name, and it is true that many Consular coins do bear evidence, in their types, of having been struck in Asia and Africa. This would account for the immense variety of types and names. The great similarity between them and those struck at Rome could be explained by supposing that the officer took with him Roman artisans, especially engravers. The money thus coined was probably used for the payment of the troops, and as it agrees nearly with the drachm in value, it doubtless passed for the same.

I see plainly that my remarks have thrown but little light upon the query so often propounded to me, "How can I get at the date of a Consular or Family coin?" Some can be dated pretty nearly, many not within a century or two. I have both Ursinus and Patin, who have written large volumes upon the subject of Familiae Romanae, and can always trace up the authority under which each Consular Denarius is issued, but when it comes to the chronology - that is another matter.

La Grange, Ky.

R. M.

THE PROPOSED NEW COINAGE.

We have already mentioned in the Journal, the proposed new coinage of a Stella," or Four-dollar gold piece. The obverse has a head of Liberty surrounded by the letters and figures 6 G 3 S 7 C 7 GRAMS, with a star between each character. The reverse has a five-pointed star (stella) with the inscription incused ONE STELLA,--400 CENTS. Around the star is the legend

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. E. PLURIBUS UNUM -
DOL.

- DEO

EST GLORIA

FOUR

The Metric Goloid Dollar has on the obverse the head of Liberty; above is E. PLURIBUS UNUM with seven stars on the left and six on the right. Below is the date 1879. Reverse, within a circle of thirty-eight stars 15. 3—G 236.7—S. 28-C 14 GRAMS. Around is the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-GOLOID METRIC DOLLAR-DEO EST GLORIA-100 CENTS. The size is that of a Half Dollar, while the "goloid" shows nothing of the gold it contains, and it is generally understood that its use by the United States Government would be far more profitable to the inventor, a Mr. Hubbell, than to the public. We trust that this will never be sanctioned by Congress.

The Silver Metric Dollar has on the obverse a head of Liberty, which is similar to if not identical with that by Mr. Barber for the Standard Dollar, and which has generally been considered far superior to that made by Mr. Morgan. The reverse has 895.8-s. 4.2-G. 100-c. 25 GRAMS surrounded by a circle and a wreath of corn and other American products: above, DEO EST GLORIA. Legend, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ONE DOLLAR. The gold in the pieces is of such trivial value that we see no advantage in using it, and it certainly would have no power to make these pieces any more acceptable for general circulation than those which the Government is now storing up by the million at the dictation of the "Silver ring."

TRANSACTIONS OF SOCIETIES.

BOSTON NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.

March 5. A monthly meeting was held this day. The Secretary read the report of the last meeting, which was accepted, and announced a donation of a pamphlet from Mr. Isaac F. Wood, of New York. Mr. Woodward showed an engraved silver piece of the Pilot's Charitable Society, and a Centennial Washington medal from California. The Secretary showed duplicates of 1064, 1102, 1440, 2566, and 2803 on the catalogue of Mr. Woodward's next sale, where each of them is supposed to be of great rarity. The Society adjourned soon after 5 P. M.

April 2. A monthly meeting was held this day. The Secretary read the report of the last meeting, which was accepted. The resignation of Mr. Burr was received and accepted. Mr. Thomas Warner, of Cohocton, N. Y., was elected a Corresponding Member. Mr. Woodward showed several silver and copper coins, among which was a handsome cent of 1805. The Society adjourned at 5 P. M.

May 7. A monthly meeting was held this day. The Secretary read the report of the last meeting, which was accepted, and a letter from Mr. Thos. Warner, accepting Corresponding Membership; also, a card from Mr. Isaac F. Wood, of New York, requesting use of the Society's die of Channing, which was referred to Mr. Holland and the Secretary, with full powers. The President announced a donation of two pamphlets. from the American Philosophical Society. Mr. Marvin showed three medals, one being of the Worcester Continentals, another of the Scranton City Guards' Armory Fair, and a third of the Tennessee Historical Society. Mr. Crosby showed impressions in silver and bronze of the Member's Medal of the American Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of New York. The Society adjourned at 5.10P. M.

W. S. APPLETON, Sec'y.

AMERICAN NUMISMATIC AND ARCHÆOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK.

THE Annual Meeting was held in the Society's rooms, Lafayette Place, New York, Tuesday evening, March 16, at 8 o'clock, the President, Dr. Chas. E. Anthon, presiding. The Secretary read the proceedings of the last regular meeting, after which the annual reports of the officers and standing committees were presented.

The Executive Committee recommended a change in the By-Laws, in regard to the membership medal, and a resolution complimenting Mr. Isaac F. Wood, the late efficient Librarian, for his eminent services to the Society; Messrs. Charles F. Frothingham, of New York, and George Merryweather, of Yonkers, were elected Resident members; Mr. Barnet Phillips was chosen Corresponding member for two years, and Mr. G. F. Ulex, of Hamburg, Germany, a permanent Corresponding member. Acceptances of election were received from several gentlemen. The Treasurer presented his report, showing a favorable condition of the Society's financial condition, and of its various funds. Reports were also presented by the Librarian, and acting Curator, Mr. R. H. Lawrence, mentioning several recent donations to the Society's Library and Cabinet, after which the President made his annual address. The following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year:- Charles E. Anthon, President; Daniel Parish, Jr., Robert Hewitt, Jr., and Andrew C. Zabriskie, Vice-Presidents; William Poillon, Secretary; Benjamin Betts, Treasurer; Richard H. Lawrence, Librarian; and Charles H. Wright, Curator. Exhibitions of several medals from dies by C. C. Wright, Wright & Bale, Bale, and Bale & Smith, were made by the President; and Mr. Lawrence, on behalf of Mr. Isaac F. Wood, exhibited the reverse die of his new Washington Masonic Initiation Medal, with a description of the contemplated die of the obverse, soon to be issued. It was voted to have 250 copies of the Annual Proceedings, with the various papers and reports presented, and a list of officers and members, printed for the Society. After the transaction of some other business, the Society adjourned. WILLIAM POILLON, Sec'y.

The above is an abstract of the proceedings.

NEW LUTHER COMMEMORATION MEDAL.

THE Ministerium of Pennsylvania, by resolution adopted at their One Hundred and Thirty-third Annual Meeting in June, 1880, have prepared a suitable Medal in commemoration of the delivery of the Lutheran Confession of Faith to the Emperor Charles V., at Augsburg, June 25, 1530, and of publication of the Book of Concord, June 25, 1580, two events fraught with the blessings of religious liberty as embodied in the principles of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Medal is size 24, struck in silver, gold plate, real bronze, copper bronzed, and white metal. The dies were prepared by W. H. Key, of the U. S. Mint. Obverse, portrait bust of Martin Luther after a design by Loos of the Berlin Mint. Legend, NOMEN DOMINI TURRIS FORTISSIMA. Date in exergue, that of the Reformation, 1517. Reverse, Luther's device for his signet; an open rose with heart and cross in its centre in the field; above, the words ECCLESIA LUTHERANA IN AMERICA; below, the words GAUDIENS JUNE 1880. Legend, beneath the upper edge, CONFESSIO AUGUSTANA, JUNE 25, 1530. That above the lower edge, CONCORDIA JUNE 25 1580. We understand that impressions have been placed with Mr. S. K. Harzfeld, No. 1713 Park Avenue, Philadelphia, for sale to collectors.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

NUMISMATIC MEDAL.

THE Numismatic Society of Vienna recently struck a medal in honor of their tenth anniversary. The obverse bears a bust to left of Jos. H. Eckhel, with his autograph in German script in front of the breast, and below the arm A. SCH. (for Scharff the diecutter.) Reverse, Inscription in eleven lines, soCIETAS | NVMISMATICA | VINDOBONENSIS VOTIS | DECENNALIBVS | SOLVTIS | MDCCCLXXX, below which is an owl seated between two sprigs of olive, and under it, curving to conform to the lower edge, AES. PRAEBVERVNT. NVMMI. ANTIQVI. CONFLATI. Around is a circle of "pearls." The latter and the letters are not made as is usual by punches, but are cut "free-hand."

GOLD COINS AS JEWELRY.

How little some people-called "cultivated "—seem to appreciate the true value of ancient coins is shown in the item lately printed in many newspapers, describing a necklace said to be "magnificent," and to belong to a Canadian lady. It is composed of ancient gold coins, "engraved on one side with some motto or monogram of the owner." This, of course, renders them comparatively worthless for study, and when fortune or misfortune shall remove them from the hands of their present owner who must value them more for their monograms and mottoes than for anything else, artistic or antiquarian, which may distinguish them-they will probably go to the melting pot. They were sent her by friends as mementoes of places visited. Two of the pieces are said to be" valued at $500 each, being of the limited number issued by the Christian Crusaders when they had their headquarters at Cyprus." These coins were dug up and sent to the lady by Sir Garnet Wolseley, from Cyprus, so it is said; but the fair recipient seems. to have had as true an idea of their actual value as the Egytian Ghawizi who delight to bedeck themselves with strings of coins, which may be modern as Leadville, or ancient as Memphis, if they will but glitter and jingle. These also were to have been mottoed and monogramed, but the vandalism of this startled the jeweler as if it were sacrilege, and he "persuaded her to keep these two coins in their original state." A gentlemen in

Syria once saw the goldsmiths there making bracelets of gold coins of Alexander and Philip for the Pashas; such acts of barbaric stupidity might be expected of Turks and infidels, but that no more reverence for art, for beauty, for antiquity, should be found in a Christian breast, betokens a condition of ignorance so dense as to deserve the most pitiful compassion.

SULPHUR CASTS.

A CORRESPONDENT requests us to send him a rule for making sulphur casts of coins and medals. We shall be glad to hear from any of our friends who can send us directions for making such casts successfully.

FORGERIES.

In the London Times it was recently stated in a leading article that " Birmingham will undertake to reproduce the fac-simile of every coin with all the notes of antiquity upon it."

In reply to this remark Mr. Reginald Stuart Poole, of the British Museum, writes to the Antiquary as follows:

This statement requires qualification, the Birmingham forgeries being peculiarly clumsy. As to modern fabrications of coins and medals in general, I would state that there are criteria in the case of forgeries struck from dies and cast from moulds, which very rarely fail. The keepers of national coin cabinets, the principal coin dealers, and the most experienced amateurs are so rarely deceived that the proportion of false coins acquired by them unwittingly is practically so small as to afford no appreciable proportion in the number or value of their purchases.

COIN SALES.

We give below some notes on recent Coin Sales, which show by their number that there is apparently no falling off, either of zeal on the part of dealers or of interest on that of purchasers. With the opening of the Fall we shall have one sale at least, which promises to be very interesting, -- that of Mr. Ferguson Haines's Collection, - duplicates from which have several times been offered the last year. The proposed Sale will contain no duplicates, and many rare American and Colonial pieces. Others of interest we hear are in preparation.

SCOTT & CO'S THIRTY-FIRST SALE.

THIS sale took place in New York, on the evening of April 12 last, at the rooms of Messrs. G. A. Leavitt & Co. The Catalogue, 24 pages, contained 580 lots, and included a series of coins of old German cities, Medals, United States Coins, and a number of Autographs-being principally from the collection of Mr. C. Grunewald, of New York. We quote a few prices obtained as follows:

Half Dollar, 1802, good for date, $5.10; another, N. O. Mint, brought the same price. Dime of 1802, 3; Crown of Wladislas IV. Poland, v. g. and r. 5; Groat of Henry V. of England, (1422) billon, 5.25; Washington Evacuation Medal in bronze, 1.50; Medal of Jenner, by Loos, 4.55. Nothing else in the sale reached 5.00, and the prices generally we should think were rather discouraging.

WOODWARD'S TWENTY-EIGHTH SALE.

MESSRS. BANGS & Co. sold at their rooms in New York, on the 6th and 7th of May, last, the collection of the late Gideon N. Searing, formerly of Hempstead, L. I. catalogued by Dr. W. E. Woodward. There were 54 pages, and 1449 lots, containing the usual variety of Coins, Medals, &c., American and foreign, with fractional currency, stone implements, pottery, and a large number of coin catalogues, mostly priced.

A Half Dollar of 1794 brought $11; Half Cent of 1795, thick planchet, lettered edge, v. f. 4.20; Pine tree Shilling, 1652, 4.60; Spanish Dollar of 1699, Charles II. uncir. struck in Mexico, 5.25; Peace Medal

9;

of Jefferson, bronze, silver-plated, probably unique, from the Emery sale, curious Tribute money from Swedish mines, 7 inches square, copper, weight 3 lb. 6 oz., sold for 19; Flying eagle Dollar of '36, worn, 5.75; Fillet head Dollar of '95, v. f. the same; '98, fifteen stars, small eagle, 7.50; '36, splendid proof, 10; Half Dollars, 1801, 11.50; 1802, 8.50; 1815, 11; Dimes, 1801, 5.15; 1802, fine for date, 10; 1805, 6.50; Half Dimes, 1796, v. g. 15; '97, sixteen stars, fair, 6; a '99 Cent, not guaranteed, and said by one dealer to be a counterfeit, 15;-1804, perfect die, guaranteed, 19.50; another not guaranteed, 5.12; 1805, uncir. 15,25; Proof sets, 1857, six pieces, 25; 1858, seven do. 45. A curious piece, XII pence, 1665, rev. Col + M☀ ÑE. star or sun in centre, size and weight of a shilling, brought 11; this piece we consider of doubtful character, and probably of same class as the Novum Belgium," which was rediscovered recently, though probably not issued from the Betts mint.

WOODWARD'S TWENTY-NINTH SALE.

66

This was not a coin sale, but, as it was numbered consecutively with Mr. Woodward's coin catalogues we mention it. It comprised a large and interesting collection of Bric-a-Brac, curiosities, boxes, &c., ancient armor, mound-builders' pottery, porcelain, seals, et cetera. Messrs. Bangs & Co., of New York, were the auctioneers; it followed the thirtieth in order of time, for reasons explained on a previous page.

CHAPMAN'S SALE.

MESSRS. S. H. & H. CHAPMAN sold at the rooms of Messrs. Bangs & Co. New York, May 28, last, some duplicate pieces from Mr. Ferguson Haines's collection; the catalogue contained 26 pages and 638 lots; the attention of buyers was particularly called to some very desirable pieces, viz. Pattern Crown of George III. of England, by Mills, which brought $5.25; a fine Oak tree Shilling, in uncirculated condition, which realized 9.25; Continental currency piece of 1783, of which it is said only four are known; one in the Clay Sale Dec. 1871 brought 38.00, but this was said to be a finer impression; it brought only 12, which was very low for the piece. Another interesting piece was a New Jersey Cent, horse head to left-a very rare variety, and extremely fine, which sold for 7.25. A Sovereign of Charles I., 7.50; Shilling of Cromwell, 1658, pierced, 4; Chain Cent of 1793 without periods, 5.05; 1806 Cent, fine for date, 7.75. Other prices were well sustained.

BANGS & CO'S SALE.

Saturday afternoon, June 5, Messrs. Bangs & Co. sold, at their rooms in New York, a collection of United States Silver and Copper coins, with some early issues in fine preservation, rare pattern pieces, Canadian pieces, etc., the usual variety of medals, and some foreign coins, which included among the East India pieces, six rare Zodiac Rupees. The Catalogue, 30 pages, contained 655 lots, and was prepared by Mr. E. Frossard. A Dime of 1804, date plain, face and stars on left rubbed; rev., fourteen stars," catalogued as costing $10.50, sold for $8 50; Half Dime of 1795, perfect die, uncirc., 5.10; Proof set, 7 pieces, 1858, in perfect condition, and v. r.. 37.25; Patterns, 1869, Half Dollars, Quarters, and Dimes, 9 pieces, Barber's designs, three different heads of Liberty, etc., 9.50; set of 6 pattern Trade Dollars, 1873, different obv. and rev.'s, 23.50; Proof set, 1877, with Trade Dollar and Twenty-cent piece, 8,50; similar one for 1878, 9 pieces, 8; Cents, '95, thin planchet, wreath, uncir., 7.50; Flying eagle of 1856, pr. 4; Zodiac Rupees, struck by Tippoo Sultan, 1616–1624, sign of Aries, 2.20; Libra, 3.37; the others brought from 75 to 1.50; these rare pieces went at a very low price. Sierra Leone Dollar, 1791, uncir. 5.50; a copy of Vaillant's Numismata Aerea Imperatorum, etc., large folio, and bound in vellum, and profusely illustrated with 41 plates of Roman 1st bronze coins, all in very good order, brought only 4.25. As a whole, the average prices were rather low.

WOODWARD'S THIRTIETH SALE.

Messrs. Bangs & Co. sold on June 14-16, the entire collection of early American and Colonial Coins of W. T. Curtis, Esq., of Portland, with several other consignments to Dr. W. E. Woodward, who prepared the Catalogue, 70 pages and 2005 lots. There were included in this sale a large variety of early State and Colonial issues, all, or nearly all, classified and arranged by the former owner, with_references to Crosby's descriptions and Levick's plate, in the Journal for April, 1869. The 1794 Cents were arranged by Dr. Maris's work, on the varieties of copper coins of that year. The completeness of the references brought fair prices for these coins, but none of sufficient amount to need special mention. Some Oak and Pine Tree Shillings, of varieties marked by Crosby R3 to R6, sold at prices ranging from 3.50 to 7.50. Cents, '93, flowing hair, edge bars and vine, 7; 99, v. g., guaranteed, 9.25. Dollars, 98, small eagle, thirteen stars, 6.25; do. fifteen stars, 7.50; '36, flying eagle, pierced and circ., but g., 5; '39, slightly cir., 20; '54, v. g., 6.70. Half Dollars, '96, fifteen stars, 51.05; 1802, v. g., 6.50; 1815, fair, 5.25; 38, Liberty to left, flying eagle, 5.50; '52, New Orleans mint, 4.10. Dime, 1802, 5.10. Proof sets, '77, eight pieces. 9; 1878, (both dollars and twenty-cent piece,) 9.10; '79, eight pieces, 5.10: Pine Tree Shilling, dented, (from Searing collection,) 5; Martha Washington Half Disme, 4.40. Öf Medals, a fine bronze of Napoleon, rev., Prometheus chained, in proof condition, size 49, sold for 4; Washington, Eccleston medal, bronze, proof, size 48, 4; '92 Washington Half Dollar, in silver, pierced, 21.05; Sears family Medal, perhaps suppressed, bronze, size 26, 4. The Fractional Currency brought good prices; a 15 cent, twelfth series, broad margin, green back, auto. sigs., 5.10; another of same, red back, 5.01; same, narrow margin, 3.40. A large number of coin catalogues were included in the sale, and one, Woodward's tenth semi-annual, the Mickley coll., 1867, brought, half bound, 3.00; as a whole, the sale was quite successful.