Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-03
OLD COIN FOUND IN A ROCK.
1t Bears Date 1243, and . CuFioui
.. Story IL Told of 1t.
FINN no pnhFaIo Exnreaa

1t Bears Date 124S, and . Curious
d. Story IL Told Of 1t.
From the Buffalo Express.
A remarkable coin has been brought to
light in a remarkable manner. 1t was taken
from a resting place where 1t must have
been lodged for centuries. 1t bears on its
face the proofs of Its antiquity. The find
is an extraordinary one. The story Of the
discovery, as told by the owner Of the coin,
ia also extraordinary.
James B. Wooster. whose place OF busi-
ness is at 17S Seneca street. has just re-
turned from a visit tc relatives in Scio.
Harrison county, Ohio. 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.
piece was wedged in the harrow, and was
removed with considerable difficulty.
laborer noticed a bright object incrusted In
the rock. He picked up the stone. and
with his knife pried out what proved to
polishing the surface with his handker-
chief. he saw the piece was foreign. and
put 1t in his pocket.
Upon returning to the house the man
cousin. They examined 1t carefully, and
easily made out the date and kings name
| in whose reign 1t had been coined. The
piece Is silver and about one-sixteenth of
| an inch less in diameter than a dime. 1t
| is also a little thinner. On the front of
| the coin Is head in relief, and underneath
| is the date 1913. Surrounding the head IN
| Roman letters are the words "Ferdin VIZ
and "Dei Gratia." The date side Of the coin
| is far better preserved than the other side.
| The date can be seen indistinctly with the
naked eye. but with magnifying glass
| the number stands forth clearly, with no
| chance for a mistake.
| The reverse side Of the coin bears In the
| center q shield divided into four parts.
: ,ytef1
| tanning an upright lion, and the other two
| a figure that resembles most a Roman Tyre.
| Above the shield is a crown, and on the
| sides two columns with a snake entwining.
| There is evidence of lettering around these
| symbols, but with the most powerful mag
| nifying glass that could be obtained only
| four letters. which apparently completed
| the end of a 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 indentations 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 a potcntate as Ferdin
| VII. but no such name could be found.
There Is a Ferdinand VII of Spain. who
| was born in 1874, but the date on the coin
| and the fact that 1t was securely imbedded
| in rock would put aside the theory that
| the name might have been abbreviated. Ii
| takes rock at least two centuries to har-
den. ard consequently tie coin must have
beer dropped in the sand, which ultimately
turned to stone, long before Ferdinand VII,
King Of Spain. was issuing money. The
| ocat-of-arms on the coin does not CORE
spond with Spanish arms. moreover. al
though the pillars and serpent are similar
| to the representations of the pillars of
Hercules. Capes Gibraltar and Ceuta, found
on Spanish milled dollars and pieces of
eight But most conclusively of all. the
plain date on the coin and it's stony prison
stand as proof of its antiquity.
Some wandering explorer of the Column
bian age. or possibly even earlier, must
have been strolling over the country that
Is now Ohio with some loose change and a
hole in his pocket. The fair condition of
the piece would signify that 1t had not
been in circulation long. and hence comes
/ the deduction that at least as early tn,
| beginning Of the fourteenth century the
United States visited by a more OF
less civilized being, of whose visit history
has no record.
l. Mr.. Wooster is looking for expert in
antique coins to ascertain the identity OF
this Interesting relic and It's value. Three
men were present when the coin was found
and are ready to make affidavits to the
manner OF its discovery.