The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-06-01
COIN t0T.LECFt)ns.
asms ri ana curious Facts Developed
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tFrom the baltimore Americana
There are q number OF gentlemen IN
Baltimore WHO have fine cabinets OF old
coins, 10th American and foreign, an
cient and modern, rs we'll as medals,
seals, and engraved gems, which are
now generally included IN numlsmatlcs.
BY collectors of coins and medals, auto
graph letters are also regarded with
atfectionate favor, and nnmoer OF me
collections may DO found IN Baltimore.
The most of the other large cities lave
societies similar to this one, that OF Boz
ton being the Oldest and most important,
and it was felt that there WAS apple
room for one in Baltimore The science
is very fascinating, aud has a great deal
more in it than would mt first strike
casual observer. The artistic and his
torical study of American coins is most
interesting in itself.
Take, for instance tie early coinage
of Maryland, about which, perhaps, less
is known than that Of any other State.
The principal production Of Maryland,
as we'll as VirgiIia, for a long period
after its first settlement was tobacco,
which served as the principal article OF
currency. Cattle md corn, and even
powder and shot, also served as the me-
dunn of meeting almost any pecuniary
obligations. The first coins struck off
were shillings and s;xpenees and groates,
made from dies r,ceived from England
in 1869. The dies were made after the
designs of Lord Baltimore, who was
then in England en- business, and one
result of the issue of the coin was that
Gov. Findall, and others, started an in
cipient revolution in the hope of secur-
ing MAJ yland's independence from King
ly rule.
An act was passed making it q death
penalty to clip, scale, or counterfeit any
of the coin, which, it was defined,
"should be equal Ill tiEeness of silver to
England's sterling, being of the same
standard, but Of somewhat less weight,
and hath on one side his Lordship's coat
of arms, stamped with his motto, 'Cas-
cite and Multiplicamini,' and on the
other side his Lortship's effieie, circum-
scribed thus 'Ceciiius Dominus TeriR-
Marie,'" etc. Specimens Of these coins
are in the possession of the Maryland
Historical Society, into whose custody
they were given by the late George Pea
DOuV. WHO WIS one VI lis iiOHtIttly
beers. The device upon the reverse of
the early shillings is a lozenged shield,
surmounted by crown and dividing
the numerals XII. The mint mark is
cross-patee. Some fine specimens are
preserved in the British Museum. A
coinage of copper seems also to have
been intended by Lord Baltimore, al
though so little was put out that speci-
mems are now worth hundreds of dollars.
j. j. Mickey, Esq, of Philadelphia,
bought specimen recently Tor which he
paid 1926 i'll England.
Aside from the numerous Washington
pieces, coins bearing his head and struck
III the eighteenth century for specula-
tive purposes, or as curioslties, there are
in the possession of members of the new
society some of the most valuable sets
extant of the early patterns Of the United
States mint 1t may not be generally
known that the first silver pieces We're
half-dimes made out of Washington's
own family Plate in 1892. 1t was not
until year later that the regular coin
age of both silver and copper was COM
menced The half-dimes ON the diverse
had head with flowing hair facing the
lett, the legend Liberty, Parent OF
Science and Industry" and as q device
on the reverse small eagle flying to-
ward the left. In the first large pattern
cent the device on the reverse is wreath
formed Of two laurel branches, tied by a
ribbon below, inclosing plain circle,
within which are the words lone cent"
Under the bow on the ribbon is the
fraction HOO. There are three speci-
mems Of edges, one being plain, one
reading "to the esteemed, be useful"
while the third is marked by two small
leaves. The name of ''Birch," in very
small letters, is in every instance on the
shoulder Of the bust. 1t is said that the
head upon this pattern, as well as those
upon tile dimes and half dimes, was in
tended as likeness of Martha Washing
ton, although it looks as much like an
Indian chief as anything.