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The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal ... - IndianCoins.org

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30 PROCEEDINGS OF THEPriapus, are worthy <strong>of</strong> notice; as are also <strong>the</strong> rare tetradrachms<strong>of</strong> Demetrius II, <strong>of</strong> Cleopatra <strong>and</strong> Antiochus VIII <strong>of</strong> Syria,<strong>and</strong> that <strong>of</strong> Ptolemy I <strong>of</strong> Egypt, with <strong>the</strong> types usually foundon <strong>the</strong> coins bearing <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> Alex<strong>and</strong>er. <strong>The</strong>re are, <strong>of</strong>course, many o<strong>the</strong>r important coins on <strong>the</strong> list, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> earlynotices that we have received <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m have added much to <strong>the</strong>utility <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Collection.Mr. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Macdonald, <strong>the</strong>author <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> revised catalogue<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Hunter Collection at Glasgow, has contributed a valuablepaper on <strong>the</strong> amphora letters on coins <strong>of</strong> A<strong>the</strong>ns. In it heshows that <strong>the</strong> N which occurs on some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> amphorae isnot due to an engraver's error, but is intentionally placed<strong>the</strong>re. <strong>The</strong> number <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> letters on <strong>the</strong> amphorae being inexcess <strong>of</strong> twelve, <strong>the</strong>y cannot refer to <strong>the</strong> prytanies or tribes,but in all probability are indicative <strong>of</strong> months, which did not inall cases correspond with <strong>the</strong> duration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prytanies. But<strong>the</strong> difficulties which have met Beule <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs in connecting<strong>the</strong> magistrates' names with <strong>the</strong> dates seem to have arisenfrom <strong>the</strong> fact that in <strong>the</strong> second century B.C. a double system<strong>of</strong> time-reckoning was in vogue at A<strong>the</strong>ns, one secular <strong>and</strong><strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r religious or Kara. 6i6v. It is impossible here todiscuss <strong>the</strong> points adduced, but <strong>the</strong> amount <strong>of</strong> accurate workbestowed upon <strong>the</strong> paper, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> coins in differentcabinets that have been consulted, justify full confidence beingplaced in Mr. Macdonald's conclusions <strong>and</strong> in his rectification<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> somewhat numerous errors into which M. Beule hasfallen.Mr. Seltman's paper on " Nummi serrati <strong>and</strong> astral cointypes " is also one that it is difficult to discuss in a few words.<strong>The</strong> existence <strong>of</strong> astronomical <strong>and</strong> possibly solar types upon coinscan hardly be doubted, but <strong>the</strong> extension <strong>of</strong> astral radiation to<strong>the</strong> serrated edge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> coin itself is more susceptible <strong>of</strong>question, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> author seems inclined to regard <strong>the</strong> serrationboth <strong>of</strong> silver <strong>and</strong> copper coins as a preservative against <strong>the</strong>flans cracking under <strong>the</strong> blow <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dies.Even if this were <strong>the</strong>

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