Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-29
RARE OLD COINS.
THE REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF
A CHICAGO NuMlSMATlsT.

american Pieces Of Great Historical Value.
A Queen Anne Farthing-Engiish Coins
That Bring High Prices--Uncoined Sym
bols of Value.
Here" said Mr. George P Avery, "are
four silver dollars. The date of one is 1905.
The first silver dollar of the United States |
had only been issued the yenr |
before This is dated l796 and this .1799 |
and here's one dated 1901
III that date were 1904 said Mr.. Avery.
the coin would be worth $4,000 or more
And here is Queen Anne farthing"
There was time when farthings of Queen
Anne were among the rarest of coins. 1t was
the general belief that in the reign of Queen
Anne there were but three farthings coined,
and that in the coinage of the third farthing
tne ole broke. One of these were preserved
In the kings museum as a great curiosity;
the second was in the British museum; the
third fell into the hands of an Irish gentle
man named Millar. There are some English
coins which fetch high prices, A gold penny
OF Henry Ill sold in 1859 for $3.50; quarter
HORN Of Edward III for $40; crown piece
OF Henry VIII for 500. Probably the largest
'sprice ever paid for an English coin was a IS
piece presented by King Charles | on the
scaifold to Bishop Juxon, bearing the motto,
'Florent concordia regina" 1t was a ''pattern
piece never published. The British museum
having refused it for $500, it passed into the
hands OF Mr. Cobb, at whose sale it was
bought for s., GOO for Longmans, the London
publishers
What do you think of this coinr' asks Mr..
Avery.
II Us an old coin, bearing in Greek charac-
ters the name of Lysimachus II it is gen
Glne 1t is about as ancient as a coin can be-
mere Is hardly anything known to numis-
nlatlsts before the silver coins of Alexander
I, Rng of Macedon, whose reign extended to
Teyear 454 B. c.. and Lysimachus, king of
of See,was one of the inheritors OF the empire
first ce,x.ander the Great His are almost the
pears rs on which the regal portrait ap-
tradra,sa Lord Northwick,s collection a to-
OF Lrsimachus sold for $3.50
ar, hAR,f OLD ROMAN PIECES,
.Romsp IRE" says Mr.. Avery, ARE three
one Of Julius Caesar, one of
Augustus, and one of Agrippa"
There is no reason to doubt the authen-
ITCHY of Mr.. Ayerys 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. Here
Is half dime Of 1872 1t has upon its OBJ
verse female bust emblematic of Liberty.
This is supposed to represent Martha Wash
l..
from Washington's private plate. 1t was not
generally circulated, Here is half eagle of
1900. This is exactly similar to the half eagle
of 1901, which has entirely disappeared 1t
was in 1901 that the Bey of Tripoli declared
war against the United States. Ships of Al
giers, Tunis Tripoh and Morocco captured
American vessels and reduced their crews
and passengers to slavery Capt Bainbridge
was sent to the Mediterranean to protect
American commerce. His purser was pro-
vided with all the half eagles of that years
coinage. They were never seen again So,
at least, runs the legend.
The dollars of 1886 and 1888 are 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 pattern piece, and circulated
mostly among members of congress. The
nickel cent of 1856 sells at high premium.
"In God We Trust first appears on bronze
two cent piece in 1866.
And this, 7S says Mr.. Avery, sis a curious
half dollar. The liberty cap is on one side,
the eagle with the words Half dol upon the
other. The mint offered me $40 for it. 1t is
unique
THAT IS a Benton Mint Drop as they
were called. This is Franklin penny, with
the motto "A Penny Saved Is Penny
Earned The other is a Jackson penny
marked Roman Firmness'; 'the Constitution
as | understand it, and L take the response.
bility''
CSCo1NED SYMBOLS OF VALUE
In an adjoining bag lie various uncoined
symbols Of value. Here are thesilver humps
bullet shaped, called "tekal," current in
Siam; and the white cowrie shells used il
Africa; and the rings Of gold and silver which
are common currency Of Nubia; and the
pieces Of iron, named "Hashhashn like semi
circular knives, used in Kordofan; and bits
of coarse cotton, called ''Fredgat," which arr
equivalent to sixty pieces of "hashhashn; and
the beads and blocks Of salt used in Abyssinia
and the fish hook money, made of pieces o.
silver wire, still current In China.
Don't overlook this tenpepny bank token,
says Mr. Avery. ut is Irish
The Irish coins mostly resemble the En-
glish. Those Of Henry VIII have the arms o
England nndthe Irish harp crowned between
the initials Of Henry and his queens Thel
comes the Ormonde money, having its weigh
stamped in Irish numerals. But the most re
markable Irish coins are the pieces name
gun money struck out of cannon melte
down by james l before the last struggle 70
his forfeited throne. There is also a crow
in white metal with the king on horseback
This last Is scare, but specimens of the "gu
money" are common.
Here continues Mr. Avery, ''is spec
men Of the constitutional currency {
France. Its sou Of l792, showing the hea
Of Louis XVI, with the inscription LA 10
lie roi Ia nation"
1t is Of bell metal, made during the Rev,
luton from the bells Of demolished churche
1t jingles out % tho bag with five frar
piece OF Napoleon, Empereurn and die
protege Ia France on the edge; and q pie
Of five lire marked "Napoleone imperato
ere with "Dio protege I Italia" Oh Il
edge The Italian coins show the Conquer
in the flush Of his conquests; the French co
brings him under tho shadow of Waterlo
In the one be is serene and proud in &
other his face IS full of care.