. [ 471 J 
for the neareft value of half an As in Greek money, 
as it was if the Obole paffed for 8 Chalci j but had 
it paffed for lo, he would have faid one 5th of an 
Obole, which is nearer to the true value of half an As', 
or had it paffed for 6, he would have faid one fixtb, 
v/hich is ftill nearer j in either cafe, he would not have 
-faid one fourth, as neither 1 o nor 6 admits of that di- 
vifion. But though, when Polybius wrote, the Obole 
might pafs for 8 Chalci, it is not impoffible that at 
different times, or in different places, it may have 
paffed for 6, 10, and i2. 
It is a common opinion, that the Athenians coined 
gold, for which I can find no good authority j and^ 
from the bed: information I have been able to get, 
there does not appear to be any Attic gold coin now 
remaining, that was flruck while they were a free 
and flourifhing people. 
The lexicographers, indeed,, tell us, the Xpv<r^g 
^ArjiKog: was equal to the Daric (4), and fpeak of 
gold mines at Laurium (5); but no ancient writer 
mentions fuch a coin, and all agree that the mines at 
Laurium were filver (6). 
A paffage in the Frogs of Ariftophanes is, I be- 
lieve, the only pofitive proof that can be produced 
from any ancient author in favour of this opinion. 
In ver. 732 of that comedy, he mentions anew gold 
coin. The fcholiaft on this paffage tells us, that in 
(4) PqUux, L. IX. C..6. § 53. Suidas, v. TAau^, v« 
Harpocratio,. v. 
(5) Suidas, V. FAau^i Hefychius, v. Aaupaa. 
(6) Thucyd. L. II. § 55. and L. VI. § 91. Xenoph. 
zirpcad^v. Strabo, *L. IX. p. 399, and Paufanias at the. 
beginning of his hrft book. 
-2 the- 
