January 2005.

Next club meeting Monday 7th February 2004.

You should find a catalogue for the auction enclosed with this letter.

We will try to have the lots displayed by 19.1 0pm and start the auction at 8 pm. We will have go apace to finish in time so please bid promptly for items of interest.

All members have been allotted a bid number. The listing and bid number cards will be next to the sign in book. Please pick up your paddle bid card prior to the start of the auction.

Finally, while the lots have been graded this was done quite quickly. Thus it is up to prospective purchasers to verify the grading and description is to their satisfaction prior to bidding. There will be no returns other than postal lots or coins that are subsequently shown to be not genuine

Meetings are held at the Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, commencing at 7.00 p.m.

January meeting.

This meeting was devoted to short talks by members and to award the Mark Myhill memorial shield. Five talks were given.

Gavin gave a well-illustrated talk with the title `Private enterprise alternatives to coins' that is coins that have been altered for political or satirical reasons.

We were shown the following:

Tim spoke about Vereins thaler - XXX Ein Pfund Fein. As we have come to expect from Tim, his talk was loaded with information and concerned the question `why was the apparently extinct 3 mark coin reissued in 1908 after a 37 year break (1871 to 1908)? After giving a potted history of the events of the period, namely (-1866 Austro Prussian war -1871 Franco Prussian war-the political manoeuvres that saw Prussia become the principal state-a desire for a uniform coinage) Tim gave the answer. While no new coins were struck during the period in question they continued to circulate, and the 1908 issue was merely a resumption of minting.

Graham gave a fascinating talk on a small medallette under the title `A Piece of Peace'. Graham told the story of the Baptist Missionary Societies exploration and mapping of the Congo river using the small steamboat SS Peace. Wealthy personage R Arthington funded the construction of this 70-foot, 9-ton steamer at Thorneycroft's shipyard at Chiswick in 1882/83. After brief trials in England the boat was dismantled into parcels in order to be carried by porters overland to Stanley Pool. Graham then expanded on the exploits of the `Peace' coupled with anecdotes of life in Africa. The Peace ended her days in 1908, by which time she was a rotting hulk - a sad end for such an historic vessel.

(Full paper available, subject to Graham's OK)

With the aid of excellent pictures Michael Gouby spoke about a very unusual coin - an 1866 Italian 10 cents struck over an 1860 English penny. The question posed was where and how could this coin have been made? After having explained the whole coining process Michael then related the details of how the mint had had to subcontract the minting of the 1860 1d to others (Heaton's & J Watt). The main points were that Heaton's had experience of producing coins for several countries, including Italy; that Heaton's had had to assist J Watt who could not cope; that because of their good performance Heaton's won the Italian contract for the 1866 10 cents. It was concluded that while Heaton's should not have retained any examples of the 1860 1d they in fact did, and being the same size as the Italian coin one got over-struck. Deliberately or accidentally?

(Full paper available, subject to Michael's OK)

The Final speaker was Mick Martin who gave an interpretative meaning of the classical figures on the Waterloo medal. It was explained that the obverse was an allegory to peace, that justice had prevailed over might and the world had been saved from a terrible fate. The four heads of the allied powers face Themis, the god of justice who will reward virtue and punish crime. The Fates below ensure the will of Themis will prevail. Apollo in his sun chariot is seen restoring the day while the Furies are chasing away Night

The reverse is all flattery to Wellington's ego. Wellington in classical form is riding with Victory over the defeated enemy depicted as tumbling giants.

The member's vote was for Michael Gouby to receive the M Myhill memorial shield

Future Events.

Birmingham Coin Fair - Manor Hotel, Meriden, 13th February

London coin show - Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, 5th February

Baldwin's Auctions - 5th February, in conjunction with the London Coin show.

At next moths meeting we will be collecting names for the skittles evening on Saturday 9th April at the Red Lion, Theale. Those wishing to attend please sign the attendance sheet that will be adjacent to the sign in book.

Past Events

In 1975 Peter Seaby gave a talk covering saints on coins from the medieval period to the 18th century.

20 years ago we had a well-illustrated talk on Byzantine coins from Simon Bendall.

As was the case this year in January 1995 seven members gave short talks.

Numismatic Interlude

Continuing the theme in our 40th year to republish articles from the past enclosed with this newsletter is a paper on Heraldry, presented in 1970.

Heraldry in Coins & Tokens

Mr G Hornby

7th April 1970

A herald was a medieval officer and originally they really were messengers between countries, rival armies and lords.It was quite common in medieval times for each major lord to have his own herald. They also used to regulate trials by battle joists and all other public ceremonies.It was only later when the need for recognition became important because of the armour that men wore that the heralds started to learn and govern the rules of recognition of devices and symbols which men placed on their armour. Now of course we do not have trials by battle nor are heralds still messengers between countries but they are still concerned with ceremony and the rules of heraldry. The use of armour with its restricted vision helped to date the commencement of heraldry, about 1300 A.D. and the first book on the subject was written about 1400.

There are many misconceptions about the words used in connection with heraldry, e.g, arms, crests, badges, and coats of arms, which are generally used indiscrimanately. When a person is given a grant of arms the devices that are chosen are based on a shield. When we talk about coat of arms it is meant the grant given to a person or corporation of arms which are displayed on a shield. A crest which is frequently mistaken for arms was a device displayed on a helmet. It could be an animal associated with the man or some other device suitable for use as a crest. The crest had to stay in position while the man was jousting or fighting. The badge was a supplementary device displayed on say a button or banner. The device could be associated with some part of the owner's arms but it doesn't have to be, e.g. one of the badges of England is the rose but this does not appear on the English Coat of Arms Generally they were symbols of recognition and one device could become to be associated with a particular family.

It wasn't until Victorian times that Associations and Corporations began to identify themselves by their own Coats of Arms. The creatures on either side of the shield are called Supporters only granted to Royal families, certain peers and institutions. Behind the shield is sometimes what is known as the mantling usually somewhat exaggerated and Underneath the motto. The whole is known as the Achievemen.

The arms displayed on a coin will usually be those of a Sovereign or other ruler; a state, city or town or ecclesiastical arms: The knowledge of arms will be an aid to the assignment of the coin to the correct country of origin and its ruler and hence an indication of the period of the coin if not the actual date, may be deduced.

The numismatist will usually have to make use of heraldic reference books in order to help him identify his coins. In heraldic language to describe a shield of arms is to blazon it and the numismatist would benefit from the basic knowledge of this art.

Tinctures of Heraldry - Recognition of Colour

The tinctures most found consist of two, metals and five colours. Their heraldic names and abbreviations are given below:

Heraldic Name

Abbreviation

Represented on coins and other uncoloured surfaces by

Metals

Gold

Or

Or

Dots

Silver

Argent

Arg

Plainfield

Colours

Blue

Azure

Az

Horizontal hatching

Red

Gules

Gu

Vertical hatching

Black

Sable

Sa

Cross hatching

Green

Vert

Vert

Diagonal left to right downwards

Purple

Purpre

Purp

Diagonal left to right upwards

Principal division of a shield.

The surface of the shield is referred to as the field and by use of lines, the field may be divided up in many different ways. A divided shield is said to be parted according to the direction of the partition lines. A horizontal line across the centre parts the shield per fess while a vertical divides it per pale. The pale and qurarterly divisions of the shield are two that the numismatist will frequently encounter. It should be as well to note the fact that in a shield parted per pale the right hand side with respect to the viewer of the shield is referred to as the Sinister side whilst the left hand position is known as the Dexter side and is blazoned first.

The field of a shield may occasionally be covered by a pattern or sprinkling of small designs such as fleur-de-lis * or hearts. Such a term is called seme and the collector will no doubt be familiar with the term seme of hearts when referring to certain coins of the Hanoverian period.

Principal Charges

1) The Ordinaires.

These represent some of the simplest forms is heraldry and reflect the early practice of painting bands of colour across the field of the shield. Many of their names are clearly associated with those of the divisior lines , thus a vertical band down the centre of the shield becomes a pale.

2)Sub ordinaires.

The allocation of a charge to either the ordinaire or sub ordinaire group is of an arbitrary nature. However amongst the latter will be found the bordure, which is, as the name implies, a relatively thin band around the perimeter of the shield. It can be seen in the Arms of ancient Burgundy which appear on the Maria Theresa Thalers.

3) Miscellaneous charges.

This heading is used in a collective sense only. The variety of forms used as charges is enormous and is still receiving additions as artists endeavour to provide symbols to represent some of the current scientific and technical advances. Examples found are animals, beasts and birds.

Differencing.

Due to the proliferation of arms it became necessary to preserve the distinctiveness of family arms stemming from the same root. A point to note then in looking at arms is the appearance on a number of shields of the same charges or even completely similar designs but with changed tinctures. It is likely in such cases that the bearers, of the various shields will stem from, or have connections, with, a family or kingdom related to each bearer.

Marshalling

This is a means by which a combination of two or more Coats of Arms appear on one shield. Such combinations are indicative of:

1) Union of lordships or families by marriage or agreement,

2) Claims to land, titles, etc, Assumptive arms.

3) Joining of states, kingdoms, etc., within a political union.

4) The official or ecclesiastical office of the bearer.

The arms of the reverse of some of the coins of George II may be used to illustrate how a number of Coats of Arms are marshalled on one shield. The following are represented

1 st Quarter. England impaling Scotland - for the union of the two kingdoms.

2nd Quarter. Modern France - for an ancient claim to the French throne

3rd Quarter. For Ireland.

4th Quarter. For Hanover, by. virtue of the fact that George II was Elector of Hanover at the time of his succession to the English throne. It will be noticed that the Hanover shield is made up of three individual coats of arms, the shield being parted per pale and per chevron.

1. Gules, two lions passant guardant inpale or., for Brunswick.

2. Or, seme of hearts, gules, a lion rampant, azure for Luneberg.

3. Gules, a horse courant argent for Westphalia, and overall an inescutchsion gules charged with the golden crown of Charlemagne

In 1801 at the time of union with Ireland the arms were remarshalled. The changes being in the removal of the French arms, and the allocation of the English arms to the first and fourth quarters and the Scottish arms to the second quarter: and the placing of the Hanover arms on an escutcheon over the centre of the shield. The latter is to be seen with the electoral cap placed over it. After 1816 the cap was replaced by a crown, Hanover having become a Kingdom. The Hanover arms eventually disappeared from the shield on the arrival of Queen Victoria who was prevented by Salic law from inheriting the Kingdom of Hanover.