The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-22
QUEEN ANNE,s Paintings.
An Interesting Chapter In Numismatics-A
menNy sentence-The IInlr. rcnnies.


For century and quarter the farthing
OF Queen Anne was the source Of great popu-
lar delusion among all classes Of society, both in
England and in Ireland. where it was believed
that only three impressions had been struck
when the dies suddenly ncw to pieces. Tho
ownership of two was known-onc being in tho
Kings private cabinet. the other in the British
Museum The third. fabulou-ly valued atathou
sand pounds and upward. was frequently i'd
vcrtised for. and large rewards were offered.
All this eliminated in u case Of great judicial
In the ycnr 1914. n rcmarkabotrial took place
in the Criminal Court of Quarter Sessions IN
Dublin Thg kng 9y NJ ,Atorniy 4 Tccmcr@;
Hone" Hone WIS indicted for the illegal do
icntQn of the supposed third iarthing which ho
| turn IT, tthe prisoner made affidavit that no
had lost III. he was tround guilty and mcrciloss-
! w imprisoned In the iuil Of Newgatc for twcve
--r;s, Al 4-r 49, one ~ he o., G..4."r -
por Of s s2 rn E WAS rS in AZ b am 6
! Press newspaper. Of Feb. II. 1874.
instead 81 + slnGr type the arthing as WIS
varieties. The dies are stu in existence; and
Winnie n"sE n the ior Bb gr @59 rrs"rYga int
| proved by the renowned Sir Isaac Newton. then
10 tho uninitiatcd It may be VOL to say hero
! that there was no issue Whatever of copper
coinage during the rcign Of the Good Queen
merely pattern ortr al picccs--hcncc their great
rarity. To this fact We may also attribute tho
/ present wretrhcd condition OF the coppers II
her immediate predecessors, William aud Mary.
which for twelve years had to do double duty.
rThe iarihins dies were az executed Nv
| Thomas Croker. an Anglirizcd German. who
| had been appointed Assistant Die-Sinker in
! 1907. CThe five series Of national medals by
| him aro engraved and fully dos rihed in Rapin
and Tindals History of England His work.
mnn7hip j. only exceeded in beauty by that II
Thomas simon rendered immortal by the no.
/ Die coinage gt Cromwell.
The di-iinctiyr ienturcs Of each variety Of the
| farthin-s are as follows:
30 hI- on mo- verse bust Of The Queen to tho loit
hgr %r eao1"4 gn ear Ant hex Shoulder, ,
Standing WIN an 9liye branch IN yer right hanl. Nc
ihe t,riinnton o the war; in INA dhe London pnts
NgNl 'Ia i, W m,nnl NO dn s t, A,.,. ia,
with motto borrowed from The coinnlc of anciem
The treaty o Utrecht ENGLAND now being at peace with
n g. uic same bust ana Anna Pei Graia" Revcr.c.
Hence This !, known ~ uic "canoN type. i'iL
81 /. same bust and Anna Regina" Reverse,
,,briiHnnia scari to he len by her SIDE Is an ~
Amir.w III! From - 70 ca
r,sania 7is Dao in the liseni sni same dun:
| ~ d same bust, and Anna Del Gratia." Reycr.s,
sane a last, but the date, ma Is the up
These patterns were mostly struck in bronze,
few being in silver still fewer In gold. and Ill
| have been skilfully counterfetcd Cdredt Emp
l
II was at this period that Dean Swift made Inn
| rprtani hut ahortiVo suggestions 20 the Governs
! inent with reference to currency. lie proposed
! thui the copper coinage should h' entirely re-
! mint"d with devices and inscriptions commons
Orativc OF tn" great events Of each reign the svs-
| tom carricdto 81 N perfection on the coinage II
ancient Rome. Had the Deans project been
acted on. II would have cnnobled the metallic
| currency of England. and have elevated it far
! alloy" the rank pf a mere medium Of commerce.
But the interchangeable Croker appreciated its
great importance. and forthwith designed and
submitted two patterns for half pence. which
may BE- thus described:
No l. Has on the diverse nnc bust OF the Quccn to
tho ltf. hcr hair plainly coined. and her shuuliers
irapci as usual " Anna. u q, Mag Br Pr IL
ucd ru., aud thistle from the same stem, beneath
~it.lC CROWN
~ 4. On the diverse the same bust and legend On
t,lr rrfrFr CROWN under which tho Queen &c. seated.
IN h,r rl-' hand AMI thistle from su-l -tiu
IA her ie the hastl By her side saiDld st.
/ Otur-r amt 50 Anlrcw unitci
/ Without legends ON the rcverscs. these speak
/ Ing lyp,s admirably commemorate the legisl-
/ tive union Of England and Scotland in l7u7.
/ Very + " were struck. and when now met with,
| IN Fine condition. they bring from two to three
! Euin"as ruch. For century after the death II
! Croker. tnr coinage of Great Britain was tina
| most discreditahlr in Europe At the pr,sen
time. although mechanically perfect. from an
art site standpoint. IL continues 10 h" Ike that
/ ~ ~" United states a mere medium of cum-
/ MERGE. [. Il.