73 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [DEC. 23, 



of the belief in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The 

 pseudo-transmutation of base metals into precious ones, whether 

 accomplished by trickery or through ignorance of chemical 

 phenomena now easily explained, was often commemorated by 

 stamping medals or minting coins. The number of these hermetic 

 rarities in numismatics is unknown; the speaker described, more 

 or less fully, thirty-nine pieces mentioned in literature or pre- 

 served in cabinets. The chief sources of information are 

 Samuel Reyher's " De nummis quibusdam ex chymico metallo 

 factis" (Kiel, 1692, 4to); Kohler's " Historische Miinzbelusti- 

 gungen'' (Nurnberg, 1729-50, 24 vols.); Madai's "Vollslandi- 

 ges Thaler- Cabinet " (Konigsberg, 1765); and the alchemical 

 works mentioned in the present essay. 



The coins and metals described are the following: — 

 I. 1315. — Rose-nobles made from artificial gold prepared by 

 Raymond Lully (Camden; Selden). 



If. 1604. — Silver piece figured by Reyher (page 15), bearing 

 emblematic figures and the signs $, , v , $ , in certain positions. 



III. 1617. — A silver piece of the city of Erfurt, with the sym- 

 bols $ and ^ (Reyher). 



IV. 1617. — Another of same date, with the image of a phoenix 

 (Tenzel). 



V. 1622. — A silver piece struck at Erfurt, with the same sym- 

 bols as III. (Wedelius). 



VI. Fo2irlh century. — Coins mentioned by Tilemann, bearing 

 the character of Mercury (Miinz-Spiege]). 



VII. 1630. — A silver thaler with bust of Anselm Casimir, 

 coined at Mainz (Madai). 



VIII. 1634. — A gold piece with portrait of Gustavus Adolphus 

 and the symbol of Mercury (Monconys). 



IX. 1632. — A double ducat of Gustavus Adolplius with an 

 inscription referring to EzekieJ, chapter xxxvii. ; struck Novem- 

 ber 6th (J. H. Scheler). 



X. 1631. — A silver piece of Gustavus Adolphus, struck Sep- 

 tember 7th (Reyher). 



XL 1647. — A gold ducat of Christian IV. of Denmark, bear- 

 ing a pair of spectacles, etc. (Kohlei'). 



XII. 1647. — A medal struck by Ferdinand III. at Nurem- 

 berg, with alchemical signs for the seven metals (George Bauei). 



XIII. 1648. — A medal of Ferdinand III., struck to commemo- 

 rate a transmutation at Prague, January 15th (Zwelffer). 



XIV. 1650. — A second medal by Ferdinand III. at Prague 

 (Keyssler). 



XV. 1658. — Mainzer ducats struck by Elector John Philipp, 

 and described by Prof. Wedel (Monconys). 



