Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1890 — THE SCIENCE OF COINS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SCIENCE OF COINS.

RELATION Or NUMISMATICS TO HISTORY AND EDUCATION. the Early English Colonies In America. the stamped pieoee f lof metal circulated as money throughout the W I American colonies of Engf jja ■ land, prior to the revoiu- | w.ir, is a coin, or ww much prized bj collectors, known as The CarotH "Tina Eleuhant. The obverse of this is from a rather f ** common Enel ish piece, now designated as The London Elephant. Che effigy ie that of the great animal, standing with lowered head and there is 10 legend. The reverse bears six lines and reads: “God Preserve Carolina and—The Lords—Proprietors—lo94.” A particularly rare variety spells the word i Proprioters,” and is much prized. There is also a New England Elephant, ihe obverse die of which is a fnc simile it the London and Carolina piece, while »n the reverse is: “God—Preserve—New —England—l6 ( J4” in live lines. Only Ihree of these pieces are known to be in sristence at the present time. A very ice one was sold in or with the Miekley sollection, in 1867, and was purchased by Mr. William S. Appleton, of Boston, Mass. He paid $2 i.» to secure it. A medalet that is most interesting to numismatists is named by them Ihe Pitt Token. It was used as money among ;he colonists.. Upon the obverse is a nu«t of the orator and statesman for whom the piece is called, circumscribed with the legend: “The Kestoreu of Commerce. 1766. No Stamps. ” The reverse shows a ship with square sails set aud Sve flags flying, sailing toward the observer's right; she is about striking on the word “America,” which is placed in a straight line on the right held. The legend on this side is: “Thanks to the Friends of Liberty and trade.” The great needol the colonists for suficieut of the circulating medium was mpplied in 1722-23 by the issue of the Rosa Americana money. A man by the same of William Wood obtained in Eniani patents or grants for coining tokens for both Ireland and America, and the p eces intended for the former country were extensively circulated in this, ms well as those specially struck for the American colonies. The Rosa Americanas are made, as acrording to the terms of the patent, of a composition metal composed of silver, araws and spelter. The laraest of the pieces, commonly called The Penny, has, mi the reverse, a head of George I. looking to .the right, and laurented. Legond —Goorgivs: D: G: Muj: Bri: Fra: Et: Hib: Rex, Reverse, n full-blown rose Jin some cases surrounded with a crown). Legend—Rosa Americana, 1722, or 1723. On a scroll below is the sentiment: U+fle Dulci. Ono variety exists that ha 3 not the scroll. The Rlalf Penny is of design similar to the penny, and some are found bearing the date 1724. The farthiug varies only in nmount of metal from the other coins. On the uncrowned half;>ancG and farthings, however, the words Dulci” are never placed. A very few of the extremely rare, largest-sized Rosa Americauas of date 1738 are in the hands of collectors and museums. One of the specimens is said m be in the British Museum numismatic cases. Another was sold from the collection of Dr. Chns. Clay, of Manchester, England, in New York City, in the year 1871, for $l!)0. The obverse of tliese shoice prizes bear a laureated bust of George 11., and legend: Geortivs 11. D. I G. Rex. On the obverse is a rose brunch with seven leaves, a lull-blown rose and bud, crowned. Legend—Rosa Americana, 1733, and Utile Dulci on a scroll beneath the rose. The collector sometimes meets with a copper coin, somewhat smaller in diameter, and not so thick as the old United States cent piece, h ving the following characteristics: Obverse, two L’s crossed, nnder a crown. Legond—Sit Nomen Domini Benedictum. Reverifr. Colonies —Francoises—l722—H, in four lines. On

some of the pieces the date is 1721. This coin tells its own story, it having been issued during ihe minority of Louis XV., by the French Government, for its colonies. As Louisiana was under French control at that time, it probably circulated there, and may accordingly be ■cl ..seed among American col onials (though not English). Another, considerably heavier, copper piece, engrailed on the ■edge, was struck by the French Government in the year 1767. Its obverse car;ried two flambeaux crossed and tied iocether." Legend: Colonies Francoises, li. XV, (Thq reverse, three fleur-de-lis 'under a crown, encircled by two halfwreaths fastened at their stems. Legend: .Sit Nomen Domini Boned cturn. 1767. Most of these coins obtained liave had the three fleur-de-lis obliterated, and the letters It. F. stamped upon them, this,change having been made by . order of the Republican Government of France after its establishment. Virginia half-penny coins are well known, and seem to havo been made in 'vast numbers. A considerable variety of -dies were Used in their manufacture. A Inures ted bust of George the Third is on the obverse, surrounded, as on the English half-penny, with his title, Georgivs

lit. Bex. The reverse has an ornamental and crowned shield, emblazoned qusrte>!y: 1, England empaling Scotland; 2, France; 3, Ireland; 4, the Electoral Do.minions. Legend, Virginia; date, 1733.

One variety is so nn«largj£ttan the others as to be called;t% scnny, b»t it ia not of sufficient value jto :re*ch that denomination. ML#* 1 Jk A similar jjariceffifal A \774, fees beeia found in sil<|£%' asudi ß known as theaVitri ginia shilling./it ijgfcosybieMiA a (kinawe of silver* shjll|iif» %aiu intended at that time, aiy so mg patter nouly. ma

coin is of exceeding great rarity; probably less than half a dozen in all nre known to collectors of the present day. A very rare if not unique piece, the history of which is still nnknown, is

called the Non Depcndens Status, from that legend ou the obverse. This legend surrounds a draped bust, facing right, the hair fallingon the shonlder. Reverse: an Indian in a tunic of feathers, facing left, seated on a globe. In his right hand is a bunch of tobacco, his left resting upon a shield. Legend, America; date, 1778. The Bar Cent is believed to have been made in England in the year 1785, and carried over to New York for circulation in America. It has a monogram com;>osed of the letters “U. S. A. "in largo loman characters. In one variety the “S" is over the other letters, and in another die the “S” is placed over the“U” and the “A” oyer the “S.” The reverse shows thirteen parallel bars. Thore were copper pieces besides those nbove mentioned in circulation in the colonies. They were unauthorized by the Euglish Government, and most probably were of home manufacture. In New York there was: The Nova Eborac cent, its obverse bearing a laureated head, facing right, with mailed bust. Legend: “Nova Eborac.” Reverse: The Goddess of Liberty seated on a globe; in one variety facing to the right, in three other styles facing

to the left. She holds the liberty-pole with the cap in her right hand and an olive branch in her left. Beside her is the shield of New York. Legend: 1 “Virt. etLib.” Date, 1787. Excelsior coppers have for their obverse the coat of arms of the State of New York, with the word “Excelsior” in the exergue. Reverse: An eagle displayed; on the breast a shield ar. ent; in one talon a bundle of arrows, in the other an olive brunch, and thirteen stars are about the head of the bird. Date, 1787. The New York Washington cent has a bust of General Washington, with wig and military draping, faced to the right. Legend: “hon vi virtute vici.” Reverse: The Goddess of Eiberty, seated, with liberty-pole and scales of Justice. Legend: “Neo Eboraconsis. ” Date, 1786. The. Impmnis Columbia cent, of New York, ha£ on its obverse the Goddess of Liberty seated upon a globe, the scales in

her left hand, the liberty-pele, with cap an flag, in her right. Legend: “Immunis Columbia.” Date, 1787. Reverse: An eagle displayed, with arrows and olive branoh in his talons. Legend: “E i, Pluribus Unnm." f Market prices for the coins mentioned above are about the following: Condition. Year. Coin. Fine. Fair. lßm. Elephant, Carolina, halfik penny $ 40.00 820.00 1694. Elephant, New England, halfpenny 150.00 50.00 1694. Elephant. London, h,’f-penny 2.50 1.50 1766. Pitt token, “no stamps” 2.50 1,50 1722. Geo. 1., Rosa | Americana, ■* penny 4.00 1.50 1722. Geo. 1.. Rosa Americana, halfpenny. 2,50 1.00 1722. Geo. 1., Rosa Americana, farthing 3.00 '1.53 1723. Geo. 1., Rosa, not crowned.. 15.00 5.00 1723. Geo. 1., Rosa, Resa sine spina, halfpenny 00.03 25.00 1723. Geo. 1., Rosa, crowned, rose, penny 1 4.00 2.00 1723. Geo. 1., liosa, crowned rose, halfpenny 2.50 1.50 1724. Geo. 1., Rosa, crowned rose, halfpenny 15.00 10.00 1733. Geo. 1., Rosa, crowned rose, farthing 2.50 1.50 1723. Geo. 1.. Rosa, Am. halfpenny 5.00 3.00 1733. Geo. 11., Rosa Am. penny.... 30.00 20.00

1721. 2 L’s Col.’s Francoises halfpenny 2.50 1.03 1<22. 2 L’s Col.’s Fi ancoises halfP enny 2.50 1.00 1767. 2L s, stamped R. F 2.G0 1.01 1767. 2 L’s -without R. F: 4.00 1.50 1773. Geo. 111., Virginia halfpenny 1.25 .5) 1773. Geo. 111., Virginia small size .75 .25 1734.. Geo. 111., Virginia shilling, „„„„ 9ilver 33.00 20.0(1 1/(8. “Non Dependens" cent 50.00 2.3.00

1785. Bar cent U. S. A.. 13 bars.... 4.0) 2.00 1787. N. Y. cent, “Nova Eborac"... 2.03 1.00 1787. N. Y. cent, “Nova Eborac" Indian head 50.03 30.00 178(. N. Y., cent, “Excelsior” 40.00 20.00 1786. N. Y., Washington cent 100.00 50.00 J. 787, N. Y., cent, “linmunnis Col- • uinbia” 8.00 5.00 A. M. Smith, Numismatist, Minneapolis, Minn.

FRENCH LOUISIANA COPPER.

VIRGINIA HALF PENNY.

A “NOVA EBORAC.”

NEW YORK “EXCELSIOR” COPPER.

NEW YORK IMMUNIS COLUMBIA.