Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-24
CURIOUS COINS.
The Money of the World, BarSsaric
and Civilized.


One of the most interesting features
connected with the art exhibit is the rare
collection OF coins, antique medals and
miniatures loaned to the Historical So
ciety by Gen. G. z. Thruston during the
exhibition. Gen. Thruston has been
making the collection for years, and by
unusual facilities has succeeded in COL
lecting some extremely rare specimens
The coins embrace a period beginning
with Philip Of Macedon, and run on down
to the present day, including Greek,
Roman, Jewish, Persian, Turkish, Indian,
English, Japanese, Chinese and Amerl-
can specimens.
The coins are arranged chr0nOlogically,
and beginning with Graco.Bactrian specl-
mems, representative Of the Greek inya-
sion Of the Indian peninsular, and DIS
covered in the sands of an Indian river,
extend through later periods. There are
some beautifully wrought coins Of the
time of Alexander the Great, OF Pericles,
etc, showing the height to which art had
reached in those days. No subseq uent
civilization has been acle to duplicate the
pure and classic lines OF Greek art, and
this is well exemplitied by comparison
OF these old coins with those in modern
use. The Roman coins are numerous.
Ptoemy, the Caesars, Trsisn, Domitia@, ,
and others being represented by
fine specimens. One OF the most
interesting coins. perhaps, in
the whole collection is Roman As of the
time OF Tiberius Caesar, andi of the same
type as that coin which gave rise TO the
saying of Jesus: "Render unto Cesar the
things which are Casar's." There 5. also,
jewish shekel, and small copper coin
known as the widows mite.D being the
same as that dropped by the widow into
the contribution box. The English collec-
ton is almost complete and beginning
with coin OF the year ia. during tue
time of the so-cailed Saxon Heptarcby
proceeds on down to the Norman con-
quest, and through the reigns of later
mOnarcbs TO the present day. These
coins are especially interesting
when it is considered that many Of
them bear the likeness o. the then
reigning monarch, and are faithful
re6eXes of the costumes of those days. A
specimen of the old square Swedish plate
money is one of the varieties of the col
lection, together with many fine specl-
mems of ancient and modern Chinese and
Japanese coins, Persian, Turkish, etc. A
string of Wampum is the earliest Amer
lean money IN the collection. A few dol
lars represent the Spanish colonial pc
riod, and all the latter periods of Ameri-
can history are fully epresented-the
pine-tree shilIings of New England, the
rejected Washington coins, etc. A unique
specimen Is small silver Confederate
''token." made in Murfreesboro in 1861,
and Confederate seal is also to be found
in the collection. The medals
are numerous and beautiful and are Of
gold, silver, copper and bronze. The
Popes are well represented as, also, many
kings and princes. Henry " of Navarro,
Duke of Parma, Charles V. OF Spain,
Philip II. of Spain, Frederick the Great
Some very fine ones of Napoleon's nme
Louis XVIII, etc. There are many
American and English medals as WELL
Jefferson, jackson, Clay, Webster, Com
mOdOre Decatur, and other prominent
figures in American history are repre-
scented. There are several beautiful min
iatures, plaques, intagliOs, ETC.. and the
whole collection is wonderfully interest
ing.