1884.] J. Gibbs — Imitation Greek Coins. 41 



baseness ; the hair looks like so many Oxford sausages placed on the head, 

 but the reverse, which should have read BA2IAEOS ANTIOXOY, has the 

 former word so blundered that it is not legible at all ; it looks like 

 DAI I A V v. I have however seen other specimens in which this was cor- 

 rected and the word written correctly, while in others AIKAIOY has been 

 added. 



The other coins to which I allude are the gold staters of Diodotus, 

 Antiochus and Euthudemus. These imitations vary in workmanship ; they 

 are all good but that of Diodotus is the best. I purchased one of the latter 

 purposely to take home last year, and it puzzled some of the best experts 

 there ; the Curators at the Museum and Mr. Whelan of Rollin and Feuar- 

 dent's firm however pronounced against it, but our veteran friend Mr. 

 Edward Thomas would not reject it. My own opinion has always been 

 that it was an imitation, and General Cunningham agreed with me. We 

 had several, I should think 6 or 8, submitted to us for opinion, and had 

 arrived at the same conclusion ; but, on comparing the coin I have, and 

 which I now produce, with the other imitations in the British Museum 

 and also the one which Messrs Rollin and Eeuardent have, it was so mani- 

 festly superior in finish, especially in the reverse, that it was some time 

 before those who were examining it carefully could say it was not genuine. 

 It is only the general look of this coin which to a practised eye throws 

 doubt on it, I may say on the principle given in the old lines — 

 ' The reason why I cannot tell, 

 I do not like thee, Dr. Fell.' 



But there are other imitations of these coins far inferior to this parti- 

 cular one, but finding an exact copy of mine in the lot sent me a few 

 days ago for inspection confirms the view of its not being genuine. 



The Antiochus and Euthudemus, which I also exhibit, are not of such 

 good work. I have seen, I should say, 8 or 10 specimens of each and there 

 were four of the former and one of the latter in the lot just mentioned. 

 And seeing them altogether has convinced my friend Major Prideaux that 

 all, including my Diodotus, are of the same manufacture, he having before 

 been inclined to think mine genuine. 



I should mention that the weights are correct and the quality of the 

 gold apparently what it should be. I am afraid that these were specially 

 manufactured for the officers who went on the late Affghan campaign, 

 as General Cunningham and I have had a good many specimens sent for 

 opinion during the past 4 years, and often with this apparently strong 

 evidence in their favour " I got it myself when in Cabul." 



The above are the more ordinary imitations, but there are others, one 

 or two double darics and other coins, but I only saw one or two of these 

 about 3 years ago, and cannot now describe them accurately. 



