Morris tribune., 1883-03-17
Nunfsnlatfcs.
An Interesting Talk About Old Coins
and Their Value.

An Interesting Talk hDout Oiu Soihe
and Their Value.
New York Correspondence Chicago Tribune.
think there is only one numismatician
in this country at present. / refer to
CASTOR Feuardent, of Lafayette Place
this city, who is so skilled in knowledge
of coins, in classical archaeology and in
antiquarian lore of all sorts that others
are scarcely to be mentioned In compar-
ison. He is descended from long line
of psychologists, and has made antique
remains, ruins and statutes the study OF
his life. He is pretty well known now
as the Nemesis of hi Cesnola, whose
amorphous Cypriote collection Feuardent
is trying to have classified at its proper
value. / met Mr.. Feuardent yesterday,
and casually asked few questions about
coins.
"The highest priced modern coin, he
said, '1s the United States silver dollar
of 1904. There are, believe, only two
in existence, and these change hands at
the rate of about 81 600 apiece. A few
wears ago some officer of the mint found
The old die of this rare dollar and struck
off some sixty of theta. He was found
out, and the dollars were destroyed and
tie die broke. A fye.soverelgn gold
piece of King Charles /. recently sold IN
England for 81 900. but that was fancy
prlce and hardly to be maintained.
"In London S., 900 has been paid for
a rare copper coin Of the Roman Emper-
or Geta. ], myself. sold to Louis Napo-
leon the most valuable coin in the world.
When / first heard OF this ] was at din
ner with some gentlemen in London.
One of them told about ragged stroller
who had that day offered to sell to him
a splendid gold coin from Central Asia
nearly as large as the palm of his hand.
He sent him off ,sas a mountebank and
swindler, The description of the coin
fred my imagination in way that all
collectors will understand. l hastily
excused myself, called cab and went
out in the suburbs, to wretched quar-
er where l knew these Indian traders
WereWont to cougregate. searched some
hours before ] found the man from Box
hara, and got him out of his squalid bed.
We went into a room alone, and there
removing his outer clothing, the tawny
man drew from his arm-pit a sweaty bag,
and from the bag he brought forth the
seen. It was obviously a genuine an
tidue, stamped by King Eucratides Of
India, one Of the successors of Alexan-
der the Great was much excited, but
strove to appear cool. On the diverse
was an engraved head of the king, Oil
the reverse a fine relief of Castor and
Polhx. 1t bore date about 185 b. c.
He said the coin had at first been found
by seven men, bnt they got into a dead
~ feud over it, and five were slain. He
and friend were the only survivors.
He put an extravagant price on it, but !
refused to pay it. At last l offered
him 81, OOO-and about S., 000-and gave
him only ten minutes to consider the
proposition. After that I told him l
should take off 500 each minute from
nv offer. Before the ten minutes was
up the coin was mine. ] carried it TO
France and showed it to the emperor
Napoleon. He offered me S. 600 for it,
and I accepted it as a command that so
rare treasure should never leave
France It may be seen in Paris among
the antique trophies, honored by being
placed in case all by itself beneath the
eve of the sentinel. 1t is the finest coin
in the world"
"When were the first coins struck"
y
Christ, the lydia. Before that time the
commerce of the world was done Who'll
" by misunderstanding one thing
for another The Egyptians never
had any coins till those
great kings came, after the
death of Alexander. They used rings
for money. These are the Oldest Egypt
ian money found. The oldest money
was somewhat Hke-why, this is it."
NJ. Feuardent led the way to case
where some hundreds Of coins were dis
PLAYED. The oldest money looked like
a bnck-shot that had been fattened
against a stone wall. On one side was i
slight dedression, where the meta
had received the daub Of &
niece of iron while hot. A century
or two later came the art of engraving
coins, which rose to high point under
the Roman republic.
els it true" asked, that the Older
coin is the rarer it is?'
1T is not only not true, but it is al
most the reverse of the truth. Some Of
the oldest coins in the world are very
was the bank Of the ancients. When
ever they wanted to be sure Of keeping
money they secretly hid it in the ground.
The general Of an encaAped Roman army
buried his treasure; along came Cloths
and swept them away, and the money
was lost, to be recovered by some curious
or accidental deliver hundreds or thou
sands years later. Remember. too, that
not only the nations coined, butsthe cities
and towns, and that they coined not
once or twice, but constantly at short
intervals. The Emperor Marius reigned
only three days, but his coins are
still common. Copper coins of Con-
stantine the Great were found not many
years ago buried in huge heap in Ger
many. There was pile as high as a
man-cords of them, l suppose-and
they are now so common that copper
and receive any rents, profits, annuities,
gifts. legacies, donations or requests of
any kind whatsoever for the use afore-
said, SO, nevertheless that the yearly
value of the premises do not exceed the
sum of six Thousand pounds sterling.