MEDALS and COINS. 257 



tion : and here we muft obferve, that iconology 

 is the art of reprefenting to the fight all ibrts of 

 memorable events by images or fymbols, in 

 which a corporeal ngurr reprefents a moral or 

 ideal object. The Greeks and Ron.ans made 

 frequent ufc of thtie in their medals. And j. 

 the infcription ; in which the ancients employed 

 particular abbreviations, that are necefTary to 

 be known : thus S. F. fignified f<eculi felicitas : 

 T. F. temporum /elicits.* : C. R. claritas reip. 

 S. A. fpes Augufta^ &c. Sometimes alfo the 

 name of the city is feen, where the piece was 

 made ; or monograms, with the name of the matter 

 of the mint, and other like matters. 



>'. 4. The value of the coin, as it pafied in 

 the community where it was made , fuch as the 

 denarii^ affes, quinarii^ fcjlertii, fefquitertii, libel- 

 la, fimbdla^ &c. Thele values are commonly 

 marked on the coins by figns. 



5. The fingularity or Icarcity of a medal^ 

 which forms its hypothetic value. Thus, in 

 the Roman medals, thole of Otho, Pertinax, 

 Gordianus, Africanus, are of ineftimable worth, 



i 1 lie they are, fo to fay, fingular. In like 

 manner when there are two buds or heads toge- 

 ther (capita jugat a) &c. with other important or 

 remarkable lin^ularitics. 



6. i vution of a medal , that is, 

 whether it has been well prcferved, or effaced, 

 dim':. or injured by mil, or othcruiic 



1 , which diminilhc ..!uc. '1 here 



Vol. III. R arc 



