The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

NOTICE OF RECENT NUMISM.VTIC PUBLICATIONS. 71
This theory henceforth became one of the dogmas of the new
aristocratic party, and against it the democrats protested in vain.
Marius Gratidianus, in the eyes of this party, committed a
heinous crime in assailing the right of the State to depreciate
the currency, and on this account Sulla visited him with cruel
retribution. The Caesarean despotism restored for a time the
public credit by issuing good money ; but Augustus and his
successors had absolute control over the gold and silver coinage,
and before many years adulteration commenced, and went on
increasing until the systematic alterations in the coinage by
Imperial orders produced such confusion as was scarcely
equalled in the most disastrous years of the fourteenth century.
M. E. Gariel contributes two articles, one on a Paris denier
of Charles le Mauvais, the other on the Classification of the
Coins of the Carlovingian dynasty.
M. Alo'iss Heiss has also two papers on two bronze medals, by
Francis Laurana, one being of Jeanne de Laval, second wife of
Rene d'Anjou, King of Sicily, 1^61, the other representing
Triboulet, one of the Court Fools of the same monarch.
M. le Vicomte Ponton d'Amecourt contributes two short
papers on the types of the Praying Angel, and the Star on
Merovingian coins.
M. F. de Saulcy on an unpublished coin of Philip the
Tetrarch.
M. E. Caron on the Corbie Find, consisting chiefly of coins
of Picardy, struck at Amiens and Corbie in the reign of Louis
VI., 110837.
The remainder of the volume is occupied almost entirely with
descriptions of the various collections of coins exhibited at
the International Exhibition of 1878.
THE BRITISH MUSEUM COIN ROOM.
While most of the other great Museums of Europe are busy
enriching their collections, the custodians of our own Medal
Room are throwing all their strength into cataloguing. The
catalogue of Greek coins has now reached a fifth volume,
Macedonia, by Mr. B. V. Head; and the
the coins of the Ptolemies, by
sixth, consisting of
Mr. R. S. Poole, is now in
the press ; the seventh, by Prof. Gardner, Thessaly, Epirus,
&c., is also in an advanced state ; while Mr. Head is already
at work upon the eighth, Locris, Phocis, Bceotia, &c. It will
be remembered that the volumes already published of this
catalogue are (i.) Italy, (ii.J Sicily, (iii.) Thrace, (iv.) Seleucidae,
(v.) Macedon.
When this great work has been brought to a completion,
which can hardly be for another ten years ut the least, it will