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convexo-concave, that is, convex on one fide, and concave on the 

 other* J fuch golden coins have alfo been found in Britain, but 

 none in Ireland. The Britifh coins indeed differ in fome refpeds 

 from thofe of Croton, having no Greek letters, nor bearing the 

 figures of various animals, &c. fo frequently obferved on the 

 Greek and Roman money ; but ornamented with various uncouth 

 figures, and were probably coined by the Britifh chiefs, in imita- 

 tion of the foreign money introduced by merchants ; though foon 

 after the arrival of Caefar, and perhaps fome years earlier, we 

 find the Britons employing Roman artifts in the manufadure of 

 their money, efpecially Boadicia, Cu?wbeline and Cajfjibelanus ; 

 thefe coins bear the grotefque figures of various animals, and 

 frequently infcribed with Roman letters. In fubfequent periods 

 we difcover Britifh coins, probably by Britifli artifts, bearing the 

 rude refemblance of heads and other figures, expreflive of the 

 drefs and cuftoms of the people, and, when bearing legends, 

 infcribed with Roman letters'. Such coins are frequently found 

 in various parts of Britain, but hitherto none have been difcovered 

 in Ireland ; from whence we may reafonably conclude, that from 

 the earlieft periods to the clofe of the fifth century, no money 

 was coined in this ifland, and little imported. 



The barbarous Scythic nations who fubverted the empire of 

 Rome, that is, the Goths, Vandals and Teutons, before their 

 acquaintance with the Romans were ignorant of money, when 



^ Swinburne's Travels. 



• See the Britifli coins given by Borlafe, &c. 



fome 



