Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-28

ana OF great rarity. Amusing stories are told OF
economical coin fanciers who, in their anxiety to
save paying commission to experts. endeayor
to pick up good bargains in out-ofthe-way
paces-buying at first hands AZ they claim
Americans travelling in Europe are frequently
made the victims Of the professional coin forgers
and swindlers who infest the classic localities of
the ancients. A New York expert relates with
great satisfaction how wealthy Philadelphia,
who had refused to pay him q reasonable COM
mission for obtaining desired collection of an
tique coins, was swindled by plausible strau-
ger who claimed to have personally found lot
OF very old coins In various parts Of Greece.
The Philadelphian. proud of his bargain exhib-
tied some of his coins to the expert, and was
considerably abashed when they were promptly
pronounced fOrgeries, and, being placed beside
original coins of the same kind. their inferiority
was made apparent even to the purchasers in
experienced eye. The most successful forger
OF ancient coins was a man named Becker. who
Ilved In Germany early in the present century.
he was an educated person and thoroughly
yersed in the science Of numismatics. He is
said to have accumulated very fine collection
OF genuine antique coins, but falling into dis
sipafion he impoverished himself, and took to
Initiating the coins OF the ancents to replenish
his purse He made several thousands of coins
which were so nearly like the genuine that even
experts were deceived He struck them from
pure silver. gold and bronze, and gave them an
antique appearance by placing them i'm a box
filed with rusty nails and other bits of metal.
his DOx ne carried about with him under his
carriage, and the coins were jolted, tumbIed
about, and shaken up until they presented the
worn appearance of very old money.
The Jealous coin collector delights in show
ing his treasures to Intelligent people and dis
cussing their respective historical associations.
He will show You one piece that looks as
though it might have been designed and
stamped by modern taste and skill, so artistic
clear. and beautiful do the figures appear, but
this coin, he will tell you, was made 400 years
before Christ. and represents a degree Of art
that has never been equaled. Another coin will
bc pointed out one that DemOsthenes might
have carried in his pocket still others that
might once have lain in the Golfers of Cleopatra
and on another tray your attention will be di-
rected to the small aad rude coins of Biblical
times; the sheckels, the tribute money, and
pieces of silver which your imaginative in
structor will say might have been a part of the
identical money received by Judas for his treach-
cry.
There are some very beautiful and costly pri-
vate collections OF ancient coins in this country
As rule, the American collectors are found to
be as liberal in the qualification of their numisma
tic tastes as the people of any other nationality.
Probably the finest collection of Greek. Roman,
and American coins in this city is owned by DR..
Charles r. Anthem, of the college of the city of
New York This collection contains very large
number Of rare and inter esting coins. and it
represents several years of patient work and
thousands OfdOllars of expenditure. The most
expensive collections Of coins in the United
States are those OF Mr.. Appleton and Mr.. Parme-
lee, OF Boston. That belonging to Mr.. Pafmelee
is said to be worth $50. coo. 1t is purely the
work of American industry and is supposed to
be the most complete and beautiful collection in
the country.