should be known what the City really possesses in this 

 way, and at the request of his colleagues the report is 

 printed herewith : — 



Go tbe flbuseum ano Hrt (Bailers Committee of tfoe 

 Corporation of Bristol. 



THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT UPON THE MUSEUM COLLEC- 

 TION OF COINS, TOKENS, AND MEDALS. 



What may be called the " Museum Collection of Coins, Tokens and 

 Medals," to distinguish it from the Bowles Collection recently 

 bequeathed to the City, is the accumulation of all the years that have 

 elapsed since the completion of the Bristol Institution at the bottom of 

 Park Street in 1825. Looking back at the history of the Museum 

 Institution, which, since that time has passed through a variety cf 

 changes and has assumed different names, it will be found that the 

 earliest recorded gifts of this kind were made by Mr. George Fisher, 

 and Mrs. Sabine, of Dorchester, in 1824, the year after the building 

 was opened for use, and the year before it was finally completed. The 

 former of these donors is mentioned as having given " 10 Silver Coins," 

 and the latter, " a number of Silver Coins and other articles." The 

 books of the Institution show that from that time onwards similar gifts 

 of Coins and Medals were extensively made as a necessary part of 

 Museum acquirement. It should be so, as the Museum looks to the 

 past as well as the present and future. 



A glance at the list of the donors of these specimens, many of which must 

 then have appeared somewhat modern, brings before us quite a number 

 of those who helped to make Bristol famous, and whose interest in the 

 new institution was prophetic of what we in these later days are familiar 

 with, as the development of the Museum enterprise. In this connection, 

 as so long a period has elapsed, it may be mentioned that Joseph 

 Reynolds gave no fewer than 176 Provincial Copper Tokens on one 

 occasion, and afterwards another extensive collection. Dr. Fox, of 

 Brislington, gave a collection of Roman coins and other specimens 

 which had been found on his Brislington estate. Mr. James Ford gave 

 coins found in foundations in King Street. Mr. Richard Smith, 

 Surgeon, was one of the most extensive donors ; he gave "upwards of 

 400 gold, silver, and copper coins, ancient and modern," also four 

 Napoleon bronze medals, beautifully executed, besides many Continental 



