a, o, au, ou, u. Les Italiens obtiennent également cette prononciation du K à l'aide de l'h après le c. Cette lettre a donc une prononciation à part et qui contrarie également les systèmes adoptés en France et en Italie. Les preuves que je puis offrir à l'appui de cette assertion sont 1° les médailles de la famille Coelia. Sur les plus anciennes de ces médailles le nom est écrit COIL, pour COILius. (COIL est l'ancienne orthographe de COEL; c'est un archaïsme.) Or, il est impossible qu'on ait pu prononcer primitivement KOILIUS, et plus tard SOELIUS. Il est donc évident que COE doit être prononcé KOE ou KE, oe étant regardé comme diphtongue; 2o les médailles de la famille Flaminia. Le surnom de cette famille est écrit sur l'une d'elles CILO, et sur l'autre CHILO. Il est également impossible qu'on ait pu prononcer indifféremment SILO et KILO (Chilo à l'italienne); 3° une médaille de la famille Julia où le nom CAESAR est écrit à l'antique SEX. IVLI. CAISAR '; 4° enfin l'existence de deux familles consulaires entièrement différentes, la Cestia et la Sestia. Bien qu'il faille, par nécessité, prononcer ces deux noms de même, d'après les règles de l'alphabet français, il me paraît hors de doute que les Romains leur ont affecté une prononciation différente. Les Italiens disent Sestia et Tchestia (Cestia), mais comme rien ne prouve l'existence de l'articulation tch chez les Romains et qu'au contraire, l'articulation K est prouvée par le nom Chilo, je regarde comme de toute évidence que le C romain se prononçait K en toute occasion, et qu'il faut par conséquent dire KOELIA, KESTIA et FLAMINIUS KILO. Me voici arrivé à la fin de ma tâche; je crois avoir fixé la prononciation véritable de la plupart des lettres de l'alphabet romain. Mon désir n'étant pas de faire du nouveau, mais d'arriver à la recherche du vrai, j'accueillerai avec reconnaissance toutes les découvertes nouvelles et toutes les objections solides qu'on pourra faire à ma manière de voir; car, jusqu'à plus ample information, j'ai dû garder le silence sur le G qui probablement, selon moi, avait toujours le son dur, premièrement à cause de ses rapports de prononciation et de forme avec le C. Les graveurs romains les confondaient souvent, témoin entre autres les médailles de la famille Ogulnia où ce nom est écrit, tantôt OGVL, et tantôt OCVL (incertitude qui a été conservée par les Italiens quand ils disent indistinctement segreto et secreto, lacrima et lagrima); ensuite, à cause du I grec, et enfin pour ne pas faire double emploi avec le J. J'ai dû également éviter de parler des syllabes an, en, in, où la prononciation italienne me paraît plus vraisemblable que la prononciation française qui est toute nasale, parce que je n'ai aucune preuve à offrir ni pour l'une ni pour l'autre de ces deux manières. En somme, je prie les archéologues de ne regarder ce travail que comme un simple essai, une ébauche et une invitation, à ceux qui sont plus expérimentés que moi dans ces matières, de continuer ce genre de recherches, qu'ils sauront sans doute pousser beaucoup plus loin. Un critique des plus distingués, M. Roger Marx, inspecteur des musées, vient d'émettre le vœeu que les coins monétaires actuels soient mis à la réforme et remplacés par des types nouveaux. Il est singulier, en effet, que la troisième République n'ait pas 1. Les archaïsmes tels que COILIUS pour COELIUS, AIMILIA, CAISAR et CONCORDIAI, qui se trouvent sur les médailles au lieu de AEMILIA, CAESAR et CONCORDIAE, n'étant pas tout à fait de la compétence de cet article, je me bornerai à dire que les Grecs, probablement, prononçaient oi et de comme les Romains oe et ae, c'est-à-dire toujours comme e. 2. Le seul doute pourrait exister pour le double C comme dans Ecce, COCCEIUS, et pour le C suivi de l'I et d'une autre voyelle comme dans facies, fasces, conspicio, où il n'est pas impossible que la prononciation romaine se fût rapprochée de la prononciation italienne dans les mots ciarlare, sciagura, eccesso. encore jugé à propos de créer des types monétaires qui datent d'elle et qui soient en harmonie avec l'art et les idées de notre temps. Les coins qui servent à fabriquer nos pièces d'or de 20 francs et nos écus de 5 francs en argent datent d'un siècle; ceux qu'on emploie pour la monnaie divisionnaire d'argent et les sous de bronze ont quarante-quatre ans. Les premiers sont l'œuvre d'Augustin Dupré, qui en exécuta les modèles en 1793; les seconds furent crées par Oudiné, en 1848. La troisième République, par économie, n'a pas fabriqué, depuis vingt-et-un ans qu'elle existe, un seul poinçon nouveau. Ne seraitil pas temps pour elle de renoncer aux allégories un tantinet vieillottes que portent en relief ces monnaies, à l'Hercule, entre deux jeunes femmes, qui symbolise la devise républicaine : « Liberté, égalité, fraternité; » au « génie ailé de la nation traçant, avec le sceptre de la Raison, la Constitution des Français, sur une table placée sur un autel »? A quand, enfin, le remplacement, sur nos sous, sur nos pièces de 2 francs, de 1 franc et de 50 centimes, de la tête de Syracuse couronnée d'épis et de lauriers, par un emblème un peu plus artistique et plus neuf? On ne défèrera pourtant pas aux voeux de notre confrère. Nous avons interrogé à ce sujet, au ministère des finances, dont relève la Monnaie, un haut fonctionnaire, qui nous a fourni ces raisons, fort valables. -On a peut-être tort, nous a-t-il dit, de ne pas créer, depuis 1870, de nouveaux types monétaires en rapport avec les temps actuels. La dépense n'eût pas été tellement grande, et des artistes hors ligne conime Roty, comme Chaplain, comme Augustin Dupuis, eussent fourni assurément des modèles qui auraient valu, à tout le moins, la tête de Syracuse d'Oudiné, l'Hercule entre l'Egalité et la Fraternité d'Augustin Dupré. Mais on ne refondra rien à présent, par cette excellente raison qu'on ne fabrique plus, depuis une dizaine d'années, de pièces d'argent, que la fabrication du bronze s'est considérablement ralentie, qu'on a retiré de la circulation les pièces d'or de cinq francs et qu'on ne fabrique presque plus de pièces de dix francs. - A quoi tient? Pour l'argent, la chose s'explique d'elle-même. Vous n'êtes pas sans avoir entendu parler de la dépréciation croissante de l'argent. Savez-vous ce que l'écu de cinq francs vaut aujourd'hui, au taux normal de l'argent? Trois francs cinquante, monsieur, et rien de plus. Alors? Alors, il s'ensuit qu'on ne fabriquera plus de pièces d'argent ou qu'on élèvera le taux de ces pièces. Mais, avant de prendre une décision, il faut attendre qu'on sache à quoi s'en tenir. Pour le bronze, vous savez les reproches qu'on lui fait : lourd, incommode et sale. Il a été question plus d'une fois, dans ces dernières années, de le remplacer par le nickel. S'y résoudra-t-on? Je ne sais. En tout cas, là aussi, force nous est d'attendre. Reste l'or. Il est très probable que nous renoncerons d'ici peu à la fabrication des pièces de dix francs comme nous avons renoncé à fabriquer celles de cinq. Les unes et les autres, en effet, s'usent trop vite: elles passent en trop de mains, et le relief est trop peu accentué pour qu'elles durent. Nous ne garderions des types actuels que le louis. Commanderat-on de nouveaux coins à ce moment? Se bornera-t-on au poinçon séculaire de Dupré? Il va sans dire que je l'ignore. Mais je vous avouerai sincèrement que j'aurais regret, un regret infini, au simple point de vue artistique, à le voir disparaître. Je vous abandonne la phraséologie ridicule du temps; mais le morceau en lui-même est exquis, du sentiment antique le plus pur et d'une exécution, en somme, si parfaite, que la plupart de nos contemporains le croient moderne. (Le Temps, 16 mars 1892.) E. ZAY. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MEDALS The Revue belge de numismatique (1894, p. 395) and also the Rivista Italiana di Numismatica (1894, p. 136 & 137) have already mentioned the medal we are pleased to give an illustration of below to our readers. This interesting work of art was at the instance of the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society made by Tiffany & Co; it was designed by James H. Whitehouse and cut by William Walker, both of whom have for a number of years been associated with this house. The medal is 3 inches in diameter; it bears on the obverse side a portrait in profile of the great discoverer drawn after a most careful and able study of all different known portraits and historical descriptions which together with what the artist from year to year pictured him to be has produced in the mind's eye the portrait as it is here given, bold and simple, with an interesting and deep expression of searching determination. Around the head in plain bold letters are the words : CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS GAVE A NEW WORLD TO HUMANITY. On the reverse side is the laurel wreath of success, surrounding the words: AFTER FOUR HUNDRED YEARS OF PROGRESS FREE AMERICA HONOURS ITS DISCOVERER. The seal of the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society is introduced upon the wreath in a small, but pleasing No 352. Une medalle d'argent doré du pape Clement. L'effigie du pape Clément VII (1523-1534) se voit sur de nombreuses médailles. N° 592. Ung petit coffre de veloure vert... où dedans y a quattrevingtz et dix medalles d'or anticquez, cinq vacquettes de Beard d'or et ung lyard, cinq médalles d'argent et dix-sept piecces de monnoye de Turquye. On voit que les souverains de Navarre avaient le goût des collections, puisqu'on trouve mentionnées ici des monnaies d'or antiques et des monnaies turques. Les vacquettes d'or doivent être des essais, car ces monnaies sont en cuivre ou en billon. No 913. Une médalle d'argent de la figure de Jhesus-Christ. An urgent appeal has been issued by the Rev. I. H. Le Boeuf, Crowland Abbey, which is described as still a noble building, rector of Crowland, near Peterborough, on behalf of the repair of wonderful in its situation, unique in its beauty and a valuable relic of Christian devotion, interesting to the architect, the historian and the antiquarian. In a brief sketch of the abbey, it is stated that the founder of the monastery was King Ethelbald, in 716, and that Abbot Theodore was slain in 870 on the altar steps, by the Danes, and the edifice a fate it met three or four times. In 1643 Cromwell beseiged it. Some years ago the rector divided the work of restoration into ten sections, seven of these have been made "safe and secure", and he now requests funds to enable him to finish the good work. To the EDITOR of the PALL MALL GAZETTE. SIR, Your article of September 14 on medals reminded me of a rarely-opened drawer containing some impressions of medals, when and by whom collected I scarcely know. However, among them was the supposed unique one commemorating John Skinner's gallantry. The two following inscriptions are interesting. The medals are copies in white metal, not the original ones: "The gift of the States of the Island of Jersey to Mr. Edward Touzel for his heroic conduct in extinguishing, conjointly with Lieutenant Philip Lys, of the Jersey Militia, and William Penteney, of the 31st Regiment Infantry, the fire which had commenced in the powder magazine on the Town Hill of St. Heliers on the 4th of June, 1804. The other is a follows: "Presented by Lieutenant-Colonel Airey and the officers of the 34th Regiment to Barrack-Sergeant Moses Simpson, late Sergeant-Major of the 2nd Battalion 34th Regiment, in commemoration of his gallant conduct as Sergeant of Grenadiers at the action of Arroyodi Molinos, in Spain, on the 28th October, 1811, when he took from the Drum-Major of the French 34th Regiment of the Line, the Regimental Staff, which has ever since been carried at the head of the British 34th Regiment. June 1843. - Yours faithfully, A subscriber to the Num. Circular sends us the following corrections on Mr. Hazlitt's new work. Hazlitt's Coinage of European Continent. P. 173. "Viborg, an early Dano-Swedish mint. "I do not think it was ever a Swedish mint, nor did Viborg ever belong to Sweden. It is the old capital of the (now) province of Jutland (Jylland). P. 373. Christian IV. - "or in exile" I do not remember any exile of this King — P. 374. Margaret" - her husband Erik VII (of Pommern), not her husband, but her adopted son and successor; she was a daughter of Valdimar IV (Ablerdag) and married to Olaf Haakousen of Norway, who died early. P. 376. Footnote I. I remember distinctly Rigsbanktegns for 2, 3, 4, (8?) and 12 skilling, besides those mentioned. P. 377. First Swedish "denarii" Olaf Skotkonmy mentions the following kings earlier : Brenner Olaf Tratellja, Biärno, Sivaw Tro, Erik the Victorious and gives plates of coins of the two first and last of these. * Your's faithfully. Th. M. LUND. Member of N. Society London. The design of the new British dollar is simple and pleasing. The mould has been prepared by the Mint in London, but the dollars will be coined mainly by the Bombay Mint. Resembling the Japanese yen in size, weight, and fineness the new dollar is thought likely to circulate largely in and about Singapore and Japan. It will have the support of banks; also of British and Indian merchants, in its competition with the Mexican dollar. The Bombay Mint has agreed to make a mint-charge of only 1 per cent., whereas the charge for the rupee has been 2 per cent. At the present price of silver, the bullion value of the new coin is about 2 s. o. d. (Times). The Corporation of London having taken many months to make up its mind to have a medal struck to commemorate the opening of the Tower Bridge, now gives less than six weeks in which medallists and others (sic) may send in designs. And all that it can afford in premiums is thirty-five guineas to the first and fifteen guineas to the second selected model. It is perhaps well, under the circumstances, that the competition is enlarged to include the "others, as no artist of repute would possibly care to risk his time for such a premium. "" (St Jame's Gazette). In my opinion, Mr Boutton's suggestion cannot be received. It is quite true that the lion of the countermark is the Castilian lion, but the same lion is to be found on the arms of Paraguay and Nicaragua, and is also called the "Lion of Nicaragua". The question to be solved is this: "Were these coins current in Paraguay or Nicaraga?". In 1846, the latter republic had no currency of its own, and was therefore obliged to use foreign pieces in putting on them the countermark of the State. Paraguay at the same time had no mint either, but if the coin or coins in question had been current in that country, the lion would no doubt have been accompanied by the "Cap of Liberty” which figurs on the Paraguayan arms. REVIEWS Your's truly. J. T. MEDINA. (Sevilla.) Les monnaies grecques, par Adrien Blanchet. Paris, Leroux, 1894, in-12, 107 pp. et XII pl. Parmi les ouvrages récents de vulgarisation de la science numismatique, cet élégant petit volume tient sans contredit le premier rang. M. Blanchet a su condenser admirablement son sujet qu'il a traité en main de maître, en donnant une intéressante esquisse de l'origine de la monnaie, de l'organisation des ateliers, des alliances monétaires, du droit de frapper monnaie chez les anciens, des types monétaires et de leurs transformations successives à travers les siècles et de l'art dans ses différentes phases de développement. Suivent une liste des artistes grecs, dont les noms nous sont restés, et douze planches reproduisant 70 monnaies. L'exécution typographique de ce charmant volume fait le plus grand honneur à la maison Protat de Mâcon. Coins and medals, their place in history and art. By the authors of the British Museum Catalogues. Edited by Stanley Lane-Poole. Third Edition revised. Elliot Stock, 1894, can be obtained of us, price 4/6 nett, carriage forward. We already had the pleasure of bringing this book under the notice of the readers of the Numismatic Circular (vol. I. p. 8). The ready sale of its second edition, which was issued at the end of 1892 shows that the general public is not altogether indifferent to the interesting subject of numismatics. This third edition differs from the preceding chiefly in the chapter on Indian Coins. Mr J. E. Rapson, of the Department of Coins and Medals, at the British Museum, has been entrusted with the revision of this part of the book, according to the latest discoveries made in that branch of numismatology. Le Trésor de Tourdan (Isère), par le Commandant Allotte de la Fuye. Grenoble, 1894, 60 pp. La brochure sous nos yeux est un extrait du « Bulletin de l'Académie delphinale », 4 série, t. VIII. Elle s'occupe d'une importante trouvaille de monnaies gauloises, faite en Dauphiné, au mois de juillet 1890. Ces monnaies sont attribuées aux Allobroges montagnards, aux Allobroges de Vienne, aux Voconces, Cavares et Volkes Arécomiques; l'auteur les divise en trois groupes celles au revers de l'animal cornu, du cheval courant et du buste de cheval. En outre, le trésor comprenait aussi une obole arverne, une monnaie grecque d'Histiaea, quelques pièces au type de Marseille, et des incertaines. Nous renvoyons à la brochure elle-même ceux de nos lecteurs que cette trouvaille et les nouvelles idées émises sur la classification de ces monnaies pourraient intéresser. NUMISMATIC BOOKS, MAGAZINES, CATALOGUES, etc. Revue belge de numismatique, 4e livraison, 1894. Trou L. Maxe-Werly, Histoire numismatique du Barrois (3o article). G. Cumont, Quelques pièces rares ou inédites de ma collection.-J. Rouyer, L'œuvre du médailleur Nicolas Briot en ce qui concerne les jetons (suite). - V. Lemaire, François De Hondt, orfèvre, ciseleur, médailleur. Nécrologie: Adolphe Meyer, par M. le Vte B. de J. Don Manuel-Vidal Quadras y Ramon, par M. A. de W. Mélanges: Contremarque appliquée sur des monnaies d'argent espagnoles et hispano-américaines dans les Pays-Bas méridionaux, durant la seconde moitié du XVIIe siècle, A. de Witte. - Note sur un document inédit du XVIIe siècle, concernant certaines attributions de l'essayeur de la monnaie d'Anvers, C. Bamps. Tom: IV de la Description générale des monnaies merovingiennes, par A. de Belfort; compte rendu par A. de Witte. vaille de Tilbourg par G. Cumont. Monete di Milano inedite, par F. et E. Gnecchi; compte rendu par A. de Witte. Sur la classification des monnaies carolingiennes, par Anatole de Barthélemy; compte rendu par le Cte de Marsy. Les Rottiers, graveurs en médailles, par Henry Jouin et F. Mazerolle; compte rendu par A. de Witte. Trouvaille, à Louvain, de monnaies du XIVe siècle, par F. Vermeylen. Troisième édition du Guide numismatique universel de F. et E. Gnecchi; compte rendu par A. de Witte. Sur la signification des types monétaires des anciens, par J. Svoronos; compte rendu par A. de Witte. Monnaies découvertes dans le cimetiere franc de Ciply (Hainaut), par G. Cumont; compte rendu par F. Mazerolle. Notice sur les monnaies ducales de Bourgogne (première race, 1301-1361), par A. de Barthélemy; compte rendu par G. Cumont. Sommaire des publications priodiques. Rivista italiana di Numismatica, Fasc. III. 1894. Giuseppe Ruggero, Annotazioni numismatische italiane (Fig.). Nicolò Papadopoli, Monete italiane inedite delle Raccolta Papadopoli (Fig.). Francesco Gnecchi, Appunti di Numismatica Romana : XXXIII A proposito di una monetina inedita di Licinio figlio (Fig.). Valeri Francesco Malaguzzi, La Zucca di Raggio Emilia (continuazione). Emilio Motta, Documenti Visconteo-sforzeschi per la storia della zecco di Milano (continuazione). Nécrologie: Ariodante Fabretti. A. C. Caucich. Bibliografia. Notizie Varie. Numismatisch-Sphragistischer Anzeiger, 30 September 1894. 1 F. Tewes, Der Reichsthaler (Schilling) von 1671 für Bremen una Verden. Zum dritten glocken-Thaler August. d. J. von Braunschweig. - Münz funde. Bulletin de numismatique, Sept. 1894. Cte de Castellane, Un demi-teston inédit de François Ier frappé à Marseille. F. Mazerolle, Plomb de Jacob Gault, marchand de Tours, imitant la pile des doubles deniers de Henri IV (1609). Livres nouveaux. Revue des revues. Lectures diverses. Livres en préparation. Les collections privées. Les musées. Nouvelles émissions. Monnaies grecques à vendre aux prix marqués. Guida numismatica universale contenente 4792 Indirizzi e cenni storicostatistici di Collezioni pubblicho e private, di Numismatici, di Società e Riviste numismatiche, di Incisori di Monete e Medaglie e di Negozianti di Monete e Libri di Numismatica. By F. and Ed. Gnecchi, Milano, 1894, Price 6/—. The numismatist, Septembre, 1894. J. A. Brudin, Chinesse Tsien. Wanted to use Platinum Money. Philip Whiteway. Fourth Annual Convention of A. N. A. at Detroit, Aug. 23-24, Proceedings, etc. Obituary; Prof. W. M. Friesner (Geo. T. Heath). The Exhibition. Excursion to Rushmere. What is the matter with Heaton? American Numismatic Ass'n, Secretary's Report. With the Editor. General. Numismatischer Verkehr, Octobre 1894. C. G. Thieme, Leipsig. Mitteilungen des Clubs der Münz- und Medaillen Freunde in Wien, September, 1894. J. Nentwich, Seltene österreichische Viertelthaler. Dr J. Brettauer, Medicina in Nummis. Theodor Unger Ein Münzfund und seine antisemitischen Folgen. Neue Prägungen. Miscellen. Club-Nachrichten. FINDS During the construction of a quay on the Main Canal at Hanau, the northern end of the ancient Roman bridge across the Main has been laid bare. Further excavations have rendered it certain that there was a considerable Roman settlement in the neighbourhood of Hanau. Several interesting "finds" have been made at the end of the Roman bridge, but by far the most important is the large quantity of Roman coins. They constitute an unbroken series of all the emperors from Claudius to Antoninus Pius and his wife Faustina, covering the period from 41 to 161 A. D. The greater number belong to the years between 81 and 117. Prof. Wolff, who reports on this discovery in Hessenland, says that the other articles afford a close glimpse into the life of the Romans on the frontier. "One feels profoundly moved," he writes, "in taking out of the river articles nearly two thousand years old. We seem brought into very near contact with the fourth Vindelitian cohort, which was posted here to guard the passage of the Main, and which demanded from every civilian who passed the bridge the obolus for the river-god. (Athenæum.) At a recent meeting of the members of the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society the following notes on the recent find of treasure trove at Woodbourne, Douglas, were read by the Rev. J. Quine, M. A.: On Tuesday, June 12th, 1894, some workmen, in the employ of a Douglas builder, were digging the foundation of a new house on the north side of Derby-road, Douglas, in the field adjoining Woodbourne House. The new house fronts on Derby-road. In digging a cross trench, parallel to the fronting and about five yards back from the road, for a dwarf wall to support the joists of the floor, one of the workmen stuck his pick into a receptacle, which may be described as a minature stone grave, consisting of three pieces of clay slate of a roughly rectangular shape about the size of the face of a common brick, one on each side and one on the top, and also smaller pieces of slate closing the ends. The receptacle was little more than a foot below the surface. From the nature of the ground, it had never before been disturbed. It was common mould and underneath stiff clay. There were no traces of any ancient foundations of buildings; nor any evidence that the ground had been used in ancient times as a burying ground, or in any way opened. The person who had made the stone receptacle had manifestly dug a hole, lined it with the slaty stones, and covered it up again. It was just sufficiently deep to have escaped the plough, which no doubt might many times have passed over the spot. The contents of the receptacle consisted of a quantity of coins, seemingly several hundred in number, and a quantity of jewellery. The workmen at once took possession of the articles of jewellery, and most of the coins. As the spot was so near the street, people were very soon attracted to the find, and got possession of numbers of coins which the workmen seem to have practically given away, as being of little value. In this way a large number of the coins became dispersed, and passed into the hands of persons throughout the town. On the information of Mr J. L. Kneale, brother of Mr W. Kneale, our veteran Insular antiquarian, I went to the spot soon after the discovery of the treasure. The workman who had made the discovery showed me the situation in which the treasure had been found, and the slates which had lined it. He also placed. in my hand sixteen of the coins. They were encrusted with a greenish coating which obscured the inscription. On examination I found that the encrustation could be easily removed without injuring the coins, and succeeded in cleaning half-a-dozen. They proved to be unquestionably Saxon silver coins, of the reigns of Athelstan, Edwy, and Edgar, all in excellent preservation, and the inscriptions in every case perfectly legible. On further enquiry I found that besides the coins there had been articles of jewellery. On the evening of the same day, at the house of the workman, I saw over ten dozen coins practically all in the same state as those which I had in my possession, and eleven articles of jewellery. I was informed that another workman had in his possession a considerable quantity of coins and jewellery. The articles of jewellery which I examined were (1) a fine gold bracelet of cable pattern, (2) two fine silver bracelets of cable pattern, (3) four bracelets or bangles, plain and seemingly of silver, and open to the extent of about half an inch, (4) a plain silver ring (not closed) about the size of a finger ring, (5) half of a beautifully twisted silver circlet for the hair of about 18 inches circumference terminating in a hook, (6) a piece of metal about 15 inches in length, round in section with a hollow socket at one end, and becoming square in section, and thinning to a point at the other end, but roughly coiled round as if by the workman to put in his pocket, though possibly found so by him, (7) a round hollow piece of metal which I understand to be the knob or head of a large brooch pin. Subsequently I saw another head of a brooch pin, and much more perfect, that had been taken possession of by another workman. I have had no opportunity of examining the articles further, but I am assured that the workmanship is Danish, and that they are very similar to many examples of Danish work of the 10th century in the Copenhagen collection. On Wednesday, June 13th, the authorities were communicated with, and steps were at once taken to secure the find of any treasure trove by the agent of the Crown. A part, if not the whole, of the jewellery has been recovered; and a considerable number of coins. The coins recovered have been placed in the hands of Mr W. Kneale, fot examination; and it may be presumed that a report of some kind will be made by that antiquarian on the subject of the coins examined by him. So far as I have been able to gather, the coins belonged mainly to the reigns of Athelstan and subsequent kings down to the time of Edgar; and there are no coins of any later reign than Edgar's. The inference that may be drawn from this seems to be that the treasure was deposited during the reign of Edgar, towards the close of that reign, or at the latest very soon after his death. The coins of Edgar's reign seem in somewhat better state of preservation, or, rather, seem to have been very little worn by use prior to being deposited in the earth. It remains to point out, in connection with this presumption, some facts that may have some relation to the Isle of Man at that period. Athelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great, came to the throne in 925. In his reign, 937, was fought the famous battle of Brunnaburgh, in Lincolnshire, where Athelstan gained a great victory over Anlaf or Olaf of Northumbria; with whom were united the King of Scots, the people of Strathclyde and Cumbria, and the Northern Welsh. This Olaf, who had already taken Dublin, after the battle of Brunnaburgh, fled to Ireland. He died in 940, Edmund, his successor, reigned six years. In his reign he conquered King Dunmail, "last King of Rocky Cumberland," and gave his country, as a feof, to the King of Scots. Edred, his successor, reigned nine years. In his time, the great St. Dunstan flourished. It was a period of intense activity on the part of the Danish sea chiets. Edred, however, subdued Northumbria. Edwy reigned three years. It was a period of internal disorder rather than of trouble from the Danes of the North. Edgar succeeded him, and reigned for about 17 years-958-975. This is the king to whose reign most of the coins referred to belong. He increased his fleet to 360 sail, and held in complete check the sea-kings on their own. element. At the suggestion of the mighty Dunstan, now Archbishop of Canterbury, he visited annually every part of his kingdom, and Dunstan accompanied him. In his progress courts of justice were held in the different counties, audiences and feasts were given, appeals were heard, and the king cultivated the acquaintance of all the nobles and chief men of the kingdom. When he held his court at Chester, A. D. 973, and had one day a wish to visit the monastery of St. John's on the river Dee, the story goes that eight crowned kings plied the oars of his barge, while he guided the helm. These are said to have been Kenneth, King of Scotland; Malcolm (his son), King of Cumbria; Maccus the Dane, King of Anglesey, Man, and the Hebrides; the King of Galloway; the King of Westmere; and the three Welsh Kings of Dynwall, Siferth, and Edwall. Edgar obtained the honourable epithet of the Peaceable or Pacific; for during his reign his kingdom was not troubled by a single war. He commuted a tribute he received from a part or the whole of Wales into 300 wolves' heads annually. The currency in Edgar's reign had been so diminished in weight by the fraudulent practice of clipping that the actual value was inferior to the nominal. He therefore, reformed the coinage, and had new coinage issued all over the kingdom. He died A. D. 975. It may be remembered again that the greater number of Saxon coins in the recent find at Douglas are of his reign. On two of the coins the minting places are Chester and Durham respectively; and also, so far as my brief examination of those that came under my eye, the minting place of another was Langport. Before passing from the coins themselves, I may remark that very few of the coins had an effigy. The only coin with an effigy seen by me, was a coin of Athelstan in excellent preservation. There may, of course, have been many more, but the majority seem to have had only inscriptions. Among the Edgar coins I may also observe that several distinct coinages of his reign are represented in the find. Among the existing coins of the reigns of all these kings, there are both kinds of coins, viz., some with the king's portrait, and others without it. The next point that remains to be mentioned is with reference to Maccus, the prince, said to have rowed an oar in the royal barge on the river Dee. About this period there appears in the ancient annals as Lord of the Isles a king or chieftain named “Maccus, son of Harold." This is said to be a translation of the Irish Mac Arailt, viz., son of Harold, his personal name being unknown. This "Mac Arailt" conquered Anglesey, but was subsequently ousted from that island. He is said to have occupied an island at the mouth of the Shannon in the succeeding year, to have robbed the tomb of St Senan, and to have delivered from captivity Ivar, the King of Limerick. He maintained his position at the mouth of the Shannon for three years, and was then defeated and killed along with his two sons, by Brian Boroimhe. Ivar of Limerick who aided him was also defeated and put to flight. There now appears as King of Man and the Isles, a Godred, son of Harold, whose patronymic makes it probable that he was a brother of the former Mac Arailt. Elsewhere, it appears, "Magnus," King of Man, who died 976, and Godfrey (Godred?), slain in 989, were the sons of Sitric, Lord of Limerick. (See notes to the Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys, by Prof. Munch. Manx Soc., vol, xxii.) I have referred to the general historical material of the period, when the treasure lately unearthed was most probably deposited in its place of concealment, with a hope that any members of this Society who take any further interest in the matter, may be induced to look into it for themselves. The writer from whom an accurate and strictly historical examination of the period can be looked for, is, without question, the Rev. T. Talbot, to whom the whole find should be submitted for examination. Apart from Mr W. Kneale's examination of the treasure, from whom it is to be trusted a catalogue and list of the articles of jewellery may be looked for. In conclusion, this discovery only forces on us more than ever the necessity of a small Insular museum. It is much to be regretted that the various finds, whether of pre-historic or historic materials, should, for want of a museum on the Island, be of necessity sent to the British Museum, or fall into the hands of private collectors. And perhaps occasion may be taken by the Society, at this juncture, to adopt a resolution and submit it to his Excellency the LieutenantGovernor, asking the consideration of his Excellency to the subject of an Insular museum. It is possible that the Crown, to whom the treasure belongs, might sanction all objects found in the Island being retained in the Island, if a fitting place could be provided in which they be kept in permanence with a sufficient guarantee of their security. A. = Gold. - ÆR. = Silver. E. Bronze & Potin. Gr. Grain troy. Obv. Obverse. R. Reverse. F. D. C. Fleur de coin. Mint state. V. F. Very fine. — F.-Fine. - M.-Mediocre. - P.=Poor. — R. Rare. — RR.=Very rare. RRR.=Extremely rare. - H.-Head, Historia Numorum.-B.=Babelon, Monnaies consulaires. C. Cohen, Monnaies impériales, = Ev. Evans, Ancient = 2e édition. - M. Mionnet, Monnaies grecques et romaines. = GREEK COINS COMMAGENE - (Continued from p. 895.) 18648 Zeugma. Philip 1. E. Obv. AYTOK. K.M. JOYAI. |