From the "Recollections," it appears that the great chiefs of eight tribes participated in the council held in Montreal on the 17th of August, 1778, when they were received at the Government House (now known as the Chateau de Ramezay) by Governor Haldimand, and were each presented with a medal. While we may infer that at least eight medals were presented at this time, the number distributed was most likely much greater, for many of these tribes had two or more branches, each with its great chief, while undoubtedly other tribes, whose names are not recorded, were represented at this council. The home of the Menomini Indians was around Green Bay, Wisconsin.

R. W. MCLACHLAN.

AN UNDESCRIBED JETON OF THE "SEIGNEUR DE HERSTAL.” MONS. DUPRIEZ, in his Numismatic Gazette, to which we have referred elsewhere, gives a cut and description of a jeton of the "Seigneur" or Lord of Herstal, which is a small town in Belgium, on the Meuse, not far from Liege, where stood a citadel in the Middle Ages called Heristolium, whence Pepin d'Heristal, great-grandfather of Charlemagne, took his title. Unfortunately there is neither legend nor inscription upon the piece, yet Mons. Dupriez has succeeded, it can hardly be doubted, in giving the correct attribution, which is especially interesting as it is well known that jetons of this class were not struck much, if any, before the middle of the thirteenth century.

On the obverse is a Norman shield bearing a lion rampant, closely resembling that shown on a gros of Jean Tristan (1285-1309), who was Seigneur of Herstal, while the reverse has the head of a lion, crowned, alike in all respects to one borne on an esterlin struck, as he believes, by the same nobleman.

At the time of the decline of the Western Empire, under the successors of Charlemagne, Herstal, formerly under Carlovingian rule, became a part of the domain of the Dukes of Lorraine, and later passed with that Duchy to the Counts of Louvain. On the death of Henry V, in 1235, his sons divided among themselves his possessions. Henry, as the eldest son, succeeded to the title, while Godfrey, the younger, received as his portion Léau, Gaesbeke and Herstal, as fiefs owing service to Brabant. The first Lord of Herstal adopted as his arms a field of sable (black) charged with a lion argent (silver) crowned or (gold), as on the jeton, which were similar to those of Brabant, except that their possessor changed the metal of the lion from gold to silver as a "difference," to indicate his "cadetship" or juniority. Godfrey married Mary, the daughter of Arnold of Audenarde, died in 1253, and was interred in the abbey of Afflighem; his son Henry succeeded him as Seigneur of Herstal, married Isabella, daughter of the "Sire of Beveren," and fell in the siege of Perpignan (1285) under Philip the Bold, King of France. His son Jean, surnamed Tristan, whose arms we recognize on this jeton, which correspond to those found on the coins of that period, succeeded his father the same year, married Felicité of Luxembourg, and died in 1309.

The attribution of the piece could only be accomplished by one familiar with the heraldic devices of the period, and is another example of the close connection between heraldry, history and numismatics - by which each aids the other and adds to our knowledge of the past, and enables us to identify, as in this instance, the period of the piece and the person by whom it was struck, though it bears neither date nor legend.

1

BRITISH JUBILEE MEDALS.

THE "Diamond Jubilee" of Her Gracious Majesty Victoria was marked by the issue of a large number of medals of various designs, some of which were of special merit, and descriptions of some of these will not be lacking in interest to American collectors, for the feeling in this country towards the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and the Empress of India was well expressed by Col. Walker, of the "Ancients," in his toast to Her Majesty, when he said she was equally beloved for her queenliness as a woman and her womanliness as a queen.

The Royal Mint leads by the issue of a large medal in gold (£13), silver (10s.) and bronze (4s.), and a small medal in gold (£2) and silver (Is.) Only the large gold and small silver have yet (August, 1897) appeared. The latter might properly be called the "Jubilee Shilling":

Obverse, Portrait as on the present (1897) coinage, to left, encircled by VICTORIA ANNVM REGNI SEXAGESIMVM FELICITER CLAVDIT XX IVN. MDCCCXCVII. (Victoria happily closes the sixtieth year of her reign, June 20, 1897.) Reverse, Portrait as on the 1837 coinage between [in horizontal lines]: LONGI- | TVDO | DIERVM | IN | DEXTERA | EIVS || ET IN | SINISTRA GLORIA. (Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left, glory.) Exergue, An olive branch and 1837. Silver, frosted, shilling size; 16, 26mm.

RATIONEM

Among those struck by private individuals or firms were the following : Obverse, Bust of the Queen in profile to left, draped, laureated and crowned, her veil falling behind, on her shoulders; on the field at the left, COMMEN | ANNI | REGNI, and at the right, LX over a sprig of oak-leaves, surrounded by a circle, outside of which is the legend, VICTORIA • DEI · GRA: BRITT: REGINA • FID DEF : IND IMP and below, completing the circle, MDCCCXCVII. Reverse, The royal arms, in a garter with mottoes and supporters; below them, THE BRITISH EMPIRE [rayonnant] A. D. 1897. All encircled by shields in two rows (points inward), 28 in the outer, 27 in the inner row, each bearing the name of a British dependency or colony; in exergue, within a circle, four arms forming a cross, the hands clasped in the centre, between PEACE | LOVE | AND | UNION. LOVE AND UNION. Outside of the circle to left: RD 285992. Below at rim: SPINK & SON LONDON. Various metals. 48, 75mm.

Obverse, Same bust to left, partly encircled by the legend in two lines; outer line, VICTORIA D:G: BRITT: REGINA F: D: IND IMP | Inner line, IN. COMMEMOR. AN. REG. SEXAGESIMI. Exergue, MDCCCXCVII. Reverse, Naval scene, a steamer at right, a sailing ship at left, representing ships of war at the beginning of her reign and the present day; a lighthouse on rocks in the foreground; in the centre, the British standard surmounted by a crown on which is the lion crest. Below truncation: SPINK & SON (No 285990) LONDON. In exergue, in centre on a crowned shield, the arms of Great Britain between a mural crown on the left and a naval crown on the right; below, on labels: ARMY | 1837-1897 | NAVY Silver, bronze, and whitemetal gilt. 32, 51mm.

Obverse, As preceding. Reverse, The royal arms with crest and motto; floreated ornaments at the sides instead of supporters, all surrounded by a double circle, within which are nine Norman shields, points inward, inscribed with the names of the members of the royal family, that of the Prince of Wales at the top, with the three feathers showing above; at the bottom there is another shield, the point extending to

the rim, inscribed: H. R. H | PRINCE | CONSORT | DIED 1861 Outside the outer circle, at the top, THE ROYAL FAMILY with a shamrock, thistle and rose on either side, and 1837 1897 at the bottom, separated by the base of the Prince Consort's shield. Various metals. Size 32.

This obverse was also muled with three other reverses, one of which had five shields inscribed with the names and dates of accession and death (except one) of the Primates who have held office during Her Majesty's reign. The shields are separated by a mitre and a crozier alternately; at the bottom, in a trefoil, the royal arms; on the centre an open Bible, with the words FEAR GOD HONOUR THE KING which is surrounded by a circle having the legend PRIMATES OF ENGLAND.

Another reverse had in the centre an ornate tablet inscribed THE PRIME MINISTERS OF HER MAJESTY'S Reign • Behind the tablet, at the left, a palm branch; below, a portcullis with 1837 at the left and 1897 at the right; above the tablet, MARQUIS OF SALISBURY curving; the whole surrounded by nine shields or tablets, each bearing the name of one of the Prime Ministers who held office during her reign; alternating between these shields are the national flowers, a rose, thistle or shamrock.

The third represents a modern steamship, steaming to the left; in the exergue, which is wide, is a circle, in which is a locomotive emerging from a tunnel, with BRITISH above, and COMMERCE below, the words separated by the dates 1837 at left and 1897 at right; at the left, the Eastern hemisphere and the caduceus of Mercury, and at the right the Western hemisphere and another caduceus.

Another group of medals has a similar bust of the Queen, with VICTORIA above and QUEEN AND EMPRESS below, with an inscription on the field indicating the occasion for which it was struck, To | COMMEM | ORATE | THE SIXTIETH on the left, and YEAR OF HER | MAJESTY'S | REIGN on the right. This obverse, like that of those described above, was cut by F. BOWCHER, whose name appears under the decollation, and it was also struck with five different reverses on one appear the arms of Australia, below which is a smaller shield with the royal arms, the whole surrounded by a floral wreath, outside of which is the legend, MAY THE blessing of god continue to CROWN

YOUR GLORIOUS REIGN.

A second has the royal and Dominion arms on elliptical shields conjoined at the top, with the imperial crown above and the motto DIEU ET MON DROIT on a ribbon below; under this is the cipher VRI all surrounded by the legend, DOMINION OF CANADA on a tablet above, and THE RT HON. THE EARL OF ABERDEEN GOVERNOR GENERAL completing the circle.

A third has upon the field a star of the "Order of the Star of India," with its motto, HEAVEN'S LIGHT OUR GUIDE; a lotus flower on either side, INDIA irradiated above and the royal arms crowned below, dividing the dates in Roman numerals 1837 1897 and four ciphers VRI one above and one below the lotus on either side. Legend above, GOD PReserve our QUEEN & KAISAR-I-HIND.

A fourth has the arms of Cape Colony dividing the dates 1837 and 1897 on ribbons; at the sides a crowned monogram. Legend, above the arms, GOD BLESS OUR QUEEN and below, CAPE COLONY; surrounding all are two lily wreaths; that above falls from the royal arms at the top to the ciphers, and the other, below, extends upwards to them.

The fifth has the arms of New Zealand, with NEW ZEALAND on a ribbon below. Legend, GOD BLESS OUR QUEEN; surrounding all is an olive wreath tied at the bottom

with a bow, divided at the top by the royal arms, crowned, and surmounted on the right and left at the sides by a circular medallion tablet on which is 60.

This series is also struck in various metals, and is size 24. All the preceding were issued by Spink & Son of London. They were provided with a tricolor ribbon and clasp, on which were the royal arms, patriotic mottoes, etc., to be used if desired. The same firm issued still another series of five reverses, to be struck with the obverse last described, one of which had four tablets, with portraits of the Queen, the Prince of Wales, his son and grandson; another has portraits, separated by palm branches, of the monarchs who had the four longest reigns previous to Victoria, viz. : Henry III (1216–72), Edward III (1327–1377), Elizabeth (1558-1603), and George III (1760-1820); a third had a winged figure of Peace standing on a globe, holding wreaths in her hands, with the dates 1837 and 1897; the fourth, a draped female figure standing, facing, holding in either hand a wreath upon a shield, which bear the dates 1837 AND 1897; while the fifth has the cipher VRI in a wreath of palm with the royal crown above, and five shields with Europe, Asia, etc., over a marine view and other devices. Each of these have appropriate legends.

Legend, VICTORIA REGINA | ET IMPERATRIX. arms] VICTORIA | 1837-1897 between laurel and White-metal. 24, 39mm.

In

Obverse, Coroneted bust to left. Reverse, IN COMMEMORATION [royal oak tied at bottom. In exergue, H. In exergue, H. Obverse, Diademed bust of the Queen to left. Legend, VICTORIA | REGINA. exergue, 1837-1897. Reverse, Inscription in six lines, VICTORIA REG ET IMP | Born 1819 CROWNED 1838 | MARRIED 1840 | SIXTIETH YEAR | 1897. Sprigs of rose, shamrock and thistle. White-metal. 20, 31mm.: pendant from a crown pin, incused.

IMP.

Obverse, Coroneted bust to left. Legend, VICTORIA REGINA. In exergue, 1897. Reverse, Within a wreath of oak and laurel, the inscription in seven lines, FOR THE | 60TH YEAR OF | HER GRACIOUS | MAJESTY'S | REIGN | JUNE 1897. Brass. 16, 26mm. Obverse, Coroneted bust to left. Legend, VICTORIA D. G. BRITT. | REG. F. D. IND. Reverse, within a pearled circle a castle; above, WINDSOR CASTLE. In exergue, Silver. 11, 17mm. Loop on edge. [From Stratford-upon-Avon.] Besides these, there are numerous metallic decorations, stars, crosses, bearing the Queen's portrait, in metal and photograph, and data, names of Colonies, etc.; and an enterprising American firm manufactured in the United States pins and buttons beautifully enamelled with portraits, legends and flags, and sold them in Great Britain. The Royal Mint did not issue any special Jubilee coinage.

1000 000

E. J. C.

EDITORIAL.

SIGNS OF PROGRESS.

THE article in a leading New York newspaper, to which reference has been made on a preceding page of the Journal, on some recent medals and their engravers, with illustrations, even though the latter are but little above the average quality of the pictures which within the last few years have become a feature of the daily press, seems to us to require more than a passing comment. That gems of numismatic art should have been thought worthy of so prominent a place and so extended a notice in a paper whose shrewdness in catering to the demands of popular taste, it is universally admitted, are not surpassed by any of its competi tors, marks the growth of public interest in a direction where indifference, if not contempt, has too long been the rule. Its appearance is therefore all the more gratifying to the lovers of numismatics.

The cultivation of the aesthetic nature cannot be accomplished by theories of art, and lectures or text-books on the science and its laws. Alison's Essays on Taste, no matter how just and true were Lord Jeffrey's praises, which he furnished to the Edinburgh Review, when it appeared; and Lord Kames's Elements of Criticism, which delighted the metaphysical mind of Dugald Stewart; and even the famous Dialogues on Medals, by the great English essayist, which our ancestors read with pleasure if not profit, whatever may have been their influence in establishing a correct standard of taste a century and more ago, failed to recognize the truth of the admirable statement of a recent writer, that "the production of art and its due appreciation are matters of sensibility, not of acquirement; matters of feeling, and not of knowledge."

It is not pretended that the works cited, with the possible exception of the "Dialogues," nor even the more recent works of Lübke, Winckelman, and others, were written with any special design to advance numismatic art, even indirectly. No matter how much the appreciation of artistic beauty, whether in device or execution, might be increased by the study of these authors, the effect of that study was limited to the very few who were fortunate enough to have the time and the inclination to take up a labor so fascinating to those who have been privileged to do so. There are few who fail to recognize, consciously or not, the power of beauty in a greater or less degree; but the tendency of the times for so many centuries has been utilitarian rather than aesthetic, that we may almost believe one of the chief articles of the popular creed is that the connection between beauty and utility is a matter about which no one need concern himself. Surely no one who compares the charming devices on the coins of ancient Greece with those upon the money of modern times will dispute this position.

It was a hopeful sign when a commission of gentlemen of the highest ability in their several departments was formed, as was stated in the Journal some time ago, to suggest improvements in the artistic character of our coinage,—if indeed there be any artistic character there to be improved. The results of their deliberations, and the recommendations which they may make, are awaited with the deepest interest by every lover of our favorite science. Such a movement has found an echo in the article, brief as it is, to which we have referred. But however promising may be the prospect, however hopeful we may be of its results, it must not be forgotten that "the great art epochs have always been when the many, not the few, were sensitive to beauty, and that the need of our times is not more complete training for the few, but wider opportunities for the cultivation of the sensibilities of the many."

This fundamental principle, without which there can be no advance, is coming to be recognized in the foundation of such institutions as the Art Museum of Boston, the Metropolitan Museum of New York, and the Training Schools of Design which are springing up in our great cities. It was a grand thing when a liberal merchant of Boston adorned the Hall of the Brookline Grammar School which bears his name, with reproductions of the frieze of the Parthenon, and another, with like generosity, placed in the Art Room of the High School, in the same town, casts of some of the best statues of antiquity. The silent influence of these works cannot fail to make itself felt in the daily lives of the scholars; indeed, it has already borne fruit. Similar gifts, no doubt, are to be found elsewhere, but in America we have been slow to follow the examples set us in London and Paris which are now yielding such rich returns. And it is a matter on which every lover of art may congratulate himself, that the time has at last arrived when this principle has found recognition, however feeble that may yet be. When our National Government shall discover the value to all our citizens of collections of the finest examples of ancient art, like those of the British Museum and those of a similar character in Paris, Dresden, and other cities abroad, we may hope that the numismatic art, like its sister arts of sculpture and painting, will have a new birth. To deny the possibility of such a renascence may delay the day we hope for, but its dawning rays have already appeared, and we believe its coming is sure.