Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/224

200 brass buttons, was perceived by Mr. Lefroy, the bright edges having been washed bare by recent rains. The coins had probably been contained in a purse, of which the jewelled ornaments had formed the fastenings. Mr. John Yonge Akerman has given, in the Numism. Chron. No. xxiii., a detailed description and representations of the coins and ornaments, with remarks on the series to which several of the pieces belong, namely, the tiers de sol, or gold triens of the French kings of the first race. The most ancient of the coins exhibited were considered by Mr. Akerman to be imitations of the coins of Licinius (A.D. 308), struck at no very distant period from his time. One piece is evidently an imitation of the coins of Leo (A.D. 407.) Another bears the name of St. Eloi (ELEI. S. MONET.), who had the office of moneyer at Paris in the reigns of Dagobert and Clovis II. (A.D. 628-641). There are also pieces bearing the names MARSALLO, supposed to be Marsal, in Lorraine ; and WICCO, Quentovic or Quannage, near the mouth of the river Canche; one piece is marked LONDVNI, which was considered by Mr. Akerman as of English origin, but of uncertain date; he would assign to it a place in the Anglo-Saxon series, amongst coins struck by ecclesiastics. Three gold blanks, hammered at the edges, and prepared for the die, were also found. The workmanship of the ornaments appears to justify the conjecture that the purse, in which these singular coins had been contained, was dropped on the heath in the seventh, or early in the eighth century. Several evidences of ancient occupation occur in the vicinity; an old track, known as the "Maulth-way," is to be noticed to the eastward, leading from Farnham towards Bagshot, as also the great Roman road from Silchester to Staines, called "The Devil's high-way." This track forms for a considerable extent the boundary between the parishes of Frimley and Chobham; it is marked in the Ordnance survey, but the name is not given.

Mr. Hawkins observed that his opinion regarding these coins did not coincide with that which Mr. Akerman had expressed, that they certainly do not belong to the same period. The following remarks have subsequently been communicated by Mr. Hawkins, on this subject. "I believe that Roman coins continued in circulation long after the Romans quitted Britain, that they were succeeded by base imitations which are frequently found even now, and are almost universally rejected as valueless, and therefore appear scarce. The imitations became less and less like the originals with occasional glimpses of improvement. Among the Cuerdale coins contemporary with Alfred, are one or two with a very close resemblance on the reverse to Roman coins struck centuries before, and here in Mr. Lefroy's collection occur imitations of coins of Licinius found with coins struck 350 years later. Almost all these pieces are of workmanship inferior to the coins of which they appear to be imitations, and I believe them to be all the work of one person, and not improbably of the same hand. They may