CCXL. Obv. Same as the reverse of CCXXXV.

Rev. COMMERCIAL CHANGE Ex. 1821 A cask inscribed UPPER | CANADA Size 27 m. R 2.

The cask undoubtedly refers to the grocery trade, as the anvil indicates hardware, and very likely this token was issued by some grocer, as were the four previous tokens by a hardware merchant.

R 4.

CCXLI. Obv. Same as the reverse of CCXXXV.

Rev. As the last, but the cask is inscribed JAMAICA. Copper. Size 27 m.

The word "JAMAICA" on the cask confirms the opinion that it is a grocer's sign. It refers to Jamaica rum, a fashionable beverage among the topers in those days. The words "UPPER CANADA" on the cask in the previous token refer to "old rye," the manufacture of which was commenced at an early date in Upper Canada: it has altogether superseded rum as the beverage of the lower classes.

CCXLII. Obv. Same as the reverse of CCXXXV.

Rev. TO FACILITATE TRADE + A plow to the right, with 1823 under it. Copper. Size 27 m. R 1.

This obverse, described as the reverse of CCXXXV, occurs on five varieties of these sloop tokens, bearing the four following dates-1815, 1820, 1821, and 1823. The letters of "UPPER CANADA are more or less blurred, while the coins show other marks indicating that the dies have been considerably worn: the variety 1820, indicating less wear of the dies, shows that it was probably the first struck; that of 1815 seems later than those of 1821, and earlier than 1823.

CCXLIII. Obv. Same as the obverse of CCXXXVIII.
Rev. Same as the last. Copper. Size 27 m. R 1.

There are three varieties with this obverse, but as the coins show fewer indications of wear on the dies, the issue of these varieties must have been much smaller. CCXLIV. Obv. Same as CCXXXVII.

Rev. Similar to CCXLII, but the date is 1833. Copper. Size 27 m. This is by far the most common of the sloop tokens; it is met with in circulation nearly as often as all the others together. It is also somewhat heavier.

good.

CCXLV. Obv. Similar to CCXXXVII, but the execution is not so

Rev. COMMERCIAL CHANGE Ex. 1833 Two spades crossed above an anvil; behind the anvil are a hammer and tongs. To the left is a scythe; to the right a vise. Brass. Size 28 m. R 2.

The workmanship displayed on this coin is considerably inferior to that of the rest of the sloop series. It is from a different place of mintage, (probably New York,) while they are from Birmingham. The antipathy of Canadians towards the United States, caused by the war of 1812, had by this time begun to wear away, under the rising discontent which grew out of their desire for a representative form of government. and which culminated in the rebellion. Everything "Yankee" had been despised. This seems to have been the harbinger of the flood of copper tokens that poured into Canada from New York during the years 1836 to '38.

CCXLVI.

IV to the left.

Obv. PROVINCE OF UPPER CANADA

Laureated bust of George

Rev. HALF PENNY TOKEN Ex. 1832. Britannia to the left, seated on a shield. In her left hand she holds a trident, and in her extended right a twig. Copper. Size 28 m. R 2.

I cannot understand why this coin with the date 1832 should have the portrait of George IV. It purports to have been struck two years after his death, during which time his brother William IV had been king. Coins of the same date struck for Nova Scotia also have a similar portrait, showing that they are from the same place of mintage. These coins, while the workmanship is much better, the weight up to the standard, and other appearances that of an authorized coinage, are simply private tokens, issued no doubt by a more conscientious firm for their own and their customers' requirements. R. W. McLACHLAN.

[To be continued.]

"THE GARDENS OF ALCINOUS."

In the latest number of the London Numismatic Chronicle is a most interesting and valuable article on "Floral Patterns on Archaic Greek Coins," by Prof. Percy Gardner. We should be glad, had we space, to lay the whole of it before our readers, but we must content ourselves with a portion, and we give so much of it as relates to that peculiar device known as "the Gardens of Alcinous," and which, when noticed in some sale catalogue, has perhaps aroused the curiosity of some young collector, induced the purchase of the coin, and been followed by doubt or disappointment, in its possession. The explanation of the device given below may satisfy other inquiring minds who have been unable to trace any connection between the name and the curious pattern to which that has been given. -EDS.

THE device on the reverse of the early coins of Corcyra, and of Dyrrhachium and Apollonia, the colonies of Corcyra, has caused much difficulty among numismatists. Eckhel accepted the opinion of Beger, that it represented the celebrated Gardens of Alcinoüs, King of the Phæacians, of which Homer speaks in high praise. (Odys. vii. 112.) There was, he says, without the court of Alcinoüs, a large orchard near the doors, and around it a wall drawn all round. In it grew pears, apples, pomegranates, and figs, which ripened in succession all the year through. And beside it was a vineyard and a vegetable garden, and in the midst two fountains. Of these orchards and gardens the type of the coins was supposed to represent a sort of rude ground-work.

The attribution was followed by Eckhel, but by scarcely any more recent numismatist. Boeckh, Müller, and others, consider the type to be merely a star-like, but fortuitous collection of strokes, without special meaning. Friedlander and Von Sallet see in it the stars of the Dioscuri. In the course of an examination of the coins of Corcyra, I have come to the conviction that the type is not without meaning; but that it does not represent the stars of the Dioscuri, and certainly not the Gardens of Alcinoüs. The latter supposition is indeed entirely disposed of by the fact that the type does not appear to originate at Corcyra at all. The reverse type of the Corcyrean didrachms occurs on very early coins of Cyrene. The reverse type of the Corcyrean drachms is found not only on the money of Cyrene, but also on that of Miletus, of Pharae in Boeotia, of Thebes, of Cortyra, and probably of other cities. The coins of Cyrene, which offer us both the double and the single type, are probably more ancient than those of Corcyra. This at once sets us inquiring whether Cyrene and Corcyra had any religious cults in common, the religious origin of coin types being now admitted on all hands. And this inquiry leads us to observe that Apollo-Aristaus was held in high honor at both places. At Cyrene he was regarded as a national hero, and the giver of the silphium plant, the most celebrated of all drugs, and the source of Cyrenean prosperity. At Corcyra the same deity* was worshipped under slightly different form as Agreus, or Zeus Aristus, protector of the flocks. And the Apollo of Miletus, a city celebrated for its sheep, was no doubt a deity of the same class. The occurrence of our type at Pharae, Thebes and other cities is so exceptional that it need not detain us. It would therefore seem probable that, alike at Corcyra, Cyrene, and Miletus, the type called the Gardens of Alcinous, is connected with the worship of a particular deity, * See Eckhel, Num. vet. anect. p. 107. Mueller, De Corcyraeorum Republica, p. 54.

who though called by various names at various places, was an Apolline deity of the solar class, and nearly connected with cattle and sheep. This does not at once decide the nature of the type. It might at first be supposed to be a star, as emblem of the sun. Certainly in later coins of Miletus, the object figured in conjunction with the lion is a star, and a star is not an uncommon type in the island of Ceos, which was especially dedicated to Aristaeus.

Nevertheless, the balance of evidence seems to be in favor of the floral origin of the type. Not only is it far more like a flower in shape generally, but in particular instances it seems to be intentionally modified in order to make it more decidedly floral. Thus on one coin we may clearly see the petals of a flower, and stamens between the petals.* In another coin (of Cyrene) we have the disk of the flower figured.

The close connection of the rose with the worship of Apollo as sun-god, especially in the case of the Island of Rhodes, is notorious. * ** The types of Cyrene are usually of a floral character, the silphium plant being the special symbol of the city alike as one of the chief objects of its culture, and as sacred to Apollo-Aristæus. But the roses of Cyrene were scarcely less celebrated than its silphium; and it is more probable that the type of some of its coins is intended to represent a rose rather than a flower of the silphium plant. * * ** In Corcyra, Apollo-Aristæus was held in not less high honor than at Cyrene, and a flower is as appropriate to his cult at the one place as the other.

In the various forms assumed by the flower in the Corcyrean coinage, are some peculiarities which merit attention. Firstly, in the case of the earlier coins, there are peculiarities which later disappear. Their reverse type is, in the case of didrachms, two figures of square or oblong shape, whereof one has in the midst a small square, and the other a small rhombus, or lozenge. In the case of drachms, there is but one of these figures, with either square or rhombus in the midst. The meaning of this variation — for it is clearly intentional, and must have a meaning—is quite unknown to me. square and rhombus give place to a dot or pellet in the middle of the fifth century. And at the same time the general pattern, while retained in the case of didrachms, give place in that of drachms to a circular floral design.

Both

Dyrrhachium and Apollonia copy the type of their mother city Corcyra; and among the varieties introduced into it by the latter city is one which merits special notice. On the drachms issued by the magistrate Chaeren, we find the conventional linear square which usually encloses the pattern called the Gardens of Alcinoüs, but in place of that pattern a fire, and a pedum, or shepherd's staff. This variety had already attracted the attention of Mr. Borrell,† and forms the ground on which he started the theory that the so-called Gardens of Alcinoüs pattern really represented a cave at Apollonia, where the flocks sacred to Apollo were put away at night. In refutation of this theory, it is sufficient to observe that the people of Apollonia undoubtedly borrowed their type from Corcyra, and that the Corcyreans had nothing to do with the cave in question. A simpler explanation will be truer. No doubt the meaning of the device was entirely forgotten at the time (second century B.C.) of the magistrate Chaeren. In modifying it by the introduction of a fire and a pedum, he probably wished to make it more appropriate to the city of Apollonia; the fire being introduced as a symbol of the hot-springs of the place, as it is in later issues, and the pedum probably having reference to ApolloAristæus in his character of Nomius.

In closing this brief discussion, I may remark that all analogy is in favor of an attempt to show that a group of types belonging to early Greek coins has a meaning, and that meaning a religious one. If I maintained it to have no meaning or to be purely secular in character, there would be more need to make the ground secure.

THE bronze metal purchased during the year, for the British Mint, amounted to one hundred tons, in bars ready for coinage. The profit on this coinage was £35,396.

It may be at first sight doubted whether this type be identical with the earlier one in meaning and origin but a closer examination of the sequence of the coins of Cor

cyra will render it almost certain that it is so.
† Num. Chron. vii. p. 126.

GARFIELD MEDALS.

MR. ISAAC F. WOOD, of New York, has issued a medal commemorating the dastardly assassination of the President. We question somewhat the uses of perpetuating by a medal such a disgraceful incident in our history, yet the old proverb, "De gustibus," etc., applies here. We are glad to notice also that the name of the assassin is not alluded to. The obverse has the late President's bust to the left, and the inscription JAMES A. GARFIELD THE NATION'S CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT in four lines. The reverse bears a wreath enclosing JULY 2ND 1881 in two lines, and above it FOR HIM THE CIVIC WREATH and below, in five lines, DANGER THAT FOUND HIM FAITHFUL CROWNS HIM GREAT. The size is 18, and a few have been struck in silver, copper and tin. We believe the dies were cut by Lovell, of New York. The U. S. Mint is also said to have two memorial medals in preparation.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

MEDAL OF MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE.

IN 1802, Hon. David Humphreys, Minister to Spain, first introduced merino sheep into New England. For this patriotic act the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture presented him. with a gold medal. Can any of your readers give any information in regard to the above medal?

BECKER'S FORGERIES.

C. P. N.

IN the July number of C. J. Thieme's " Numismatische Verkehr," I notice among the wants the following:- 1. Becker's copies in silver or lead; Pinder No. 4, 6, 8-10, 13, 18-22, 24, 26-29, 38-42, 44, 52, 60, 63, 65-68, 70-72, 74, 75, 79, 80, 90, 92, 97, 104, 107, 108, 124, 125, 127, 128, 130, 132-134. This would indicate, either that the dies of this coinage, (vide Lmer. Journal for July '81,) are no longer used, or that impressions are held by the present owners at such high prices as to force collectors in the market for specimens, the former supposition being probably correct. I will add that I have thus far been unable to locate the dies in Germany.

MINT ISSUES, 1880-1881.

ED. FROSSARD.

UNITED STATES Coinage, July, 1880, to July, 1881. Gold; Twenty dollar pieces, 767,276; ten dollar pieces, 3,338,905; five dollar pieces, 5,996,436; three dollar pieces, 1,566; two dollar and a half pieces, 3,656; one dollar pieces, 3,276.

Silver Dollars, 27,637,955; half dollars, 9,355; quarter dollars, 14,555; dimes, 36,955. DOLLAR of 1804 :- Any one desirous of testing the genuineness of a dollar of this date, by referring to a "Manual of Gold and Silver Coins" by Eckfeldt and DuBois, 4to, Philadelphia, 1842, will find an exact representation taken from an original dollar of that date by the medalruling machine of Joseph Saxton, of the U. S. Mint. Mr. Matthew A. Stickney, of Salem, Mass., procured his silver dollar of 1804 at the Philadelphia Mint, in 1846, in exchange for the gold doubloon (Immune Columbia, 1783) struck by Brasher in New York. Mr. Stickney was fortunate enough to find two of the latter in New York, at the cost of bullion.

ARCHEOLOGISTS OF ROME.-There are six archæologists, whose duty has been to gather and classify in the new Museum all the objects found in the soil of Rome since the year 1870. The result of their labors has secured 145 statues; 212 busts; 85 bas-reliefs; 36 ash urns, etc.; 100 frescoes on walls; 100 square feet of mosaic pavement; 60 bronzes of various kinds; 200 figured terre cotte; 35 gold ornaments and 28 of silver; 48 marble columns almost entire and 230 fragments of do. ; 29,421 bronze coins, 6,468 of silver, and 557 of gold. Besides these, there were 1,300 inscriptions on marble or metal.

TRANSACTIONS OF SOCIETIES.

BOSTON NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.

May 6. A monthly meeting was held this day. The Secretary read the report of the last meeting, which was accepted. Mr. Woodward showed several interesting coins. and medals; among them were some fine German pieces, some of China, Japan, &c., and with them was a very remarkable silver breast-plate, presented to Cataw, Chief of the Ottawas, about 1812. The Society adjourned at 5 P. M.

Fune 3. A monthly meeting was held this day. The Secretary read the report of the last meeting, which was accepted. He also read the original account published in 1750, of the discovery and purchase of the aureus of Pescennius Niger, which was formerly in the Royal Cabinet of France. Mr. Woodward showed several curious and interesting coins and medals; among them were the silver dollar of Copiapo in Chili, a tin medal of the Pierian Sodality of Harvard, some Washington medals, a plated medal on the dedication of the Army and Navy Monument of Boston, and a gilt medal of Abbott Lawrence, which was new to all the members present. The Society adjourned shortly before 5 P. M. WM. S. APPLETON, Sec'y.

NUMISMATIC AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA. President Price presided at the stated meeting of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia held recently, and a large number of the members were present. Among the donations were a number of fine silver and copper coins of Mexico, South America, etc., from Joseph E. Temple, Esq., as also a mosaic on copper from the Borghese palace. Mr. Chandler presented a fine impression of the gem exhibited by him at the last meeting. Mr. Jordan presented a series of Centennial medals struck in wood. A rare coin was exhibited, which was said to have been issued in Italy during the Masaniello rebellion. It bears on obverse a basket of fruit and flowers, and the inscription "Hinc Libertas."

THE SANTO VOLTO.

Mr. HENRY PHILLIPS, Jr., read the following paper, illustrating the subject by the exhibition of the coins referred to therein :

In the church called "Il Santuario," in Lucca, there is an image of Christ crucified, which has been known from the earliest times as the Santo Volto. It is of cedar wood, attributed by tradition to the handiwork of St. Nicodemus, and was brought to Lucca in the year A. D. 782, during the episcopate of Beato Giovanni, and originally placed in the Cathedral known as Il Salvatore. It was subsequently removed to the church where it now stands, and in 1119 was placed in a wooden chapel built for its reception and conservation by Bishop Benedict; in 1219 this chapel was again renewed, but of some perishable material.

The image possesses all the characteristics of Byzantine art. It is carved from wood, draped in a close-fitting tunic, with flowing sleeves, and fastened to the cross with four nails; upon the wood there seems to be glued a very delicate species of cloth, which was afterwards whitened and colored, as was the frequent custom in days of yore. The face is very dark, the colors being produced by the effects of time and exposure to the atmosphere and to the smoke of lamps and candles and incense used in the church service. It is recorded that in 1590 Martino Gigli, Canon of the Cathedral, caused the figure to be cleansed, but it does not seem to have produced much, if any, effect for the better.

The hem of its garments, from the very date of its origin, had been bordered with gold, but the piety of worshipers during the lapse of centuries soon substituted for this modest ornamentatation additional and continually increasing objects of beauty and value; in the beginning of the thirteenth century the crown which we now see upon the coinage was placed on the head of the image. The one which it now wears is not the antique one, but one which was made at great expense in 1665 by the goldsmith Ambrogio Giannoni Da Massa, the cost being borne by popular contributions; at the foot of the figure was a chalice for the purpose of receiving voluntary offerings.

The silver ornamentation of the gown and sleeves is of the most perfect workmanship of the fourteenth century. The jewel was given in 1660 by Laura Nieri Santini, the sceptre was manu