Opening into the eastern corridor are the rooms of the Superintendent, the Chief Clerk, and the library of Historical and Scientific Works, including many valuable books upon the art of coinage. Passing out upon the gallery, we enter the Machinists’ and Engravers’ rooms. Here are engraved and finished the dies used in this Mint and in all the branch mints. Visitors are not ordinarily allowed access to these rooms, or to the assay office, or to the cellar. (In the latter are a number of immense vaults, and in the main cellar are engines, which supply the power and light used throughout the building.) Here are also blacksmith, carpenter, and paint shops; and in the rear, west side, is the medal-striking room, where medals are struck by a screw press, worked by hand. The cellar also contains the “sweep” grinding rooms. Near this room are the wells, which are receptacles for the water used in washing the precious metals. These wells are cleaned out every few years and the deposit is then treated in the same way as the sweepings.
The little wooden building in the court was formerly the cent-room, where copper cents were exchanged for nickels;[10] it is now the office of the agent of the Adams Express Company, who brings to the Philadelphia Mint millions of dollars worth of precious metals in the shape of bullion from the far west, to be converted into American Coin, when it is again transported by the same company to various points to be put into circulation.
Coins.
The ancient coins are chiefly arranged in upright cases against the walls in the doorways and the middle section of the saloon. The modern coins are placed in nearly level cases at either end of the room and in the circular or central cases. Of antique coins the portion labeled Cabinet Nos. 97, 98, 99, “Massilia,” are interesting as belonging to a Greek colony which settled about six hundred years before Christ upon the coast of Gaul, on the spot now known as Marseilles. This little colony fled their native country and the rule of a governor placed over it by a Persian monarch. They were distinguished for their civilization, and the work upon these small coins is the most palpable witness of that fact in existence to-day.
Greek Coins.
Their surfaces, of gold, silver, and bronze, bristle with lance and spear, helmet and shield. On one of these coins Jove is seated and bearing an eagle, defying Alexander of Macedon, while on the obverse the same mighty conqueror impersonates Hercules. The oldest coin here is supposed to date back to 550 B.C. It is well to mention the fact that coins were never dated until the fifteenth century; and previous to that time the ages of coins can only be determined by the legends upon them, as answering to the page of corroborative history and the art era to which they belonged. No. 9 bears on the obverse the Macedonian horse, a favorite animal, which the then war-loving Greeks are said to have deified. At this period the haughty royal families began to chronicle in coin their line of descent. The kings of Macedon claimed Hercules for an ancestor, and in proof thereof the lion’s skin was a royal insignia. An old historian says, “The kings of Macedon, instead of the crown, the diadem, the purple, bear upon their effigy the skin of a lion.” Several pieces of money in this case, upon which are heads of Alexander, have rings in them, and were worn by gracious dames as ornaments. The value of this series of coins is priceless, as furnishing portraits of the heroes of that period which can be received without question as accurate, for the art patronage of the kingdom was regulated by the strictest laws. Alexander was especially jealous of how the future nations should regard his physique, allowing only three artists, during his reign, the privilege of drawing, painting, or modeling his head.[11] To such royal guardianship may be attributed the perfection to which Greek art attained; and it may well be a matter of regret that the same firmness in this regard was not universal. The last coin of this series is a small bronze coin, and was issued by Perseus, the last king of Macedon.
Persian.
In this case is a collection of Persian coins, very choice, and of no mean workmanship, and, of course, portraying the faith and rites of the fire-worshippers. One era is distinctly Greek in style, and marks the period of Greek supremacy. The oldest gold coin known to the collector is the gold Daric of King Darius, with the head of the king in bold relief; and all Persian coins are so called in remembrance of this monarch. Their money was very fine, so the word Daric has become incorporated into numismatic terminology to designate any pure gold coin. Nos. 58 to 67, inclusive, of this series, are silver coins of the Sassanian kings.
Egypt
is also represented in this case, as is proper, for that nation had no coinage until it was taught the art when conquered by Alexander. Here are some very attractive data of Egyptian history, and from these coins are obtained the only portraits of Arsinoe, Cleopatra, and others.