DEPARTMENT OF COINS AND MEDALS. 113 



Septhnius Severus. — An interesting aureus, with the rev. 

 FVNDATOR PACIS, Emperor, veiled, standing 1., holding 

 branch, probably struck in the years 200 to 201 a.d. The type 

 alludes to the establishment of peace, after the conclusion of the 

 civil wars against Niger and Albinus and the Parthian war. 



Presented by J. B. Preece, Esq. 

 Honorius. — A gold solidus struck at Ravenna, and found at 

 Richborough Castle. 



Presented by H.M. First Commissioner of Works. 



Byzantine. — Basiliscus and Marcus. — A solidus, with the 

 rev. type SALVS REIPVBLIC/E Basiliscus and Marcus seated 

 facing on throne, struck in the years 476-477 a.d., during 

 which the usurper held Constantinople. The reverse type is 

 new to the collection. 



Artavasdes and Nicephorus (a.d. 742 ? -744 ?). A silver 

 siliqua struck at Constantinople. 



In connexion with the Roman Series, mention should be 

 made of the extensive series of casts of Roman medallions, 

 illustrating the work " I Medaglioni Romany' by Comm.. 

 Francesco Gnecchi, presented by the author. 



3. British and Colonial Series : — 

 {a) Coins and Tokens : — - 



A selection of early British coins (gold, silver, bronze, and 

 potin), including some unpublished varieties, from the 

 excavation at Hengistbury Head. 



Presented by Sir George Meyrick, Bart. 



A unique gold coin of OfFa, king of Mercia 757-796, from 

 the P. W. P. Cai-lyon-Britton sale, lot 269. This coin has been 

 one of the most famous of the English Series since its acquisi- 

 tion in Rome by the Due de Blacas in 1841. The importance 

 and interest of the coin lie largely in the fact that it is the 

 lirst gold coin that can be attributed to any Anglo-Saxon king. 

 The introduction of the silver penny by this same king, Ofia, 

 following the example of Pepin le Bref, was the foundation of 

 one of the most famous of the world's currencies. If this gold 

 coin illustrates an attempt to establish a gold cui'rency, the 

 attempt was a failure ; but it is more probable that the gold 

 coinage was issued for some special purpose. The opinion was 

 long held that this piece belonged to an issue of gold struck 

 expressly for the purpose of the yearly payment to the Pope 

 of 365 mancuses in accordance with the King's vow, but the 

 use of Muslim types in unmodified form makes it unlikely that 

 the coin can have been struck for this purpose. The designs 

 of both obverse and reverse consist of Arabic inscriptions 

 closely imitating those of an Arabic dinar of the year 774, but 

 differing from them in style of lettering and in the dotted: 

 border, and most notably in the addition of the words offa 

 KEx which appear upside down within the central Arabic 

 inscription of the reverse. The Arab dinar, which with the 

 besant formed the main gold currency of the world at this 



0.75 H 



