Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-01-02
MIR. Wilson's scarfpin.

usual knowledge you would probably !
not pay much attention TO the pale
gold coin which Postmaster-General
Wilson frequently wears as pin on
the scarf which covers most Of his shnt
front. But if you are an expert and
enthusiast on the subject of rare and
antique coins, your eyes will sparkle
with pleasure at the sight of that scarf
pin and possibly your fingers will tin
gle with vague kleptomaniac impulse
to grab it and run, says the Pittsburg
Post. For the expert will recognize
in the pale gold disc an example of the
most perfect and most beautiful coins
ever struck at any mint.
And ifyou are allowed the privilege
of close inspection, you will discover
that this particular specimen has had
preserved in every detail the exquisite
beauty of design and finish impaired
to it by classic artists and artifcers,
whose brains and hands crumbled to
dust so long ago that it makes one feel
in dream just to think about it. For
that coin of the delicate yellow of the
cactus bloom, perfect as when it was
tossed from the stampers hand, was
minted while the matchless eloquence
of Demosthenes still ravished the ears
of the Athenians and fired their pulses,
and bears the efigy Of him against
whom the Attic orator hurled his ferc-
est tinvective-Philip Of Macedon, faith
er Of Alexander the Great.
The coin is a gold slater of Philip,
noted among numismatists as one of
the most perfect and beautiful exam
pies of the coiners art the world has
known. In the twenty-five centuries
that have elapsed since it was struck
by command of the founder of the Mac
edonian empire no coinage has exceed
ed or even equaled in fneness of de-
sign and execution that of Philip,
strange as this may seem to those who
regard the modern world as so vastly
superior in almost every way to the
ancient The gold which Philip and
most of the Greek states used in their
coinage was known as electrum, con-
sisting of about one-6fth part of silver,
which impaired to 1t the exquisite
shade of yellow which is one of its
chief charms to the eye. The profile
head of Philip on the gold slater,
crowned with its delicate laurel wreath,
is as clear in outline as if cut in cameo,
while the chariot and steeds on the re-
verse are charming examples of classic
art in design and workmanship.
The intrinsic value Of the gold in
the coin is about six dollars, but the
value of piece of such vast antiquity,
so perfectly preserved, u the antigua
rian and the coin collector it would be
difficult to estimate. Another point
about this Macedonian coin which
greatly increases its value in the eyes
of the antiquarian is the fact that Philip
was the first king who had the arro-
gance to put his own efigy on money.
Previously, so far as known, the coins
of the Greeks and the Orientals had
borne the effigies of their gods or myth
illogical heroes, or rather religious de-
vices and symbols. But Philip IN
Greece, as Cesar in Rome, thrust the
gods aside and stamped his own proud
and conquering head upon his coins.
But while the contemporary enemies OF
both Philip and Caesar included this
among their counts in the indictment
for boundless ambition and impiety
brought against them, the Greek and
Roman population made it all right by
conveniently discovering that the two
conquerors were really not men at all,
bnt gods in their own right.
1t is probable that another coin SIM
liar to that which Postmaster-Geieral
Wilson wears as scarfpin does not
exist in this country outside Of mn-
scum. 1t was presented to him by a
friend, who picked it up at a sale in
Paris. Of its genuineness there was
no doubt, for when Mr.. Wilson was in
London last year be took it to the ex-
perts at the British Museum, who pro-
nounced it authentic and tried hard to
buy it, but nothing could induce Mr..
Wilson to part with it, not alone be-
cause it was presented to him by a
very dear friend, but because, like most
classical scholars, he has deep love
for "the glory that was Greece" and
this rare bit OF minted gold carries him