vii ] INSTITUTE OF BANKERS. 217 



that the dies were much larger than the coins assisted 

 in contributing to this result. Some of our coins are 

 inscribed, and in one series we find the name "Cuno" 

 (Fig. VI., Plate II.), short for Cunobeline, the Cymbeline 

 of Shakespeare, from whose name one learned antiquary- 

 has absurdly supposed that our word "coin" was de- 

 rived. Other interesting inscribed coins are those of 

 Commius, supposed to be the Atrebatian mentioned by 

 Csesar ; of Tincommius and Eppilus the sons of Commius ; 

 of Tasciovanus the father of Cunobeline ; of Dubnovel- 

 launus, probably the Damno Bellaunus of the inscription 

 of Augustus at Ancyra. I ought to add that among the 

 latter coins are various curious types of purely native 

 origin. Nay, not only had the ancient Britons a native 

 coinage, but they were so civilized as to have attained 

 the art of forgery, the false coins being of base metal 

 plated over with gold or silver. 



After the conquest the native British coinage was re- 

 placed by Eoman coins, great numbers of which have 

 been discovered, and some of which are said to be even 

 now occasionally met with in circulation. After the 

 departure of the Bomans, the Saxons, about the sixth 

 century, commenced striking stycas, or half-farthings, 

 and sceattas from which comes our proverbial expres- 

 sion "paying one's shot." 



Our mode of reckoning by pounds, shillings, and pence, 

 was introduced in Saxon times, the £1 being a pound 

 of silver, though the penny, the ^-^ of a £1, was the 

 largest silver coin actually struck. 



The " penny " is the most ancient representative of 

 our coinage. The name first appears in the laws of Ina, 

 King of the West Saxons, who began to reign in 688. 



