Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-06-14

graceful feature of this side of the
coin is the figure of peace, who dis
plays a remarkable resemblance to ii
ctothes-pin.
The diverse Of the medallion IS a
remarkably ine imprint OF the face OF
R0me'S nrSt emperor. The Inscription.
Caesar Imperator, defender of the
liberties OF the Roman People" reads
Ike an unbluShing sarcasm, until the
recollection comes of that advice which
MaecenaS proposed TO Asrippa's,
"fonie can exist no longer without II
monarch. and OF the consequent resO-
luton OF Oyid'S baniSher TO leave 10
the republic its form oi government.
While inIrenchin. himself With It's sub
stance.
one Of the most artistic pieces, and
il very rare one, too, is a coin OF
syracuse, minted about 415 B. c. This
coin belongs 10 the time known among
numlSmatIStS as the period OF nneSt
art, extending from the siege OF
Syracuse 10 the accession of Alexander
the Great. The art OF engraving coins
reached then the highest point Of ex-
cellence it has ever attained, either in
ancient or modern times. The types
are characterized by intensity of tac-
ton, perfect symmetry Of proportion,
elegance of composition, finish of exc
cutiOn, and richness OF ornamentation.
The triumph of art may be appreciated
when the visitor remembers that all
these coins were first nodded in the
form Of a bullet, and then placed be-
tween two dies and pounded into
shape by hand.
The specimen at the mint bears on
the diverse the head of Arethusa, be-
loved OF Alpheus, grandly struck in
high relief, and surrounded by a dot
ted circle. Modern artists, in marble
or in oil, might strive for. years and
accomplish nothing so severely beau
tiful, SO proudly chaste, so grandly
calm. The reverse is a Mars, bearded
and helmeted. The piece contains
about as much silver as a half dollar,
and has a strange and significant
mark. Some keen, heavy weapon,
swung by a powerful arm, has struck
the edge and shortn the thick silver
through, as if it were sOftest lead.
For all Mr.. Mcclure knows, the
mighty stroke may have been dealt
ere the tyrant DionySiuS fed from
Syracuse to COrinth, there to instruct
SOOTHING SchOolbOys, and win in A hens
his fatal prize of poetry at the feast
of BacchuS. Or the sword of the sol
der Of MarcelluS, as it struck down
ArchimedeS ere he could finish his
problem, at the taking of the city a
century afterwards, may have bitten
into the coin before the murderer
snatched it up, dripping with his vic
TINS blood.
The coin that has puzzled all the
mint experts is a gold piece, worth in
trinSically about So They believe it
is a Bactrian piece, for the inscrip-
ton corresponds exactly to that of a
coin described in 'Mionnet's Descrip-
ton de Medailles Antiques, Grecques
ct ROmaineS.' The annoying thing
about it is that the inscription is per-
fectly plain, and yet can not be read.
MiOnnet, who is an authority, gives
a fac-simile of this very legend in his
work, and dubs it Ian uncertain Ian
guage."
AS a coin and as a specimen of
Greek art, the piece bears evidence of
having been struck about $50 B. G..
The purely mechanical portion is far
better than that of the SyracuSan
piece; but from an artistic view point.
the Royal head which the diverse
bears indicates at least over a century
Of decadence from high ideals. The
reverse is a standing figure, facing and
pointing to the left.
The other additions to the collection
include these:
An American quarter of 1928: price,
S25. 1t was obtained from a lady
amateur in Kansas, who accepted $50
for it. 1t is a coin very difficult to OBJ
public museum. It's value is low be-
cause it is so much worn; were it
perfect it would be worth 5000.
A half-eagle of 1898; price $50.
A half-eagle of 1895; price, $50. The
1895 half-eagie is of two varieties, one
having a small eagle on the reverse,
the other a heraldic eagle. The latter
is the rarer, and the mint's acquisi-
ton is of this class.
An eagle Of 1877, having four stars
on the front of the face; price $3.50.