THE NEW COINAGE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 221, 24 September 1887, Page 3

THE NEW COINAGE.

The effigy of Qucon Victoria found on all the coins struck during Her Majesty's reign represents her as she appeared when fifty years younger than at present. Advantage has been taken of the present jubilee year to issue an entirely new coinage, with an effigy of the Queen as the people now know her. The Queen appeals wearing the Star and Riband of the orders of the Garter and the Victoria and Albert. The woixls " Victoria, Dei Gratia Britannarium Regina, Fidei Defensor," appear on all the new coins, arranged so as to suit the size and requirements of each one. In the new effigy Her Majesty appears crowned, with a veil depending from the back of the head. The new figure is a life-like portrait, and the whole coinage must be regarded as very satisfactory from a numismatic standpoint. The leverses of the new coins vary greatly. Some, as the sovereign and crown piece, continue to bear the very noble figure of St. George and the Dragon, as originally designed by Pistrucci. This design it is interesting to trace from the date of Henry VIII., when it appeared in a very Gothic form, to its present rendering, due to Pistrucci. The reverse of the modern English shillings and smaller coins usually bears words or figures signifying the value of the coin. These are surrounded by a wreath and surmounted by a crown In the new coinage this design is replaced by the royal arms. The new halfcrosvn bears the original reverse, which has been retained as being one of considerable merit. It consists of the royal arms, with the elegant arched ciown surrounded by tho garter, which is again inclosed in the delicate network of the collar of the order. The florin and tho doublo florin, new coins, bear on the reverse an exceedingly effective design composed of four crowned shields bearing the arms of the United Kingdom arranged in a manner somewhat similar to those on the present florin. The shields are separated from each other by four sceptres radiating from the star of the Order of the Garter, which occupies the centre of the coins. The device lias been traced back to the time of the Saxon Kings, and its beauty attracted the notice of Thomas Simon, who modified it for the coinage of Charles 11. The issue of an entirely new gold and silver coinage by a monarch after a reign of fifty years is believed to bo unexampled. Medals have been struck under similar conditions, but new coinage has not been issued. No more permanent record of Her Majesty's jubilee than this new coinage can be conceived. As we have vivid representations o[ Alexander the Great and of the long line of the Roman Empeiors on thencoins, which arc common at the present time, long after the majority of their cdi fices and other works have passed away, so future generations may trace the progress of the reign of Queen Victoria in the two distinct issues of the imperial coinage.

A three-year-old girl at, Mount Eden was reproved for disobedience the other day. On repeating the offence the father said to the little offender, " I have a strong inclination to spank you." Immediately the answer came back : " You can't, papa, for I'm sitting on it !" A barber is running for Christchurch North in opposition to Sir Julius Vogel. He is not likoly to be at tho top of the "poll." Yet he must have " polled " many voters already, and should be best able to get to the top of the (barber's) pole ! Well, he may get in by " a close shave ;" but those present at his meeting last night were rather (hair)eutting in their remarks, and "chaffed" him a good deal with eggs and flour !