The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-05-07
Discovery Of Old COINS
VALUABLE COLLECTION FOUND
IN SCOTLAND.
\ Burrowing Mole First Brought
Them to Light-Most of Them are
Pennies and Half Pennies.

The finding of early coins in the
wood on the farm of Fallhills, Peni-
cui<. is regarded as an event of first
rate Importance. and active measures
are being taken for the conversation
of the collection, says the London
Scotsman. The coins were first
brought to light by the action of a
mole, the person who found them hav-
ing observed something glittering at
the side of a mole hill. STOPPING down
he found it to be a coin, and with lit
tie trouble he unearthed a number,
approximately estimated at ninety.
On Saturday forenoon a gentleman,
with two assistants, drove to the lit
tie wood, and with implements pro-
ceeded to dig about the spot where
the coins were first found. At depth
of nine inches, a number, lying in a
systematic order, were found. The
coins, which numbered 27O, were in
rouleauX-the regularity of the rolls
indicating that the coins had been
placed in the earth with a decree of
deliberation which would hardly be
compatible with hurried binding after
battle. An examination of about
200 of the coins by experts reveals
greater number consist of silver pen
MES and half pennies of the reign of
Edward | G272-130O, these pennies
being the largest silver coins minted
until 1852, when Edward III issued
greats. AS Edward | established thir-
ty furnaces in London, and one or
more in several of the great English
burgs, attention was naturally devot-
ed to the mintage stamp. The great
er number bear the London impress;
/ Canterbury makes a good second;
while of English burgs, Bristol, New
castle and Dureme Durham) also oc-
cur. \ proportion bear the stamp of
the Dublin mint-head in triangle
with the inscription "Cavitas Dubli-
ME- 1t was long believed that the
capital was the only place at which
| Edward | set up a mint in Ireland,
! but further research showed that Wa
| terford and Cork also possessed them,
and, curiously, one in the Penicuik
collection has been minted at the for
mer place. Three or four of the coins
may be regarded as of foreign eNtrac-
| ton, although in reality they are
! Scottish coins. Two of them are of
/ Alexander III G249-1292), bearing the
legend, alexander Del Ora: Rex. SEQ
torum;" whilst a third is of the reign
of Robert the Bruce (1306-1329). Incl
dentally. it may be mentioned that a
farthing of this reign at a numisma-
tic sale brought $40.
The plantation on which they were
found is little more than a bow shot
from the pot which tradition has fix
ed as the site of the religious abode
of Mount Lothian, owned by the Ciste-
ricians during the twelfth and sue
ceeding centuries, and it is difficult
to resist the conclusion that the ro-
leauN of silver coins We're hidden in
the earth by the Cistercian brethren
under circumstances of impending
danger. The field surrounding the
religious abode has not been plowed
for a period of thirty years, but, in
view of the interest awakened in the
locality, it is proposed to turn it up
this season. An earnest of what NAV
follow these efforts is shown i'm the
form of valuable gold coin which
was turned up by the pillow in another
field of the same farm. 1t is a demi.
noble of the reign of James | of Scot
land Q4O6-l43O, and is in splendid
condition. specimen of this coin
is in the British museum. but so fan
as can yet be ascertained there is nc
example of it in any museum in the
Scottish capital