The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-01-01
Ancient Coins.


Coins on view in New York.
1t is quite evident that early English
| coins took something Of the Greek designs
and lator the Roman, though very much
| changed. OA many early coins tho fable of
the wolf sucking the twins Is repeated, but
IL requires very ingenious amount of num-
ismatic acquaintance to discover it, This
curious diycrsi IN in art is shown by Evans
IN his "Ancicnt British Coins" Originally
the fine coinage of Phillip was used as type
in Britain, but gradually worse copies being
made from bad limitations, in time all SEM
blancc of the slater was lost, until only tho
crown, throwing locks, and an ear became
visible. There is nothing more remarkable
than this transition in art from the really
sublime to the ludicrous. Those barbarians
who invaded Macedonia after Alexander,
though having Greek art constantly before
their eyes, did exactly the same thing as the
carly B;'itrs. OF ancient British coins
there are two examples of Anglo-Saxon
money some 70. There is Danish silver
penny of Cnut or Canutc, both rare and fine;
OF William the Conqueror there are three
examples, the Wi liam being rendered, as
is usual, Pillem Rex, both p and v having
been used Ior w. There is rare silver
penny Of Rufus, which both Ruding and
Hawkins have declared TO he authentic, for
it has always been moro or less troublesome
to make exact differences between the mon
ey of the Conqucrer and his illfatcd son.
The Flantagcnct money, remarkably good
and varied; is represent ed by some 20 pieces.
In the first of the 'regns of this dynasty the
monnaycr struck not only his own name on
the piece, but that of the town where the
coin was issued; after Edward H., only the
tNI ~, In ~ o r
pieces. The No 44, q shilling of Edward
VI, 1919, Is the earliest piece in the col
lection which bears date, but the Edwards
of 1917 also hNd the date. The No. 81 of
the same King, l553, gold sovereign or
double rial, is the first dated English gold
coin. There are some good examples of
hammered money. The Stuart collection,
with Oliver Cromwell and tho Common
wealth, with the Stuart Prctcnders, is large
and Of exceeding interest. The No 76, a
James |. gold rose to rial, though flat
piece, is dstinguishablc for its art, showing
that clef is not always necessary in order
to produce effects. There are numerous
pieces of Charles l. which arc very good,
and in excellent preservation. The No. SO,
shilling, is fine type Of Brioj's skill.
There is an exceedingly rare piece, silver
pound Of Charles l., 1912; also one of the
same date Of half-pound. AS it is often
stated that tho pound is an imaginary unit,
1t is worth while calling attention to these
two pieces. There arc always some good
pieces of the time of Oliver Cromwell, the
work Of dyc-sinkcr called Simon. 1t Ia,
perhaps, strange that this name recalls Il
famous Greek artist, who left his impress
on the finest Of all Greek coins, the money
of Syracuse. There is strange bit of num-
ismatic history attached 10 these coins of
Cromwell and the Commonwealth. Haw-
kins. the author of ''Thc Silver Coins Of
England" an excellent book of reference,
eft out In his work all mention of Crom-
well, for he was in 1S41, when his book
was printed, too good a royalist to allow
that the greatest Commoner of the world
had ever existed at all. No 49, a gold
two guinea piece Of Charles H., is rare
piece, Tho guinea was introduced when
Ncw-Ncthcrlands wastaken from the Dutch.
In this department Of the collection there
IS satirical medal, representing Queen
Ammo as Daliah, cutting off the hair OF
Louis XIV, Cor was it his wig2) the King
rs Samson. On the reverse, the King, who
has has gout, is dancing to the Queens
harp. The Hanovarian succession, of
course, is very full, and has innumerablc,
rare, and curious pieces, for it is not always
the coins which arc near to present times
which arc the easier to obtain.