RARE COINS OF EARLY ENGLAND ON EXHIBIT AT NEW FOGG MUSEUM

Among the interesting exhibitions now being shown at the New Fogg Art Museum is a collection of coins loaned by L. C. Briggs '31. This collection contains English coins before 1272, coins which influenced this series or were contemporary with it and therefore interesting for comparison, and also miscellaneous coins of historical interest.

The oldest pieces of the ancient British series date about 150 B. C. and are found equally in France and Southern England. They are believed by some to be Gaulish but are probably copied from a Gaulish type. The original prototype is the Phillipus of Phillip of Macedon which shows on the abverse a concrete bust and on the reverse a biga. Two other coins in this group are attributed to the Icent and are dateable shortly before Caesar's invasion.

The Scaeattae are interesting in being more or less degenerate copies of Roman coins. Three of them show an animal form similar to a porcupine, in reality a conventionalization of the wolf and twins design found on Roman coins. This series dates from sometime before 500 A. D. until a little after 700 A. D.

The next series includes the coins of the period before England became united under one king. An interesting coin in this group is that of St. Edmund. This was probably struck for circulation in East Anglica about 900. Hawkins attributes this coin to Cohric who ruled East Anglica from 890 to 905. Another coin of particular interest is one of Alfred the Great, king of the West Saxons.

The next series includes the sole monarchy of England before the conquest. An interesting group here is that of coins of Canute, the king of Denmark and England of whom the story is told that he commanded the tide to stop rising.

The next series includes coins of the post-conquest period before 1272. Most of the rulers of this period are historically important. The most noteworthy coin of this series is that of Prince Henry, the Earl of Northumberland, great grandson of the Duncan who played so prominent a part in Shakespeare's Macbeth. Coins of this prince are extremely rare.

Among the remaining coins are the three-pound piece of Charles I, three coins of Richard Coeur de Lion, two coins of Crusader principalities, and a coin of Charlemagne.