Part 7

Among devices the arms of Trade-guilds or Companies are most numerous, and a brief description of those most commonly met with will be found of great service to the collector. They are as follows,--but for the sake of brevity, and as they are but seldom indicated on the tokens themselves, I omit tinctures:--

APOTHECARIES.--Full length figure of Apollo, the inventor of physic, his head radiant, holding in his left hand a bow, and in his right hand an arrow, supplanting (_i.e._ standing over, astride, or vanquishing) a serpent. On tokens these arms are sometimes represented without being on a shield. The crest of the company, a Rhinoceros, is also occasionally used.

ARMOURERS.--On a chevron a gauntlet between two pairs of swords in saltire; on a chief an oval shield whereon a cross of St. George, between two peers’ helmets.

BAKERS.--A pair of balances, held, between three garbs, by a hand, vested, and arm embowed, issuing from radiated clouds, affixed to the upper part of a chief barry wavy of four, whereon are two anchors.

BAKERS (WHITE).--Three garbs; on a chief an arm issuing from a cloud, holding a pair of scales, between three garbs.

BARBER-SURGEONS.--On a cross of St. George between, in first and fourth quarters a chevron between three fleams, and second and third a rose crowned, a lion passant-guardant.

BLACKSMITHS.--A chevron between three hammers crowned. On some tokens a single hammer, crowned or uncrowned, without a shield is used; occasionally also three uncrowned hammers; or, hammer and pincers, as on the cut; or, again, an anvil, as on the next example. BOTTLE MAKERS AND HORNERS (now only Horners).--On a chevron between three leather bottles as many bugle horns, stringed.

BRAZIERS.--On a chevron between, in chief, two ewers (or beakers), and in base, a tripod pot with two handles, three roses seeded and barbed.

BREWERS.--On a chevron, between three pairs of barley garbs in saltire, as many tuns. Instead of these arms it was not infrequent for a single barrel, or three barrels, to be used. Another not uncommon device was two men carrying a barrel suspended from a shoulder-pole.

BRICKLAYERS AND TILERS.--A chevron between, in chief, a fleur-de-lis between two brick-axes palewise, and in base a bundle of laths.

BUTCHERS.--Two slaughter-axes addorsed in saltire between three bulls’ heads couped, two in fesse and one in base; on a chief a boar’s head couped between two block brushes (_i.e._ two bunches of “butchers’-broom”). A knife and cleaver, and other signs were also used.

CARPENTERS.--A chevron (sometimes engrailed) between three pairs of compasses expanded at the points. CLOCKMAKERS.--Sable, a clock, or.

CLOTHWORKERS OR SHEARMEN.--A chevron ermine between, in chief, two habbicks, and, in base, a teazle slipped.

COACH MAKERS AND COACH HARNESS MAKERS.--A chevron between three coaches. Crest, Phœbus drawn in a chariot. Supporters, two horses, armed. Sometimes this crest alone appears, and sometimes a horse caparisoned.

COOKS.--A chevron engrailed between three columbines, stalked and leaved. Or, a chevron between three columbines, pendant.

COOPERS.--Gyronny of eight, on a chevron, between three annulets, a grose between two adzes; on a chief three lilies, slipped, stalked, and leaved.

CORDWAINERS OR SHOEMAKERS.--A chevron between three goats’ heads erased and attired. It is not unusual for the three goats’ heads to be used without shield or chevron, and sometimes a single goat’s head is introduced. The public-house sign of the “Three Goats’ Heads,” a “house of call” for shoemakers, took its origin from these arms.

CUTLERS.--Three pairs of swords in saltire, two pairs in chief and one in base. Frequently two swords in saltire is used as the trade device on tokens. DISTILLERS.--A fesse wavy between, in chief, the sun in his splendour encircled with a cloud distilling drops of rain, and, in base, a distillatory [still] double armed, on a fire, with two worms and bolt receivers. Other simpler devices used on tokens are the sun in splendour; a still; or an Indian holding a bow and arrow (being one of the supporters of the company’s arms).

DRAPERS.--Three triple crowns each issuing out of a cloud shedding rays of the sun. Frequently only one triple crown is used on tokens.

DYERS.--A chevron between three madder bags, corded.

FARRIERS.--Three horseshoes pierced. A single horseshoe was, however, sometimes used on tokens.

FELTMAKERS.--A dexter hand couped at the wrist between two hatbands, nowed, in chief a hat, banded; or, a hat; or, a hand holding a hat and feather, were adopted.

FISHMONGERS.--Three dolphins naiant, in pale, finned and ducally crowned, between two pairs of lucies in saltire (the sinister surmounting the dexter), over the nose of each lucy a ducal crown; on a chief three pairs of keys, endorsed, in saltire. FLETCHERS.--A chevron between three arrows, headed and feathered.

FOUNDERS.--A laver pot (or vase) between two prickets (or taper-candlesticks).

FRAMEWORK KNITTERS.--On a chevron between, in chief, two combs and as many leads of needles, and, in base, an iron jack springer, a main-spring between two small springs.

FRUITERERS.--On a mount, a representation of the Tree of Life (Tree of Paradise) environed with a serpent; on the dexter side thereof a male figure, on the sinister a female (representing Adam and Eve); at the bottom of the tree a rabbit.

GIRDLERS.--Party per fesse, _azure_ and _or_, a pale counterchanged, the first charged with three gridirons, the handles in chief, of the second.

GLAZIERS.--Two grozing irons in saltire between four closing nails; on a chief a lion passant-guardant.

GLOVERS.--Party per fesse, counterchanged, on each part of the first, two and one, a ram salient, armed, and unguled. The same arms, quartering two goats, statant, affront[=e]e and attired, in fesse, were granted to the Leathersellers’ Company as an impalement in 1505.

GOLDSMITHS.--Quarterly, first and fourth a leopard’s face, second and third a covered cup; and in chief two buckles, their tongues fessewise, pointed to the dexter.

GOLD AND SILVER WIRE DRAWERS.--On a chevron between, in chief, two coppers, and, in base, two points in saltire, a drawing iron between two rings.

GROCERS.--A chevron between nine cloves, three, three and three. Sometimes seven (three, three, and one) are used. Not unfrequently on tokens three cloves are used as a grocer’s trade device, as are also one, two, or three sugar-loaves.

HABERDASHERS (Anciently called “Hurrers” and “Milleners).”--Barry nebulée (or wavy) of six; on a bend, a lion passant-guardant.

HATTERS, OR HATTER MERCHANTS.--On a chevron between three felt hats with strings, as many escallops. On some tokens a hat, or hat and feather, or cap, alone occurs.

INNHOLDERS.--A chevron, quarterly per chevron, and per pale, between three garbs. The crest of this company, a star of sixteen rays, was also a common device on tokens.

IRONMONGERS.--On a chevron between three steel gads (billets) as many swivels, the middle one palewise, the other two with the line of the chevron.

JOINERS OR CARPENTERS.--A chevron (sometimes engrailed) between three pairs of compasses expanded at the points. Or, a chevron between two pairs of compasses extended, in chief, and a sphere in base; on a chief a pale between two roses, the pale charged with an escallop.

LEATHERSELLERS.--Three bucks passant reguardant attired and unguled.

LORINERS.--A chevron between three curbits and as many bosses.

MASONS.--On a chevron (sometimes engrailed) between three castles, a pair of compasses, extended.

MERCERS.--A demi-virgin, couped below the shoulders, vested, crowned with an Eastern-crown, her hair dishevelled and wreathed about her temples with roses, issuing from clouds, and all within an orle of the same. This device is sometimes, on tokens, shorn of its clouds, and used without shield.

MERCHANT ADVENTURERS.--Barry nebulée (or wavy) of six, on a chief quarterly, first and fourth, a lion passant-guardant, second and third two roses in fesse, barbed.

MERCHANT TAILORS (or “Taylors and Linen Armourers”). A royal tent between two Parliament robes, lined ermine; the tent garnished, with tentstaff and pennon; on a chief a lion passant-guardant.

MERCHANTS OF THE STAPLE.--Barry nebulée (or wavy) of six; on a chief, a lion passant-guardant.

MUSICIANS.--A swan with wings expanded, within a double tressure fleury-counter-fleury; a chief charged with on a pale between two lions passant-guardant a rose seeded and barbed.

NEEDLE MAKERS.--From three crowns in fesse as many needles, pendant.

PAINTERS AND PAINTER-STAINERS.--Three escutcheons quarterly with three phoenix’ heads, erased.

PARISH CLERKS.--A fleur-de-lis; on a chief a leopard’s head between two song-books (shut), stringed.

PEWTERERS.--On a chevron between three limbecks, as many roses stalked, leaved, and seeded. Or:--

PEWTERERS.--On a chevron between three single-handled cups, each containing so many sprigs of lilies, the Virgin accompanied by four cherubs, between two pairs of limbecks.

PIN MAKERS.--A demi-virgin couped at the waist, mantle turned down ermine, her hair dishevelled, on her head an Eastern crown. PLAISTERERS.--On a chevron engrailed between, in chief, two plaisterers’ hammers, and, in base, a treble flat brush, handle upward, a rose seeded and barbed between two fleurs-de-lis; in chief a trowel fessewise with handle to the sinister.

PLUMBERS.--On a chevron between, in chief, two plummets and, in base, a level reversed, two soldering irons in saltire between a cutting knife on the dexter and a shave hook on the sinister; in chief a cross-staff fessewise.

SADDLERS.--A chevron between three manage saddles complete.

SALTERS OR DRYSALTERS.--Party per chevron, three covered cups sprinkling salt; crest, a cubit arm erect, holding a covered cup, or salt sprinkler.

SCRIVENERS.--An eagle with wings expanded, holding in his beak a penner and inkhorn, standing on a book, closed, fessewise, the clasps downwards.

SHIPWRIGHTS.--On an antique hulk, the stern terminating with the head of a dragon in the hulk, the Ark with three doors in the side, from the Ark against the side a step-ladder; on a chief the cross of St. George charged on the centre with a lion passant-guardant.

SILKMEN.--A ship of three masts in full sail on the sea, in base; on a chief a bale of silk, corded, between two bundles of silk, pendant.

SOAPMAKERS.--A dolphin naiant between three eel spears.

STATIONERS.--On a chevron between three Bibles fessewise, clasps downwards, garnished and leaved, an eagle, rising, between two roses seeded and barbed; from the chief a demi-circle of glory edged with clouds, therein a dove displayed and nimbed.

TALLOWCHANDLERS.--Party per fesse a pale counterchanged; on the first three doves each holding an olive branch. In place of these arms the devices commonly found on tokens issued by tallowchandlers are: a man making candles; a stick of candles; a stick of candles within a crescent moon; one or three doves with olive branch, etc.

TIN PLATE WORKERS AND WIREWORKERS.--A chevron between three lamps, the two in chief (one light each) facing each other, the one in base with two lights, all garnished and illuminated.

TOBACCONISTS.--Usually a roll of tobacco; or one, two, or three pipes; or a combination of pipes and tobacco.

UPHOLDERS OR UPHOLSTERERS.--On a chevron between three tents (without poles) ermine and lined, as many roses.

VINTNERS.--A chevron between three tuns (barrels).

WATERMEN.--Barry wavy of six; on the middle bar a boat; on a chief two oars in saltire between two cushions, tasselled.

WAX-CHANDLERS.--On a chevron between three mortcours as many roses.

WEAVERS.--On a chevron between three leopards’ heads, each holding a shuttle, as many roses, seeded and barbed. On tokens sometimes three leopards’ faces alone, without shield, are used.

WOODMONGERS.--A sword erect, hilted and crowned (or enfiled with a ducal coronet) between two flaunches each charged with a faggot (or bundle of laths). On one token, that of Govin Gouldegay, of Whitefriars, the arms are a chevron between three faggots.

WOOLMEN OR WOOLPACKERS.--A woolpack.

Ale-house and shop-signs were much used as devices on tokens; but, of course, occurring as they do by the hundred, are too numerous to particularize. Sometimes the sign was named in addition to the device, but at others the name or the device was alone used. Thus for instance:--

_Obv._ WILLIAM WEBB AT THE = Within the inner circle the figure of St. George and the Dragon.

_Rev._ IN SITTINGBORN, 1670 = Within the inner circle, in three lines, HIS HALF PENY.

_Obv._ EDMOND HOLT AT THE = Within the inner circle a ship.

_Rev._ SHIP IN RATCLIFFE, 1668 = Within the inner circle, in four lines, HIS HALFE PENY. E.H.

Arms of cities and towns are found not only on those tokens which were issued by corporations, mayors, or other bodies or officials, but by some tradesmen. Of the first an example or two will be sufficient:--

_Obv._ THE MAYOR OF = A shield bearing the arms of the city of Oxford; an “Ox” crossing a “Ford.”

_Rev._ OXFORD TOKEN = C.O., 1652. A small R for Rawlins the die sinker.

_Obv._ A BECCLES FARTHING, 1670. B = In four lines across the coin.

_Rev._ The arms of Beccles, a cattle pen, and Town Hall.

_Obv._ A BRISTOLL FARTHING = C.B., 1652, and a small R for Rawlins the die sinker.

_Rev._ THE ARMES OF BRISTOLL = The arms of Bristol on a shield.

Of family arms, which are occasionally met with on tokens, and also of crests, the following engraved examples will be sufficient to show their general character.

Merchants marks, some of which are curious and of considerable interest, were to some extent used. They were, indeed, of much the same use as the “Trade Marks” of our own day. Other devices are implements of one kind or other connected with the trade or calling of the issuer; articles of clothing made or sold by him; animals and heraldic figures usually derived from guild arms or from signs; articles of domestic use of endless variety; and ships, boats, coaches, carriages, pack-horses, and numerous other matters connected with the daily life of the people.

Rebusses and allusive designs--that is, devices containing a play upon the name of the issuer--are far from uncommon. Thus James Bolton, of Blackburn, adopted on each side his tokens the device of a _bolt_ and _tun_; Thomas Towers, of March, a _tower_; Anthony Rachell, of Wisbech, a “_rachalled_” or cogged _wheel_; Walter Coates, of Stockport, a _colt_; Francis Woodward, of Crutched Friars, a _wood-ward_ mounted and blowing his horn; William Archer, of Deptford, an _archer_ with bow and arrow; Hannah Bell, of Tooley Street, a _bell_; Hugh Conny, of Potton, three _conies_; John Curtis, of Yarmouth, two men _curtseying_; Robert Hancock, of Whitefriars, a _hand_ and a _cock_; Ralph Harbottle, of Great Torrington, a _hare_ and a _bottle_; Robert Thornhill, who kept the “Bull” inn, a _Bull_ standing under a _Thorn_ tree on a mound or _hill_; and so on.

Very frequently, and sometimes on the obverse and at others on the reverse, are the initials of the issuer or, more frequently still, those of the issuer and his wife tied together with, or having between them, a “true lover’s knot,” with floral or tasselled terminations. The initials in the latter case are thus arranged

M I·K, that of the family name (Malyn) at the top, and those of

the Christian name, of the husband (John) and wife (Katherine), at the sides as here engraved from a Duffield token.

On some the issuer has, as will occasionally be met with by the collector, introduced some remarkably quaint inscriptions. Thus on a token of Richard Bakewell, of Derby, 1666, is the curious inscription, GOOD MORROW VALENTINE, the device being two doves billing. On another Derby token, that of William Newcome, we have on the obverse, TOVCH NOT MINE ANOINTED, and on the reverse DOE MY PROPHETS NOE HARME. On one of Samuel Hendon, of Macclesfield,

WELCOME YOU BE TO TRADE WITH ME.

On one of Thomas Cotton, of Middlewich,

ALTHOVGH BVT BRASS YET LET ME PASS.

On one of Ann Greene, of Skipton, I WILL EXCHAING MY PENY. Others refer to the use and benefit of tokens alike to the poor and to the traders. Thus on one of Andover, on one side we have, FOR YE POORE’S BENEFIT, and on the other, HELP O’ ANDEVER, 1666; on one of Winchcombe, REMEMBER THE POORE; on one of Croyland, THE POORE’S HALFE PENY OF CROYLAND, 1670; Great Yarmouth, FOR THE VSE OF THE POORE; Chard, THE BVRROVGH OF CHARD MADE BY YE PORTREEVE FOR YE POORE; Southwold, FOR THE POORES ADVANTAG; Tamworth, FOR CHANGE AND CHARITIE; Worcester, FOR NECESSARIE CHAING; and so on in very great variety. They were often issued by the Mayor, the Portreeve, the Overseers, the Chamberlain, or other official for public convenience.

* * * * *

The best, indeed only worthy, book on the general subject of seventeenth century tokens is Boyne’s, published in 1858, in which close upon ten thousand examples are carefully and minutely described.

Of the more modern tokens--those so abundantly issued during the thirty years preceding 1818--and of the silver tokens of the latter part of that period which, including the Bank Tokens, number some four hundred varieties, I purposely abstain in this little work from giving any particulars.

Of those of silver and gold, Boyne’s “Silver Tokens of Great Britain and Ireland,” etc., published in 1866, is the best and most comprehensive list that has been prepared. Of those of copper, Batty’s “Descriptive Catalogue,” in which some twenty thousand varieties are minutely described, is as exhaustive a list as could well be prepared.

GREEK AND ROMAN COINS.

BY

BARCLAY V. HEAD.

GREEK AND ROMAN COINS.

§ THE SCIENCE OF NUMISMATICS.

The science of Numismatics (from the Greek word νὁμυὁμα, a legally current coin) embraces the study of the coins of all the nations of the earth who have at any period impressed upon pieces of metal--gold, silver, bronze, brass, copper, iron, tin, lead, etc. etc.--any devices (_types_), or inscriptions, indicating that such pieces of metal were issued by authority for public use as money.

Strictly speaking, the term Numismatics should not therefore be applied to the study of medallions, medals, or counters, whether commemorative, purely artistic, military, scholastic, etc., unless, as is sometimes the case, such medals have been at the same time current as money.

The study of medals is, however, in many respects so nearly allied to Numismatics that it may be and frequently is included in it for convenience sake.

For practical purposes coins may be roughly classified under four principal headings:--

{ Greek, etc. I. Ancient, including { Roman, etc. { Phœnician, etc.

II. Byzantine.

III. Mediæval " { European various. { Oriental various.

IV. Modern " All countries.

Each series may be again subdivided into an enormous number of classes, as will be seen when we come to examine the Greek and Roman series to which the following pages will be devoted.

In the outset a few brief remarks on the uses of a cabinet of antique coins may not be out of place. Of these the first and foremost is the undoubted fact that these “strange face to face vestiges of vanished æons” (to use an expression of Carlyle’s) bring our minds into immediate contact with the life and history of antiquity as no mere book-study can ever do. Not that we would depreciate the value of a knowledge of history; on the contrary, this is the one study which is all important for a collector of coins. Without it a man may indeed become familiar with the look of ancient coins, and he may gain much practical knowledge of the prices which they usually fetch at sales, but he will never be a true Numismatist. If he possess the artistic sense he may admire them as works of art, but beyond this they will be to him as a sealed book.

I. GREEK COINS.

§ INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

The following extract from the preface to the British Museum “Guide to the Coins of the Ancients”[5] will give some idea of the uses of Greek Numismatics.

“The chief value of Greek coins lies in their being original works of art, not copies as are most of the extant sculptures in the round, and in their recording the successive phases and local varieties of Greek art, in which respect no other class of monuments, sculptures, bronzes, terracottas, fictile vases, or gems, can compete with them. From the seventh century before the Christian era downwards, and from the farthest east to the extreme west of the ancient civilized world, coins are still extant, in many cases as uninjured as when they first left the dies. The devices or _types_ which they bear, if not by leading artists, certainly faithfully represent the style of the sculpture and even of the painting of the periods to which they belong. Thus in no other branch of Greek monuments can the student so readily and so thoroughly trace the growth, the maturity, and the decay of the plastic art as on coins chronologically arranged.

“For the study of mythology they present the local conceptions of the gods and heroes worshipped in the Greek world, with their attributes and symbols.

“The historian will find a gallery of portraits of sovereigns almost complete, as well as evidences of the history and of the political revolutions of innumerable autonomous states and cities in these all but imperishable records.

“The student of palæography will find on coins examples of various ancient alphabets, such as Lycian and Cyprian, Phœnician, Greek, Latin, Iberian, etc., in various stages of development.

“The metrologist, by comparing the weights of coins of different localities and periods, may gain an insight into the various systems of ancient metrology in its various standards, and obtain a just view of the relative values of the precious metals, and of the great lines of trade in the Greek and Roman world. For practical purposes the medallist and art workman will find in Greek coins the most profitable as well as the safest guide. The artist will not fail to perceive the suggestive value of designs which, on however small a scale, are essentially large in treatment.”

[5] “A Guide to the Coins of the Ancients, from cir. B.C. 700 to A.D. 1,” with seventy plates, by B. V. Head, second edition, London, 8vo, 1881, Trübners.

No one whose means are at all limited should attempt to form a complete collection of Greek coins. Even the vast collection in the British Museum is far from perfect, and in many series is still lamentably deficient.

Any one, however, by limiting his ambition to one particular branch, may hope in course of time to form a cabinet the value of which will increase rapidly in proportion as it approaches completion.