i6 



ACCOUNTS, ESTIMATES, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



(B.) Coins and Medals. — The following table shows the number and classification of 

 the acquisitions under this head : — 





Gold. 



Silver, 



Copper. 



Total. 





■ 



Greek - - - - 



7 



130 



235 



372 



Roman - - - - 



255 



960 



1,595 



2,810 



Oriental - - - - 



67 



126 



184 



377 



Mediaeval andl 

 Modern -J' 



116 



2,120 



4,288 



6,524 



Total - - - 



445 



3,336 



6,302 



10,083 



The Collection has been greatl)' enriched during the last year by donations and purchases. 

 The first portion of a large and valuable collection of Coins, presented by Mr, J, F, W. de 

 Sahs has been received : it consists of 3,434 pieces in gold, silver, billon, and copper, all 

 of which exhibit types or varieties not previously in the National Collection, 



The Roman Series consists of silver coins, chiefly Denarii, from the earliest coinage of 

 silver, about the year b.c, 269, down to Aurelian, a.d. 270, and of Coins of all metals and 

 sizes, from Aurelian to the end of the Western Empire under Romulus Augustus in a, d. 476. 

 The following Coins will be incorporated in the National Collection : — 



Consular Period - - - 4 Gold, 249 Silver, 5 Copper = 258 

 Augustus to Valerian - - 7 „ 361 „ 6 „ = 374 



Valerian to Aurelian - - 5 „ 241 Silver and Copper = 246 

 Aurelian to Romulus Augustus 234 „ 98 Silver, 1,524 Copper ^ 1,856 



Total - - 2,734 



The Swiss Series consists of 700 coins, of which 3 are gold, 289 silver, and 408 billon 

 and copper. 



The Roman Series is chiefly remarkable for the high state of preservation of most of the 

 specimens. Among a great immber of Coins ol the highest rarity and historical interest we 

 may notice the following : — 



Marcus Juriius Brutus, Rev. EID. MAR., with a cap of liberty and two daggers, one of 

 the very few specimens held to be undoubted, and in the highest preservation ; Clodius Macer, 

 Propraetor of Africa under Nero, silver, the finest known, and of great rarity ; Titus, struck 

 at Ephesus, in gold, probably unique ; Uranius Antoninus, who rebelled in Syria under 

 Severus Alexander, gold, and unique ; Marinus Pacatianus, proclaimed Emperor in Pan- 

 nonia under Phihp, two Types in silver, in the highest preservation ; Marcus lotapianus, 

 rebel Emperor in Syria under Philip, silver, and of extreme rarity ; five specimens of 

 Postumus, coupled with the head of Hercules, four silver, one copper, all extremely rare ; 

 Marius, usurper in Gaul under Gallienus, gold, very fine, and of the greatest rarity ; Magnia 

 Urbica, wife of Carinus, gold, and very fine ; Carinus, with, on the reverse, the head of 

 Magnia Urbica, copper, of extreme rarity ; Diocletian, coupled with the head of Jupiter, 

 unique and fine; Maximian the Elder, struck in London by Carausius, gold, and very fine; 

 (only two specimens of this Coin are known) ; Fausta, silver, of extreme raiity, and well 

 preserved ; Helena, gold, very rare, and well preserved ; Vetranio, proclaimed emperor in 

 Illyria after the death of Constans I,, in gold and silver; Jovinus, struck at Lyons and at . 

 Treves, gold, extremely rare, and both very fine (the Museum possesses the Coin of the same 

 Emperor struck at Aries) ; four gold Solidi of iElia Pulcheria, sister of Theodosius II,, all 

 fine and rare; Constantius IIL, brother of Honorius, gold, and extremely rare; iElia 

 Zenonis, wife of Basiliscus, gold, very fine, and of the greatest rarity; Zeno and his adopted 

 son, Leo, in gold, and extremely rare ; Odoacer, copper, and very rare. 



The Collection of English Medals, formed by Mr. Edward Hawkins, Keeper of the 

 Department of Antiquities, British Museum, has been acquired by purchase. This complete 

 and valuable series comprehends 54 gold, 1,491 silver, 3,224 copper, bronze, and lead 

 specimens, in all 4,769 pieces. It is of the utmost interest for the illustration of English 

 history. 



The Greek Series has been augmented by the purchase of many important Coins, chiefly 

 at the sale of the late Lord North wick's collection. The following are the most remarkable 

 acquisitions from the latter source: — A Didrachm of Delphi, of great rarity; an early 

 Didrachm of Thebes, very rare; an early Didrachm of EHs, extremely rare; a 1'etradrachm 

 of Cleopatra, Queen of Syria, in perfect condition, and probably unique ; a Drachm of 

 Tigranes, King of Syria, connecting by its legends the Seleucidan and Arsacidan Classes ; a 

 Stater of Cyzicus in Electrum, of very fine workmanship ; a Silver Coin of a Phoenician 

 king under the Persian dominion, extremely rare ; and a large number of Greek Imperial 

 Coins of cities or emperors, previously not represented in the Collection. 



The 



