West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-12-13
Ancient coins

There rs quite a fun collection OF Ancicu
Coins ou view i'm New York
IL is quite evident that early English
coins took something of the Greek designs
and later tho Roman, though very much
changed. Ca many carly coins the fihlcof
the wolf sucking the twins s, repeated. but
IL requires a very ingenious amount of num-
lSma,iC acquaintance to discover IT, This
curious divCrSi M I'm art is shown hv Evans
M his Ancient British Coins" Originally
the fine coinage of Phillip was used as type
n Britain, bat ctudunlly worse copies being
made trum had limitations I'm time all SOM
hlUucc ~ the slater was lost. until only the
crown, throwing locks and an ear became
visible. There is nothing more remarkable
than this transition IN art from the really
sublime to the ludCroUs Thnsc barharians
who invaded Macedonia after Alexander
though having Greek art constantly before
their ewes, did exactly the same thing as the
carly Britous or ancient British coins
there are two examples. OF AnglO-SaXon
money some -. There is a Danish silver
penny of Cnut or Cuuutc, both rare and fine:
Of William the ConQucror there are three
examples, the William being rendered, as
is usual, Pllem Rex, both L and Y having
been used for W. There is rare silver
penny of Rufus, which both Ruding and
Hawkins have declared 20 bc authentic, for
II has always been more or less troublesome
10 make exact differences between the mon
ey of the ConquIrcr aud his Inflated sons
The Plantagerct money remarkably good
and varied, is represented 10y some 20 pieces
In the first of the rcigns OF this dynasty the
monnaycr struck not only his own name on
tho piece, but that of the town where the
coin was issued; after Edward H., only the
town appears. i'm the udors there are 80
pieces. The No. a. "a shilling Of Edward
vi, 1919, IA the earliest piece i'm the col
lection which bears "A date, but the Edwards
Of l5iT also had the date. The No. 5l Of
the same King, 1858, a gold sovereign or
double rial, is the first dated Eaglish gold
coin. There are some good examples Of
hammered money. The Stuart collection,
with Oliver Cromwell and the Common
wealth, with the Stuart Prctcndcrs. is large
and OF exceeding interest The No 20,
James ]. gold rose To- rial though a flat
piece, is distinguishable for its art. showing
that ielict Is not always necessary in order
to produce effects. There are numerous
pieces OF Charles !. which are very good,
and in excellent preservation. The No. Sc.
% shilling, is n fine type Of Briors skin.
There is an exceedingly rare piece, IA silver
pound of Charles l., 1912: also one of the
same date Of a half-pound As it is often
stated that the pound is an imaginary unit.
II is worth while calling attention TO these
two pieces There are always some good
pieces of the time Of Oliver Cromwell, the
work OF dyc-sinkcr called Simon. Ii IS,
perhaps strange that this name recalls "A
famous Greek artist, who left his impress
on the finest Of all Greek coins, the money
Of Syracuse. There is strange bit Of num-
lsmatiC history attached to these coins Of
Cromwell and the Commonwealth. Haw-
Hns the author Of "I'he Silver Coins OF
England an excellent book Of reference,
eft out in his work all mention of Crom-
well, for he was in 1871, when his hook
was printed, too good "A royalist to allow
that the greatest COmmoner of the world
had ever existed AT all. No. llS. gold
two guinea piece Of Charles H., is a rare
piece. The guinea was introduced when
Netherlands wastakcn from the Dutch.
In this department Of the collection there
is n satrical medal, representing Queen
Anne as Dalilah, cutting off the hair OF
Louis XIV, (Or was it his wigD the King
as Samson. On the reverse, the King, who
has has gout, is dancing to the Queens
harp. The lIanovarian succession, Of
course, is very full, and has nnumerablc,
rare, and curious pieces, for it is not always
the coins which are near 10 present times
which arc the easier TO obtain.