, 1890-04-12
HISTORY roLp BY COINS.
4 Humismati-t'. Idea Concerning varioul
New Designs on An Money.


4 Eumi.m~ti-t's Idea Concerning Various
New Designs on An Money.
Let us look AT the knowledge Of a nu-
mismatist in the history of all nations.
How glibly he " i'll tell you that such and
such a king lived in such a year. He
will recognize at n glance the lineaments
of Cleopatra, Julius Cesar, Antonius or
any Of the ancient WORTHLESS, and OF more
modern days he is familiar with the his
tory of the dynasties Of all the reigning
families, Why2 Simply from his study
of the efigies OF those rulers depicted
upon the coinage of their countries.
What would we know OF many oriental
states were it o for their respective
coinage? What would we know Of many
kings and emperorss What assurance
have we of the duration Of many histor-
ical erass The answer IS by the history
as depicted upon the coins OF various
countries. Rome had her libraries, so
had Greece. Wa and fire destroyed
their archives, and but for the coinage
Of tho times our knowledge of the exist
ence OF such countries would be slight
indeed. Then, il in the course Of cen
turtles hence history should repeat itself,
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destroyed, would our coinage teach the
people Of that era anything Of our his
tory? No. From the uncouth designs
upon our coinage we would be taken for
barbarians. Then, I say. let us have a
coinage that will teach all nations until
tho end Of time that we were a great and
glorious nation. And how may we do
thisY BY adopting suitable designs for
our coinage.
| would advocate that one series of
coins, say the half dollar pieces, should
be struck bearing the effigics Of our
presidents, commencing by issuing l.
DOC, 900 pieces bearing the head of Wash
ington. then issuing each six months
following rs many bearing the efigy OF
each president until we arrive at the
present time. After this, to carry out
tho idea, a series should be issued during
the administration Of zach president.
BY so doing you will teach your children
and your children's children the history
of their country more readily and effect
lively than by any other means, and leave
imperishable monuments of these links
in the history of our country. Ask any
one how many presidents we nave had,
how long they were Mt the head of the
administration, how many could answer
the question! Had we "a coinage, one as
Ihave described, almost every one would
have n collection Of the coins bearing
enigies and Inscriptions stating the dura-
ton of their administration. which would
familiarize them with our history.
| then say let us have a coinage bear.
ing the ctigics Of our presidents. | am
sure there Is nothing autagonistic to q
republican sentiment IN this, for we hav,
paper money displaying portraits II ouI
presidents and great men; also on ON
poatagr stamps. Can we hope that in
5000 years from now any Of these papc
nemontocs will hr in existence? No; but
u coin lasts forever. for surely we hav,
coins cxlau that wcro issued six centu,
rics before Christ. II you nrc skcptica.
examine any good collection Of coin,
and you viii find moro than one Of thai
age. and some Of the Eighth century be,
fore Christ. anal even older. Therefore
We now reasonably expect our coinage
would be cNtunt six centuries in the fut.
uIr.
Show an ancient DIN To uumlsmatist.
Inc will not only tell you the name OF the
king or emperor during whose reign il
WAS issued, the history OF the country
but, what is more 10 the point, he vii.
toll you to what degree Of artistic refine
mcnt aud civilization that country hat
arrived, whether its prosperity wns OF
the increase on not, and how. simply b,
the purity Of the metal used aud the ex
v~cllencc Of the die. l am sure we cxcclir
s|killfulness uf die cutting and designing
This new coinage would also familiar
izc the world with the greatness of oul
country for all time TO come. Should w,
issue, say /, 900, coo coins of the denomina
ton OF fifty cents or OF twenty-five cents
how many would he i'll circulation in on,
year? | would venture to say none. The,
would find their way to every nook unt
corner Of the globe, be preserved in mu
seums and private collections all over tn,
world, and even the little Hindoo an,
Chinese boy centuries hence would n
readily tell their contemporaries all abou
George Washington, the first prcsiden
OF the United States, OF President Lin
coin and Of u present president, an,
the entire series, and would be as ramil
lar with the history Of the present era O
the United States us that OF their owl
era and country Paul E. Bcckwith il
Washington Star.