. C.. This class includes about
200 Roman coins, from Caesar down
10 Byzantine. A. ID. l44S: among
them specimens of the coins caused
to be struck by Mare Antony, bear
ing the number of the respective
legions under his command to whom
they were paid on the diverse, while
on the reverse is the rude representa-
tion of vessel propelled by oars.
la another case, containing coins
from the collections Of sll
countries, is found that Interesting
aud sacred one, the widows mite of
the New Testament. This is in
bronze and very small, the device ef-
faced; it was found near the walls of
Jerusalem Another Of the same
class is the Jewish shekel Of Simon
Maccabeus, Il. G. l45, bearing the
pot of mama with the shekel of Isra-
Ell; reverse, the budding rod Of Aaron
with Jerusalem the Holy. Its value
is fifty-eight cents. Also, the penny
Of the New Testament, denarius of
Tiberius, Roman Emperor, A. ID. a.
At, value fifteen cents One of the
oldest gold coinages il the golden
iaric, Darius of Persia, Il. G. 500,
valued at 50 so, and the slater of
the Great, b. G. 335-358;
device, head of Alexander as Hereu-
es with the lions skin. Close by is
The Kleopatrasa, a bronze Of Cleopa
.ra, the celebrated Egyptian Queen;
reverse, an eagle; legend, "Kleopa-
.rasas"
Then there is the maueh Of PtOle-
my Philadelpbus; King Of Egypt, b,
c. 2S4, bearing a device Of ArsiDoe.
bis wife and sister, a niece of Alex
lnder the Great 1t is of fine coin
age and remarkably well preserved.
There are also gold coins Of Britain
prior to the Roman conquest and
nearly cOntemporaneous with the
Christian era; among them the penny
IF Ethelbert and the corsusius Of the
Roman Emperor in Britain "A. d.
2S7 to 293 Then there is the penny
IF William t.e Conqueror, the four
pence of Robert Bruce, and near
hem the half crown Of Oliver CrOm-
well A piece of historical interest
5 the device Of Cbarlemagne, A. ID.
l67, valued at seven cents, also gold
.cin OF Ferdinand and Isabella Of
Spain. There are, indeed, thousands
f all kinds of eOiDs.-PhiladelPhtG
Press.