THE KINGS COINS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 13 December 1901, Page 4

THE KINGS COINS.

Prominent among tile innovations bonhectedj with forthcoming Coronation must be placed the issue of the new King Edward coins; " Giant laboiirs;" says a liond'rn jjaperjfUe before me mnif officials iii the Aew Year. After a certain time the Victoria coins will cease and the issue of King Edward's coins will begin.'' Needless to say, there will be a tremendous rush for tlie new.coins. I'jverj'one will want them, hut it is impossible to form any estimate of the de= mand.' The fact that many people! will want to keep as. matty Sing's coius ds possible will add greatly to the difficulties of the Mint official.'- for the scarcity caused by such hoarding will necessiate a larger output to meet the currency rc» quirements of the people; And tha*; of cdurst;, is a circumstance from which the officials derive little comfort. '• Have you an idea," the chief clerk was asked, " when the new issue will take place ?" " As early a* possible in the New Year,' and he added: ' You will not expect a more definite statement than that. Before being issued, the new coinage will b,e heralded by Royal proclamation."' This it should be explained, is the sary initial stop. The proclamation will describe minHtely every cioin: iii sentence:, such as,, '• the Orowh will be surrounded by. a colhr, with the Garter, and above will be the inscription, etc.'' The printing of the proclamation; it appears, iscnioyed By law in the case of every new i sue of coinage, Most of the Victoria-! dies will be destroyed after, the new coias are issued, but some will be preserved in the rmiseum in connection with the Mint. The "Daily News".Jpoints out that the coinage of money has always been a perogative since the daya of Athelstm, and has been hedged round with terrible penalties. Something lingering, wiih bnling oil in it t " as Ko Ko says in "The Mikadd," was the ptiniShnient in the days of the Normabs for false coiners; and the penalty of death lasted into the nineteenth century. At present; according to the Daily Hews; the mint makes tt profit of nearly" half a million, out of the silver and brcrize coins which beat its stamp.