Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-01-30

RARE OLD COINS.
Tho Remarkable Collection CT
Chicago NumismatIst-


"Here," said Mr.. George z. Avery,
s'are four silver dollars. The date OF
one is 1895. The first silver dollar OF
the United States government had
only been issued the year before. This
is dated 17e6 and this 1879, and here's
one dated 1901.
stIf that date were 1884," said Mr..
Avery, "the coin would be worth
q, coo or more. And here Is queen
Anne farthing."
There was a time when farthings OF
Queen Hnne were among the Tarest 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 the
die broke. One of these were preserved
in the kings museum as great curl
osIty; the second was in tie British
museum; the third fell into tie hands
of an Irish gentleman named NJ Lar.
There are some English coins which
fetch high prices. a gold penny oil
Henry III sold in 1859 for $3.50; a
quarter florin OF Edward III for sI1O;
a crown piece of Henry VIII for 800.
Probably the largest price ever paid Tor
an English coin was e5 piece presented
by King Charles I on the scanold 10
Bishop Juxon, bearing the motto,
"Florent concordia regina" 1t was
pattern piece" never published ne
British museum having refused II Tor
S4OO, it passed into the hands or Mr.
Cobb, at whose sale It was bought for
81 .OCO Tor Longmans, the London puo-
fishers.
"What do you think OF this coin?"
asks Mr.. Avery.
1t Is an old coin, bearing Greek
character the name of Lysimachus- III
it Is genuine it is about as ancient as a
coin can be. There Is hardly anything
known to numismatIsts before the sll
yer coins Of Alexander /, the king OF
Macedon, whose reign extended 10 the
year 454 B. c., and LysimachUs, king
OF Thrace, was one of the inheritoIs
of the empire of Alexander the Great.
His are almost the first coins on which
the regal portrait appears In LORD
Northwick's collection tetradrachm
OF Lysimachus sold for 500.
RARE OLD ROMAN PIECES,
"And here" says nr. Avery, ''are
three Roman 'eceS; one or julius
Cesar, one OF Augustus, and one OF
Agrippa-"
There is no reason to doubt the
authenticity of Mr.. Avery's specimens.
Concerning other Roman coins which
he has he IS more than doubtful.
And from these specimens OF an
cient 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 1892. 1t has upon Its OBJ
verse a female bust emblematic OF
Liberty. This is supposed 10 represent
Martha Washington The coin Is
said TO have been struck from WASH
ington's private plate. IL was not
generally circulated. Here Is half
eagle of 1900. This is exactly similar
to the half eagle OF 1901, which has en-
tirely disappeared. 1t was in 1SOl that
the Bey OF Tripoi declared war against
the United States Ships OF Algiers,
Tunls, Tfipoli and Morocco captured
American vessels and reduced their
crews and passengers TO slavery Capt
Bainbrldge was sent to the Medlterra-
mean to protect American commerce
His pursuer was provided with all the
half eagles of that years coinage.
They were never seen again. So, at
least, runs the legend
rare. The former has twenty-six
stars IN the field, the twenty-sixtu
being Michigan, which was then apply
ing for admission into the Union. The
latter Is q pattern piece, and circu-
lated mostly among members of con-
gress. The nickel cent of 1856 sells at
a high premium. ''In God We Trust"
first appears on bronze two cent piece
in 1866.
s'And this" says Mr.. Avery, sis
curious half dollar. The liberty cap
Is on one side, the eagle with the
words Half DOL upon the other. TIL
mint offered me $40 for 1t. 1t is
unique.
THAT Is a Benton Mint Drop as
they were called. This IS a Franklin
penny, with the motto a Tenny Saved
Is a Penny Earned The other IS a
jackson Penny marked Roman Firm
ness; the Constitution as l under
stand it, and L take the responsib =
ity."
UNCoINED SYMBOLS OF VALUE
In an adjoining bag lie various un.
coined symbols OF value Here are the
silver Jumps, bullet shaped called
''tekal" current IN Siam; and the white
cowrie shells used in Africa; and the
rings OF gold and silver which are
common currency OF Nubia; and the
pieces Of iron, named "Hashhash- -
like semi-circular knives. used in kor-
dofan, :" and bits of coarse cotton, called
"Fredgat," which are equivalent to
sixty pieces OF ''hashhash''- and the
beads and blocks OF salt used in
Abys.inia; and the fish hook money,
made OF pieces of silver wire. still cur
rent in China
"Don't overlook this tenpenny bank
token," says Mr.. Avery. ''It is
Irish"
The Irish coins mostly resemble the
English. Those of Henry VIII have
the arms of England and the Irish
harp crowned between the initials of
Henry and his queens. Then comes
the Ormonde money, having its weight
stamped in Irish numerals But the
most remarkable Irish coins are the
pieces named "gun money" struck out
OF cannon melted down by James II
before the struggle for his forfeited
throne. There IS also a crown in
white metal with the king on horse
back. This last IL -arce, but speci-
mems OF the ''gun money" are COM
mon.
"Here," continues Mr.. Avery. .is q
specimen of the constitutional cur
rency' of France. It is son OF 1892,
showing the head OF Louis XVI, with
the inscription La loI, le roi, Ia
nation"
1t Is of bell metal, made during the
| Revolution fIom the bells of demolished
churches. 1t iingles out OF the bag
with a five france piece OF Napoleon,
Empereur" and .'Dieu protege la
France" on the edge; and piece Of
five lire marked "Napoleone impera-
tore ere," with "Dio protege i Italia -
on the edge. The Italian coins show
the Conqueror in the flush of his con-
quests; the French coin brings him
under the shadow of Waterloo. In the
one he is serene and proud; in the other
his face is full Of care.
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