The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1896-08-13
ANTEDATES COLUMBUS.
OLD COIN FOUND IN A ROCK.
It Bears Date 1913, and a Curious
Story is Told Of It.

A remarkable coin has been brought
to light in remarkable manner. II
was taken from resting place, where
it must have been lodged for centuries.
1t bears on its face the proofs of its an
nuity. The find is an extraordinary
one. The story of the discovery, as told
by the owner of the coin, is also extra
ordinary.
James B. Wooster, whose place OF
business is at 178 Seneca street, has
lust returned from visit to relatives
in Sclo, Harrison county, O., bringing
the coin with him. Recently, when
some laborers were narrowing field
near the town of Scio, their implement
struck large stone, the force of the
blow splitting the rock. A piece was
wedged in the harrow, and was remov-
ed with considerable difficulty, A la
borer noticed bright object incrusted
in the rock. He picked up the stone,
and with his knife picked out what
proved to be a silver coin. Scraping
off the dirt and polishing the surface
with his handkerchief, he saw the piece
was foreign, and put it in his pocket.
Upon returning to the house the
man showed the coin to Mr.. Wooster
and his cousin. They examined it
carefully, and easily made out the date
and the Kings name in whose reign it
had been coined. The piece is silver
and about one sixteenth of an inch less
in diameter than a dime. It is also
little thinner On the front of the coin
is head in relief, and underneath is
the date 1918. Surrounding the head
in Roman letters are the words Ger
din VII" and Del Gratla." The date
side of the coin is by far better preserv-
ed than the other side. The date can
be seen indistlnctlv with the naked
eye, but with a magnifying-glass the
stands forth clearly, with no
chance for a mistake.
The reverse side of the coin bears in
the centre shield divided into four
parts, each one of the two opposite d.
visions containing an upright lion, and
the other two figure that resembles
most Roman Tyre. Above the shield
is a crown, and on the sides two col
umns with snake entwlning. There
is evidence of lettering around these
symbols, but with the most powerful
glass that could be obtain
ed only four letters, which apparently
completed the end OF word, could be
deciphered. These are "span." This
side of the coin is worn quite smooth.
The edge of the piece is unmilled and
without indentatlons of any kind.
There are three black MARKS on the
coin which resemble rust spots eaten
into the surface.
A careful search was made in ancient
histories for such potentate as Ferdin
VII, but no such name could be found
There is Ferdinand VII, of Spain,
who was born in 1854, but the date on
the coin and the fact that it was secure
1y imbedded in rock would put aside
the theory that the name might have
been abbreviated. It takes rock at
least two centuries to harden, and con-
seouently the coin must have been
dropped in the sand, which ultimately
turned to stone, long before Ferdinand
VII, King of Spain, was Issuing mon
ey. The coat-of-arms on the coin does
not correspond with Spanish arms,
moreover, although the pillar and ser
pent are similar to the representations
OF the Pillars of Hercules, Capes Gil
braltar, and Centa, found on Spanish
milled dollars and pieces of eight. But
most conclusively of all, the plain date
on the coin and its stony prison stand
as proof OF its antiquity.
Some wandering explorer of the Co
lumbar age, Or possibly even earlier,
must have been strolling over the
country that is now Ohio with some
loose change and hole in his pocket.
The fair condition of the piece would
signify that it had not been i'll clrcula-
ton long, and hence comes the deduc-
ton that at least as early as the begin
ming of the fourteenth century the
United States was visited by more or
less civilized being, of whose visit his
tory has no record.
Mr.. Wooster is looking tor an expert
in antique coins to ascertain the iden-
tity of this interesting relic and its
value. Three men were present when
the coin was found, and are ready to
make affidayits to the manner of its
discovery.
Hot Weather Hints.