CURIOUS DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT COINS.

IN the Mardorf Forest, a picturesque district of Upper Hesse, a considerable number of ancient golden coins has recently been discovered. These valuable relics of antiquity appear to belong to a prehistoric age. They resemble thick buttons, concave on one side and convex on the other, and bear no date, effigy or inscription, but are rudely ornamented with bars and curves, roughly executed. Their intrinsic value is about equal to that of the British sovereign or German double-crown. The manner of their discovery, as narrated in the Neu Preussische Zeitung, was singularly quaint. On the 18th ult. the Mardorf swineherd was feeding his pigs in the woods on the so-called "Goldberg," near Amöneburg. The weather was still very cold, and his wife, who brought him his dinner wrapped up in a cloth, finding the wind blowing severely while she was waiting for him to finish his meal, reproached him for choosing so exposed a spot whereupon to pasture the herd. He replied, jestingly, "Who knows? As I am on the Gold Mountain perhaps I shall find a treasure!" and, as he spoke, his eye was attracted to a mole-cast just then being thrown up by an industrious four-footed sapper. Glittering among the freshly-turned earth he espied a piece of gold, which he promptly picked up and exhibited in triumph to his astonished spouse. The news of his discovery spread rapidly through the neighborhood, and next day the Mardorf Forest folk flocked to the Goldberg, where they proceeded to dig with energy, their exertions being rewarded by the unearthing of more than one hundred well-preserved specimens of this ancient and hitherto unknown coinage.

..

A FIND" OF HALF DOLLARS.

A GENTLEMAN in Meriden, Conn., known as a persistent coin collector, has recently come in possession of a lot of half-dollars, from the first year of their coinage down to 1838. A large proportion of these half-dollars are uncirculated—that is, just as they came from the Mint press. There is a curious history connected with these coins. During the war, a man living in Georgia had saved from year to year a great number of half-dollars. He seemed to have obtained them direct from the Mint. Alarmed by rebel incursions, and equally afraid of a visit from Union soldiers, he made them up into several parcels, placed them in iron boxes, and buried the boxes in the ground. Some four years ago he died. Just previous to his death he revealed to his heirs where the money was buried, and they readily found part of the treasure, but it was only after a long search that the whole was discovered. There were originally several thousand of these half-dollars.

FIVE-FRANC PIECES OF THE COMMUNE.

AT the French Mint are now shown specimens of a coin which will be the blue ribbons of numismatists of the future. These are five-franc pieces struck during the reign of the Commune. At first sight they have all the appearance of coins of like value under the Empire; but there is a difference, and it thus occurred: When the Communists began to run short of cash, they wanted to coin some new-fashioned money, but were informed that no workman competent for the task could possibly be got, Consequently they were compelled to go on using Napoleon's dies. Camelinat, however, who was then Master of the Mint, bethought him of a slight innovation. On one side of the five-franc pieces of Napoleon are three emblems, one of which is a bee, representing the sign of the Director of the Mint. Camelinat replaced the bee by a trident. About 1,200,000 francs of these coins were struck, but had hardly been completed when the troops entered Paris, and nearly all of them were sent to be melted. Those pieces which escaped will be placed in cabinets beside the "lock of hair" issue, which the Emperor Napoleon III. suppressed.

TRANSACTIONS OF SOCIETIES.

BOSTON NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.

December 3. A monthly meeting was held this day. The Secretary read the report of the last meeting, which was accepted, and announced donations: from G. F. Ulex, of Hamburg, of a medal in three metals, celebrating the visit of American Turners to that city in 1880, and from the American Numismatic and Archæological Society, of a pamphlet with Proceedings at its Twenty Second Annual Meeting. The President announced a donation from Mr. J. N. T. Levick, of New York, of a medal on the Republican Presidential victory; for all of these the thanks of the Society were voted. Messrs. Green and Marvin were appointed a Committee to nominate, at the annual meeting, officers for the coming year, and Mr. Davenport was appointed Auditor of the Treasurer's accounts. The Society adjourned just before 5 P. M.

1881. Fanuary 7. The annual meeting was held this day. The Secretary read the report of the last meeting, which was accepted. Dr. Green, for the Committee to nominate officers for this year, reported the names of the former board for re-election ; this report was accepted and adopted. The Treasurer said that he had not yet been able to prepare his annual report, and promised it for the next meeting. Mons. H. Hoffman, of Paris, was elected a Corresponding Member. Mr. Marvin showed a fine silver medal of Lord Nelson, with reverse inscription NELSONIC CRIMSON OAKES 1808, and various emblems resembling Masonic. Mr. Woodward exhibited several pieces, including Rutter's rare store-card, and a Jefferson-head cent of 1795, which latter he offered for consideration whether an issue of U. S. Mint or counterfeit of the date. The Secretary showed coins of 20 lire and 5 lire of King Humbert of Italy, who is stated to have as yet issued no others. The Society adjourned at 5.10 P. M.

WM. S. APPLETON, Sec.

AMERICAN NUMISMATIC AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK.

A SPECIAL MEETING of the American Numismatic and Archæological Society was held on the evening of December 21, 1880, at No. 30 Lafayette Place, 'President Anthon presiding. Mr. Richard P. Lounsberry, of New York, was elected a Life Member, and Mr. Barclay V. Head, of London, an Honorary Member. The Vice President, Mr. Hewitt, presented the model of a medal prepared by Mr. G. L. Feuardent and Mr. Chas. Osborne, commemorative of the erection of the obelisk in New York.

The design is an obelisk, and at its base, on two shields, are the arms of New York and of the United States. In the centre of the medal there is a rising sun, emblematic not only of the worship of the Egyptians, but of the leading feature in the shield of New York. The motto

which surrounds it is, Discipulus est priori posterior dies, an iambic from Publius Syrus, to be freely translated, Let to-morrow profit by the lesson of yesterday." On the reverse is, 'Quarried at Syene, and erected at Heliopolis B. C. 1640. Removed to Alexandria and erected there B. C. 23. Removed to New York by Lieut. Com'd H. H. Gorringe, and erected there under his direction, A. D. 1880. R. B. Hayes, President." The Committee to arrange form and details of this medal are Messrs. Hurlbut, Stebbins, Sullivan, and Hewitt. The Society fully indorse the character of this highly artistic medal. It is understood that in order to commemorate this event, a certain number of these medals will be struck and distributed as prizes among the leading pupils at the public schools in the city.

Mr. Feuardent made some interesting remarks on the origin of obelisks. After reviewing what is known of their history, and pointing out that the motive for their invention was still a mystery, he proposed a comparison between the large and small obelisks and the sacred stones worshiped by the ancient Greeks. He combated the suggestions of those authors who held that these sacred stones were aerolites, because traces of man's handiwork could be found on them. Before archæology was understood, the belief was held that celts, such as were discovered by peasants in the ground after rain storms, were stones hurled from heaven, and these were called "thunder stones." It is evident, he thought, that the old Greeks and Egyptians, on finding such prehistoric stones, worshiped them, believing them to be of divine origin. Several celts of wedgelike form were exhibited. It was from these primitive forms, he thought, that obelisks were first shaped; they represented the prehistoric axes, only increased in grandeur and proportion.

The coins presented for examination by the Society were for the major part Egyptian. One was the double stater in gold of Ptolemy, another was a small gold coin of the successor of Alexander to the throne of Egypt, which was of great artistic beauty. The collection also contained a coin of Queen Arsinoe, widow of Lysimachus and of Ptolemy Ceraunus, sister of Ptolemy Philadelphus. One large gold piece, in splendid order, represented on the obverse the portrait of the Queen, with veil and diadem, and on the reverse a double horn of plenty. A silver coin was also of the period of Arsinoe, and was scarcer than the gold one. Both these coins showed the refining influence of Greek art. Notwithstanding the eventful life of the Queen, she must have retained during a long period her beauty. As remarkable as any piece in the Gorringe collection, was one of Ptolemy III. In wonderful preservation, and among the handsomest in the GræcoEgyptian collection, but the very rarest of them all, in gold, was the one of Berenice. On one side of the coin was a figure of the Queen veiled, sister and wife of Ptolemy Evergetes. This coin, which in weight would be worth about $20, has a probable value abroad which is more than a hundred fold its intrinsic worth. The bronze coins were equally remarkable, but there was one which perhaps was unique, struck at Alexandria, and commemorative of Queen Zenobia; the value of this coin, about as large as a nickel, was estimated to be about the same as for the gold coin of Berenice. One large bronze medal bore the bust of Ælius Cæsar, Hadrianus's favorite ; one small coin of Commodus was curious, from having on it a vessel sailing toward the Pharos, the lighthouse of those days.

A special vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Feuardent for his highly interesting paper, and to Commander Gorringe for his kindness in permitting us to inspect his very rare and interesting specimens. Prof. Anthon presented, in behalf of the Society, to Com. Gorringe, as a slight token of their appreciation and respect, a First Brass Coin of the Emperor Trajan, the reverse bearing a representation of Trajan's Forum with the obelisk set up in it by him. The Curator, Mr. Wright, reported three donations to the Cabinet from Messrs. I. F. Wood and W. Poillon.

Exhibitions being in order, Prof. Anthon exhibited a complete series of thirty-nine Medal Dollars of Louis I., King of Bavaria. When this king ascended the throne, he conceived the idea, in conjunction with his die cutter, (Voigt,) of illustrating the various important events of his reign. The obverse of all presents his portraits. The reverses are various; Monuments to the Bavarians who fell in Russia in 1812; Departure of his son Otho to assume the Crown of Greece; Building of the first Railroad in Germany; Erection of the Walhalla; Equestrian Statue of the Elector Maximilian; Statue of Albert Durer, etc. This collection probably cannot be matched in the United States; the owner has been fifteen years in its formation, which is just completed, having received the last piece from Europe during the past week. The pieces were almost all in proof condition, and were accompanied by a catalogue illustrated by electrotype fac-similes of remarkably fine execution. Adjourned.

WM. POILLON, Secretary.

NUMISMATIC AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA.

A meeting of the Society was held Feb. 3, President Price in the chair. Among the donations were various coins, etc., from Mr. A. E. Richards, of Florence, Italy, including a leaden Bulla of Pope Gregory XIII. in very fine condition. The Numismatic Society of Vienna presented, through Mr. Phillips, a medal commemorating the tenth anniversary of its foundation,* which is especially interesting, as the planchet is composed of ancient coins melted down, and bears an inscription to that effect. Dr. Maris presented a phototype plate of New Jersey Cents, illustrating his new monograph of that coin. It is a perfect work of art, exhibiting all the known varieties of obverses and reverses of the "Nova Caesarea."

A communication was presented from Mr. A. E. Richards, of Florence, Italy, giving an account of the recent sale of coins belonging to Cavaliere Rossi, and of the prices realized by the most important pieces. Mr. Hart, also, read for the author, the Rev. Horace Edwin Hayden, of Wilkesbarre, Pa., a paper on "The Soldiers' Medals issued by the State of West Virginia as Tokens of Respect" to those of her citizens

* See page 21 of this volume for a full description.

who served in the armies of the United States from 1861 to 1865. During the reading of this paper the medals described were severally exhibited to the Society, having been kindly sent by Mr. Hayden for that purpose. The Committee on Numismatics reported that the rules already in operation at the Mint for the distribution of coins, medals, etc., are proper and correct, and that it had to rely upon the integrity of the Superintendent of the Mint to have them enforced; that it recommended the "Annual Assay Medals" should be struck in bronze and sold regularly with the "Sub-National Medals." The Committee also recommended that proof impressions of the gold coinage should be disposed of in separate pieces as well as in the regular sets. A silver medal, issued by King George V. of Hanover, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the battle of Waterloo, was presented to the Society. Medals awarded at the Geneva Expositions of 1868 and 1870 were exhibited, and one of Arnold von Winkelried, the hero of liberty, issued upon the occasion of the Swiss rifle meeting in 1861, all cut by Bovy.

Mr. Westcott Bailey exhibited a silver idol from Peru, near Lake Titicaca, and read the following article in relation to it:- This silver idol, according to the limited amount of information derived from the possessor, was brought from Peru about two years ago by Dr. J. Brunet, of London, England. It appears that it came from the region in the neighborhood of Lake Titicaca, and was in use by the lower class of natives inhabiting that section of the country. It is stated that the women of that region who are troubled with barrenness, assemble once a year for the purpose of paying their devotions to this particular god, of which they are said to possess a number of idols. They place the object of their worship on some kind of a rude altar, and perform dances of various kinds in its presence; during the ceremonies considerable intoxicating liquor is indulged in. The mark on the cheek of this idol represents a quid of coca, such as the natives are in the habit of chewing. The idol was procured through the bribing of one of the natives to steal it during the progress of the drunken revelry.

NUMISMATIC AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY OF MONTREAL.

AT the Annual Meeting, December 21, 1880, the following gentlemen were elected as officers for the ensuing year:-President, Hon. P. J. O. Chauveau; Vice Presidents, Edward Murphy, Hon. Judge Baby; Treasurer, G. A. Holmes; Curator, William McLennan; Secretary, Fras. H. Reynolds; Editing Committee, Henry Mott, Thomas D. King, C. S. Baker, C. T. Hart.

COIN SALES.

We have some interesting Coin Sales to chronicle during the last quarter, but must condense our notices of them considerably for want of room.

THE MERCER COLLECTION.

MR. WOODWARD'S Thirty-Third Sale took place at Bangs & Co.'s New York City, Dec. 8, 9, 10, 1880; the collection of Mr. Robert W. Mercer, of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Catalogue of 69 pages, comprised 1704 lots. In addition to coins, the collection contained a large number of Coin Catalogues, an assortment of Fractional Currency, Union Envelopes, Minor Gems, etc. We quote a few of the prices as follows:- 1793, Cent, (flowing hair, 7, rev. 5,) $23; 1799, Cent, very fine, 25; 1804, Cent, broken die, dark steel color, very fine, 13.50; 1796, Half Cent, 14.25; 1858, Dollar, splendid proof, 35; 1796, Half Dollar, 15 stars, considerably circulated, still fine, 40; 1797, Half Dollar, not equal to the last, 32; 1878. Twenty Cent piece, splendid proof, 3.75; Set of unique Washington Medals in silver, of the Centennial Series, 8 pieces. 16.50; Store Card, Leighton's Premium Shirts, New Orleans, 5.10; Cents.1793, chain, 18.75; do. lettered edge, 15; 1795, thin planchet, uncir., 18.50; 1804, perfect die, 12; do. broken die, 10.50; Half Cent, 1793, uncir., 8.50; 1879, Stella or Goloid set, 18.25; Doubloon of Bolivia, 1834, 19.75. The collection was not equal in extent to most of those offered by Mr. Woodward, but it contained a fair number of fine and rare pieces, and the sale was entirely satisfactory.

THE BATES COLLECTION.

MESSRS. G. A. LEAVITT & Co., New York, sold on the evenings of December 15 and 16, a large collection of American and Foreign Coins, Medals, etc., formerly belonging to Mr. T. T. Bates, of Traverse City. The Catalogue, by Scott & Co., contained 36 pages and 1057 lots. Among the more

interesting pieces we note the following:-Dollar of 1794, v. r. and g. $39; '98, small eagle, 13 stars, 6.20; 1838, flying eagle, v. g. 28; '39, do. 27; '54, fine, 7.25; Washington Cent, 1791, large eagle, 4; Indian Medal of George III., silver, size 48, 23; New York Soldiers' Medal, 10; Confederate Cent, '61, 5.50; Die for Confederate Half Dollars, mutilated, 5; Shilling of Cromwell, 1658, 6; '93, Chain Cent, 7; '97, uncir., 7; '99 over '98, v. g. 10.10; do. perfect date, 10; 1804, broken die, 12; Half Cent, '40, br. pr. 9.50; Scotch Crown, James VI., 1582, 6.50; Half Dollar, 1794, 6; '97, v. g. 40; do. 1815, 5.25; '36, Gobrecht head, 7; Confederate Half, restrike, 5.10; Quarter of 1853, no arrows or rays, 9.12; Dime, 1802, 6.10; Crown of Gustavus Adolphus, 1617, 6.40; Double Crown, Maximilian I., 1509, plugged, 10; a copy of Lee's Roman Imperial Profiles, 158 plates, 11. The sale generally was a satisfactory one.

THE JENKS SALE.

MR. W. ELLIOT WOODWARD sold the Collection of Mr. Wm. J. Jenks, of Philadelphia, in New York, at the rooms of Messrs. Bangs & Co., January 10-13. The Catalogue, 114 pages, contained 2500 lots, of which upwards of one quarter were Ancient Coins. There were also many English pieces of early date, and the usual variety of Medals, Coins, etc., and a great many Coin Sale Catalogues.

Considerable criticism on Mr. Woodward's descriptions has been made, together with unfavorable comments, because some of the Ancient Coins proved to be counterfeit. We have no disposition to criticize Mr. Woodward's critics, or on the other hand to assail that gentleman's method of conducting his sales; these are matters which the Journal prefers to leave the parties most interested to settle among themselves. It is our part merely to chronicle the sale and mention the prices obtained; but as this sale has excited so much comment, we simply add that we think some of the severe things which have been written concerning Mr. Woodward have come from critics who overlooked the fact that he did not guarantee the pieces, but in his preface distinctly states that Mr. Jenks does, with some exceptions named, and among these the Pescennius Niger. As to the latter piece, he suggested the possibility that it might be the piece once in the Royal Cabinet of France. There is no claim that, if it was that identical piece, [which seems not improbable,] the French coin was genuine. On the contrary, several writers have distinctly impugned the genuineness of that specimen [see Humphrey, p. 344, and many others], which of course is well known to all collectors of Antiques; and in mentioning this coin, in the last number of the Journal, we thought it unnecessary to allude to such a notorious matter: yet the presence of this coin has caused some very hard things to be said, which strike us as unjust. We may mention further, that this is not written either at the suggestion or with the knowledge of Mr. Woodward or any of his critics.

Among the prices obtained were the following:- Tetradrachm of Athens, head of Minerva, $8; Messana, do., 7.25; Side, do., 7.50; Pentadrachm of Ptolemy I., 37; Tetradrachm of Demetrius I., 8.25 and 10.75; Shekel of Simon Maccabeus, 35; Half do., 27.50; Stater of Philip II., 17,25; Denarius of Julius Caesar, 6.75, and 5; Aureus of Vespasian, 12.50; do., Marcus Aurelius, 13.25; do., Pescennius Niger, 35; do., Valens, 9; do., Gratianus, 8.80; Rose Noble, Edward III., 12.45; Gold Noble, Henry IV.. 9; Angel, Henry V., 11.50; do., Henry VIII., 10.60; Crown, Edward VI., 9.75; do., Elizabeth, 8.75; Briot's Pattern Half Crown, of Charles I., 6.10; Unit or Broad of same, 10; Silver Pound (Oxford money) illus., 47; another, similar, 39; others, slightly varying, 1643 and 1644, 41 and 66; Half Pound, 1642, 16.50; do., '43, 23.50; do., '44, 10; Crown, do., '42, 10.50; Ormond Crown, 8; Crown of Cromwell, '58, 18.50; Half do., proof, 14; Crown of William IV., 1831, sp. pr. 33; Penny of Charlemagne, 4.50; Three Roubles of Nicholas I., Russia, Platinum, proof, 23; Siamese Bullet Money, 7 pieces, 13.25; Anam, 4 pieces, a set in silver, 18.50; old Chinese Silver Dollar, 10.25; Obang of Japan, gold, at its bullion value, 95; Rickett's Token, (See Journal, Vol. XII, p. 53,) 5; Washington Eccleston Medal, sp. pr. 7; Two Dollar California piece, 7.10; Cent of 1793, Crosby F. 7, 9.25; Louisville Medical Medal, 7; Season Medal of Washington, 17.57; Washington Half Dollar, 11.25. Most of the pieces brought very good prices, and the financial result of the sale was quite a success.

W. ELLIOT WOODWARD'S THIRTY-FIFTH SALE-THE HITCHCOCK COLLECTION.

MR. WOODWARD sold in New York, at the rooms of Messrs. Bangs & Co., January 14, 1881, the collection of Dr. T. S. Hitchcock, formerly of Tucson, Arizona, now of Omaha, Nebraska. The Catalogue contained 25 pages, and the collection comprised just 500 lots, of which 163 were Coins; the remainder Currency, Catalogues, Seals, Pistols, Battle-axes, Arms, Implements and Dresses of the Indians, Prehistoric Stone Implements, etc., etc. None of the coins were remarkable, but all brought fair prices. A Premium Medal of the Centennial Exhibition, bronze, $11; original Kearney Cross, with portrait, 10; various silver Badges of small size sold very high, 50 cents to 2.10 each; Grant and Sherman 15 c. Note, 5.75; Battle-axe of the 16th Century, 17; Roman Spear-head, 5.25; Cabinet of Minerals, 20.25; Cigarette Case in silver, Mexican work, 6.50; a collection of Pistols, many of which were very curious, one the property formerly of the Pirate Raphael Semmes, brought 92.90. an average of 3.32 each; an immense Chinese idol sold for $1. Stone implements brought good prices: an Axe from Arizona, 8.75; long Pestle, Arizona, 7; Adze, Arizona, 3.75; Spear-head of rare form, 2.25; small Aztec Stone Dish, 32 inches in diameter, found 14 feet under ground, near Tucson, 10: small Stone Ring. 4; Corn Cracker of globular form, 3; Grooved Axe, Long Island, 4; six others, from 1.25 to 3.75; some Spear and Arrow-heads, 74 in number, sold for 16.25. We understand that the sale was very satisfactory to the owner, as we think it might well be.

HARZFELD'S SIXTEENTH SALE.

MR. S. K. HARZFELD sold at the rooms of Messrs. Bangs & Co., New York, on Monday and Tuesday, January 24 and 25, the collection of Mr. H. Rogers, of Philadelphia, and of the late Mr. Hoofnagel, of the same city. The Catalogue, 52 pages, contained 1414 lots, among them some rare American