The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-01-12

RARE OLD COINS.

RARE OLD COINS.
THE REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF
A CHICAGO NuMlsMATlsr.
American Pieces of Great Historical Value.
A Queen Ammo Farthing-Enslish Coins
That Bring High Priccs-Uncoinesl gym.
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
government had only been issued the year
before This is dated l7u8 and this l7yy.
and here's one dated 1901.
''lf that date were 1904" said Mr. Avery,
the coin would be worth 5000 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
the die broke. One Of these were preserved
III the kings museum US 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 III sold in 1850 for $3.50; quarter
tlorin of Edward Ill for $40; a crown piece
OF Henry VIII for $7OO. Probably tho largest
price ever paid for All English coin was IS
piece Presented by King Charles on tho
scaifold to Bishop Juxon. bearing the motto
"Florcnt concordia regina" 1t was q "pattern
piece" never published. Tho British museum
having refused it for S40O, it passed into the
hands of Mr.. Cobb, ut whose sale it was
bought for 81 600 for Longmans, the London
publishers
"Whnt do you think of this coinlr asks Mr..
Avery
1t is an old coin, bearing in Greek charac-
tcrs the namo of Lysimachus II it is gen.
uinc 1t is about as ancient as coin can be-
There is hardly anything known to numis-
matists before the silver coins of Alexander
|, king of Maccdon, whose reign extended to
the year 454 b. c.; and Lysimachus, king of
lhrace, was one Of tho inheritors of the empire
of Alexander tho Great His are almost the
first coins on which the regal portrait up.
pears. In Lord Northwick,s collection to-
tradrachm of Lysimachus sold for $3.50.
RARE OLD ROMAN PIECES,
And here" says Mr. Avery, "are three
Roman pieces; one Of Julius Caesar, ono of
Augustus, and ono of Agrippa."
There is no reason to doubt the authen
tlclty of MIR. 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. Tho United
States, Us in honor bound, stands first. Here
is II half dime of l793. 1t has upon its OBJ
verse female bust emblematic of Liberty.
This is supposed to represent Martha Wash
inston Tho coin is said to havc been struck
from Washington's private plate 1t was not
generally circulated, Here is half eagle of
$500. This is exactly similar to the half eagle
of 1901, which hos entirely disappeared 1t
was in lSOl that the Boy of Tripoli declared
war against tho United States. Ships of AL
gicrs, Tuns, Tripoli and Morocco captured
American vessels and reduced their crews
and passengers to slavery. Capt. cambridge
was sent to tho Mediterranean to protect
American commerce His purscr was pro-
vldcd with all the half eagles of that years
coinage. They were never seen again. So
at least, runs tho legend.
u.
Tho former has twenty six stars in tho field
the twenty sixth being Michigan, which was
then applying for admission into tho Union
This latter is n ''pattcrn" piece, and circulated
mostly among members of congress- The
nickel cent of 1866 sells at high premium
lin God We Trust" first appears on bronze
two cent piece in 1866
And this" says Mr.. Avery, "is curious
half dollar. Tho liberty cap is on one side
tho eagle with tho words Half doll upon the
other. The mint offered mo $40 for it. It is
unique.
That is Benton Mint Drop as they
wero called. This is Franklin penny, with
tho motto "A Penny Saved Is Penny
Earned Tho other is II jackson penny
marked Roman Firmness'; tho Constitution
as understand it, and I tako the RESPONSE
bility'"
uNco1NED SYMBOLS OF VALUE
In an adjoining bag lie various uncoined
symbols of value Here are tho silver lumps
bullet shaped, called "tekal," current in
Siam; and the white cowrie shells used in
Africa; and tho rings Of gold and silver which
nre common currency Of Nubia; and the
pieces of iron, named "Hashhasl," !" like semi
circular knives, used in kordofan; and bits
Of coarse cotton, called "Fredgat," which are
equivalent to sixty pieces Of "hashhash"; and
the beads and blocks Of salt used in Abyssinia;
and the fish hook money, made Of pieces of
silver wirc, still current in China.
Don't overlook this tcnpcnny bank token"
says Mr.. Avery. vt is Irish"
Tho Irish coins mostly resemble tho En-
glish. Those Of Henry VIII havo the arms Of
Ensland and the Irish harp crowned between
the initials of Henry and his queens Then
comes the Ormocde money, having its weight
stamped in Irish numerals. But the NEST ro-
Earliable Irish coins are tho pieces named
gun money" struck out of cannon melted
down by James ii before the last struggle for
bis forfeited throne. There is also a crown
in white metal with tho king on horseback.
This last is scare, but specimens of tho "gun
money" arc common.
"Ilcrc," continues Mr.. Avery, sis sreci-
r!cn of the constitutional currency Of
France. LISA sou OF l712, showing tho head
of Louis XVI. with the inscription LA loi,
lc ro, Ia nation"
1t is Of bell metal, made during the Revo-
luton from the bells of demolished churches.
1t jinglcs out of the bag with five franc
piece of Napoleon, Empereur" aud "Dieu
protcse Ia France" on tho edge; and piece
of five ire marked "Napoleone imperatore
ere" with "Do protese T. Italian on the
edge. Tho Italian coins show tho Conqueror
i'll the fius Of his conqucsts; tho french coin
brings him under the shadow Of Waterloo.
In tho ono he is serene and proud; in tho
other his face is full of care
Always Stolen to Spend.
In commenting on the recent forgery case
and the $'l93, ,OOo which was made out of bogus