[ 856 ] 
ibmething different from that of the fame figure on 
the reft. The foot of the ox or bull feems hairy on 
my denarius, but not fo on the others. All which 
ftngularities, together with the additional Etrufcan 
element at the end of the infcription, reprefent- 
ing R, and the Etrufcan M on the reverie, will 
perhaps intitle the medal I am confidering to the 
denomination of an inedited coin. The workman- 
fhip is good, but fomewhat different from that of 
the confular denarii, particularly thofe of the fame 
age. Mr. Havercamp juftly remarks, that the legend, 
or infcription, here is Etrufcan (io); but by no 
means afcertains the forms and powers of the let- 
ters, of which it is compofed. He even took the 
Etrufcan A in the exergue of his own medal, which 
does not appear in that of mine, for an ( 1 1 ) inverted R. 
Sig. Annibale degli Abati Olivieri calls thefe fmall 
filver pieces (12) Etrufcan medals, becaufe they have 
fcarce any thing in common with thofe of Rome, 
and are adorned with Etrufcan characters, or fuch as 
were in the earlier ages the letters of all Italy, then 
fubjeCt to the Etrufcans ; but at the fame time he 
oblerves, that they might with greater propriety, not- 
withftanding the authority of the Marquis Scipio 
Maffei, be termed Italian coins. 
As I remember not to have feen an alphabet of the 
Samnite- Etrufcan characters, exhibited to the public; 
I have taken the liberty to tranffnit one to the Royal 
Society, deduced from fome very valuable Samnite- 
(10) Sig. Haverc. ubi Tup. p. 459. 
{ 11 ) Id. ibid. 
(12) Sag. di Dijfertaz. Accadcmicb. &c, Tom. II. p. 49. 
Etrufcan 
