Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-11-19
RARE OLD COINS.
THE REMARKABLE COLLECTION CT
A CHICAGO NUMlSMATiST.


American Pieces OF Great Historical Value.
A Queen Anne Fnrthing-Engiish Coins
That Bring High Prices-Uncoined sym
bois of Value.
"Here," said Mr.. George p Avery, care
four silver dollars The date Of one is 1906.
The first silver dollar of the United States
government had only been issued the year
before This is dated 1906 and this 1879,
and here's one dated 1901.
IF that date were ls0l,n said Mr.. Avery,
''the coin would bo worth 5000 or more
And hore is a Queen Anne farthing.n
There was a time when farthings Of Queen
Anne wero among the rarest OF coins. Il was
the general belief that ia the reign of Queen
Anne there were but three farthings coined,
and that in the coinage of tho third farthng
the die broke. Orc OF these were preserved
in tho kings museum as a great curiosity:
the second was IN the British museum; the
third fcll into the hands Of an Irish gentle
man named Milar. There are some English
coins which fetch high prices A gold penny
Of Henry III sold Ia 1859 for $3.50; quarter
form Of Edward III for S7l0; crown piece
Of Henry VIII for 500. Probably the largest
price ever paid for an English coin was IS
piece presented by King Charles | on tho
scaifod to Bishop Juxon, bearing the motto,
"Florent concordia regina 1t was a pattern
piece" never published. Tho British museum
having refused it for f4O0, it passed into the
hands Of a Mr.. Cobb, at whose sale it was
bought for $1,000 for Longmans, the London
publishers.
"What do You think Of this coinY' asks Mr.
Avery.
1t is an old coin, bearing ia Greek charac-
ters the name of Lysimachus. If il is gen
uine it is about as ancient as a coin can be-
There is hardly anything known to numis-
matists before the silver coins Of Alexander
/, king Of Macedon, whose reign extended to
the year 45l b. c.; and Lysimachus, king Of
Thrace, was ono of the inhertors Of the empire
of Alexander the Great. His are almost tho
first coins on which the regal portrait ap-
pears. In Lord Northwicl, S collection a to-
tradrachm of Lysmachus sold for $3.50.
RARE OLD ROMAN PIECES,
"And hero,' says Mr.. Avery, "are three
Roman pieces; one Of julius Cesar, one Of
Augustus, and one of Agrippa."
There is no reason to doubt the anthem
ITCHY Of Mr. Avery's specimens. Concerning
other Roman coins which he has he is more
than doubtful
And from these specimens of ancient coins
Mr.. Avery passes to his modest collection.
Every country is represented. The United
States as in honor bound, stands first Hero
is q half dino Of 1902. Il has upon its OBJ
verso a female bust emblematic of Liberty.
This is supposed to represent Martha Wash
ington. The coin is said to have been struck
from WGshingtons private plate. II was not
generally circulated, Here is a half eagle Of
1900 This Is exactly similar to the half eagle
Of 1901, which has entirely disappeared. 1t
was in 1901 that tho Boy OF Tripoli declared
war against tho United States. Ships Of Al
giers, Tunis, Tripoh and Morocco captured
American vessels and reduced their crews
and passengers to slavery. Capt. cambridge
was sent to the Mediterranean to protect
American commerce. His purser was pro
vided with all tho half eagles Of that years
coinage. They weru mover seen again. SO.
at least, runs tho legend.
The dollars Of 1885 and 1888 arc both rare.
The former has twenty-six stars in the field,
the twenty-sixth being Michigan, which was
then applying for admission into the Union.
The latter is a ''pattornn piece, and circulated
mostly among members Of congress. The
nickel cent Of 1855 sells at high premium.
In God We Trust" first appears on bronze
two cent piece in 1866.
"And this says Mr. Avery, sis q curious
half dollar. The liberty cap is on one side,
tho eagle with the words Half dol upon the
other. Tho mint offered me $40 for it. 1t is
unique.
THAT is a Benton Mint Drop as they
wero called. This is a Franklin penny, with
the motto "A Penny Saved Is Penny
Earned The otter is q jackson penny
marked Roman Firmness'; the Constitution
as understand it, and I take the response
bility'"
UNcoINED SYMBOLS or VALUE
In an adjoining bag lie various uncoined
symbols OF value Here are the silver luups.
bullet shaped, called "tekal,n current n
Siam; and tho white cowrie shells used in
Africa; and the rings Of gold and silver which
are common currency Of Nubia; and tho
pieces Of iron, named "Hashhash, A" like semi
circular knives, used in Kordofan; and bits
Of coarse cotton, called "Fredgat,n which are
equivalent to sixty pieces Of ''hashhashn; and
the beads and blocks Of salt used in Abyssinia;
and the fish hook money, made of pieces Of
silver wire, still current in China
Don't overlook this tenpenny banl. token.n
says Mr.. Avery. 1T is Irishp
The Irish coins mostly resemble the En-
glish. Those Of Henry VIII have the arms Of
England and the Irish harp crowned between
the initials Of Henry and his queens Tbon
comes the Ormo-de money, having its weight
stamped in Irish numerals. But the most re-
markahle Irish coins arc tho pieces named
"gun money" struck out OF cannon melted
down by James II before the last struggle for
his forfeited throne. There is also q crown
in white metal with the king % horseback.
This last is scare, but specimens Of tho "gun
money! are common.
"Hero,N continues Mr.. Avery, sis a speci-
men Of TIE constitutional currency Of
FTaRce. Its Q sou OF 1872, showing the head
of Louis XVI. with tho inscription ia loi,
le rot "a nation"
Il sof bell metal, made during tho Revo-
luton from the bells OF demolished churches
It jngles out Of she bag with Eve franc
piece OF NAPOLEON, Emperor and "Dfeu
protege Ia France on the edge; and piecs
OF ave lire marked "Napoleone imparators
re-" With "Dio ppotege i ltaliar on tbs
edge. Ths Italian coins show the Conquaror
IN the aush Of his conQussts; Ne wrench com
brings him under the shadow Of Waterloo.
In The one be Is ssrcne aud proud; in ths
other bis face Is full OF care.
Always stolon % spend.
IN commenting on the recent forgery casa
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