THE AXTSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



288 



coins arc just oval or b('an-sha])('(l Miini)s 

 of motal, bearing on one side the seal of 

 authority rcsi^onsibk' foi- their purity 

 and weight, and on the other side the 

 scars produced by pressure against 

 the square-headed anvil when the seal 

 mark was hammered on. This simi)le 

 ])rocess was imjiroved U])on later, by 

 the addition of a second engraved die, 

 beneath the ])iece of metal intended for 

 a coin, so that the single blow of the 

 hammer would provide it with a reverse. 

 While most coinitries to-day have a 

 circular coinage this form is not uni- 

 versal. Other shapes seem to pre- 

 dominate in the east. The Chinese 

 have, since B.C. 275 issued circiilar 

 coins with square holes which have only 

 recently been superseded. This per- 

 foration was for the convenience of 

 threading the coins, a feature which 

 has its good points. In Bijalpur, 

 Bombay there is a form of silver wire 

 currency known as " larin," while in far 

 Siam inscribed silver bullets are passed 

 from hand to hand in business trans- 

 actions. 



According to the exigencies of state, 

 makeshifts and siibstitutes have been 

 improvised. Amongst these may be 

 mentioned siege or ol)sidional money, 



of which there exists to-day a fine series 

 to teach us history. James II., when 

 compelled to flee to Ireland, ])roduced 

 a series of coins known as " Gun 

 money," com])()sed of bronze, and 

 marked with a fictitious value. In jus- 

 tice to this monarch, it niust be stated 

 that he intended to redeem them at 

 their face value, when he was once again 

 secure nyton the British throne. Othe?' 

 kings have been in similar straitened 

 circumstances, notably Charles I. when 

 he was contesting with Oliver Ci-om- 

 well for the governance of England. 

 Pieces of ])late of varied sha])es aiul 

 sizes bearing ciu'ious portraits of the 

 castles wherein he was besieged have 

 been handed down to us and form part 

 of the collection in many museums. 

 The greater nimiber of European coins 

 have on the obverse, if the country is a 

 monarchy, the portrait of a king or 

 queen or a crowned regal monogram. 

 Should the country be a republic the 

 obverse has a design emblematic of 

 freedom. In Mohammedan countries, 

 as it is contrary to religious princi])les to 

 depict a sultan or kaliph, his place is 

 taken by the kolima, or creed, Mhich 

 reads " there is no god but God, and 

 Mohammed is the ])rophet of God.'' 



