80 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



of Oriental coins formed by the late Gen. Sir Alexander 

 Cunningham, R.E., k.c.i.e., c.S.I., a description of which is 

 given below (see Sub-section 5). 



The total number of specimens in this collection, presented 

 by the heirs and executors of Sir Alexander Cunningham, is 

 2,069. 



Of the remaining 8,714 coins acquired during the year, 248 

 have been presented, and 3,466 have been purchased. The 

 donations are chiefly due to the generosity of Major R. C. 

 Temple, c.i.e., the Hon. Algernon Bourke, Sir John Evans, 

 K.C.B., the late H. Montagu, Esq., f.s.a., L. A. Lawrence, Esq., 

 the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Grant Duff, John Gordon, Esq., Capt. 

 E. H. C. Tufnell, W. R. Hubbard, Esq., F. Bowcher, Esq., and 

 A. F. Wheeler, Esq. 



The notable increase in the number of coins acquired by 

 purchase is chiefly to be accounted for by the fact that special 

 attention has been devoted to the formation of a more repre- 

 sentative series of the Municipal bronze currency of the 

 cities of Asia Minor struck during the period of the Roman 

 dominion. As this class of coins is far less costly than the 

 finer works of art of an earlier date, the Museum has been 

 able to acquire, without a special grant, a much larger num- 

 ber of specimens than has been usual in recent years. 



In these Greek Imperial coins, the historical value of which 

 can hardly be exaggerated, the British Museum is still very 

 deficient as compared with the collections of Paris and 

 Berlin. The numerous purchases during the past year have, 

 however, contributed largely to improve the series, more 

 especially those of the towns of the western districts of Asia 

 Minor, and of the important islands, Cos and Rhodes, which 

 are now being arranged and catalogued. 



In addition to the above-mentioned acquisitions the Lords 

 of the Committee of Council on Education have sanctioned 

 the transfer (on loan) to the British Museum of the collec- 

 tions of Indian and Swiss coins belonging to the South 

 Kensington Museum. The collection of Indian coins, though 

 containing many desirable varieties, is comparatively unim- 

 portant ; but the collection of Swiss coins, which was 

 bequeathed in 1868 to the South Kensington Museum by the 

 Rev. C. H. Townshend, is by far the most comprehensive 

 series of this class ever formed. The transfer of this 

 invaluable collection to the British Museum cannot fail to be 

 of great advantage to students of the history and numis- 

 matics of Switzerland, who will no longer be put to the 

 inconvenience of having to consult cabinets of Swiss coins 

 and medals in two difl'erent London Museums. 



These two loan collections are not, however, incorporated 

 with the British Museum coins, and are not included in the 

 following table of acquisitions during the year 1894. 



In 



