The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-16

II 1" ASTONISHING now inc study OF
numismatics may be made to read the his
tory OF country" said Farran Zerbe
vice-prcsIdent of tho American Numis-
matte society. who is a guest at the
Knutsford Il have Just como from the
Mormon Historical society building, and
II nothing but their collection OF coins c1-
listed we could read their history IN
them"
Back From Frisco.
II have just como from San Francisco
where | hurried 10 see what could be
saved to history from the wreck OF the
almost priceless numiSmnuc collection
They had completed beautiful and very
After Mormon Money.
MY residence Is In ST Louis. and in
the interests OF our society have trav
eled much. | am here TO look over Utah
and SEQ what the Mormon church has In
the way Of coins. The Mormon officials
coined theic own money beginning in
1870 and continuing TIL 1853. and the coins
bear the date and name OF the president.
so that a student. thousand years from
now could form a fairly full history of
general incidents from a collection of
these coins
History From Coins.
Now in the case of California, sec how
fully we could write her history from her
coins" saying which he opened roll of
octaGonal shape and three $50 slugs OF the
circular form. "rhese octagonal coins
were made In San Francisco from 1851 TO
1852 and the circular ones from 1852 to
1856 You can see from the dates and in
scriptlons that no State Government eN-
listed. and that-when we take In consider
alton the coinage of the United States at
the Same pcriod-strange and eXtraordl-
nary need existed for their coinage.
So in All Collections.
ut is just so In all collections we have
We can furnish a fairly complete history
OF any Government whose coinage we
possess.
''Thc American Numlsmatlo society COW
ers the whole country. and It's officers are
scattered oil over the States a. r. Frey
of Brooklyn is our president, and his
daily vocation is to value imports OF Tor
eign coins for the Government So eN-
pert has he become at this work that he
can tell the true rate OF exchange for
any number OF any foreign coins. 1t
would interest the layman to watch Mr..
Frey as he counts over all sorts OF coin
and gives them their true value.
Depends Upon Dates.
Most coin of foreign countries varies
In its yaluo according to It's date. having
graded degrees of fncness. hence It ls
Important that a student OF numismatics
should be on hand to give correct Valua-
ton,
foreign coin department OF the st. Louis
fair. and there had a good opportunity
to see how extensive and far-reaching
arc the facts to be CLEANED from a study
of them.
Interesting Study.
1.-The study OF numIsmatics is not ap-
preclatcd by the people at large, but l
look TO sec the day when II will be taken
up as a factor in education, and find its
place in the curriculi Of all grades of
schools, just as economies does now. Tho
study Is, In fact. branch of true arch
aeology and In time Will be an elective
study in the higher schools.
Exhibits Curiosity.
Hero Is a curiosity" said he bringing
out an odd looking gold watch and chain.
This watch was made wholly by hand
work more than 200 years ago. for the
British Government to be presented to
Admiral Jcrvis OF the British navy. See
how fully l could trace goldsmithing by
a study of it's workmanship. This chain
was the property OF a 'forty-nlner,' who
dug the nuggets himself, and had them
fashioned for his brother" The watch
and chain cannot be purchased.
"I go TO Denver TO Inspect a collection
in the new mint there, and then on to
Philadelphia. where the largest and most
valuable collection of coins in America
is kept at the mint"
Better 20 TO Christensen &c Arson Co.'S
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