The state herald., 1892-02-19
MONEY OF THE WORLD.
WAYS IN WHICH COINS RE-
CEivED THEIR NAMES.
In tho Middle Azean Important cities
siolnsd Money y-Chariomagno First
Limited the Coinage OF
Northern Europe.

IA InSiiSu elVer plcCo lS Culleu q
crown" or certain gold pieces in
Franco indifTerently Napoleon" or
n Louis" or the $40 gold piece In
America IN 'eagle." Two countries
Austria and Holland, havo retained
tho form rs unit OF monetary value.
taking 1t ut tine when It was worry
universal in Europe, Its usage having
been rendered general by the financial
OF tho littlo states Of north
ern Italy and the imperfect coinage
systems OF the other countries Of tho
continont
In tho middle ages It was tho GUS
tom not only OF small states TO coin
money but even OF the moro impor-
tant cities which enjoyed q certain
degroc OF independence. This caused
many Inconvenience among others
the dcbasement OF coin. As kings be-
came powerful they restricted thoso
privileges though they still permitted
coinage to bo carried on In different
parts OF their domiuions under royal
direction. Charlemagne was tho first
sovereign 10 limit tho coinage Of north
ern Europe and the first to ornament
the coins with his own eiiigy. after tho
OF tho Roman emperors. Since
his time this practice has been general
on tho continent though national arms
Or other local symbols have never
ceased entirely to bo used. us among the
Greeks and Romans in tho early periods
Of their history when an olive branch,
\ vino jar. m OK. or some other image
connected with tho origin or industry
Of the city or state. was considered an
appropriate emblem. For several hun
lrod years and down TO compare
lively rocent date. money was coined
AZ from twenty-five to thirty different
cities In France that had inherited the
privilege Now oil French money is
coined at tho Paris mint and bears in
stead Of tho ctiigy OF some distin-
guished person. head representing
the republic or liberty in the more
general sense Few French gold pieces
are. however In circulation. except
those bearing the head OF Napoleon
ILL.,. and silver pieces OF tho same
coinage are almost as common. French
silver coins wear admirably, and
pieces OF tho rcigns OF Charles X,
Louis XVIII. and Napoleon |. arc very
common.
Tho decimal system Is in almost
universal use on the continent OF Eu-
ropo- Five nations-France Italy.
Belgium. Greece and Switzerland
havo formed monetary union. and
the silver and gold pieces OF. one
arc legal coins in each OF the
other four Tho copper coins aud
small nickel pieces Of Belgium and
Switzerland arc not included. The
standard coins on tho continent are:
In France tho franc; in Spain. the
pesetn; In Italy. tho Ira; in Holland
md Austria tho ilorin; in Germany.
tho mark; In Russia, tho rublc: Bel
GUM and Switzerland uso tho French
name for tho picco of 20 sous. Ench OF
these p!occs like tho American dollar.
is divided into 100 parts, called kopcck
In Russia pfennig In Germany. krcut-
zer in Austria cent in Holland and In
Italy. Franco and Spain by tho word
hundrcdth. These small
copper coins arc used ut tho postotiicc
In Franco and collectively In certain
but are not In general cir
culation. In Italy and Spain they
have n purchasing value with tho
small shopkeepers and are seen overy-
whcro
Tho origin OF tho names OF coins In
present use Is curious. In many cases
they imply standard OF weight that
lost Its Significance long ago This Is
tho case with tho English standard.
tho pound. The word shilling is OF
German derivation. like penny. which
comes from tho German pfcnnig. The
word crown" camo from tho Image
placed on tho coin. Tho namo franc
was given by King John. who first
coined these pieces In 1860. They
boro tho motto 10 Roi Franc" king
OF tho Franks. and were OF two kinds,
ono representing the king on horse.
back. tho other on foot Tho frame
was formerly also callod livro
(pound). though tho connection with
any special weight is not evident
Tho name Of tho German coin. mark.
n weight OF oight ounces.
was formerly In general use In Europe.
The namo OF tho Italian coin that
with tho franc Qira) also
means pound.
Tho coins In present usc In Spain
have their names from other sources.
Tho 5-pcsetn piccc. which corresponds
with tho American dollar. Is cailed
cscudo (shiold). ''Pescta" tho nnmo
OF tho small coin representing tho
monetary standard. means simply
.littlo pioco.' ''Rublc" Is from the
word meaning TO cut" and was 80
called because originally tho coin was
made with nm ornamental cdga Few
persons have ever troubled themselves
TO think OF tho derivation OF tho word
dollar. II Is from tho German thai
(vnlley) and camo into use In this
wny some 800 years ago. There Il n
littic silvcr-mining city or district In
Bohemia cnll Jonchimsthai.
or Joachrms valley. Tho rclgn,ng
duke OF tho region authorized
this city In tho sixteenth GEN.
tury 10 coin n silver piece
which was cnllcd 'Jonchimsthnlcr. "
Tho word "jonchim' was soon dropped
md tho name 'thalor' only retained.
Tho picco wont Into general uso in
md also In Denmark. whore
tho photography wns changed to
'dnlcr" whence II cnmc Into English
md was adopted by our forcfathcrs
with still furthor changes In tho
spelling. Tho Mexican dollar Ia
generally cailod .pinstro' In France,
f.nd tho name IA sometimes applied 10
our own dollar Tho nppcllntion Is
incorroc. In cithor cn,c. for tho word
pins,or or plnstra has for tho Inst flfty
years boon only implied with correct
moss " n smnll silver coin usod In
Turkey and Egypt which is worth
from D cents 10 y cents.