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After these few remarks by way of preface, I will now 
endeavour to trace the history of Numismatics from its very 
beginning. 
The original method of purchase was by exchange or barter. 
Several Greek words allude to this, for instance, apyuwas literally 
means to purchase with a lamb; wveoua: to purchase with an 
ass; mwaew to purchase with a foal or young horse. 
Next, rough pieces of metal of a certain weight were used, 
as when Abraham purchased Machpelah, “ he weighed to Ephron 
the silver, 400 shekels of silver, current money with the mer- 
chant.”” And among the Romans the As or Libra was a pound 
weight of brass. The Mina of the Greeks, and the Pound of 
the English were also in the first instance reckoned by weight. 
Moreover, the Latin word pendere, to pay, likewise signifies to 
weigh. 
Servius Tullius first stamped pieces of brass with the 
images of oxen, sheep, and swine—Pecudes, hence pecwnia. 
Silver was first coined by the Romans A.U.C. 484, or as 
some say, 498; and gold was first coined 62 years later. _ Silver 
coins were, however, in use at Rome before the aforesaid time, 
but they were of foreign coinage. It is supposed that the first 
coins of all were struck about 900, B.C., under Phidon, King of 
Argos. Heroditus, however, ascribes the first coins to the 
Lydians. 
The chief coin at Rome in early days was the As, which 
was made of brass, and weighed one pound of that metal. 
The early Roman silver coin was the Denarius, which was 
worth 10 lbs. of brass. The Denarius was sub-divided into 
smaller coins, namely, the Quinarius=5 Asses, the Sestertius= 
21 Asses. This latter, the Sestertius is important, because it 
was in such frequent use as to be called, absolutely, Nummus. 
The impression on silver coins was usually carriages drawn 
by 2 or by 4 beasts, hence called Bigati and Quadrigati. Some 
silver coins were marked with the figure of Victory, hence 
called Victorati. A golden coin was first struck at Rome, in the 
2nd Punie War, A.U.C., 546, called Aureus, value 25 Denarii. 
The Aureus in later ages was called Solidus, but was greatly 
