The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-03-15
4 COIN OF EUCRATIDES.
THAT COST FIVE LIVES.
THE RAREST IN TIE WORI ID

this finding of unique coin. a bit o
money which remains alone of the
thousands which were made wears ago
which no one but the true numi-matis,
can feel The survival of the coins OF
the Greek and Roman periods appears
when one thinks about it, quite remark
able Ii is the fate of the precious
metals 10 change often in form. ior
eventually all the gold and silver goes
10 the mel,ing-pot Such discoveries
then. as have been made Of old coins
are due entirely to accidental hoardings,
slowed away in the bowels If the earth
which time only, with the purest chance,
brings to light. The military chest OF
some Consul. the commander of Greek
or Roman army might have been buried
to escape capture, and thus there turns
up most unexpectedly, some thousands
of wears afterward, the gold and silver
Of pagan Emperor. There may be
vet slumbering in the bed of many q
placid lake or swift river innumerable
old coins which some day may be iished
from the depthS-cons worth 4 thou.
sand times more Than their weight in
gold or silver.
Here is the true story of tbs rarest OF
all coins, and how 4 precious medal
cane TO be the great numismaiic tri-
umph OF the French collection. One
evening in July, loG77. a French gentle
man, an expert Of the British Museum.
was dining in Lendon with Gen. Fox.
the son of Lord Holland In the midst
Of the dnner-tab!e talk, the numismatic
enthusiast was addressed as follows by
gentleman present /" am sorry YOU
were not in town to-day for should
have sent YOU queer kind of fellow
Ia glass Of wine with YOU y who saws
he came from Bokhara and who pre-
tends that he has 4 rare (your very
good healthl-a rare coin" The nu-
mismatist was all attention.
1t was gold coin. so he said. of
some ancient King of India, and would
weigh as much as 20 sovercgns, aud
was huge-as big a. the palm OF nv
hand"
The numsmatist's heart was in his
mouth.
Sorry YOU seem so excited about it,
1t is my belief that the whole thing is
forgery. Just think of il The
shabby looking fellow who was hawk
Ing the coin around had the impertj-
nence 10 ask 5000 for it :"
The numismatist thought over it. AID
as au expert, reasoned in this way over
he story: Forger he may be. Still
there may be something in il. Issuers
of spurious old coin never have brains
enough TO invent new forms: thew
always vamp up representations of Ger
tain well-known coins. Anyhow, it
NAV be worth while for me TO look il up
as n numismatical monsirosity."
The fellow, continued the inform.
ant, " seemed very much down on his
luck lie told me that wherever he had
been to show or sell his coin. the experts
had kicked him out, declaring that his
piece of money was forgery"
\ hope sprang up in the cuin-collec-
tors hear;-an inkling tina; some great
find was near at hand. Instinctiyely
he rose from the dinncr-tablc. deter
mined 10 set out at once in search OF
the coin. Gen. Fox, the host, being
himself the most enthusiastic of collect.
ors, understanding what it is to have q
fit o! numlsmatic fever, excused hi>
guests further presence at the dinner
DAT started the numismatist from Ken
=-ingtoI. and posted Is quick as cab
could take him, 10 lslia.ton. f1r at l..
.ingtOn he knew an Oriental who KEEP.
up communication with those curious
waits from the East, who only turn up
in the greatest city of the world. \
trail was discovered in I>iington itself,
and soon the miserable lodgings Of the
man from Bokhara were found. The
landlord Of the house said The man
you wish TO see is just going 10 bed !
know he has been irving to find YOU
Shall call him down.'
Yes, at once" cried the expert.
In a few minutes down came the imam
who had been kicked gu, by every coin
collector in London With the help 81
the Oriental who acted as Interpreter
the Bokhara man was told to show his
coin. Then the Bokharaa individual
took Off his queerly-cut cat. next his
embroidered wais,coat, then his waist
band. mex; his shirt. until there was
nothing on him above the waist but his
undershirt. aud from under his arm pit
he drew out with great delberalon a
dirty. sweat-begrmed leather case.
which lie laid slowly on table. Pres.
emily the case Mas opened and in an
instant the eyes of the expert were iaZ
lied with that peculiar soft. yellow sheen
which only antique coin gives forth. /;
was, indeed, pr:z, Oac glance al1n,
was sufficient 10 show that il was 4:
grand medallion, 4 unique coin. the
cl;efesi, the rarcst in the world l. ha-
Taken years Of study on the part of the
numismg,!r. a transmitted instinct, in
fact. through some generations. for thi,
expert to appreciate rare coin at a
single look
Knowing hat in dealing with nricU.
tails an intended purchaser mus, eNAibi,
no ANXIETY. the expert did no, allow Il
muscle of his face to move.
u "
the gold coin and placed il in the numis.
matist's hand II the recipient hand
had t-emb!cd ia the least with excite.
mcut, the willy Oriental would have
made hard bargain. ;wa- ,uprcrn.
effort for which the piece was touched
Daly by the numismati>,'a linscrs 4
:hr.ll something Ike electric shoci
tore up his arm.
Said the Bokhara man. through tn.
interpreter, That con cost me dear
|: has been sw, atcd in mans blood
Lir Leart blood Seven Of u fuuno
ihat piece Of gold We quarrclrd over
1t. That was natural II was worth 4
Sight We fell Oh one another viii
knives and daggcrs. After awhile, fol
It was hot wOrk. five Of the men rolled
dead ia the dust. Onlv two Of Us wer,
leh. The other man is still at Box
hara. lie agreed that should come
% Europe 10 scll this bit Of gold. Sine,