The light is so bad here also that it is impossible to examine them minutely, but I saw enough to be able to revise Mr. Robinson's statement (published some time since in the London Times), that in the "bowls" of coins "only a small portion were of the nobler metal," and the specimens "were mostly of comparatively modern issues." The large circular case in the middle of the room is filled with, I should say, several thousand coins, of which the greater part are of gold and in good condition, while so far from being "comparatively modern issues" I noticed many Roman and Byzantine specimens, and a considerable number of Arabic coins of the first century of the Hegira. This collection ought to be properly examined, arranged, and described. In its present position it is impossible to see it adequately; it may contain rarities or even unique specimens; it is sure to present somewhat fresh interest; and if the Sultan could be induced to permit the detailed examination and publication of his coin cabinet by English numismatists, he would (to his surprise) find the number of specimens intact on the termination of the dangerous experiment, and the antiquarian world would be somewhat the wiser by a description of the coins. At least we should know whether there was anything unique among them.

COINAGE AT POPAYAN, SOUTH AMERICA.

THE Journal for April, 1895, mentioned some difficulties in determining what mint was denoted by the mint-mark P, among those in South America striking Spanish-American coinage, and it was remarked that nothing had been found showing the actual amount struck there at any given period. The following extract throws a little light on the matter, proving that Popayan was not merely a depot for the silver mines, or a simple assay office, but that coins were struck there in 1796, although less that year than in any other of the Spanish-American mints except Guatemala: it appears to be of sufficient importance to make it worth preservation for reference hereafter; as it seems to show that Popayan struck as much as a million dollars in a single year, there is great probability that the coins with the mint-mark P should be attributed to Popayan rather than to Potosi, which has well-known and undisputed mint-marks.

MORSE'S Universal Geography, published in Charlestown in 1819, says, under Spanish America, General Observations (p. 678) :—

Coinage. The following statement of the whole coinage of Spanish America, in the year 1796, is given in the written report to the viceroy, Don Francisco de Taboad y Lemos, to his successor, the marquis of Osorno.

MASONIC MEDALS.

[Continued from Vol. XXXI, p. 88.]

MLXII. Obverse, Within a wreath of olive branches, open at the top and crossed and tied with a bow of ribbon at the bottom, an ornamental K (initial of Kisfaludy) within the square and compasses, which are placed with the points of the compasses and the angle of the square pointing towards the top of the field. No legend. Reverse, The inscription in six lines, KISFALUDY KAROLY | I. ÉS T | SZABAD KÖMUVES | PAHOLY | GYÖR KELETÉN | 1872 (Regular and Perfect Lodge of Free Masons, Charles Kisfaludy, in the Orient of Gyor, 1872.) The first and last lines curve to conform to the edges, and the third bends upward. Gold or silver gilt. Size 24. Rare.'

MLXIII. Obverse, The dove of peace with expanded wings flying upward to the left. Legend, separated by a circle from the field, beke □ B. CSABA and at the bottom completing the circle 000872 (Lodge of Peace, Bekes Csaba, 1872.) Reverse, As obverse. Silver. Size 22.2

MLXIV. Obverse, The square and compasses; a circle surrounds the field, outside of which is the legend at the bottom, HALADAS PAHOLY KASSA and completing the circle, 000870 (The Lodge Haladas [or Progress] at Kassa, 1870.) Reverse, As obverse. Silver. Size 24 nearly, Very rare.3

MLXV. On a triangular planchet a heptastyle temple approached by three steps; on the central pillars is an ornamental F in script, the initial of the name of the Lodge; a portion of the orb of the sun appears rising over the roof of the temple, and fills the upper part of the field with its rays. Legend, separated by a line from the field, on the left WEISHEIT on the right STARKE and on the base SCHÖNHEIT (Wisdom, strength, beauty.) Reverse, The inscription in five lines, a | J.. ES T | JANOSRENDU | Z.'. K.'. □ | | FELVIDÉK which I take to mean, Regular and Perfect Johannite Lodge of Free Masons "Felvidek" [i. e., "Highlands."] Legend, separated from the field by a line, on the left BESZTERCZEBANYAN on the right SEPTEMBER 4 and on the base * 1878 (Besztercze-Banya, - Hungarian name of Neusohl)- Sept. 4, 1878, probably the date of foundation. Silver. Length of side, 34 nearly.*

MLXVI. Obverse, Minerva facing, and armed with helmet, spear and shield, stands on a small pedestal. Legend, separated from the field by a circle, FREIMAURER LOGE. MINERVA above, and below, completing the circle,

I This Lodge, now extinct, had its orient at Gyor, like the preceding, and was named for another Hungarian poet, the brother of Alexander (see previous note). Worn with a blue ribbon.

2 This Lodge, which is now extinct, had its orient at Békés Csaba, or Bekesvar, the capital of a county or district of the same name. The contains.. The jewel was worn with a blue ribbon. This, like all the Hungarians now described, is in the collection of Bro. F. J. W. Crowe, to whom I am indebted for rubbings. 3 This Lodge was founded by the former Grand

Orient, at Kassa in 1870; it became extinct in 1875. I have learned nothing further concerning it, except that because of the short life of the Lodge very few were struck.

4 Neusohl is the German name of the town whose Hungarian name is given on the jewel. It is in northern Hungary, at the junction of the Bestritza and the Gran rivers, eighty miles north of Pest, and the capital of the county or district of Sohl. Many of these legends, etc., have letters with Hungarian accents, which I cannot give.

.

• ORIENT BUDAPEST 15/111 000894 (Masonic Lodge Minerva, Orient of Buda-Pest, 15th of third month [March] 1894.) Reverse, The square and compasses enclosing a radiant G. Legend, separated by a circle from the field, WEISHEIT SCHÖNHEIT STARKE (Wisdom, strength, beauty.) White

metal, and possibly a cast. Size 24.

MLXVII. Obverse, On a star of eight formal rays an open book, upon which are the square and compasses enclosing a radiant G. Legend, separated from the field by a circle, PORT.. LAT.. MINERVA IN ORTE BUDAPESTENSI above, and below, completing the circle, + COND.. 15 MARTII 000894 + (Masonic Lodge Minerva, in the Orient of Buda-Pest: founded March 15, 1894.) Reverse, Minerva facing, standing on a sockel, armed as on the preceding piece; on her right, the radiant sun over the plumb, square and level; on her left, the crescent moon in a circle of stars, over the compasses, gavel and other working tools. Legend, SAPIENTIA.. VENUSTAS.. ROBUR.. (Wisdom, beauty, strength.) Silver, gilt. Size of circle, 22. The circular central portion is placed on a seven-pointed star of formal rays. Size from point to point, 30.'

The Lodge Zorobabel à l'Etoile Polaire, of Copenhagen, Denmark, had a Member's Jewel, partly struck, consisting of an open heptagon, which encloses a gilt seven-pointed star, on the centre of which is a heptagon with roughened field, and the initial Z. As it can hardly be called a medal, I do not number it. This was attached to a Diploma, shown by a Brother who visited Columbian Lodge, Boston, November, 1807, and the only one I have ever seen.

The following singular Medal, or token, I am unable to place: From the obverse emblems it seems to have a possible Masonic significance, while the reverse device seems to be of an architectural character. From its date, which if it be that of issue, is a half century or more before the "Ab origine" by Natter, generally admitted to be the earliest Masonic, it has been suggested that it may have some connection with the travelling Free Masons, but this is so uncertain that I do not number it.

Obverse, a level, erect; parallel with its base a rule; over its top the compasses, interlaced with which are two serpents, their heads facing each other on a line with the head of the compasses; there are two squares, crossed, the arms forming a saltire on the base of the level, and another on the upright portion; the upper arms of these are encircled by the snakes. Legend: IPSIS EXERCITA DIVIS (used by the gods themselves). Reverse, a curious device, which seems to be the ground plan of some portion of a building, possibly the porch of a church. Legend: HAC CŒLUM PETITvr via (By this way heaven is sought). In exergue, in two lines, P. BREAV. | 1661. Copper. Size, 17 nearly.2

[To be continued.]

I This and the preceding are medals of the Lodge named, established in March, 1894 (the "third month" on the former being shown to be March, by the latter). The second is of much finer workmanship. Bro. Crowe writes me, in sending the rubbings, that the name of the Lodge does not appear in this year's "Cosmos," and it may be extinct. I am uncertain whether the

W. T. R. M.

letters are PORT (perhaps for Portus, a place of refuge, and an unusual though not inappropriate name for a Lodge) or FRAT (for Fraternitas), as the rubbing is somewhat indistinct.

2 For a rubbing of this piece I am indebted to Dr. Storer; the piece itself is in an English cabinet. Its origin is unknown.

A FLORIDA PROCLAMATION PIECE.

In the sale of the Nesbitt Collection, catalogued by Mr. Low, and held in New York on the 12th April, 1897, there appeared a piece which it would seem has hitherto escaped the notice of collectors. It is Lot 153, and the description is as follows: Obverse, CAROLUS IV. D. G. HISPAN. REX. Bust right. Reverse, FLORA ORIENTAL PER. ZESPED PROCLAMTUS 1789 Six palm trees in the form of a flower; above, a column; below, a rampant lion left, both small. Very good, holed near edge. Extremely rare. Bronze. Size 33 mm. The present State of Florida, when ceded to the United States by Spain in 1819, consisted of East and West Florida; it was thus divided by the British when they acquired it in 1763, and though Spain regained it in 1781, it continued under the separate divisions until its acquisition by our Government.

This is evidently a Proclamation piece struck when the news of the accession of Charles IV, to the Spanish throne reached the Florida colony. He was proclaimed January 17, 1799, and crowned at Madrid, September 23, of the same year. As there was no place where the pieces could have been struck in Florida, we can only conjecture where they were minted.

Dr. Bastow writes us that "there is a coin issued in Mexico about 1788 or '89, between the reign of Carlos III and IV, without a bust, but with a bunch of flowers instead; a few thousand were struck and sent to the distressed Spaniards in Florida. History says: 'The king being dead, and his successor not inaugurated, or rather proclaimed, they could not put on the coins either bust, and substituted a bunch of flowers in lieu thereof.' I don't know what truth there may be in this story." L.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

RED JACKET MEDALS.

Editors of the Journal:

As regards "Red Jacket Medals " I wish to state that as long ago as during the Civil War I remember seeing one, and in fact, had it in my possession for a few days, it having been loaned to me by a friend connected with the United Express Co. The medal was correctly described in the Journal in 1891, April number. I was living in Buffalo at the time. SPRINGFIELD, Mass.

CURTIS-PHILLIPS MEDAL.

C. P. NICHOLS.

It may be interesting to collectors and others to know that a gold medal was presented to George William Curtis by the City of Boston for his Eulogy of Wendell Phillips in 1884. If it has not been described in the Journal, could you obtain the facts and description and publish the same?

PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

N.

THE American Numismatic and Archæological Society, of New York, has just issued a handsome pamphlet of 110 pages, containing their Proceedings for their thirty-sixth, thirtyseventh and thirty-eighth Annual Meetings, with a number of the papers which have been read at the "Numismatic Meetings" of the Society since the last issue. It is illustrated with a fine photogravure of the "Season Medals," struck in Washington's second term, and an engraving of the Columbian Medal struck by the Society, which was described at the time in the Journal. We again congratulate the Society on its evident prosperity.

EDITORIAL.

THE NEW FRENCH COINS.

IN the first number of the present volume we mentioned the designs for the new French coinage, and the distinguished artists to whom the same had been intrusted. Mons. Dupuis, whose designs for the copper or bronze coins we described, has made some slight alterations, and we have been shown a replica of the sketches as modified. The Ten-centime piece will bear the head of Liberty, substantially as already outlined. The drawing shows the head in profile to the right, the Phrygian cap held in place by a fillet or band of ribbon, which also serves to confine the sprig of laurel bound on the side of the head, the stem running gracefully upward from the neck. The expression is admirable; calm, dignified and fearless, there is a spirit and an artistic character about it, which, if successfully reproduced on the coins, will be a great improvement on any of the ideal heads we have ever seen engraved. The figure on the reverse, typifying France, draped and seated (? on a bank), her helmet laurel-wreathed and crested with the Gallic cock, does not impress us so favorably; her right hand holds the flag, and she grasps the staff at the top, just below the spear-head; her left hand, on which she leans slightly, holds a spray of olive or laurel, beneath which is a shield on which is shown the denomination of the piece above a scroll with CENTIMES; at the right of France a child is seated beside her, having the model of a vessel in his left and an ear of wheat in his right hand, the emblems of commerce and agriculture; his face appears in profile as he turns and looks at the seated figure.

M. Chaplain, who was entrusted with the preparation of the dies for the gold coinage, has not submitted his final sketches; the preliminary drawings we have already described. The drawings of M. Roty, who, by the way, has recently been elected president of the Academy of Fine Arts, have been completed, and we are told have been greatly admired in France, where they are regarded as worthy of the artist. That for the 100-sous piece has upon the obverse, a female figure walking to the left, typical of the Republic; her arms and feet are bare; on her head is the Phrygian cap; her hair floats behind her as she walks; her robe, knotted on her left shoulder and confined by a girdle at the waist, falls away from her right shoulder with the swing of her arm, with which she is sowing seed from a bag held by her left, extended, at her side; at the right, the rays of the rising sun appear mounting from the horizon. The figure reminds one of the peasant women of France as painted by Millet and others; and the boldness, grace and vigor of the departure which the artist has made from the conventional types of European coinage, placing a figure thoroughly representative of the people on the coin, in place of the crowned head of a ruler, the ancient arms of a monarch, or even the symbolic head of Liberty, is an advance in an entirely new direction in numismatics. We shall wait with great interest to see how the coins will be received by critics abroad. On the reverse is to be placed the flaming torch of progress, its rays spread over the field, and the handle crossed by a spray of olive. The legend on the obverse is to be REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE, and on the reverse, LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE, and the date.

Those who are familiar with the design of the Season Medals, so-called, will notice that the same idea of the figure of a sower appears on one of those as on the silver coin above described. On the Season Medal a man scatters the seed; on the French coin a woman is thus engaged.

The Revue Numismatique de Paris, for the present month, describing the new silver coin (for Five Francs) above, remarks that the coinage will not be carried into effect, at present, for there have been no pieces struck of this denomination since 1878.

THE present number has been unavoidably delayed, to enable us to give the concluding plate of 1793 Cents. As this number completes the volume those of our subscribers who are in arrears are respectfully reminded that our publishers will be glad to hear from them.