23

years

of service to numismatics

BULLETIN

L- ' ^

NUMISMATICS INTERNATlONAlH

1M4

Volume 21 Number 12 ISSN: 0197-3088 Price .... Two Dollar*

1 “

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURES

An Introduction to Byzantine Coinage, No. 31,

by I. C. G. Campbell 293

Metal Tokens of the Ukraine, by A. P. Shiskin 285

DEPARTMENTS

Book Reviews 301

Contents of the NI Reference Collection 300

Member Notice Page 304

INSIDE N.I.

Donations Report 283

Editorial 284

Librarian's Report 284

Membership Chairman's Report 283

OTHER ITEMS

Domitian Coins Commemorating Victories, by R. R. Kutcher 298

The Joint Rule of Balbinus and Pupienus (A.D. 238) 303

Mysterious "U" 292

NI Collector/Dealer Member Comments Unfavorably on New 1988

Edition of STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS , by Robert Reis — 302

The "Pal udamentum" 299

Royal Family Portrait 299

Scottish Coins Before and After "Act of Union",

by R. R. Kutcher 297

Trajan Depicted as Second Hercules 304

Copyrighted by Numismatics International, P.O. Box 670013, Dallas, Texas USA 75367-0013

DECEMBER 1987

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

WM. B. THOMPSON Chairman & Past President

C.C. ANDREWS ROBERT W. RICHTER

President Vice-President

214-357-1379

ROSS SCHRAEDER Secretary

DON C. DOUGLAS At-Large-Director

WILLIAM E. BENSON MARVIN L. FRALEY JACK E. LEWIS JOHN E. VANDIGRIFF

CHARLES MUCHMORE Treasurer

LEE GROSSMAN At-Large-Director

KARY T. EDWARDS PHILIP L. LAWRENCE ELMORE B. SCOTT CARL YOUNG

Past- Presidents

APPOINTED STAFF

Curator, Nl REFERENCE COLLECTION Philip L. Lawrence

Curator, JOHN GRAVES MEMORIAL

PAPER MONEY COLLECTION David Block P. O. Box 12473 Gainesville, Florida 32602

Editor, Nl BULLETIN Marvin L. Fraley, N.L.G.

2813 - 57th St.

Lubbock, Texas 79413 Phone - 806-795-7623

Article Editor, Nl BULLETIN Fred Drost, N.L.G.

110 Ridgefield St.

Meriden, Connecticut 06450 Phone - 203-235-7565

Book News & Reviews Editor,

Nl BULLETIN

Raymond J. Hebert 6305 Windermere Circle Rockville, MD 20852

Article Abstractor, Nl BULLETIN Joseph Uphoff La Jolla, California

Index Compiler, Nl BULLETIN Dick Schubert Denver, Colorado

Publicity Chairman Stuart T. Eisen Phone - 301-530-5400

Librarian, Nl BOOK LIBRARY Granvyl G. Hulse, Jr.

30 Pleasant St Colebrook, N H. 03576

Librarian, Nl CATALOG SUB-LIBRARY Donald H. Mead 323 N Estelle Wichita, Kansas 67214

Librarian, Nl PERIODICAL LIBRARY Jim Haley P.O. Box 4057 St. Johnsbury, VT 05819

Mail Bid Sales Carl Young P. O. Box 1836 Dallas, Texas 75221

Nl Publications Chairman Randolph Zander

N.I.C.E. General Chairman Charles Muchmore, Jr.

P. O. Box 6094 Richardson, Texas 75080

Photographer, Nl BULLETIN Dick Hanscom P. O. Box 2832 Fairbanks, Alaska 99707

Moderator, N.l. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM William F. Spengler 2032 Ridgeway Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Correspondence should be directed to those persons and addresses above for depart- ments indicated. All other correspondence should be mailed direct to NUMISMATICS INTERNATIONAL, P. O. Box 670013, DALLAS, TX 75367-0013

MEMBERSHIP FEE: Individual & Club Membership - $15.00 Annually. Junior Member- ship (18 years of age and under) - $10.00 Annually. Senior Membership (70 years of age and over) - $10.00 Annually.

282

INSIDE N.l.

MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

December, 1987 Applications for Membership: The following persons

have applied for membership. If no written objections are received by February 1, 1988, their membership will become effective on that date.

2244- MT Howard Cohen, 3 Quaker Drive, East Brunswick, N.J. 08816

(Judiaca, Germany)

2245- MT Richard W. Wheeler, P. 0. Box 140531, Orlando, Fla. 32814

(World Wide Coins 1962 to Date)

★ ★★★★

DONATIONS REPORT

The following donations have been received since the last report:

Name	Donation	Preference of Use
ANDERSON, Wm. E.	$5.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
BAILEY, Howard	$10.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
BENANE, James	$10.00 Cash	NI Library Fund
B0RK0WSKI, Ken	$5.00 Cash	SI BULLETIN Fund
BRUCK, Fred	$10.00 Cash	NI Library Fund
BULLOCK, Mrs. M.	$10.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
CARMACK, David E.	$15.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
CORNELL, Shane	$5.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
DROST, Fred	$20.00 Cash	NI BULLETIN Fund
EDWARDS, K. T.	$15.00 Cash	NI BULLETIN Fund
EISEN, Stuart	$10.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
FALKE, Cleal	$15.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
GANZ, David L.	$15.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
HIS, George	$10.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
JARMAN, Gordon	$10.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
JEFFERSON, John F.	$10.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
K00NTZ, L. Donald	$25.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
KUTCHER, Robert	$10.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
LOEB, Marvin J.	$10.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
MAJOR, W. H.	$5.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
MUCHMORE, Charles	$50.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
NYGREN, Raymond	$10.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
PANISH, Charles K.	$10.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
PETERSEN, Jesse	$4.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
ROCKWELL, Thomas	$10.00 Cash	General	Operating	Fund
SCHULZ, Warren	$5.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
SNELL, Lester D.	$10.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
THANNISCH, G. D.	$10.00 Cash	NI Reference Collection
THOMPSON, Wm. B	$25.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
THORNTON, Robert	$5.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund
VERKET, Harry I.	$5.00 Cash	General	Operati ng	Fund

*****

283

LIBRARIAN'S REPORT

I. Acknowledgement is made below to those who have donated material to the NI Library:

Raymond J. Hebert

JE20 . PaMi : 1 987 : CM PARIS MINT

Coins and Medals. Twenty Centuries of French Art.

(The pamphlet prepared for the French exhibit at the Smithsonian.) Pub. 1987, 32pp, ill us.

Dr. Norman D. Nicol

KA50. LPoS: X890: COCBM LANE-POOLE, STANLEY

Catalogue of Oriental Coins in the British Museum. Vol. X. Additions to the Oriental Collection 1876-1888 . Part II. Additions to Vols. V-VIII.

Copy of 1890 pub., 206pp, with supplement and plates.

II. In addition to the above we would like to thank Krause Publishers for their gift of the latest edition of their STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS j and Thomas Schil linger for his interesting donation of numismatic catalogs and related material.

III. Another holiday season is upon us and I would like to take this opportunity to wish each of you the very best. After ten years it is still a pleasure to serve you.

Granvyl G. Hulse, Jr. NI Book Librarian

*****

EDITORIAL

Rightfully so the grumblings are again being heard from the collectors of subject matter other than Far Eastern, Islamic and Ancient coinage. While your editorial staff accepts articles and material on all subject matter, for the past many months the greater percentage of material we receive is in the area of Far Eastern, Islamic and Ancient coinage.

A review of the pages of our publication for the period January through November, 1987 revealed that article and filler content totalled about 61% for subject matter of Far Eastern, Islamic and Ancient coinage. Other subjects totalled about 39% of which 29% was in the field of European numismatics.

While we do not want to deter our contributors of Far Eastern, Islamic and Ancient coinage material, we would like to invite all budding authors in NI to submit material in other fields so that we might en- deavor to give our membership a more balanced publication of subject matter. Material on European, British, North and South America (other than U.S.A.), Australia, Africa, Oceania, Tokens, Medals, etc. are especially welcomed.

Marvin L. Fraley, Editor

284

METAL TOKENS OF THE UKRAINE

A. P. SHI SKIN

(Reprinted with permission from the 22nd issue (Spring 1986) issue of the Journal of the Russian Numismatic Society (USA))

Among the several surrogate forms of money that appeared in various parts of the USSR both before and after the revolution, the various metallic jetons and tokens, issued mainly for accounting purposes, oc- cupy a special place. They were ephemeral, local, usually put out in small quantities. Legends are laconic and documentation of their issuance is rare. Not surprisingly, these curious little counters have barely been researched. The present article seeks to organize and describe all such pieces issued in the Ukraine, known to the author, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The earliest identified specimens are the coin-like tokens for the Crimean Division of the General Russian Railroad Company. The Company evolved to meet the need, demonstrated in the Crimean War, to build a rail network in Russia. The Tsarist government resolved to enlist private capital; hence the Company was set up on 28 January 1857. Its charter comitted it to build in a decade a 4000-km rail system and to maintain and operate it for 85 years thereafter. French capital played the dominant role. Consequently French managers, engineers and technicians ran the enterprise. At its head was the French engineer Colignon.

The Company undertook to build four lines: (a) from St. Petersburg to Warsaw with a branch to Riga, (b) from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod, (c) from Moscow via Kursk to Fedosia and (d) from Kursk or Orel through Dvinsk to Libava. The Company proved unequal to the task. Financial slackness and embezzlement, inefficiency and irresponsibility raised the costs of equipment sky-high. Administrative expenses alone con- sumed some 32 million rubles.

It ended up that only the first two lines got built: the Company re- neged on the other two in 1861. By 1868 it was in debt to the Russian Government to the tune of 89 million rubles. Such, in outline, is the squalid history of this Russian "Panama." (1)

It is within this period that the bronze tokens for the Crimea Division were issued by Trone, the contractor for that sector and evidently a French engineering firm. The 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25-kopeck tokens were for use at the company stores. One one side within a laurel wreath is the value, outside is the circular legend TRONE ENTREPRENEUR. The other side carries an outer circular legend GDE SOTE DE CHEMINS DE FER RUSSES within which is SECTION DE CRIM^E (No. 1) . (2) The legends in French arise from the fact of French management at both Company and local divisional level, even the Russian and Ukrainian navvies on the line would have found them meaningless.

I.G. Spasskii is of the opinion that the Russian Government's 1870 pro- hibition against issuance and circulation of any Drivate coinage was a reaction to these pieces and possibly others of a like nature. (3)

285

But private tokens - metallic and otherwise - appeared from time to time in the Ukraine and elsewhere in Russia even though they were illegal.

They were used on the estates of the Glebovoi family. In the Berdyansk Regional Museum is an uniface token of pale bronze with the inscription ObtfTOEHCKAH 100 KDn i'Jih'tOEOft (fl0, 2). The village of Obitochnoye (now the Sovkhoz "Hope of the Republic") in the Zaporozhskaya Oblast belonged to S.N. Glebovoi. (4) Tokens of this type with the values of 1, 3, 10 and 50 kopecks are known; there may be others.

In the V.V. Lukyanov collection in Yaroslavl is an analogous token of another Glebovoi estate with the inscription CO$HflCKAH 100 KOn. rjiEbOBOK (#3) On the smooth reverse appears the number "6" punched in, evidently as part of a control system to keep account of the tokens issued.

These tokens were intended to take the place of money within the more or less self-contained economy of a large estate. Field hands were paid with them and they could be used only in the Glebovoi stores, thus generating additional profit for the owners. Another such exam- ple is the Vepritskaya Economy's tokens. An outer circle reads: BEnp- HUKAH 3KOHOM In , in the middle is a large figure of value (No. 12). Fifteen, 20, 25 and 30-kopeck denominations have been identified; here again there may be others.

Near the village of Veprik, not far from Gadyach in the Poltava oblast, was a 2400-desyatin holding of arable land belonging to a joint-stock corporation formed in the 1890s by the large landowners Mosyukov, Les- hinskii and Mel'nik. They specialized in sugar-beets and horse raising. Mel'nik, who was at the head of the enterprise, had a bank in Gadyach as well. (5) This holding now belongs to the Kolkhoz "Zapovit Ilyicha".

Another form of metal token issued in the Ukraine is the issue of the Kamenskii Consumers' Co-op at the Dneprovskii Factory. These light- bronze round pieces have on one side the legend KAMEHCKOE 0.n.n.fl.3.a and a cross-section of a rail, on the other is the figure of value. Denominations include 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 15 kopecks and, some say,

1 ruble as well (No. 4).

The Dneprovskii Factory was built in 1887-9 in the small town of Kamen- skoye (now Dneprodzerzhinsk) by the South Russian Dneprovskii Metal- lurgy Company. The Consumers' Co-op at the factory grew up in the early 1890s, and the tokens described here appear to belong to that period.

It should be noted that consumers' cooperatives began to get organi- zed in the 1860s. They made wide use of an accounting system intro- duced in Germany. This involved the issuance of metallic or paper chits to the shareholding members of the co-op. With these, the mem- bers were able to buy at a discount from the merchants with whom the co-op had an agreement and they could buy at the co-op's own stores.

This method protected the members' buying privileges and also facili- tated an accounting of each share-holder's purchases - an essential element in the distribution of dividends.

The Kamenskoye Co-op's tokens cannot have been very long in use, for veteran workers who had been emnloved at the factory in the late 19th

286

and early 20th centuries had no recollection of the tokens when queried in the 1970s.

Jetons or tokens were issued for various purposes in other Ukrainian towns. The firm of R. Khmel ' n i tski i put out metal tokens in several denominations at Kiev. Bronze redeemable counters are known showing a facsimile of the owner's signature, the figure of value and place of issue - Khar'kov. Specimens marked 5, 10, 20 (Fig. 5 ), and 3.00 are known. Their size increases with face value.

Such jetons or counters were widely used in Odessa. Some private estab- lishments there in pre-revolutionary times used them not to take the place of money but only as an internal accounting device. For example, in a restaurant or caf§ a waiter would start with a given sum in coun- ters issued to him on account. At the end of the waiter's shift the cashier would settle with him based on the value of the tokens he then held. The customer was not involved and the counters served in a sense as cashier's chits.

Metallic chits are known of the following places: the caf§-confecti on- ery Fanconi , the Ht)tel du Nord, the restaurant of the Odessa Non-Clas- sical School, Papuchiev's restaurant (16) , the restaurant at the Indus- trial Exposition and others.

The tokens of Fanconi 's Confectionary at 15 Ekateri nskaya St (now Karl Marx St.) come in white metal. Three types are known. One has the figure of value (5, 10, maybe others) and the inscription C0NFI SERI E FANCONI ODESSA (Fig. 7).

The jetons of the Hotel du Nord at 12 Theater Lane (now Chaikovskii Lane) are of light bronze. One one side appears the value (10, 15 and 50 kopecks known so far), on the other the legend HOTEL DU NORD ODESSA, and a punched-in figure (No. 8). The number is evidently the one assigned to a given waiter or the number of the room where he served.

The Odessa Non-Classical School was located next to the Church at No.

2 Lutheran Lane. Metal tokens are known with the letters 0,P,y,C,n on one side and the value on the other. Denominations include 1 (No. 14) 3 2 (No. 1Z)3 and 3 kopecks (6).

In 1910 in Odessa Park (now Shevchenko Park) an Industrial Exposition was organized. One the premises was a restaurant. It used bronze je- tons for 10, 15, 20, 50 and 100 (kopecks) with the inscription RES- TAURANT DE L ' EXPOSITION A ODESSA and the value on one side, and simply the value on the other (No. 15).

Other Odessa jetons include: one with an anchor and CAFE RICHELIEU on one side and "20" on the other (No. 17), belonging to the Richelieu Hotel; tokens of the Odessa (in fact English) Club with the three-line legend; OflECCKHft/KJiyb/1866 on the obverse and the Roman numerals X, XV, (No. 18) or XX on the reverse; tokens of the Odessa branch of the Warsaw brewing firm of V, Kiok, with an 8-branched rosette and the circular legend B. KIOK h KO. 0£pCCA on one side and a simple 10 on the other (No. 19). Another example is a small octagonal white-metal jeton with the figure 12 and the circular legend KOHTOPA KOPObO^HAro CbOPA - OflECCA on one side and a swan on the other (No. 20). This

287

£ Hc ,

o/ioOji

V'!5 6 n-'L

&W&‘

FANCONI

20

WGSa*4

M, G tt

jr

8

289

\\ 0 M

particular item was a "collection basket" chit, connected with the go- vernment-authorized semi -autonomous fiscal measures of the Jewish com- munity, including raising money for benevolent and religious purposes. Finally there is a jeton of an unknown issuer: on one side is the arms of the Polish Doleng(?) - a horseshoe and arrow, a wing and arrow above, with value at both sides - in this case 10 - and the word CIESZKOWSKI below. On the other side in the middle is the value with date 1885 above and ODESSA below (No. 21).

To Odessa belong as well the tokens of the Russian Steam Navigation and trading ComDany. On one side is a ship with the legend COMplE RUSSE DE NAVIGATION A VAPEUR, and on thp other within a wreath the value (5 ko- pecks is known) with the initials p o n (ui?) (No. 9). This Black Sea steamship line and trading company was established in 1857 with head- quarters at Odessa.

During the Civil War period a curious group of uni face jetons on tin- plate was put out by the confectionary stores of the firm A. I. BRISK0- SOV (a suggestive name) and Sons, at Simferopol. These came in various colors, and the printed legend or design was also colored.

The first issue with 5 and 10 kopeck pieces, with three eagles in the middle, was blue, red and yellow. The second issue, with a single eagle, was yellow and blue. The third issue had the value in the middle - 5,

10, 20, 30, 40, 45, 50 and 60 kopecks are known. The color depended on the value, e.g., 5 - yellow; 10 - dark cherry red; 20 - deep green; 40 - light green (No. 6); 45 - red; 50 - brown; 60 - yellow. The blank reverse had the same basic color as the obverse.

From Simferopol come also the tin-plated one-kopeck chits of the Sister- hood associated with the Alexander Nevskii Fraternity, All the Simfero- pol tokens have been published (7).

In the first years of Soviet power, a scattering of separate organi- zations in the Ukraine issued metal tokens. These were designated to serve yet another purpose. They came out in the years of monetary in- flation, with the catastrophic fall in the ruble's value and soaring prices for food and necessities.

These issues of tokens reflected an effort on the part of local author- ities and individual organizations at least to some extent to protect their employee's pay from the accelerating ravages of inflation. The tokens were redeemable for merchandise at the stores of the issuing authorities on the basis of more or less firm prices.

The most widely known of these are the tokens issued in 1921 at Kiev by the barter-based cooperative "Reason and Conscience." This involved an effort to take as a pricing base the worth of labor expended to pro- duce a given quantity of bread. Hence the device on the token - "a pood of bread - a ruble of work."

The light-bronze metal tokens or "naturcheki" (barter checks) came in values of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50 barter-kopecks (No. 10). The 50 denomin- ation has on one side a circular legend ntfTb nAEB rWTbJiECHT COTbix nyflA XJiybA - 1921 (five shares, 50 hundredths of a pood of bread), and on the other HATYPAJlbHO PACKET Hblfi C06(?)3 - PA3YM H COBECTb in a circular legend and in the middle the motto nyfl

290

XJIEEA PYEJlb TPYflA (Barter-based Co-op - Reason and Conscience, and A pood of bread a ruble of labor). Paper checks, expressed in barter- rubles or poods include values of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20.

M. Kalin, the president of the cooperative, introduced the barter-check system early in 1921. It was abolished that same year, so the tokens and chits circulated only briefly. These metal and paper tokens of the Reason and Conscience Cooperative have appeared several times in the literature. In 1926 B. Babritskii (8) published a short article; in 1932 N. Bagrii wrote in some detail on characteristics of the co-op, on its motives for introducing the experiment with tokens, and even on the number of tokens issued (9),

Bagrii provides figures on the number of checks remaining at the co-op office when it was closed.

QUANTITY	Metal 1/100	bartei 2/100	checks in poods s/100110/100 IS0/100	Pape 1	r barte 2	r check 5	s in poods 10 I 20
616	1201	306	2>tt J 70	28941	35855	X 54 JS	21448	5800

The author claims that "the population did not receive barter checks, so virtually none were left in their hands. . .these figures can be taken in effect as the number produced." Here Bagrii is obviously in error, but no other data on the size of the issue are available. Later authors have dealt further with the checks of "Reason and Conscience."

Other similar metal co-op tokens are known. In the same year of 1921 the Agricultural Coop Association at Keleberd issued oblong uniface tin-plate jetons with a five-pointed star in relief, the legend KEJIEE- C. -r . K. T-BO and the letter "K" or "P" (kopecks or rubles), with the incused value punched in by hand. Known values include 1,2,5,10, 15, 20 and 25 kopecks and 1,3, and 5 rubles (this type is not illus- trated here; a specimen of the 3-kopeck token was in the State Histori- cal Museum's 1961 Moscow numismatic exhibition (11).

In the early 1920s the Kri voi rozhskii Central Workers' Cooperative struck 5, 10 and 50-kopeck copper uniface jetons (No. 11) and possibly additional values as well. In the center is the value. An incuse cir- cular legend reads KPHBOPI3BKHK upK KPAMHHUFI. JllT.A.

After the introduction of the monetary reform and the introduction of a firm ruble the issuance of monetary substitutes in the USSR was pro- hibited by the 29 February Decree of the Council of Work and Defense.

The material discussed here contributes an enduring page in the history of monetary circulation in the Ukraine in pre-revolutionary and early Soviet times. More or less similar measures were taken in other re- gions of the USSR. These metallic tokens would seem to be of suffi- cient interest to historians to justify the compilation of a compre- hensive catalogue.

Esstogies :

(1) Brockhaus & Efron Encyclopedia V.16, pp. 782-3, v.22, pp. 772-812.

(2) Note by S.I. Chizhov in Num. Sbornik v. 11, Moscow 1913, pp.

331-2; I.G. Spasskii. Russian Monetary System, 4th Ed., Lenin-

291

grad 1970. p. 233.

(3) I.G. Spasskii, op.cit., p. 233.

( 4 ) V . P . Semenov , ed . Russia, a full geographic description . . St . Petersburg, 1898, v. 14, p. 623. (hereafter referred to as Russia)

(5) Russia , v. 7, p. 425; Istoria Mist i oil URSR, Poltava Oblast, Kiev 196, pp. 169-170.

(6) V. Sokolov & M. Ivanov. Catalogue of private tokens. Supplement. Ro-

stov-on-Don 1926

(7) Sokolov & Ivanov, Catalogue of Private Tokens. . .Rostov-on-Don 1925. Simferopol1 section, Nos. 44 & 45.

(8 ) B . Babitskii. The Accounting tokens of "Reason and Conscience" , in Soviet Philatelist 1925, No. 3, (55), p. 18.

(9) N. Bagrii. Checks of "Reason and Conscience". Soviet Collector, No. 3, 1932 (127), pp. 70-2.

(10) N. Bagrii, op.cit. p. 71

(11) Coins and Medals of the USSR, Catalogue of the Exhibit. Moscow 1961. P. 22 (exhibit case 13).

From the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection are illustrated here two further tokens associated with Shishkin's No. 9 of the Russian Steam Navigation and Trading CO, On the obverse is a ship, with the circular legend CERCLE DE LA ClE RUSSE DE NAVON A VAPEUR ET DE COMMIE, and on the reverse, within a wreath, the value in kopecks. These evidently served in the Cercle or club or canteen for the Company's em- ployees. They bear a striking resemblance on the obverse to the Borel Lavalley Suez Canal tokens of 1865.

Randolph Zander, RNSJ Editor commented on this article: "The author's thought of a comprehensive catalog of private and local Russian jetons and tokens is devoutly to be hoped for..."

(Information on the Russian Numismatic Society and its quarterly Journal can he had by writing RNS Headquarters , Box F334} Akron s OH 44308 USA.)

***********************************************************************

MYSTERIOUS "U": Great Britain's 1985 gold 5 pound coin will likely be catalogued"T985-U, the U is found on a raised circle to the left of the date. It really is not mysterious. It simply means those pieces with the "U" are Uncirculated.

292

AN INTRODUCTION TO BYZANTINE COINAGE

J. C. G. Campbell, Lincoln , Nebraska, NI #LM-12

No. 31 - BASIL I THE MACEDONIAN (867-886)

Historically this is an interesting and very important reign for the Empire and Eastern Europe.

Basil had three Associate Rulers during his reign, all of whom appear on his coinage, as does his second wife, Eudocia Ingerina, previously the mistress of Michael II who had not been allowed to marry her.

Constantine, his eldest and favorite son, 868-877.

Leo VI, son by his second wife, though some believed he was not Basi 1 1 s son, 870-.

Alexander, 877-.

It is hard to believe that Basil was no more than an ignorant peasant; somewhere he had some education and even if he were ruthless in obtain- ing the throne, he filled the position effectively and well. He left posterity a valuable gift, one of the great law codes of the past.

He set iri motion a complete revision of Justinian's legal code which was completed and published by Leo as the "Basilica", and which was to remain the basic legal code of the Empire until its extinction.

Politically the Arabs at last captured Syracuse but lost ground in S. Italy. The Empire was greatly strengthened in Eastern Europe by the missionary work in the area. On the Eastern front his armies (he could choose able men to command as he was no solider) pushed as far as the Euphrates, paving the way for the great campaigns of the next century.

He reorganized the national finances, seriously depleted by Michael's wasteful extravagances, and lightened taxation. His dynasty, the Mace- donian, was probably the greatest in Byzantine history. Constantine's death was a bitter loss as he never got along with Leo. He himself was killed in a hunting accident.

The Coinage

Again there were three mints striking coins, Syracuse for the final time. A possible fourth, a provincial mint whose location is unknown, struck only crude copper. The capital's coinage was well struck and the copper is plentiful. A new mint, Cherson, struck only copper reflecting Byzantine interest in that area, trade and religion.

Enthroned figures are now shown and the details of the imperial thrones are some times important in classification. It was also the first time the Christos is shown enthroned. The semisses of this reign are the last fractional pieces the empire struck in gold. There is an inter- esting, but excessively rare, gold piece weighing 4 soli di in the British Museum, a bust of the Christos, obverse, with Basil and Con- stantine on the reverse. It was possibly struck for some special occasion, rather than for circulation.

293

GOLD: CONSTANTINOPLE.

The Coinage

Sol i di . The first two types of solidi are exceptionally rare.

a) Obverse: Christos enthroned.

Reverse: Busts of Basil and Constantine.

b) Obverse: Reverse:

Basi 1 ' s bust, facing.

Busts of Constantine and Basil's second wife, Eudocia.

c) Obverse:

Legend - ins xps Rex r^nantihmx. Reverse: Busts of Basil and Constantine.

Legend - bASILIOS €T CObSSAbG AHWb; This is a very handsome coin.

Semi ssi s. An extremely rare coin with Basil on the obverse while Leo and Alexander are on the reverse.

Tremi ssis.

a) An excessively rare piece showing Basil on the obverse while on the reverse are Constantine and his stepmother, Eudocia.

b) Obverse: Basil with legend - bASlLiO’ amA'-

Reverse: Busts of Leo and Alexander.

Legend - + L€Ob se ai_€l5' ah^

This type is also very rare.

Tremissis, type b) 3 Cons tan tinop le

Semissis , Syracuse

SYRACUSE.

Semissis. This was the only coin struck and often, as in the past, of debased metal.

Obverse: Bust of Basil, facing. Legend - *bASILEI0.

Reverse: Bust of Constanting, facing. Legend - CONSTANT.

A variety of this has the Greek "// for the Latin "L" in the obverse legend, as in the previous reign.

294

SILVER: CONSTANTINOPLE,

Again, only Constantinople struck silver, the miliaresion with the names of Basil and Constantine in six lines, as illustrated.

COPPER: CONSTANTINOPLE,

■tu® 8<&€\

There are three main types of follis, the style quite differing from previous reigns though it is foreshadowed by the folles of Theophilus.

Type a)

a) Obverse: Basil enthroned holding the labarum.

Legend - + bASiLios bASiLevsx.

Reverse: Legend in four lines - + bASIL— i0S6b@€0 -bASiLevs-

-Romeob.

Type b)

b) Obverse: Basil and Constantine enthroned, holding labarum

between them.

Legend - + bASiuos s C0bS5Ab5 a^.

Reverse: Legend (in five lines) - + bASIL— SCObSSAb—

51 b0S€b©0 — bASIL© SR -0(T>A0b.

There is a variety of this in which the figure of Constantine is larger, and a shorter legend which also may vary.

c) Obverse: Basil half length figure with Leo on one side,

Constantine on the other.

Legend (varies) - + L€Ob bASIL' CObS5’ ah^S Reverse: Legend (in five lines) - + bASlL'-C0bS5Ab— 5SL€0b€b

— eobASiLS — Romeob.

There are varieties of this to be found and at times it has been restruck on a earlier follis

295

of Basi 1 1 s reign.

CHERSON. There are three types of differing sizes and weights.

Type a)

a) 23mm and 7.5 grms.

b) 18mm and 3.75 grms. Varieties known.

Type b)

c) 13mm and 1 .25 grms.

PROVINCIAL MINT. A foil is and a \ follis, crudely struck.

Type a) is sometimes found overstruck on folles of Theophilus.

a) Obverse: Basil and Constantine.

Legend - 4- bASiLiOS S C0hS5Abr> a^

Reverse: Legend (in five lines! + bASit— SCObSCAb—

5lhOS€b0O-bASIL€ISR -OCDAOb.

b) Obverse: Reverse:

Basil. Legend (often uncertain) - bASILI .

Leo and Alexander. Legend - LEON CE ALESA.

Half Follis. As type b) but smaller module (c.!8mm).

**********************************************************************

296

SCOTTISH COINAGE BEFORE AND AFTER "ACT OF UNION"

B. Bx Kutcher, Lincoln, Nebraska , NI § 1289

Before the "Act Of Union" in 1707 the coinage of Scotland was quite separate from that of England. For example, the Scottish denominations were equivalent to only one-twelfth of the English coins of like denom- inations. Thus the Oueen Anne ten-shilling piece struck in Scotland in 1705 weighed 71 grains which compared to the English shilling piece of 92 grains. After the Union the United Kingdoms of England and Scot- land used the same coinage, but during the years 1707 through 1709 the mint at Edinburgh continued to strike coins. These coins were of the same design as those struck at London, and were for the most part from dies made in London. However, those coins struck in Scotland had an "E" or an "E" with a star below the head of Queen Anne.

Before Union with Scotland

After Union with Scotland

The Union of Scotland and England also affected the design of the royal arms on the shields that were used on the reverse of the coins. Before 1707 the arms of England and Scotland had been placed on separate shields, but after the "Act of Union" each of the two shields were cut in half lengthwise and one half of each placed on half of the others shield.

297

Some of the coins of the larger denominations have certain marks to in- dicate where the metal in the coin came from. Some of these coins have "VIGO" below the Queen's head to show the metal came from Spanish South America and the capture of Vigo in October of 1702. Other coins have the rose and plume, which shows that the metal came from the "Governor and Company"

'k'k'k-k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k’k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k-k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k'k

DOMj TJANC 0J. NS C0MMEM0 RAT ING VICTORIES

R. R, Kutaher } Linooln, Nebraska } NI M2 8 9

It was the custom of the Romans to place their military prisoners of rank near their standards, so as to grace their triumphs and trophies. The prisoners were sent to Rome with their hair cut off, especially that of kings or principal officers, to show their disgrace. They were further dishonored when these vanquished were forced to proceed in the triumphal car of the conqueror while in nothing but their chains. It was in this fashion that the famous Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, was forced to grace the quadriga of the Emperor Aurelian. Cleopatra, who had killed herself in order to escape so ignominious an exposure, was most cruelly humiliated when her images were carried before the triumph- er Augustus in most repulsive manners. The Roman poet Statius alludes to her death in "Actias Ausonias fugit Cleopatra catenas" (Cleopatra fled the chains of Italy at Actium).

Many Roman coin reverses show captives seated or standing on either side of trophies of arms. The coin illustrated here is one of Domitian, showing his victories over the Germans, as the legend indicates - "GERMANIA CAPTA S.C,". The other coin reverse of Domitian shows the trophies of two German shields crossed over vexillum, trumpets and spears.

298

THE "PALUDAMENTUM"

The "Chlamys" was a short military cloak worn by the Greeks. Among the Romans this was the same as the "Pal udamentum" that was part of the military dress of the emperors, The cloak was fastened with a "fibula" or clasp, upon the right shoulder, thus leaving the right arm the free- dom it needed for action. A similar mantle, not so large as the paluda mentum, was worn by generals and officers, as it was easily put on and off. When the emperor or general was setting out to take command of his army, he first went to the capital and was there invested with the Pal udamentum. When he returned from his expedition, he would remove the war^cloak at the gates, and enter Rome clothed in the "toga". This custom was well established and according to Suetonius, V i tel 1 i us was looked upon as having committed a tyrannical act, because he entered the city without removing this cloak. Septimius Severus on the other hand had the policy to always wear the paludamentum when leaving and

to assume the civil garh on his return. Some coins of Severus and his son Caracalla show the emperor with the fibulated paludamentum, as. they are leaving Rome on horseback to join their troops,

(Submitted by R. R. Kutcher)

******* ****** ****** ******** ****** **************************************

ROYAL FAMILY PORTRAIT: Want a coin with portraits of Queen Elizabeth

II and all of her immediate family? Check our Cook Island's 1986 One Dollar coin. Its obverse has the Maklouf portrait of the queen. The reverse shows the queen surrounded by portraits of her husband and four children. It was issued as part of the issues honoring her 60th bi rthday .

299

CONTENTS OF THE NI REFERENCE COLLECTION

(Members desiring to borrow coins from the collection for research pur- poses, lecture use, non-competitive displays, or any other reasons, may do so by paying postage and insurance both directions.)

Key to Listing: FINE or better for all Yeoman types. VERY GOOD or better for all Craig types. Underlined = Uncirculated. C = Complete.

£ = Complete with at least one uncirculated type. CX ( ) = Complete

except those listed. X = Except. Mints are not listed unless multiple for the particular year.

KOREA: KM5 - A; KM9 - A, P; KM11 - C; Y5.3 - 505; Y6.1 - 503; YB10.2

- 2; Y13 - C; Y14 - C; Y15 - C; YB22 - C; Y23 - 2, 3; Y25 - 4.

KOREA, SOUTH: Y1 - C; Y2 - C; Y3 - C; Y4 - CX (1968); Y4a - C to 1970,

T979V1T_-TX (1970); Y6 - CX (1970); Y6a - C to 1979 X (1974, 1976, 1977); Y7 - 1971, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980; YA7 - 1979; Y8 - C.

KUWAIT: Y1 - C; Y2 - C; Y3 - C; Y4 - C; Y5 - C; Y6 - C; Y8 - C to 1391

X (1385, 1389, 1390); Y9 - 1382; Y10 - 1382; Yll - 1387; Y12 - 1382;

Y13 - 1382.

LAOS: Y1 - C; Y2 - C; Y3 - C; Y4 - 1980; Y5 - 1980; Y6 - 1980.

LATVIA: Y2 - C; Y3 - 1922 w/o name; Y4 - C; Y5 - C; Y6 - C; Y7 - C;

Y10 - 1937.

LEBANON: Y3 - C; Y4.1 - C; Y4.2 - C; Y5 - 1936; Y6 - C; Y7 - C; Y10 -

1933, 1936; Yll - C; Y12 - C; Y13 - C; Y14 - C; Y15 - C; Y16 - C; Y17 -

C; Y18 - C; Y19 - C; Y20 - C; Y21 - C; Y22 - C; Y23 - C; Y24 - C; Y25 -

C; Y26 - CX (1970); Y27 - CX (1969); Y28 - CX (1970, 1975); Y29 - C;

Y30 - C.

LESOTHO: H-4 - C.

LIBERIA: Y9 - C; Y9a - C; Y10 - C; YlOa - C; Ylla - C; Y12 - 1960,

1961, 1968S; Y13 - 1960, 1961, 1968, 1972D; Y14 - 1961; Y14a - 1966, T767; 7T5~^ 1960; Y15a - 1966, msS-^Tg-- C; Y16a - 1966, 1968S;

Y 1 7 - 1962; Y17a - 1966, 1968L; Y38 - 1976.

LIBYA: Y1 - C; Y2 - C; Y3 - C; Y4 - C; Y5 - C; Y6 - C; Y7 - C; Y8 - C;

Y9^~C; Y10 - C; Yll - C; Y14 - C; Y15 - C; Y16 - C.

LITHUANIA: Y3 - C; Yll - C; Y14 - C.

LUNDY: Y2 - C.

LUXEMBOURG: Y1 - 1854, 1901, 1908; Y6 - C; Y8 - C; Y9 - C; Y10 - C;

Y 1 3 - 1918; Y14 - 1919; Y18 - C; Y19 - C; Y20 - 1924, 1928; Y22 - C;

Y23 - C; Y25 - C; Y26 - C; Y17a - C; Y28 - C; Y29 - C; Y30 - 1947;

Y30a - C to 1972 X (1968); Y31 - 1946; Y32 - C; Y32a - C to 1964 X ( 1 955) ; Y36 - C; Y37 - C; Y41 - C to 1980 X (1970, 1973, 1976, 1977); Y42 - 1971; Y43 - 1971 , 1974, 1976.

MACOA: Y1 - C; Yla - C; Y2 - C; Y2a - 1967, 1968, 1975; Y3 - C; Y3a -

T973T Y4 - C; Y5 - C; Y6 - 1968.

MADAGASCAR: Y1 - C; Y3 - C; Y4 - C; Y5 - C; Y6 - C; Y7 - C.

Malagasy Republic: Y1 - 1965; Y2 - 1 965 ; Y3 - 1965, 1 968 ; Y 1 3a - 1 978;

Y 1 4a - 1978.

MADEIRA: C2 - 1852.

300

BOOK REVIEWS

SCOTTISH COINS (Shire Album No. 189). Donald Bateson. 33pp, stiff paper cover, 5-3/4" x 8-1/4", i 1 1 us . £1.75 postpaid from Shire Pub-

lications Limited, Cromwell House, Church Street, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Bucks, U.K. HP17 9AJ.

The booklet on the history of Scottish coins was released in July, 1987. The author presents a profusely illustrated historical ac- count of Scottish coins from the first issue during the reign of King David I in 1136 through the last issue of coins in 1709. Both sides of 156 Scottish type coins and one side of over a dozen coins are illustrated in the text. Mintage figures and catalogue valuat- ions are not given.

To give you a sample of this interesting booklet, the author states on the first page that the first Scottish coin was an issue of sil- ver pennies struck in 1136 for King David I of Scotland. The coins were struck at the mint at Carlisle which David I had just captured and which had been striking coins for the English king, Stephen. Silver pennies were the only coins struck for Scotland between 1136 and 1280. If small change was needed, the penny was cut in two for halfpennies and into quarters for farthings.

Before 1136, coins had been used in Scotland only by Roman soldiers stationed there in the first and second centuries A.D. Before 1136, the Scots had used barter instead of coins and some continued to do so after the introduction of coins. The text continues with a de- scriptive and historical account of Scottish coins issued by each monarch.

The text is written in an easy to read and interesting manner that will keep the attention of most laymen. Scottish coinage was one of endless change and variety and this booklet covers the subject well.

The booklet ends with a short list of references on Scottish coins for further reading and a list of 5 museums to visit in the United Kingdom where the public can view collections of Scottish coins.

I highly recommend this inexpensive and very interesting and in- formative account of Scotland's coinage, especially for all club libraries.

The publishers have available the following books in the same pro- fusely illustrated format and at the same price as Scottish Coins : VICTORIAN SOUVENIR MEDALS (Shire Album 182) by Daniel Fear on, COINS AND MINTING (Shire Album 106) by Denis Cooper, and TRADE TOKENS OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (Shire Album 79) by Jim Newmark.

Also available from Shire Publications are two longer booklets, profusely illustrated, entitled GREEK COINAGE by N. K. Rutter, and

ROMAN COINAGE IN BRITAIN by P. J. Casey.

Reviewed by Jerry Remick

301

NI COLLECTOR/DEALER MEMBER COMMENTS UNFAVORABLY ON NEW 1988 EDITION OF

STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS

Robert Reis 3 Portland Oregon

As an owner of the 1986 edition of Krause-Mi shier 1 s STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD COINS , I skipped obtaining the 1987 edition. The 1986 edit- ion was pretty good in that it attempted to be comprehensive for 1 750- 1850. Of course it wasn't but it was a good try and I used it a lot these last years. The new (1988) edition, on the other hand, is a big di ssappoi ntment. Following are a few pertinent comments.

Looking at page 1211 (Pakistan) the Hegira commemorative coins have the reverse pictured sideways.

On page 214 (Burma) the photos of KM46 and KM50 are transposed.

I find that bullion coins are listed for some countries and not others, e.g. Switzerland and Tonga were left out. The same problem occurs with tokens.

Leprosarium coins are included for Venezuela but left out for Panama, Lodz Ghetto and Colombia.

I'm sure there's more of this type of inconsistency. For instance, Burundi "billon coins" of 1966 - always thought they were patterns, and where did they get those prices from? Speaking of prices, why is Afghanistan 5 Afghani 1980 priced at $17.50 when you can get the whole 1980 set from dealer Scott Semans @ $9.50? Central African Republic 100 Francs KM7 1975 @ $15.00 when I can get these from Jolie @ $1.75, and why is the CAR 500 Francs 1985 $5.00 when I can't get it at all. The Central African States 500 Francs is @ $15.00 and I can easily get it for $5.00. Not everything is overpriced - there's Ecuador 2 Sucres KM82 1973 listed @ .60 in UNC, and unchanged since the 1986 edition. $60.00 would be more likely. Colombia 25<£ KM267 is @ .25 in UNC. Hah! Try $10.00. Some Isle of Man crowns are scarce and worth $8.00 in copper-nickel. Yet all are priced $2.00- 3.00 across the board. These are but a few illustrations. Don't they listen to their contributors?

It's come to the point with the 1988 edition that I can't trust it for prices. Also, since they've substantially cut out the Y and C numbers for cross-referencing, it looks to me like I'm not going to use the 1988 edition very much, except to note new issues. Seems like I'll keep on using the 1986 deluxe edition as my major modern reference. I plan not to buy the 1989 edition.

My recommendations to Krause-Mi shier, for what it's worth, are:

1. Keep all appropriate numbers (Y, C, P, etc.) as cross-reference.

2. Where a coin is unavailable, don't put a price on it. Where it didn't circulate, don't put circulated prices on it.

3. Drop listings of all "coins" which are actually bullion (no Pandas, Krugerrands, Nuggets, Maple Leafs, etc.).

4. Put Lundy, Palo Seco, Colombia leper, Lodz Ghetto, etc. back in.

302

5. Issue a 1750-date edition once every 5 years.

6. Issue a comprehensive price trend book for, say, a 2-5 year spread every 2-3 years or so. That might keep things moving on thei r pri ces.

To sum up: too inconsistent across the board, inconsistent in list-

ing, numbering, and pricing. The situation seems to be getting worse. 1988 edition is probably the least useful of the edition I've had, and I have had 6 of them.

(Editor: Sinoe the comments in this short item are especially critical

of the 1988 edition 3 we welcome counter comments from the publishers.)

*********************************************************************** THE JOINT RULE OF BALBINUS AND PUPIENUS ( A . D . 238)

Pupienus

The first two men elected to reign over ancient Rome at the same time with precise equal rights were Balbinus and Pupienus, both senators.

They were elected when Gordian I Africanus and his son Gordian II Africanus were reported dead in Africa and that Maximinus was marching on Rome. On silver antoniniani (not illustrated) issued by both emp- erors is shown two right hands joined and the legend "AMOR MVTVVS AVGG". This legend means the mutual affection of the emperors. The affection could not have lasted very long as their reign, lasting only three months and seven days, was interrupted by the Praetorians, who assassin- ated them.

(Submitted by R. R. Kutcher) 303

MEMBER NOTICE PAGE

Albert Hoch, 33355 Detroit Road, Avon, OH 44011: WANTED - Original

book or xerox of: Miura Gosen, ANNAM SEMPU REKI DAISEN BU (1966

edition only) and Miura Gosen, ANNAM SEMPU TERUI SEN BU (1965 edition only). Will buy or trade for the following books, all new or like new: CAST COINAGE OF KOREA (Mandel); STANDARD CATALOGUE HONG KONG (de Sousa) Jan. '67; OLD COINS OF CHINA (Jorgensen), Reprinted '62; SILVER CROWNS OF THE FAR EAST (Oka), '66; STANDARD CATALOG MALAYSIA - SINGAPORE - BRUNEI COINS AND PAPER MONEY (International Stamp & Coin Agency), 1981; THE COINAGE OF SIAM (Le May); and SIAMESE PORCELAIN AND OTHER TOKENS (Ramsden) .

B . F. Brekke, Box 304, Chapala, Jal. MEXICO: Specialised collector

of Russian copper coins 1700-1917 is interested in receiving list or auction catalogues containing larger groups or especially rare speci- mens.

ATTRIBUTION SERVICE: The NI Attribution Committee will accept from

NI members only, any numismatic items, whether paper, metal, or what- ever, for attribution. We must limit the items to a TOTAL OF SIX (6) MAXIMUM. The cost is just advance payment of return postage, includ- ing sufficient for insurance or regi strati on , if desired. Send to NI Attribution Committee, P. 0. Box 2057, Saugatuck Station, Westport, Conn. 06880, USA.

*********************************************************************

TRAJAN DEPICTED AS SECOND HERCULES

~r~T— r~- —

The reverse of a coin of Trajan ex-r hi hits an interesting scene of the goddess of the morning, Aurora. The obverse of this coin bears the head of Trajan and is inscribed "DN0 NERVAE TRAIAN0 AVG". The legend on the reverse is "S.P.Q.R. DIV0 TRAIAN0 PARTHIC0". This surrounds a chariot drawn conjointly by a lion and a wild bear, Hercules, naked, precedes the group and is carrying a club over his right shoulder. In the chariot is the winged figure of Aurora holding in her right hand a lighted torch and in her left a palm branch.

This coin was minted on the occasion of the triumphal honors decreed to Trajan after he died, as indicated by the inscriptions. The type is to show Trajan as a second Hercules under the triumph of Aurora, who to- gether vanquished the barbarians and reduced them like wild beasts under the yoke.

(Submitted by R. R. Kutcher)

304