NOTES ON CIVIL-WAR COINS. 59 



is a representation of two lions passant * which can be seen 

 on the obverses of Nos. 1 and 2 on the plate. Another mark 

 is a castle or heraldic tower ; a third is a lion rampant, and 

 the fourth is the helmet already alluded to as a Sandsfoot 

 emblem. The last-named is not associated with the arms of 

 the united boroughs, but is a very appropriate device upon a 

 war-time coinage. 



Hawkins describes in his text-book six varieties of the 

 Weymouth half-crowns, five of them being allied in style and 

 fabric to the Sandsfoot pieces, although the mint -marks 

 occasionally differ. The sixth variety is singular in bearing 

 a date, 1644,f and shows a reverse known as the " Declara- 

 tion " type, which was commonly used at Shrewsbury, Oxford, 

 and Bristol. This inscription refers to the King's declaration 

 at Wellington, Shropshire, in September, 1642, and reads thus 

 when extended Religio Protestantium, Leges Angliae, 

 Libertas Parliament*. This is the rarest of the W. half-crowns ; 

 but none are common, as they were struck in comparatively 

 small numbers. As in the case of the SA. coins, there are 

 also some examples without the W. which are classified by 

 Hawkins as " uncertain ; " but their style indicates their 

 kinship to the Weymouth coins proper, though it may be 

 questionable whether all the varieties were made before the 

 surrender of the town. 



Another "uncertain " shilling also claims attention, and is 

 here illustrated as No. 6 on the Plate. It is without a mint- 

 mark on the obverse, yet the reverse exhibits four such 

 symbols, namely, a helmet, a cross comprised of five roses (?), 

 a fleur de lys, and a lion rampant ; and there is the further 

 point that a castle is placed above the shield, an unusual 

 feature. Why the engraver ornamented the die with so many 

 emblems is difficult to explain. Possibly the coin was intended 



* The lions are also to be found on the farthing town -token issued by 

 the Corporation of Weymouth in 1669. 



f Another of the same type is said to be dated 1643, but I have not 

 yet seen it. 



