World Coins Dictionary of Numismatic Names B.

Bacca di AUemagna. According to Promis

(ii. 66), this term was used in Piedmont

for a coin of two Soldi. In 1548 a

Scudo of Savoy was equal to 221/2 Bacca.

Bacchanalian Coins. A name given to

tlie issues of Jahaiigir, Emperor of Hindustan,

which bear on one side the ruler

seated with a goblet of wine before him.

These pieces appeared in 1612 and later.

Bacquette. Another name for Baquette

iq.v.).

Badam, or Padens. The name given to

the almond of Persia which was used as

money in some parts of India and on the

Malabar Coast. Stavorninus, in his Voyages

to the East Indies, 1798 (iii. 8), in

writing of the coinage current at Surat,

says: "In the same way as cowries are

made use of in Bengal, as the lowest medium

of exchange, almonds, which are

called badams, are employed for that purpose

here; the comparative value whereof

is, as may easily be conceived, more liable

to variation than any other respective medium.

'

'

J. A. de Mandelslo, who was in Gujarat

about 1638, published an account of his

voyages in 1669, and says of the natives

that '

' they also make use of almonds whereof

thirty-six make a Peyse" (?Paisa).

Bar Pfennige. A nickname given to the

small silver and billon coins of the Swiss

Cantons of Berne and St. Gallen, which

have a figure of a bear. This privilege

was granted them by Frederick III in 1475.

See Blanchet (ii. 263).

Baetzner. A base silver coin of Strasburg

curn'nt in the sixteenth century and

later. It was equivalent to eight Deniers,

or the sixth part of a Dick-Pfennig, and

multiples called Drcibaetzner, or one half

of the Dick-Pfennig were also issued.

In the Luzerne coinage the Baetzner was

equal to four Krcnzer, and silver denominations

of J^olmbaetzner were struck from

about 1750 to 1812.

[

Bagarone, or Bagzuroto. The popular

name for a variety of the mezzo Bolognino,

issued in Bologna, Ferrara, and Modena,

during the fifteenth century and

later. In 1507 it was current in Parma

at one fourth of the Quattrino.

Bagattino, from hagata, a trifle. A small

copper and billon coin of Venice, which

appeared originall3^ about the reign of the

Doge Francesco Foscari (1423-1457), and

was in use for about two centuries.

It was also extensively employed at

Friuli, Sebenico, Spalato, Zara, Rovigo and

other Venetian colonies. At Verona it appears

with a date as early as 1516.

The Bagattino was the Venetian unit in

copper, and it was usually computed at

one half of the Soldo.

Baggiane, or Bagiane. A coin issued by

the mint of IMirandola early in the seventeenth

century and of the value of four

Soldi. An ordinance of 1693 mentions

Baggiane of Modena.

Bagni ( ?plural of Bagno). There is a

reference in Promis (i. 316) to an order

of the year 1717 which prohibits the circulation

of coins called Bagni in the Duchy

of Savoy.

Bahar. According to Noback (p. 82), a

money of accoinit was formerly used at

Bantam, on the island of Java, which is

based on a decimal system, as follows:

1 Bahar = 10 Utas

= 100 Catties

= 1000 Laxsans

= 10000 Pcccoos

The smallest of these, the Peccoe, was

computed at 30 to the Spanish Dollar,

though the value fluctuated.

Bahloli. See Buhloli.

Bahram, or Behram. A name given to

till' copper five casli piece of Mysore, by

Tipu Sultan, in 1790, after the adoption

of his new sj'stem of reckoning. This system

was begun in 1786, and was based on

the Muludi, i.e., dating from the birth of

the Prophet. The name of the coin is the

Persian designation of the planet Mars.

Baizu-da. A coin of the value of two

Holof^niiii stnii'k in JModcna from 1551 to

1553. It was a variety of tiic Jliirajola

(q.v.).

Baiocco, or Bajocco. A coin fornu'rly

in use in tlie Pajnil States. It was originally

struck in base silver and later in

copper, and it obtains its name from its

brown color, the Italian for a hay or brown

tint beinpr bajo. Rut ('inafrli states that

the name is probably derived from Hayeux,

a town of France (old name, Bajocae),

where there was at one time a mint.

The Baiocco was the tenth part of the

Paolo, and the one hundredth part of a

Seudo, and it was subdivided into five

Quattrini.

In 1712 Po|)e Clement XI issued a silver

coin of 80 Haiocci, and in 1796 Pius YI

struck a 60 Baiocci i)ieee at Bologna in

copper. Among the obsidional pieces ^Mailliet

cites copper coins of two and one half

atid five Baioeei struck during the French

occupation of Civita-Vecchia. 17!)G-17!)7;

five, two and one lialf, and one half liaiocci

for San-8everino, 1797; and five Haiocci

for Tivoii in 1797. Src Ducato.

The Baiocco is nuMitioned by Andrew

Boorde, in his Introduction to Knowlrd(jc,

1547 (179), who .says, "In I)ras they haue

Kateryns and byokes and denares."'

Baioccone. Tlie name given to a copper

coin of the value of five Baiocci struck

for the Papal States during the pontificate

of Pius IX.

Baiochella. A billon coin issued by Si.\-

tus V I l.').sr)-1590), for Rome, Fano, Montalto,

Ancona, etc., and in use during tlie

early part of the seventeentli century.

The name is a diminutive of Baiocco.

Baiochetto. A small silver coin issued by

the Farnesi Family for Castro, Piacen/.a.

etc., during the sixteenth century. Those

of Pietro Luigi P"'arnese (1545-1547) are

(juitc common and usually bear the figure

of Saint Saviiuis on the reverse.

Baiotta. Promis (ii. 174) states that

pursuant to an order of Feliruary 17, 1717,

a tax was levied in Piedmont consisting

of a Baiotta, i.e., five Soldi. This would

make it a variety of the Dueatone, but no

such coin is known at the present time.

[

1"

Baisa. In a report of tlie United States

Consulate at Maskat, Onuin, dated Marcli

2:S, 1911, it is stated that the only Oman

coin is the cop])er Baisa or ".Maskat Pice."

"It is used in retail ti'ansactions and can

usmdly be exchanged in small (pumtities at

the rate of twelve Baisas for one Anna of

Iniiian currenc}'."

Bajoire. A name given to coins on

which occur two or more ]irotile portraits,

one suiterimposed and 'more or less obscuring

the one underneath. Notable examples

are the English Crown of William and

Mary; tlie Lafayette Dollar, etc. t>ce Jugate.

Bakiri, or Bakhri. A nanu- given to the

quarter l\u|)ce of ^lysore by Ti|)u Sultan,

in 1786, when he adopted his new system

of reckoning, based on the Muludi, i.e..

dating from the birth of the Prophet. The

coin is so called after Muluuumad Bakir,

the fifth Imam.

Bakia Asarfi. A gold coin of Nejial of

the value of two Mohurs. See Suka.

Balance Half Merk. See Mcrk.

Balastraca. A name given to the Spanish

Peseta stamped with the figui'e 400 in

a I'cctaugle to indicate its altered value into

Heis. Tlu're are cori'esponding halves

and (piarters, stamped respectively liOO and

100. This ])ractice was extensively carried

on by private jiersons in the province of

K'io (Jrande do Sul. Sec Meili (ii. 355).

Balboa. The unit of the gold staiulard

of Panauui, divided into one hundred

Centesimos ami of the same value as the

money of the I'nited States. It is luimed

after the explorer, but uji to the ])resent

lime lias not been str\u-k, the largest coin

1)1' I'iiiiama being the Peso, or half Balboa.

Baldacchino. An Italian word meaning

a canopy, and sometimes used to describe

the Pavilion d'Or (q.r.).

Baliardus. Du Cange cites a manuscrijit

of the thirteenth century of the Diocese

of Bourges which reads, "Ilenricus de

Solia<'o cantor Bitui-icensis ipii dedit decern

libras lialiardorum ad emendos reddiins."

It is probably the same as the

liaviardus (q.v.).

Balssonaya. See Bossoiuiya.

Bamboo Money. An elongated, narrow,

tablet-like sliajjcd money .supposed to have been derived from ancient metal

cheeks said to have been current in the city

of Tsi-an fu, the capital of Shantung-, as

far back as A.D. 1275, bat as time weiit

on, its circulation vpas not limited to this

locality. They are now found in nearly

all parts of China, 'although they appear

to be most popular in the Yang-tse regions.

This subsidiary money was issued by small

banks, exchange houses, contractors of labor,

etc., to serve as a medium of small

exchange according to the values indicated

on them. Besides the value, the names of

the issuers, as well as the address of their

business place, is found on a great many

of them.

Their field of circulation was, as a rule,

purely local, althougli no few extended

over "the limits to whicli tliey were first

intended. Some, on the other hand, served

as checks, to be redeemed for cash on presentation.

Others were intended to be

used as tallies for calculating the amount

f)f a journey, a day's work, or some other

such purpose. The values inscribed on

them are stated, in tlie majority of cases,

in cash, and range from 1 Kwaii (1000-

cash) down to 1 cash denomination. Their

sizes also vary, from six inches down to a

little over one inch. The inscription is

usually in relief, burnt with a stamping

iron, and countermarks are sometimes

added afterwards to prevent fraud. See

Wooden Money.

Banco. The system of banco currency

was instituted in the sixteenth century in

Italy, when tlie banks sought relief from

failure by ajiplication to the government

for authority to reduce tlie weiglit of the

Ducat, Zecehino, etc. The practice of a

goverinnent to profit by the variation of

weight and fineness of metal is of frequent

occurrence.

The Mark Banco was a money of account

iiiti-oduced liy the Bank of Hamburg

wliich insisted on ]iayments by its

depositors of bars of fine silver, but liquidated

its transactions with so-called Banco

Thaler, i.e., with silver coins containing

more or less alloy.

Frederick the Great issued a silver

Banco Tiuder in 176:") ujioii the institution

of the Koyal Bank. At the present day

the terms Banco Thah'r, lianco Daler, etc.,

are usually applied to paper money issued

by a national government.

The Skilling Banco was a copper coin

introduced in Sweden in 1819 for Avesta

and in 1832 for Stockholm. It was last

struck in 1855.

Banderuola. Anotlier name for the Ducatone

struck by Odoardo Farnese (1622-

1646) at Piacenza. It has on one side the

figure of St. Anthony holding a banner.

Bankje. A Dutch term popularly used

for paper money in general.

Beoik Note. A term used to describe a

promissory note issued by a bank, and

made payable in cf)in to tlie bearer on demand.

It is a circulating medium authorized

bj' law.

Formerlj' bank notes, or bank bills, as

they were sometimes called, were made

payable to a particular individual and the

date was limited.

Bank of England Dollar. Hcc Dollar.

Bank of Ireland Dollar. Sec Dollar.

Bankportugaloser. Sec Portugaloser.

Bankschelling, also known as Escalin au

Lion. A silver coin of West Friesland issued

in 1676 and later. It bears the inscription

VI STVIVERS BANKGELT.

Banngeld. The popular name for fines

[laid to the local excheciuer or court during

the Middle Ages in manj^ parts of Germany.

Ban Sen. The Japanese for numbered

sen. The pieces have numbers on the back

and arc found in the Eiraku, Genwa and

Kwanei series.

Banu. A copper coin of Roumania

adopted in 1867 when this country based

its monetary system on the Latin Union.

One hundred Bani are equal to one Leu,

and ten Lei are ecpud to one Alexander.

Baptismal Thaler. See Tauf Thaler. .

Baquette. The luime given to a Liard

stfiiik liy Louis XIII for Beam in 1642

and later. It is a small copper coin on

llio obverse side of which the field is divided

into four comjiartments with crowned

Ls and cows in the opposite corners. See

Vacquette.

Barbarian Coins. A general designation

for pieces struck from circa B.C. 400

to A.D. 300 in imitation of Greek and Roman types. To this class may he assifjiied

the imitations of Atlieiiiaii eoiiis towards

the eiul of the fifth eeiitury B.C.; tlie imitations

of the coins of Philip 11, of Macedonia,

the Gaidish coinafje, the imitations

of the latter for Britain, and finally imitations

of Roman Imperial issues, tiee Hill

(pp. 9-10).

Barbarin. A ba.se .silver coin of the

Alihcy of Saint Martial in Bretagne, issued

at the betrinning of the twelfth century.

It obtains its name from the bearded

face of the saint on the obverse. >SVf Lemocia.

Barbarina. The name given to a silver

coin of Mantua of the value of ten Soldi,

which bears the figure of St. Barbara, the

patron of the city. It was originally

struck by Duke Guglielmo Gonzaga (1550-

1587) and was copied in (Juastalla.

A variety of this coin, but smaller, was

issued at the begijining of the seventeenth

century, and was computed at one Grosso.

It was known as the Barbarina Nuova, or

Barbarina col Girasole, from the sun-flower

in the design.

Barbary Ducat. The popular name for

the Zccchino in some of the West Indian

Islands where it was introduced in the

latter part of the .seventeenth century. See

Chalmers (p. ;{97).

Wavell Smith, the Secretary of the Leeward

Islands, in a pamjihlct entitled Two

Letters to Mr. Wood. 1740, states that

these coins were "dipt of five grains of

their weight" and adds the following note:

"When I fii-st discovered the introduction

of these Barbary ducats in my office

at St. Kitt's, I soon j)ut a stop to their

currency by refusing them in my office;

and afterwards talking with some gentlemen,

they were desirous to give them a

common name. Upon which I reply 'd:

—

'Christen them as sons after their fathers'

name: so let them be called Toby's and

Jerry's,' for they were introduced by a

rich man at Nevis, Tobias Wall, and Jeremiah

Brown, another very rich man at St.

Christopher."

Barberine. A general name for the

piece of five Soldi struck at Avignon in

ltj."57 by Pope Trban VI 11, whose family

name was Barberini.

[It)

Barbonaccio. The name givcii to the

Barl>onc of Lucca after its value had been

reduced from twelve to nine Soldi.

Barbone. A silver coin of the Republic

(if Lucca issued in the second half of tlie

fifteenth century and continued to the

middle of the eighteenth. The name is

derived from the bearded face of Christ

on the obverse, which is usiudly accompanied

by the inscription sanctvs vvltvs.

Its value was twelve Soldi.

Barbuda. A billon coin of Portugal issued

in the reign of Fernando (1307-1:583)

and struck at Lisbon, Porto, .Miranda, and

Tuy. There is a corresponding half. On

both types the ruler is depicted as crowned

with a vizor over his face, and on the reverse

is a cross surcharged with a shield.

The Barbuda had a value of three I)inheiros.

Bar Cent. The name given to a United

States copper trial or experimental piece

supposed to have been struck about 1776,

according to a proposed jilan foi- a decimal

coinage.

It takes its name from the tliirtecn lateral

bars which cover one entire side of

the coin.

Bareheaded Noble. See Noble.

Bargellino. This word means "pertaining

to a shei'iff, '' and the nairie was bestowed

on a piece of si.\ Denarii issued in

1316 by Lando di Agubbio, the Sheriff

(Bargcllo) of Florence.

Bari-Bri. The unit of weight in the

Soudan, and corresponding to 18 grammes.

It is worth 14 Miscals, and each IMiscal is

divided into 27 Banans, the latter being

a native seed. See Spink (ii. 841).

Barile. A silver coin of Florence sli-uck

early in the si.vteenth lentury and ado|)te(l

by Alessandro Medici (1533-1536), the

first Duke. It has a figure of St. .lohn the

Baptist on one side and a lily on the re-

\erse. The original value was twi'lve Sols

and si.\ Deniers. It was coined in the

Duchy of Urbino.

Tli(> name is said to have been bestowed

on this coin because its value re])resented

the duty or tax on a barrel of wine.

Bar Money. A name generally applied

to bars of metal which are stamped with some value, and were formerly used as

currency. See Bonk, and Tang.

Caesar, De Bello Gallico (v. 12) \ises the

phrase "utuntur aut aere aut taleis ferreis

ad certum pondus examinatis pro nummo,

i.e., "They (the Britons), use either copper

or iron rods (that have been) weighed

by a fixed weight, for coined money."

Barrinha. A gold coin of bar form

struck under Maria II of Portugal for

Mozambique. Its value was two and one

half Maticaes or sixty-six Cruzados. There

was a corresponding half for one and one

quarter Maticaes.

Bartgroschen. See Judenkopfgroschen.

Basel. Ilolinshed, Chronicles, 1577 (ii.

67), states that in "the same yeare [i.e.,

in 1158], also the King altered his coine,

abrogating certeine peeces called basels.

"

See Kuding (i. 170).

Bassanaya. See Bossonaya.

Bastardo. A tin coin introduced by

Albufiuerciue, Governor General of Malacca

in 1510. See Caixa.

Bastiao. The collo([uial name for a

variety of the silver Xeraphin struck at

Goa in 1659. It received this designation

from the figure of St. Sebastian on the

obverse. Its value was three hundred Reis

or five Tangas.

Bat. The Siamese name for the Tical

iq.v.).

Bath Metal. According to Ure, Dictionary

uf Chemistry, this is an alloy consisting

of three or four ounces of zinc to

one pound of copper. It is said to have

been used in the manufacture of the Rosa

Americana coins.

Battezone. A broad silver Grosso of

Florence, i.ssued in 1503-4. It is of the

type of the Carlino {q.v.) and the bapti.sm

of Christ by St. John is represented on

the obverse. The name of the coin is from

the Italian battezznre, to baptize.

Batzen, f)r more properly in the singular,

Batz or Batze, was the name originally

given to a silver coin of the size of

the Groschen, which was introduced in

Berne, early in the sixteenth century, when

the Piappart was abolislied. It was copied

in the otlier Swiss cantons, as well as in

Bavaria, Isny, Strasburg, Nordlingen,

[20]

Augsburg, etc. According to the best authorities

the name seems to be derived

from the figure of the bear, the armorial'

device of the canton of Berne. The old

German name for this animal was Betz,

later Batz. The etymology from the Italian

pczza, a piece, is erroneous, as these

coins never originated in Italy, but were

copied in that country'. See Rollbatzen.

The original value of the Batmen was

four Kreuzer, therefore 18 Batzen made

the Thaler of 72 Kreuzer. It appears to

have retained this ratio for a long time,

because in Adam Berg's Miinzhuch, published

in 1597, as low as 17 Batzen are

given as the equivalent of a Thaler.

In the modern Swiss coinage prior to

the introduction of the Latin Union system,

the Batzen was one tenth of the Franc,

and equal to ten Rappen.

Baubee. See Bawbee.

Baudequin. A French word meaning a

tent or canopy, and sometimes applied to

the Pavilion d"Or {q.v.).

Bauerng^oschen, i.e., Peasant's Groschen.

A name given to the silver Groschen

of Goslar on account of their poor execution.

These coins bore the figures of Judas

with a staff and Simon holding a saw, and

they were supposed to bear a resemblance

to two peasants. The Bauerngroschen

were originally struck about the middle of

the fifteenth centurj-, and were of the value

of twelve Pfennig.

Bauem Thaler. The cf)mmoii designation

for a small brass token bearing the

inscription web mich last stehen dem

wiRDS VBEL GEHEN, and ou the reverse,

BEHALT MIE NICH DAS RATE ICH DICH.

The object of these pieces was the following

: whenever it was necessary to convoke

an important convention of peasants

living at some distance ajiart, the head of

the community desjiatched a message to

the nearest farmer with this token and a

summons. The latter in his turn was expected

to notify his nearest neighbor, and

each recipient pursued the same course

until all had been informed.

These tokens were common in Westphalia

(luring tlie eighteenth century.

Bauri. Anotlicr name for the Burrie Baviardus, or Bauviardus. A coin of

the tliirtcciitli ci'iitiiry cited Uy Dii C'an<re.

It is a term rolatiiii; to pa\nu'iits probably

inaclo in Herri in TJOM an<l 11227, and may

be the same as tlie Halianhis (q.r.).

Bawbee. A Scoteli l)illon coin first

struck ill the reifrn of .lames V and discontinued

under William III.

The early varieties, issued at the Edinburfrh

or Stirlinjr mints, wei-e of the value

of one and one half pence, but in the

reign of Charles II the value was raised

to sixpence.

The name by some is derived from has

piece or bax billon; others think it takes

its name from Alexander Orrok, Lord of

Sillebawbye, who is said to have been the

first to strike these coins.

Marston in Thr Malcontent, 1C04 (Induction),

s|)eaks of a wager "that was not

worth five bau-bees," and the coin is also

mentioned by Beaumont and Fletclier, in

Wit nt Srvf'ratl Weapons, 1647 (v. 2).

Bay Shillings. Sec Pine Tree Coins.

Bazarucco. A coin struck by the Portuguese

in the sixteenth and seventeenth

centuries, and current in their possessions

at ("haul, Goa, Bassein, Din, and in the

vicinity of Bombay. Specimens occur in

copper, lead, and billon.

Ill the early (Joa coinage of about 1510,

the Bazarucco, also called Leal, was etiual

to two Heis. Later it became the fifteenth

part of a X'intem ; but the value fluctuated.

Multiples exist as high as twenty.

The coin Ijears on one side the armorial

shield of Portugal, which is sometimes

found with tlie letters D and B to the left

and right, to indicate the mints at Diu

and Bassein. The reverse designs vary;

some specimens have a St. Andrew's cross

with a central horizontal bar, others a

sphere, and others again a cross with the

foul' figures of the date in the angles. See

Koda.

.lacob Canter Visscher, in his Letters

from Malabar, Madras, 1862 (p. 82), describes

a base coin struck at Cochin which

he calls Boeserokken, consisting of an alloy

of lead and tin, with tlie arms of the Dutch

East India Company on one side. Sixty

of them are e(iual to a Cochin Fanam.

The name of this coin is frecpiently corrupted

to Buzerook, and the nickname

[

Tinney is also given to it, in allusion to

its composition.

Beads used as money. See Borjookes,

and Kharf.

Bean. An English slang term for a

Sovereign or Guinea, and for money when

used in the plural.

William Harrison Ainsworth, in his

novel, h'oohwood, \SM (iii. !)) has the following

passage: "Zoroaster took long odds

that the match was off; oft'ering a bean to

half a quid (in other words, a guinea to

a half guinea), that Sybil would be the

bride."

Bean Money. See Cho Gin.

Beard Money. See Borodovaya.

Beato Amedeo, i.e., Blessed Amedeus.

A name given to a silver coin of the value

of nine Fiorini struck at the mints of

Turin and Vercelli in 1616 by Duke

Charles Emanuel I. It bears a bust of the

Duke in armor and a figure of St. Amedeus.

Beato Luigi. A silver coin of Mantua

issued by Viiicenzo II. Gonzaga (1626-

1627) in honor of Luigi Gonzaga. Its

value was half a Scudo.

Beaver Skins. See Hudson Bay Tokens.

Bees. See Bezzo.

Bedidlik. A gold coin of the modern

Egyptian series of the value of one hundred

Piastres. It was introduced A.H.

1255 or A.D. 1839.

Beghina. Dii Cange cites this as being .

a small coin mentioned in the Pacta Tongrensi

of 1403.

Begrabniss Thaler. See Mortuary

Pieces.

Beguinette. A name given to a variety

of the Maille Blanche {q.v.) .struck by

Guillaume de Nancy, a monever of Robert,

Count of Bar, from 1370-1374. See Blanchet

(i. 475).

Behram. See Bahram.

Beichlingscher Thaler. A Thaler of Poland,

issued under August II in 1702. The

obverse bears the cross of the Danebrog

surrounded by four crowned monograms.

Beichtthaler, meaning "Confession Thaler,"

was the name bestowed on a medallie

Thaler issued by Johann Georg II of Saxony in 1663. The obverse represents the

fefector standing at a table, and the coin

received its name from the fact that he is

supposed to have handed one of these pieces

to the church every time that he went to

confession.

Bekah. An early Jewish weight standard

; it was equal to one half of the Shekel.

»SVr Exodus (xxxviii. 26).

Bell Dollar. Hee Glockenthaler.

Bell Money. The name given to a variety

of early Chinese metallic currency on

account of "its resemblance to a bell. These

coins average from 50 to 100 millimetres

in height. They are described in detail

by Ramsden (pp. 13-15).

Bender. A slang name for the English

sixpence ; it probably owes its origin to the

fact that it is easily bent. Dickens in

Sketches by Boz says "Niver mind the loss

of two bob and a bender;" and Thackeray

in The Newcomes (si) has "By cock and

pye it is not worth a bender."

Benduqi. A gold coin of Morocco which

appears to have been originally issued in

the reign of Muley Soleiman (A.H. 1207-

1238).

Benediktspfennige, or Benediktuspfennige.

A sci-ics of religious medalets the

origin of which can probably be traced to

masses said in cloisters. See Kohler, Miimbelustigungen

(vi. 105).

Bener Dener. This term occurs in the

laws of William I as given by Ingulphus,

and according to Turner, Uhtory of the

Anglo Saxons (ii. 135), it signifies "better

pennies." Ruding (i. 110) observes that

the word bener is omitted in all the later

editions of these laws, and adds that "possibly

the word may be nothing more than

the following one, dener, mis-spelled."

Benggolo. A leaden .coin of Celebes,

supposed to have been issued by the ruler

Ainloidlah de Tallt>. See Millies (p. 178),

Ponrobert (No. 904).

Ber. The Amharic word for the Abyssinian

Talari (q.v.), of Menelik. The word

primarily means silver, and thence silver

money. The value expressed on the Talari

is Amd Ber, i.e., one Ber. The half has

L

Bertha Thaler

Yaber Agod, i.e., half Ber; the quarter

Yaber Roob or Rub, i.e., quarter Ber; and

the eighth Yaber Tenan, Temun, or Touluon.

Berenicii. See Ptolomaici.

Bergsegensthaler. See Ausbeutemlinzen.

Berling. A small base silver coin of

Goslar of the value of one quarter Pfennig

or one half Arenkopf (q.v.).

Berlinga. A silver coin of Filippo Maria

Viseonti, Duke of Milan (1412-1447). The

obverse bears an equestrian figure of the

Duke and the reverse has St. Ambrosius

on a throne. It is a variety of the Grosso.

Bernardin. A name given to the Denier

issued at the mint of Anduse during the

thirteenth centurj-. These coins are characterized

by a large letter B on the obverse

which is supposed to stand for Bernard,

a local ruler, although this name was

borne by the Seigneurs of Anduse from

1024 until 1243. See Blanchet (i. 19).

Bemer or Perner, were diminutive base

silver coins current iji Tyrol from the

thirteenth to the sixteenth century. They

were copied from the Deniers of Verona,

called in German, Bern, which must not

be confused with the Swiss town Berne

or Bern. Four Berner were equal to

one Vierer, and twenty Berner were equal

to one Kreuzer, or Zwainziger. See Prey

(No. 72).

Bemhardsgroschen. A silver coin of

Ilildesheim which appeared in 1490 and

which has on the reverse a half length

figure of St. Bernard with a cross and

mitre and the inscription sac berwakov p.

See Prey (No. 345).

The concluding letter of the inscription

is taken to be the abbreviation of Patronus.

Gappe, in his introduction shows that the

choice of this saint was an error, and that

the blunder occurred in the year 1298,

when a new seal was ordered for the city.

The patron saint of the city is Godehard,

aiul he appears with his bishop's title S'.

(iO(J : Episc. in the earliest seal and archives,

lie further states that the last appearance

of St. Bernard on the Ilildesheim

coins occurs in the year 1552.

Bertha Thaler. A broad medallic Thaler

(if the Canton of Solothurn which shows OH the obverse St. Ursus, the martyr, receiviiif;

a model of the cathedral from the

kiiecliiip: (HU'cii Bertha of Hiir^Miiidy. The

date, A.l). d'.i'I, wlieii this is supposed to

have hai)])eiied, is addod.

Bes, or Bessis. Tlic two-thirds of the

As of a weight of eigiit ouuees. tice Acs

Grave.

Besa. A copper coin issued for Italian

Soiiialilaiid : it represents the value of tlie

one huridi'edth i)art of a silver Rupee, and

there are niulti|)les of two Bese and four

Bese.

These i)ieces were first struck at Rome,

from Ciior<ji's models, and they were authorized

h\- a roval decree of January 28,

l!t()!t.

In the Ahyssiiiian coinafre the one fifth

of the (icrsh, or one hundi'cdth part of

tile Talari, is a copjier coin called Besa.

Besante. A \'enelian eojiper coin struck

by the Doge.s Girolamo Priuli (1559-1567)

and Pietro Loredano (1567-1570), for Nicosia,

in Cyprus. See Solidus.

Besh. A copper coin of modern Turkey

of the value of eig:ht Paras or one fifth of

the Piastre.

Beshlik. Originally this was a silver

coin of the Ottcmian Empire of the value

of five Paras, and weighing fi'om 20 to 40

grains.

In the modern silver currency of Turkey

the lieshlik reiu'csents four and three (juarter

Piastres, and in the series of Metalliks,

two and one half Piastres.

The Beshlik of Egypt was originally a

cojiper coin of the value of five Aspers or

Aledins; under JIahmud II (A.II. 122:!-

1255) it was made of liillon. The issues

for Tunis and Trijioli are billon and woi'th

five Paras.

Besorg. Mandelslo in his Voyage and

Tnirds to the East Indies, 1669 (p. 8),

under date of 16.'?8 states that at Gombroon

the native currency is a copper coin called

the Besorg, "whereof six make a Peys, and

ten Peys make a Shiihi, which is worth

about fivepence English." This is ])rol)-

ably the same as the Bazarucco iq.i'.).

Betpfennige. Sec Weihemiinzen.

Bettlerthaler, or Martinsthaler. A general

name used to describe such coins as

bear a figure of St. Martin and the beggar.

L2,

Tiiey occur in the series of Mainz, Erfurt,

IMagdeburg, Schwarzburg, etc., and in the

coinage of Lucca where they receive the

name of San Martino {q.v.).

Beutel, meaning a purse, was a former

Tuikisii money of account. The Keser, or

Beutel of silver, was computed at 500

Ghru-sh or Piastres. Tiie Kitze or Chise,

i.e., the Beutel of gold, was valued at 30,000

Piastres.

The corresponding French etpiivaleufs

are Bour.sc d 'argent and Bourse d'or.

In Egypt the Beutel was equal to 25,000

Medini, or 75,000 Aspers.

Beutgroschen, meaning Grosehen made

of booty, was a name given to certain varieties

of silver coins struck in 1542 by the

Elector Johann Frederick of Sachsen and

the Landgi-ave Philip of Ilessen. They

were minted from captured silverware and

bore the j)ortraits of the two rulers with

the insci-ij)tion bkvt. g. v. wolpbvt.

Bezant. See Solidus.

Bezemstuiver. The name given to a

small silver coin issued in Friesland, Overy.

sel, Utrecht, etc., from about 1620 to

1770. It had on the obverse a figure resembling

the fasces, to indicate the union

of the Provinces, and hence tiie French

e(iuivalcnt, Sou an Faisceau.

Bezzo. A small Venetian silver coin introduced

about the period of the Doge

Andrea Gritti (1523-1538), and continued

until the beginning of the seventeentii century.

The type usually represents a fioriated

cross on one side and the lion of St.

I\Iark on the other.

The name is suppo.sed to be derived from

the Illyrian word hees, meaning a small

piece of money.

Bezzone. A copper coin of the value

of six Bagattini struck in Venice bj* the

Doge Marino Grimani in 1604.

Bia. A former money of account in

Siam, based on the cowrie shells of which

it was e(iual to 200. Tiie cojipcr Pai {q.v.}

was com])uted at 200 Bia.

Bianchetto. A billon coin of Casale in

the iManpiisate of Monteferrato, of the

value of one twelfth of a (irosso. It was

introduced by Teodoro II, Palaeologo

(1381-1418), and continued in use for about a century. See Maglia. The type

was imitated at many mints in Savoy and

Piedmont.

Bianco. An Italian coin of base silver

corresponding to the German Albus and

the French Blanc. It appeared ]irobal)ly

before the fifteenth century and was issued

at Bologna, Venice, the Duchy of Mantua,

etc. For an extended account see Papodoi)

oli, f)tl Pireolo e <hl H'uineo, 1887.

Biancone. A base silver coin originally

issued at Monteferrato in 1528 of the value

of ten Soldi. It was copied in Modeiui,

Bologna, and Reggio, ancl in 1558 it was

computed at 131/2 Baiocchi in Perugia.

Biche. A copper coin struck by the

French at Pondichery for Mahe on the

Malabar Coast. It corresponds to the Pice

and is the fifteenth part of a Fanam (q.v.).

There are divisions of halves and (juarters.

See Zay (p. 289).

Bigati. A name given to certain issues

of the Roman Denarius on account of the

figures of Diana, Victory, etc., in a biga

{i.e., a two-horse chariot) which appear

on the reverse. They are referred to by

Pliny, Tlistoria Nai. (Ixxxiii. c. 12). See

Quadrigati.

Biglione. The Italian name for Billon

(q.v.).

Bilibres Formae were extraordinarily

large gold medallions of two pouiuls

weight, said by Lampridius (Sev. Alex.,

39) to have been struck by Elagabalus.

Another name for these medallions is F{n'-

mae Centenariae, as two pounds exactly

equal one hundred Aurei. No specimens

have survived.

Bi-lingual Coins are common to all peviods.

When Kome controlled portions of

Asia Minor the pro-consuls issued coins

with both Latin and Greek inscriptions.

In the Bactrian and Indo-Scythian series

occur (ireek and luitive Indian characters;

on the Sicilian coins of the Middle Ages

are Latin and Arabic legends, etc.

In a number of modern coinages it is

now common to find inscriptions in more

than one language ; these are coins for

over-sea Colonial possessions, e.g., China,

India, elc. The coinage of the Manchu

dyTiasty of Cliiiia is lii-lingual.

Bille. A slang French term for copper

coins in general ; it is probably from Billon

(q.r.).

Billon. A base metal usuallj' obtained

by mixing silver and copper.

The designation is now generally applied

to any coin ostensibly called silver, but

containing in reality more than fifty per

cent of co])per. If the proportion of copper

is more than seventy-five per cent, the

composition is called black billon, argenfiiiii

nigrum, or moneta argentosa. Lastlj',

if the coin is of copper, and is only thinly

washed with silver, as in the case of some

of the Scheidemiinzen (q.v.) it is called

Weisskupfer, i.e., white copper. See Potin.

The Encgclopaedia Britanniea in an early

edition of 1797 states that gold under

twelve carats fine is called billon of gold.

Ruding (i. 210) mentions the Turonenses

nigri, that is, the black money of Tours,

which was brought to England in the fourteenth

century and prohibited.

Billon Groat. See Blanc.

Binauriae Formae were gold medallions,

etpual in weight to two Aurei, said by Lampridius

(Sev. Alex., 39) to have been issued

by Elagabalus. None have come

down to us.

Biniones, or medallions of the weight of

two Aurei, struck by Gallienus.

Binsat. A gold coin of Akbar, Emperor

of Hindustan, equal to one fifth of the

Siluuisah {q.v.).

Bir-ghrush. See Piastre.

Birthday Thaler. See Geburtstagsthaler.

Bishop's Money. See Salding.

Bissolo. A base silver coin of the Duchy

of Milan issued by Giovanni Maria Visconti

(1402-1-112), and retained in the

coinage of Estore and Giancarlo Visconti.

It had a value of one eighteenth of the

Soldo.

The obverse of this piece usually bears

a floriated cross or a bust of St. Ambrosius

;

the rever.se has a crowned serpent or viper

(hixcia), the arms of the Visconti family,

from which design the coin obtains its

name.

[•J4] Bissona. A silver coin struek by Louis

XII of Franec fur Milan (1300-1512), with

a valiu' of tliree Soldi. It has on the obverse

the arms of France betwei n two

crowned vipers or serpents. iSVc liissolo.

Bisti. A Persian eopiier coin of the Sufi

or Safi Dvnastv wiiich ap])eare(l ahont tlie

reifin of Shah "Ahbas I (A.ll. i)!Ki-l():(S=

1587-1629). It bore a proportion of two

and one-half to the Shilhi, or five Bisti

ecpial to two Shahi, and was also ecpial

to fonr Kashbegis.

In the Geor-iian series this coin can be

traced to the reign of Queen Knsndaii

(A.D. 1227-1247), and there is a correspondiiifj:

half, called Nim-Bisti. See Lansihtis

and Fonrobert (424!) rt acq.).

Bit. The central portion of the Spanish

Peso or (-olonato, wliich was cut out and

countcrstaniped for use in British (Uiiana

and a ininibcr of the West Indian islands.

The word is also sometimes written

Uitt, and is generally used as an eciuivalent

for the Spanish silver Ileal. The

vahie of the Bit it.self was generally unaltered,

but their number as an equivalent

for the Spani.sh Dollar was increased or

lowered. For details as to these fluctuations,

sec C'aldecott in British Niimisnuttir

,/uurnal (i. 294), and Wood in Aineriain

' Journal of Ninnismaiics (.\lviii. S9).

The name was used in an abbreviated

form on a bra.ss token issued by Herman

(iossling in 1771, for the island of St.

Eustatius. There are two varieties, marked

1 Bt. and 1/2 Rt-

The Bit, when used in computation in

the Danish West Indies, is reckoned at the

one-fifth of the copper cent of that country.

The last coinage of the islands before

their purchase by the United States had

their values expressed thus: 50 bit - 10

cKNTS on the dime-size silver, 25 kit on

the nickel, and 10, 5, and 2'/) hit on the

bronze. See Daler.

Bit. A popular name in many of the

western parts of the United States to indicate

the value of twelve and one-half

cents. As, however, no coin of this denomiiuition

was ever struck, the expression

"two bits," i.e., the ((uarter dollar, was

much more common.

[2

Tn Crrssij (Chap. 1) one of Bret Harte's

Californian tales, a boy is i)aid "two bits"

for giving some lessons.

In some i)arts of California the Dime or

tcn-c<'nt piece is called a "short bit."

Bit and Bung are slang terms used by

tlii('\('s ill icfnririg res|)ectively to money

and a purse. The old Fnglisii dramatists,

Thomas Dckker and Kobcrt Cii'eeiie, refer

to these terms. Dekker in his Jests to

iiKike Mcrie, 1607 (repr. Grosart, ii. 328),

says, "If they . . . once knew where the

bung and the bit is . . . your purse and

the money;" and in the same wi-iter's

ItcliiKiii (if Ijiniiton, 160S (ivpi'. iii. 122),

we find a passage, "To learne . . . what

store of Bit he hath in his bag." Greene

in .1 Defense of Connif-catrliin;/, 1592

(Works, xi. 44) states, "Some . . . would

venter all the b\te in their bonng at (lii'c."

Bita Sen. The .Japanese name foi- bad

or counterfeit coins. See Shima Sen.

Bitt. See Bit.

Bizante. Sec Solidus.

Bizzichini. Promis (ii. ISO) (piofes a

document of the district of Cortona, dated

August 17, 1727, in which ar(> mentioned

coins called Bizzichini, which are valued iU

a ti-ifle liver seven Soldi.

Black Billon. See Billon.

Black Dogs. A cant name in Queen

Ainie's time for bad shillings or other

ba.se silver coin. Ashton, in ']'hc Ixciijn of

(fueen Anne (ii. 225) mentions "The Art

of making Black Dogs, which are Shillings

or other pieces of Money, made only of

Pewter double Wash'd."*

Sec also Swift, Drtipier's Letters (iii.) ;

and Crosby (]i. 203).

Black Dogs. This name was given to

the Cayenne Sous when introduced in the

I'jiiglisli ishukls in tlie West Indies.

Black Farthing. A name given to the

Scotch Farthing issued in the reign of

James 111 (1460-1488). There appear to

be two varieties. One has on Ol>t<. 1. kkx

scoTdijvii, with Kcv. VILLA EDi\nvK(i and a

saltire cross in a circle. The other variety

has the crowned initials T. R. on the obverse,

and a crowned saltire cross on the

reverse.

'] Black Mail. Wharton, Law Lexicon,

1864, states that this is "a certain rent of

money, coin, or other thing, anciently paid

to persons upon or near the borders, who

were men of influence, and allied with certain

robbers and brigands for protection

from the devastations of the latter; rendered

illegal by 43 Eliz. c. 13. Also rent

paid in cattle, otherwise called neat-gild."

Black Money. A general term for coins

ostensibly issued for sUver, but which actually

contain a large proportion of base

metal alloy, the latter soon giving them a

dark appearance. See Billon and Korten.

The principal coins thus debased were

the silver pennies, and from the twelfth

to the fourteenth centuries there is frequent

mention of the Denier Noir of

France, the Schwarze Pfennige of the German

States, and the Swarte or Zwarte Penninge

which originated in Brabant and the

Low Countries. They are also found in the

coinage of Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, and

in the Anglo-Gallic series.

In the reign of Richard II Ruding (i.

457) states that "among other expedients

to procure money, a writ was issued for

the discovering of black money, and other

subterraneous treasure hidden of old in

the county of Southampton, in whosesoever

hands it might be, and to seize it to the

King's use. He afterwards claimed black

money to the amount of 150 pounds of

full weight, which had been found in that

county, as belonging to him in right of

his crown."

As eai-ly as 1331 an ordinance was passed

"that all manner of black money which

had been commonly current in the King's

realm, sliould be utterly excluded."

Blacksmith Half Crown. A name given

to a nuU'ly struck half-crown of Charles I,

which was issued at Kilkenny in 1642.

Coins to the amount of £4000 were struck

under an onlinance of "The Confederated

Catliolics."

Blacksmith Half Groat. A variety of

half groat issued in the reign of Charles I,

which received its name from the barbarous

workmanshii). Hawkins states that the

Blacksmith Half Crowns of the same period,

also very rude in design, "are now

generally considered to be Irish." See

British Niuuismatic Journal (xi. 317).

[

Blacksmith Tokens. A series of tokens

of copper and brass issued about 1820 and

usually classified with the Canadian

"d(mbtful" series. The majority of them

ai'e said to have been made in Montreal by

a blacksmith, from which fact the series

has received its name. For a detailed account

see Wood, Canadian Blacksmith Coppers,

1910.

Black Tang-Ka. See Tang-ka.

Blaffert, or Plappart, is a base silver

coin of the value of three Kreuzer or six

Rappen, introduced in Switzerland in the

fifteenth century, and a variety of St. Gallen

dated 1424 (Frey No. 21), is the

earliest coin known bearing Arabic numerals

with a Christian era.

The type wa.s soon copied in Germany.

The Hohlblaffert of Liibeek bears an eagle,

that of Mecklenburg a bull's head, that of

Liineburg a lion, etc. All of the preceding

were valued at two Pfennige. In the

Rhine Provinces the Blaftert was variously

computed at three Stuber or four Albus.

It was gradually abolished in the sixteenth

century, the Batzen taking its place.

An amusing story occurs in Cahn 's Miinz

und Geldgeschichte der irn Grossherzogtum

Baden Vereinigten Gehiete, 1911 (p. 274),

relating to a quarrel between the municipalities

of Constance and Berne because a

nobleman of the former town ridiculfed

these coins by the name of Kuhplapperte,

i.e., "cow plapparts.

"

Blamiiser. A silver coin of Munster,

Cleve, Liege, Dortmund, etc. It is referred

to in an ordinance of Bishop Christopher

Bernhard of Munster dated May 4,

1658, as a Schilling of Brabant or Blaumiiser

"to be current at three Schillinge

and five Pfennige." In Liege it was computed

at two Grosclien and in Cleve at

tliree Grosclien.

The name in Southern Germany was

variously written Blomiiser and Blomeiser,

and it is mentioned by Grimmelshausen, in

Simplicius Simplicissimus, 1669.

Blanc, or Blanque, also called Gros

Blanc, is the name of a silver coin which

was struck in France in the fourteenth

century, contemporaneously with the Gros

Tournois. Originally it was of very pure

silver from which circumstance it probably received its name, hut the later issues deteriorated

ill fineness. It was divided into

Deniers, the ([uaiitity of tlic hitter, however,

varied. Tlie jreneral type was tiiat

of the Gros, tiie Un\'^ cross being a conspicuous

feature, aiul tiie inscription hen-

EDU'TirM .SIT NOMKN DOMINI, etc., was retained

for a Umg period. The hiter issues

wei-e ehai-aeterized hy various synd)ols,

such as a sun, star, lily, etc., {jivin-j: rise

to distinctive titles, all of wiiicli will be

found under the word Ciros, infra.

The Bhnuiue appears in the Anglo-Gallie

coiuiifrc issued by Henry VI of England.

It was a billon groat, silvered over to hide

the baseness of the metal. There existed

large and small varieties, known respectively

as the Grand Bhnuiue or Gros

lllan(iue and the Petit lilanqtie.

The Blanque was striu-k in France as

late as 17'J1, in which year the Caisse do

Hun lie Poi at Paris issued a piece of si.v

Hlanes in copper.

Blanca, or Blanco. A Spanish coin of

inferior silver issued fi-oiu the fourteenth

to the sixteenth centuries. It receives its

name from its white, shiny appearance,

and corresponds to the German Albus aiul

the French Blanc.

The Blanca Agnus Dei api)eared originally

in the reign of Juan 1 ( i:37!)-l:]!)0),

and obtains its designation from the Paschal

Lamb on the obverse. It was struck at

'I'oledo, Burgos, etc. See De La Torre (No.

G4;?0).

Blanc a la Couronne. A French silver

coin of the value of twelve Deniers Parisis

issued by John 11 (1850-1364). It receives

this name from the large crown

which is a conspicuous feature, and is also

known as the Gros Blamjue a la Couronne.

Blanc a la Patte d'Oie. A nickname

given to a variety of Blanc issued in

France in l^oT. It had a poorly executed

figure of the flours de lis, which was supposed

to bear some resemblance to the foot

of a goose.

Blanc a la Queue. This was struck by

.)ohn 11 of France in 13.35 to take the place

of the lilane a la Couroinie {q.v.).

Blanc a I'Ecu. A silver coin of Charles

VII of France. It was of large size and

bore a shield of fleurs de lis.

[

Blanc a I'Etoile. A variety of the Blanc

with a star in the centre. See Gros

BbuKiue a I'Etoile.

Blanc aux Trois Fleurs. A variety of

Denier coined in France in 135!1, but only

in use for a short period.

Blanc de Donne. A type of silver Gros

struck by Charles V of France. It bore a

letter K crowned, and was intended, as its

name implies, for presentation purposes

on si)eeial oeeasions.

Blanc Guenar. See Guenar.

Blancha. Du Cange cites an edition of

(iiacomo d'Aragona (1213-1276) which

mentions solidos de blancha iiwneta; and

he quotes from an ordinance of 1381 the

term "Blanchees, "' being the (juantit}' of

any article that could be purchased for a

Blanco.

Blanco. The Spanish equivalent of the

Blanc or Blaiujue. The Blancos Burgales

were pieces of two Deniers struck about

1258 bj- Alfonso X of Castile and Leon,

and ninety were equal to a gold Maravedi.

Bland Dollar. The popular name for

the silver dollar issued in the United States

from 1878 to 1904 inclusive. It owes its

origin to the Bland-Allison Act of February

28, 1878, which provided for a mininuim

monthly silver coinage of two million

dollars, and establishetl this coin of

4121/2 grains troy as legal tender.

The Act takes its name from Congressman

Richard Bland of ^Missouri, and Senator

William B. Allison of Iowa.

Blank. A coin of the Netherlands, of

inferior silver, issued during the sixteenth

century. It was originally of the value of

half a Stuiver, but its value fluctuated

greatly. The name was probably derived

from its white, shiny appearance when

newly struck.

Blank. See Plauehet.

Blankeel. See Blanquillo.

Blanque. See Blane.

Blanquillo, or Muzuna, sometimes incorrectly

referred to as Blankeel. A fornuu'

base silver coin of Morocco, the name

of which is a diminutive of blanca, given

to it on account of its white, shiny appearance.

It was divided into twenty-four

FaliLS. The issue terminated in the latter

part of the eighteenth century. See Muzuna Blaumiiser. See Blamiiser.

Blech, meaning "tin," is a German

slang term for money in general.

Blechmiinzen, i.e., tin coins, is a common

(i(>rm;iH name for the Braeteates

(q.i'.).

Blesensis, or Blesianis. A general name

for the Deiiici's struck by the Counts of

Blois, beginning with those of Thibaud IV,

ealk'd the Impostor (!)22-;)7S). They generally

bear tlie head of a wolf, which in

Celtic is called hlcz.

Blob. A popular name for the copper

coin of five cents struck for Ceylon in 1909

and 1910. See Spink (xviii. 12602).

Blomiiser. See Blamiiser.

Bluebacks. A nickname for certain issues

of the paper money of the Confederate

States, in contradistinction to the

Greenbacks of the North.

Blue William. Another nickname for

the preceding and used in various parts

of the Southern States of the United States

at the time. The name is a play upon the

words bill and Bill, the latter being a

familiar term for the name William.

Blunt. An English slang term for money

available at once. It was in use at the beginning

of the nineteenth century. Dickens,

in Oliver Twist, says, "I must have

some blunt from you to-night. '

'

Blutpfennig. The popular name for a

new or red Pfennig in allusion to its ruddy

color.

Berthold Auerbaeh, in his Dichtungen

(i. 14) has the line:

"Ich habe keinen Blutpfennig."

Bluzger, or Blutzger. A base silver coin

issued in the Bishoiiric of Chur in the Canton

of Graubiinden from the middle of the

sixteenth to the end of the eighteenth century,

and also at Ilaldenstein during the

same period. The early types have a figure

of the cross and Madonna, and the

later issues have armorial bearings.

Constantin von Buttlar, Abbot of Fulda

(1 714-1 72(i) copied them.

They are compuled at seventy to the

Gulden.

Blyen. See Bolette.

Bo. A sipiare coin of Annam usually

assigned to circa B.C. 475-221. See Schroe-

[

der (p. 46), and Lacroix, Numismatique

Annnmite, 1900 (p. 52).

Boars' Feet. See Hams.

Bob. Tlie common nickname for an

English Shilling. J. H. Vaux, in his Plash

Dietionurij, 1812, has "Bob or Bobstick,

a Shilling," and Dickens uses the term in

the Pickwick Papers.

In the Athena'um, 1864 (558), is a statement

to the effect that the nickname is supposed

to have originated in Sir Robert

Walpole's time. <SVe Magpie.

Bocksthaler. The name given to a variety

of silver coins struck in the bishopric

of Chur, which have as a device a standing

ram (Bock), the armorial shield of this

district.

The name, Bockspfennige, or BiJckler, is

similarly applied to coins of Schaffhausen,

which have a running ram as a design.

Boddiferus. Du Cange gives citations

showing that this name was given to some

early base silver coins of Liege, of which

36 were equal to a Florin.

Bodle. A Scotch copper coin, sometimes

known as the half-plack or two pence

Scotch. It appeared in the latter part of

the sixteenth centurj', and was last coined

in 1697.

The name is said to be a corruption of

Bothwell, a mintmaster, but no documentary

evidence to this effect is cited.

Its value in England was considerably

lower, as is indicated by R. Holme, in his

Armoury, 1688 (iii. 2), who says, "A

Bodle, three of them make a half-penny

English."

Bbckler. See Bocksthaler.

Bohmen. The name given to the popular

Groschen of Prague bj^ the natives of

Silesia. It is probably due to the figure

of the lion of Bohemia and the inscription,

DEI GRATIA REX BOEMiE, found on these

coins.

Boeki. See Trade Dollar.

Boeotian League. See League Coinage.

Boeserokken. See Bazarucco.

Bolette. A leaden token issued at Prankfort

a. M. as early as 1497 and in use until

tlie beginning of the seventeenth century.

Joseph and Fellner, in their work on the

coinage of that city (1896, pp. 39-40), state

that the Boleton, or Blyen (i.e., Blei-lead)

were of two sizes : the larger were redeemed for twelve Heller and the smaller

for six Heller.

Bolivar. A silver coin of Venezuela, of

the same value as the Franc, and named

after Simon Bolivar, the liberator. It is

divided into one hundred Centimos, or Ccntavos.

For the different systems of monetary

standards in use in Venezuela, see the

Annual Report of the Director of the U. iS'.

Mint, 1912, and for tlic Peso system, still

in use to some extent, sec Peso. Tlie Bolivar

is sometimes called Veuezolauo.

Boliviano. The unit of the silver standard

of Bolivia, and divided into one hundred

Centavos.

The former gold Boliviano, of the same

country, introduced in 1868, was equal to

half an E.scudo.

Bolognino. Oriiriiially a silver coin of

Bologna issued during the Republican period

(1191-1337), and of the value of half

a Grosso. It also occurs in the coinage of

Modena as a Republic (1226-1293); was

copied for Acpiila, under Ludovico II

(1382-1384), and is found as a billon coin

in Ferrara in the thirteenth century. The

half of the same coin was known as the

Ferrarino.

In the sixteenth century, when Bologna

was under Papal nde, a Bolognino was

struck in copper. Copper Bolognini were

also issued for Modeiui under Rinaldo

(1694-1737), and for Lucca earlj' in the

eighteenth century.

Bone. A slang term, which ap])ears to

be confined to the United States, and which

was originally apidied to a silver dollar,

but was afterwards used for a dollar

whether of paper or metal. The name

jirobably originated from the bone or ivory

counters or chips used in the game of

poker.

Bon Gros. Tlie French equivalent for

Gute Groschen (q.v.).

Bonk. A name given to the rectangular

copper coins struck in Java from 1796 to

1818. See Netscher and van der Chijs

(passim), where Bonks, varying from one

half Stinver to eight Stuivers, are described.

A similar coin, known as the Tang {q.v.),

was issued bv the Dutch East India Company

for Ceylon.

[

Bonn. Dinneen, Jrish-Enylish Dictionarij,

l!M)4, has: "Bonn, a itiece of money, a

groat, a medal : bona airgid, a silvci- medal

;

bonn or, a gold medal ; Iiouti buidhc, a yellow

medal ; bonn ruadli, a cnpi)cr or brass

medal; bonn ban, a shilling."

O'Reilly, lrish-En(jlish Divtionarij, has

Bonn sian, a half-penny.

There is a Gaelic proverb, "Is fearr

caraid sa cuairt, na bonn .sa sparan," i.e.,

"A friend at court is better than a groat in

the |iurse.

"'

Bonnet Piece. A gold coin of .lames V

of Scotlantl, issued only in 1539 and 1540,

and remarkable as being the earliest dated

Scottish coin.

It is so called fi'om the king's head being

decorated witii a bonnet, or scpiarc cap, instead

of a crown.

Its weight is 88i/> grains, and there are

one third and two third i)ieces of similar

type.

This coin is sometimes referred to as a

Ducat, but this designation belongs more

properly to the gold coin struck by Mary

Stuart in 1558.

Bonnet Type. A designation em])loyed

to classify Englisii silver coins. Thus on

some of the pennies of William 1 the term

is used where the full-face bust, and large

crown with long ])endent lappets occur.

Bononenus. The name given to the

mezzo (J rosso struck at liologna by Po|)e

Eugenius 1\' from 1431 to 1438. It has on

the reverse the figure of St. Petronius seated,

holding in his hand the cathedral of the

city. The inscription reads s. petroniv. iik

BONONIA.

Booby Head. The ]ioiiular name for

one of the varieties of the cents of the

United States issued in 1839. It has a

large, stu|)i(l-looking head of Liberty on

the obverse.

Borage Groat. Jamieson, Eti/niolofjical

Dirtioiiiirii of till' Srottisli Lanijuaiic. states

that this was a four-])(Miny piece formerly

current in Scotland, and that it may have

received this name fi-oiii the use of liorax

as an alloy in its com])osition.

Borbi. Kelly (]). 4) states that this was

an Kgyi)tian coi)i)er coin at the beginning

of the nini'Icenth century, and that 320 of

them wei-e vi[\m\\ to the Pia.stre. Conf.

Bourbe.

20]

Bord. A slang name for a Shilling. See

Hog.

Bordata. An Italian term applied to

coins tliat are not perfectly round.

Bord Halfpenny. Wharton, Law Lexicon,

1864, states that this is "a customary

small toll paid to the lord of a town for

setting up boards, tables, booths, etc., in

fairs or markets."

Borgesi Neri, i.e., black Bourgeois. According

to Promis (ii. 12), this was a variety

of base silver Denier struck in the

borough of Bressa, and by an ordinance

of Turin of December 15, 1335, it was

valued at one eighth of the Grosso.

Borjookes. The name given by the

Abyssinians to glass beads of different colors"

which were formerly current as money,

and which were computed at the rate of

thirty to the Para. See Wakea, and Kharf

.

Borodovaya, or Beard Money. Among

Peter the Great's measures to bring Russia

up to the level of European civilization

was his decree that beards should not

be worn. To encourage shaving he imposed

a tax, varying in amount, according

to the social standing, the mercantile

class paying the highest tax for the privilege

of retaining their beards. When the

tax was paid a token was given as a receipt.

Chaudoir cites a piece in silver, dated

1705, of the size of the twenty Kopeck silver

coin. Schubert (p. 103) states that

the specimens in silver are modern, and

did not exist in the time of Peter I. Of

those in copper there were two varieties.

One is like the silver piece and the other

has the size and weight of a Ruble, and

is square. They are dated 1699, 1705, and

1725.

Boss. The native name for the African

cowries formerly used as a money of account

on the Gold Coast.

Nol)ack (p. 311), gives the following

table of e(iuivalents

:

2'i Cowries = 1 Tnbii.

40 (^>wrl('s = l namhn.

Kion ('owrics = l r.iiss Dollar.

1000 Cowri(>s = l Cnbps (sinnlll.

2000 Cowrlps=l Cain's (largp).

When converted into an actual monetary

unit HiOO Cowries are equal to one sixteenth

of an ounce of gold dust.

Bossonaya. A Spanish billon coin

struck by the Counts of Barcelona during

[

the thirteenth century, to distinguish the

type from the contemporary issues of the

kings of Aragon. See Blanchet (i. 312).

The name is also written Bassanaya and

Balssonaya, and Du Cange quotes documents

of 1209 and 1343, the former of

which states that "fuit dspera luoneta de

Bassanaifa quae chiravit ires annos."

Boston Money. In the Colonial Records

of Pennsylvania, 1683 (i. 85), there

is a passage reading, "their Abuse to ye

Governm', in Quining of Spanish Bitts and

Boston money." The latter expression

probably refers to the Pine Tree Coiias

[q.v.)

Botdrager. The popular name for the

double Gros which was struck in Brabant

and Flanders early in the fifteenth century.

The name signifies "pot carrier,"

the allusion being to the helmet on the

lion's head which looks like an inverted

pot or kettle. See van der Chijs (p. 123-

125).

The type was copied in the various provinces

of the Low Countries, and the coin

is also referred to as the Brabandsche

Leeuw and the Gehelmde Leeuw. See

Heaume.

Botinat. A silver coin of Georgia which

ajipeared in the reign of Queen Rusudan

(A.D. 1227-1247), and which received its

name from the fact that it was a close copy

of the coins struck by Nicephoras Botoiiiates

of the Byzantine Empire. See Langlois

(]!. 73) ; and Ponrobert (No. 4253).

Boudjou. See Budschu.

Bouhamstash. A billon coin of Tripoli,

introduced by Nedschib Pascha in 1835.

and of the value of fifteen Paras.

Boulton's Twopence. A very large and

lieautiful copper coin, issued in 1797 at the

Sdho mint, Birmingham, which owes its

existence to Matthew Boiilton (h. 1728).

Its weight was exactly two ounces, and the

c()rres|)oiiding penny was one ounce; yet

this weight rendered them unwieldy and

they were only issued in the year above

mentioned. See Montagu, and Spink (ix.

4519). They were long used as weights by

shojikeepers, and from their size obtained

the nickname of "Cartwheels."

This is the first and last twopenny piece

that was ever coined by authority in copper Bouquet Series. See Sou Tokens.

Bourbe, also called Burbe. A copper

coin of Tunis, introduced at the hcfrinnintr

of the eifrliteenth century, and of the value

of one twelfth of an Asper.

Bourbonnais. The name given to a varietv

of Denier and Ohole struck oriRinally

by" Louis VII of France (ll:57-nS()),

which have on the reverse a cross and the

inscription, horbonensis. They should uot

be confused with the issues for Bourses by

the same ruler, which have on the reverse,

VRii.s niTVKicA. See Blanchet (i. 149).

Bourdelois. See Denier Bourdelois.

Bourgeois. This term was applied to

vai'inus varieties of the billon Deniers issued

in France and Lorraine during the

thirteenth and fourteenth centui-ies. As

the name implies, it was used to designate

coins of the baser sort from those of pure

metal.

The Bo\irgeois Fort, i.e., the heavy Bourgeois,

bore the inscription, bvrgensis for-

Tis, and the Bourgeois .Simi)le was inscribed

HVRGENSis Novvs. Sce Borgcsi Neri.

Bourse. See Beutel.

Bousebbatash. A billon coin of Tripoli,

introduced by Nedschib I'ascha in 18:55,

and of the value of seven and a half Paras.

Bout de L'Isle Tokens. The iianu> given

to a sei'ies of twelve tokens which were

struck at Birmingham and imported to

Caiuida to be used as tickets or passes over

three ditVerent bridges which were built to

unite the Lsland of Montreal with the

mainland. They are described in detail in

Breton (p. 43), and see Repentiguy (infra).

Boutleteen. A billon coin of Tripoli, introduced

by Nedschib Pascha in IHlif), and

of the value of thirty Paras.

Bowed Money. A term used to indicate

coins which were purposely bent and

then given as pledges of love or friendship.

Thomas (irccne, in The Art of Con-

)n/-C(itchi>Hi, ir)!)2, has as follows: "Taking

forth a bowed groat and an old |ienny

bowi'd he gave it \sic\ her."

\ i>assage in the will of Sir Edward

Howard. ir)12, copied in Arrhdrnhfiin

(xxxviii. :{70), reads, "I bequeathe him

my rope of bowed nobles."

[

Box Thaler. The same as Sehraubthaler

(r/.r. ).

Brabandsche Leeuw. See Botdrager.

Brabandsche Mijt. See Myte.

Brabandsch Schild. A gold coin introduced

i)nrsuant to the OrdonnHutie of May

10, 14:!(). it was struck by Philip I, Constable

of France and Duke of Ligny and

St. Pol. It has on the obverse the fulllength

figure of the Duke holding an armorial

shield. See v.d. Chijs, De Munten

. . . Hrahand en Limburg, 1851 (p. 141),

and conf. Sehild, infra.

Brabant. A liase silver coin which circulated

in England toward the close of the

thirteenth century. For a short time tiiey

were allowed to pa.ss at the rate of two for

a penny, but were i)rohil)ited in IIHO. The

name was probably given to them from the

fact that they origiiuited in Flanders, Hrabant,

or the Low Countries.

Ruding (i. 201) states that "these coins

were distinguished by the mimes of pollards,

crocards, scaklings, brabants, eagles,

leonines, sleepings, etc." Ilolinshed, in his

Chronicle, 1577- '87 (iii. :«)!)), adds that

"all these were white monies, artificiallie

made of siluer, copper, and sulphur."

Brabant Thaler. A variety of the Albertusthaler

iq.v.) issued for the Low

Countries. They have the Burgumly cro.ss,

in the angles of which are crowns and the

order of tlie CTolden Fleece.

Brabeon. A name employeil in Switzerland

to desigiuite a certain class of medals

which were distributed as awards for proficiency

to .scholars in colleges, schools, etc.

The custom appears to have originated at

Basle in the latter part of the sixteenth

century. They are also known as Scludpfennige.

Bracata. A Polish term signifying

money that has the stamp of the Braeatori,

or mint master. Du Cange (i.) cites

an ordinaiu'e of 1467 reading tiiiniita pecunia

hracaia, etc.

Bracteates. From the Latin brarlra. a

thin piece of metal, is a iuiiiu> us\ially given

to iiieccs of thin silver, impressed with

a die, on which the device is cut in relief.

Conse(piently the lines and figures del)

ressed on the one side appear raised on

the other, and the obverse of the coin preseuts the same features as the surface of

the die.

They are supposed to have ori<;iiiated at

the beg-iiinino; of the twelfth century in

Thurin^U'ia, and tliey were copied in other

German provinces as well as in Switzerland,

Hungary, Bohemia, Poland, and

Scandinavia. They were in use until the

latter part of the fourteenth century, at

which time the many types of Groschen

gradually supplanted them.

The majority are of silver, but gold ones

have been found; some of tliem, struck in

copper and very base silver, probalily

served the same purpose as the tokens of

succeeding periods.

The name, Bracteate, however, was not

applied to these coins until the eighteenth

century. Their contemporary designations

were Pfennige, or Denarii, and that

tliey tooktlie place of the latter pieces and

passed as' current money is attested by the

words nunnis, inoncta, denarius, etc., which

are occasionally found in their inscriptions.

To these varieties the name Schrift Bracteaten

is usually applied.

Bragone. The popular name in Italy

for the Hungarian Ducat extensively

struck during tlie sixteenth century. The

word is a corruption of brdchc, i.e., trousers,

and these coins exhibit the standing

figure of the ruler, with large, expansive

breeches.

Braise, i.e., glowing coals. A slang

French exin-ession for money, i.e., an allusion

to "coal to keep the pot boiling."

Branca Moeda. A term iised by Portuguese

Humisniatists, and corresponding to

the Frencli Blanc or Blanque.

Brandthaler. The name given to a Polish

Thaler, issued at Thorn, in 1629, to

commemorate the gallant defence of that

city against the Swedes under General

Wrangel. There are a number of minor

varieties, all exhi])iting a view of the city

in Hames, and tlu» inscri])tion fides et con-

ST.ANTIA l'l:H IGNEM PROBATA.

Brasangium. See Brassage.

Brasher Doubloon. A gold coin, sti-uck

in the city of New York in 1787. It obtains

its name from its originatoi', Ei)hraim

Braslier, a goldsinitli, whose place of business

was at number one, C'lierry Street.

Brasher made applieatimi to tlie Lcgisla-

[

ture of the State of New York for permission

to strike copper coins. His petition

was not granted, and in consequence only

the gold Doubloons are known.

Braspenning. A base silver coin of Brabant,

Friesland, and the Low Countries, in

general use during the fifteenth century

and later. It appears to have been originally

of the vahie of two Stuivers, but

later was equal to onl^^ one Stuiver and

eight Pfenninge. Some authorities refer

to it as the Dubbele Jager. See Blanchet

(i. 462).

Brass. The terms first, second, and third

brass (or bronze), applied to Roman coins

according to their sizes, is convenient but

unscientific. The first brass, or Great

Brass, is in reality the Sestertius ; the Second

Brass, or Middle Brass, is the Dupondius

and As; and the Third Brass, or

Small Brass, is the Semis and other small

coins.

It should further be rememliered that

the latter class is of copper; the larger

coins are neither brass nor bronze, but

composed of orichalcum, a mixture of copper

and zinc.

Brass. An Pjuglish colloquial term for

a copper coin, but chiefly used for the

plural. The expression can be traced to

the fourteenth century. Langland, in Piers

Ploughman, circa 1362 (iii. 189), has

"Beere heor bras on thi Bac. " In his

translation of the New Testament in 1526,

Tindale renders Matthew (x. 9) thus:

"Posses not gold, nor silver, nor brasse.

"

At a later period the word was slang

or dialect for money in general, as the

following quotations indicate:

"Shanio that tllP imisps shinlld bo bought iinil sohl

Kor evory iicnsanf.s brass." —I'iishop HaU. Satin\^, liiitT.

•Thou ilamniMl anil liixurlmis mountain goat,

Offer'st me brass?" —Shakfspi'aro. King Hciiiii thr Fifth (iv. 4).

"Who ne'er ch-spises books that bring him brass.",

Byron, Hints from Horace (.548),

Brassage. A French term used to indicate

the variation between the actual

value of the metal, and the denomination

stamped on the coin. This difl^erence in

former years constituted the payment

wiiieh the official who struck the coins received.

Sec Slegclpenninge.

Du Cangc (i.) states that as early as the

thirteenth century the name Brasangium

was given to the official whose duty it was to determine the aliove-immetl variations.

Sec Seifrnoragre.

Bravuda. A monetary denomination

mentioned in ordinanees of the reign of

Dnarte I, Kinf,' of Portii<ral (148:M4:!S),

and cniniintcd at three Diidieiros.

Bread Tokens. The name fjiveii to a

series of tokens extensively issued in Nurenilierjj,

Paderhorn, and other German

towns durinfr tlie sixteentii eentnry and

later, which on ]iresentation eoidd be redeemed

for a loaf of bread. They are of

various shajies and metals, and some of

them bear the inserijjtion trot or URdD. A

I-?rodmarke was struck bv the Kornvercin

of KUierfcld in 1817.

Breeches Money. A nickname fjiven to

flic coins of the English Commonwealth

{ 1()48-166()) on account of the el(>n<rated

shields on the obverse which bear a fanciful

resemblance to a pair of trousers.

Breite Groschen, also called Breitfjroschcn,

oi- (4rossi Lati, was a name applied

in the fourteenth century aiul later to certain

ty])es of Bohemian (iroschen of large

module, to distinguish tluMii from smaller

pieces of the same denomination, (irossi

Praeeisi, which were sti'uck contemporaneously.

It shoidd be remcmliercd, however, that

the ad.jective hrcit is employed in a genral

way to define the broad type, as distinguished

from the rlirk. or thick specimens.

This a Mints for such names as the l^rcitpfemiig

of Augsburg; the Breiter Thaler,

etc. S,( Dickfhaler.

Bremsenthaler. A name given to a Thaler

of Liilicck, struck in 1537, so called because

a fl.v (Bremse) appears in the field

on the obverse. The "Bremse" was the

coat of arms of Nicholas von Bi-ombseii,

the Biii'gomaster.

Brenag^um. According to Wliai'ton,

Law I.r.riro)!, 18G4, this was "a |)a,vmeiit

in bran, which tenants ancientl.v made to

feed their lords' hounds."

Brick Tea is a recognized unit of value

in some parts of Burma and Tibet; the

ditferent (lualities each liear a distinctive

mark and jiass at diflf'erent prices.

Clement Williams, in Throufjh liurwa io

Wrxtern China, 1864 (p. 34), has a note

which seems to refer to a currency consisting

of cakes of tea. He says: "The only

[33

kinds apparently known in the market at

Bamo are the flat discs of China tea and

the balls of Shan tea. The discs weigh

twenty Tickals each ; seven piled together

make a packet which used to sell at one and

one-half Tickals and two Ticks" \sk\.

Sec also Terrien de la Couperie (.\x) and

the Am. .lournal of Numismatics (xli. 79).

Bridge Money. The name given to a

variety of Chinese metallic ciirnMicy on account

of their bridgelike appearance.

Ramsden, who describes these pieces in detail

(pp. L'!)-:)2), adds. "I would suggest

the name of Tingle Dangle as more appropriate,

since they will jirobably result to

be miniature token representatives of the

larger musical instruments which are still

to be seen in certain |)arts of China." The

Chinese name for Bridge Jloney is Kiao

Pi, and for Tingle Dangle moneV is Kiu"

Shih Pi.

Brillen Dukat. A gold coin of Denmark

struck by Christian IV in 1647. The

reverse exhibits a pair of spectacles

("Brille"), with the motto vinio ihka

noMi. There is a corresponding half.

Brillenthaler. The name given to a

variety of Tlialer issued b.v Duke .Julius of

Brunswick-Liincburg at (Joslar from 1586

to 1589. They are of the .so-called "Wild

Man" type, and from the arm of this figure

there hangs a skull, an hour-glass, and

a pair of spectacles ("Brille"). »Sfrr Louis

aux IjUliettes.

Briot's Crown. The name given to a

variet.v of Crown executed about 1633 by

Nicliohis Briot, who had been appointed at

the Tower mint by Charles I in 1628. This

piece, though not of vei'v sjiirited workmaiishi]),

is neat and well f(H'mcd, and was

struck by the indciiciident ajiparatus which

Briot owned. There is a half crown of the

same t.vpe. Briot's coins can be distinguished

by the initial B.

Briquet. A silver coin of the fifteenth

ciMitury issued in Brabant, Burgundy, and

the Low Countries. It has on the obverse

the figure of a lion holding a fire-steel in

his claw. There are correspoiuling doubles,

halves, and quarters.

The word means a steel for striking fire,

and the chain attached to the Order of the

(iolden Fleece instituted in 1429 by Philip

the Good, Duke of Burgundy, was decorated with sparkling precious stones, and

golden fire-steels.

The Dutch equivalent is Vuurijzer, and

by this name these coins are known in Holland,

Gueldres, etc. See Azzalino and

Fewreysen.

Britain Crown. An English gold coin,

struck in tlic reign of James I pursuant to

a proclamation of October 20, 1604. Its

original value was five shillings, which was

raised to five shillings and sixpence in

1611. The union of the kingdoms is referred

to in the legend Ilcnricus rosas rc(jna

Jacobus, i.e., "Henry unites the roses,

James unites the Kingdoms." This coin

was discontinued in 1661- '62. See Crown.

Britannia Groat. A name given to the

English silver fonrjience which was revived

for general circulation in 1836 and

discontinued in 1856. The following curious

note concerning these coins appeal's

in Hawkins

:

"These pieces are said to have owed

their existence to the pressing instance of

Mr. Joseph Hume, from whence they, for

some time, bore the nickname of Joeys. As

they were very convenient to pay short

cab fares, the lion. Member of Parliament

was extremely unpopular with the drivers,

who frecjuently received f)nly a groat where

otherwise they would have received a sixpence

without any demand for change."

British Dollar. See Dollar.

Broad. Another name for the Unite

iq.i'.), a gold coin issued by James I of

England.

In the reign of Charles II the term was

used to distinguish the hammered twentyshilling

i)ieces from the new coins of the

same value then introduced called Guineas

iq.v.).

The Bi'oads were called in and declared

to be no longer current in 1732-'i3, the

nia,)oi'it\' of them having become much diminished

in value and size by wear and clipping.

Broad Thaler. See Breite Groschen.

Brockage. A faulty piece in coining: a

damaged coin. In a report of the mintmastci-

s under Klizaiicth, trinp. 1572, mcntiiiii

is made of "brocage" in tiie making of

six pi'iices. Sec Num. Chrun. (Ser. iv. Vol.

16. p. 75).

Brod. Sec Bread Tokens.

[

Broke Money. A term used to indicate

the cut Bracteates, Deniers, and especially

Pennies of the Middle Ages. The

process of quartering or halving ap]>ears

to be adapted to the Anglo-Saxon coinage,

e.g., to the Pennies of Althelred II (978-

1016), on which the shears or chisel is

guided by the cro.ss on the reverse.

The practice of cutting coins was sanctioned

by Philip VI of France by an ordinance

of May 29, 1347. See Blanchet, Les

Monnaics Coupees in the Revue Nuinismatique

(iv. 1).

In the Burij Wills, 1463 (repr. 1850, 41),

there is a reference to "broke silvir.

"

Bronze. An alloy made of ninety-five

parts of copper, four parts of tin, and one

part of zinc, which has been found more

serviceable for coining purjtoses than pure

copper. A somewhat similar mixture was

em]iloved by tlie Greeks and Romans, but

among modern nations it was not used luitil

1850, when the Swiss Government began

to i.ssue coins of this metal. France

adopted it in 1852, Sweden in 1855, England

in 1860, and Belgium in 1861. See

Brass.

Bronzo. The name given to a small copper

coin which appears at Messina, Ravenna,

etc., before the tenth century. The

Bronzi are generally of very rude workmanship,

and a number of types have both

Latin and Cufic inscriptions.

Brown. An English slang term for a

coi)per coin, especially a halfpenny, in allusion

to its color.

Brown Money. A dialect word used

both in Ireland and in Devonshire for

copper coins.

Briickenpfennige. Sec Lanclsberger Pfennigc.

Brule. A copjicr coin struck in the

Bishojiric of Liege from about 1513 to the

end of the century. It was valued at four

Stuivers. See de Chestret (jmssim).

Brummer. A base silver coin of Poland,

struck by Sigismund III at the beginning

of the seventeenth century. It is a variety

of the Drei|i(ilker (q.v.), and receives its

name from Bromberg, where it was coined.

Bruneti, or Bruni. A term used by

Italian numismatists to indicate coins that

have become greatly oxidized, and to such pieces that are subject to oxidation on aet'ouiit

of the impurity of the metal.

Brusselaar. A varietj' of the liouhle

BriipH't issued hy JMaximiiian in 14M8 during,'

tiie minority of Philij) tiie (iood. It

has on the reverse an ornamented cross,

witii tlie letter B in the centre, from which

circumstance it is assumed that it was

stnii'k at Brussels. See Prey (No. 298).

Bryan Dollars. The name given to a

series of satirical pieces issued in 1S!)() and

1!K)0 durinjj;' the first and second "free silver"

campaign of William J. Bryan. They

occur ill .silver and other metals and are

of various shapes, sizes, and designs.

Brymann. A billon coin of Brabant,

struck in l:iM and later. The type i)rescMts

two shields placed side by side, with

small lions over each. For a detailed account

of these ]iieces sec van der ("hijs (p.

96). Their value is mentioned as being

equal to four Grooten of Vilvorde.

Bu. A small, rectangular Japanese gold

coin, first i.ssued in 15!)!). It was the fourth

part of a Ryo, and bears the inscri|)tion,

Ichi liu, meaning one Bu. The Bu was

also divided into four pai'ts, each one being

called Shu.

The silver Bu was introduced in 1830,

and contiiuied in use until the introduction

of the Meiji currency in 1870.

Buaya. A copper coin of the Malay

Peninsula. Sff I'it.je. The word means

a crocodile, and is probably derived from

the old tin ingot money cast in this shape

and minted at Selangor, etc.

Buck. A slang term used in some parts

of the I'nited States for a dollar. The word

is of comi)aratively recent origin and the

etymology is unknown.

Buckscha. >SVt Kabir.

Budata. A coin of Palermo i.ssued in

liisti Miiil prohibited and retired from circulation

in 1G!(8. Delia Hovere, Mrmoric

Storirhr . . . supra Ic Monctr hits.te, 1814

(12!t), gives an account of this debased

currency ami asserts that it was composed

of a mixture of copper and chalk or plaster.

Budgrook. A coin of liombay, first issued

under the charter of KiTT, granted to

the East India Company. The name is

p?-obably a variation or corruption of the

Portuguese Bazarucco {q.v.}. It was

[•!

struck in copper, tin, and lead, and was

usually com|)uted at one forty-eighth of a

Fanam.

Budschu, or Boudjou. A former silver

coin of Algiers, introduced at the Iteginning

of the nineteenth century and divided

into twenty-four Muzuna.s.

The midtii)les and divisions of this coin

all have their particular nanu's, as follows:

2 Budschu, called Zudi, or Sondi Budschu;

1 P.udschn, called Rial Btulschu : 14 Budsehu,

called Rebja, or Rebia Budschu; '/^

P>udschu, called Temin Bud.schu.

Biiggeli. A Swiss nickname for a coin

of more or less concave foi-m. "Biickel"

means a bent back or hunch back.

Bugne. A base silver coin struck in

Metz and current in Lorraine during the

fifteenth century and later. It is mentioned

in an ordiiuuice of 1511 as having a

value of ten Deniers.

There are both niunieiiial and e|)iseo])'ii

tyjies, and the usiud devices bear a figni'c

of St. Stephen, with the inscription .s'.

STKl'-U. I'ROTHO'.

It is .sometimes calleil Tiercelle. Sec

I'.Ianchet (486).

Bugslaver, probably a corrui)tiou of

Bogislauer. The poptdai' name for the

small silver cuius issued in Pommerania

under Bogeslaus X (1471-152:?) and his

successors.

Buhloli, or Bahloli. A coin of mixed

metal, weighinj^' abdut 145 grains, iutrnduced

b\- P>ahlol Lodi, the Afghan rider i>\'

Dehli, A.II. 855-8!)4 (A.D. 1450-1488). It

was the standard coin for about seventy

years. Nrr Thomas (No. 311).

Bull. A slang expression for an Kuiilisli

Crown piece. J. II. Vaux, in his Flush

Dictidiiiirii. 1812, says: "Bull, a Crown

or ti\-e Sliilliugs."

Bullet Money. Srr Tieal.

Bullion. The original meanintr of the

word ajiix'ars to have been a ndnt or a.ssay

office, but the writers of the sixteenth century

soiuetinies refer to it as a jilaee of

exchange.

The Tn-iiics dr In Lcii. 1641 (p. 43),

states that "Bullion ... is the place

where gold is tryed." and Blount, in his

Ijdw Dicliiiiiiiric. KiTfl, has: "Bullion . . .

sigiufies sonu'times the Kings Ex<"hange, or place whither such Gold in the lump is

brought to be tryed or exchanged."

The definition in use at the present time,

i.e., gold or silver in the lump, as distinguished

from coin or manufactured articles,

can be traced to the latter part of the

sixteenth century. Thomas North, in his

translation of Plutarch's Lives of the Noble

Grecians and Romans, 1580 (p. 865), says:

"Bringing with him all his plate, both Gold

and Silver, unto the Mint-master, he gave

it him to put into bullion, and so to be

converted into currant [sic] coin."

Bundesthaler. The name is usually

given to any silver coin of Convention

Money (q.v.). The Schweizer Bundesthaler

is in reality a medal designed by

Jakob Stampfer (obit. 1579) to commemorate

the foundation of Swiss Independence.

See Schmalkaldischcr Bundesthaler.

Bung. A slang term used by thieves in

referring to a purse. See Bit.

Bungtowns. A name given to clumsy

imitations of the English half pennies

which circulated extensively in Pennsylvania

and the other states in the latter part

of the eighteenth century.

The name is probably derived from the

slang term, "to bung," meaning to cheat

or deceive.

There is an extensive list of them in Atkins.

See also Amer. Journal of Nnniisiiiatirs

(xxxiii. 67, xxxvi. 94).

Bun Sen. A Kwanei sen (q.i'.) having

the character Bun (learning) on the reverse.

The coin was made in 1668 from

the fragments of the Daibutsu, or great

image of Buddha, at Nara. The last pieces

to be made from the Daibutsu statue are

called "Tori Sumi" Sen (gathered endings),

which have this inscription as well

on the reverse.

Burbe. See Bourbe.

Burgales. See Blancos Burgales.

Burgunderthaler. Scr Albertusthaler.

Burigozzo. A iieavy silver Testone of

the value of 32 Soldi, struck by the Emperor

Charles V for the Duchv of Milan

(1535-1556). It has a bust of the Emperor

on one side and a standing figure of

St. Ambrosius on the reverse.

Burrie, or Bauri. A money of account

in the Maldive Islands, and equal to twenty

Cowries (q.v.).

[

Bursarienzeichen. A series of copper

tokens struck by the bursar of the guild

or chapter at Munster and Paderborn from

1543 to 1633. They are of the denominations

of three Schillinge, 12, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1

Pfennig, and one Heller. The value is

on one side and a figure of St. Paul on the

reverse. Many are countermarked with

the arms or name of the bursar.

Busch (plural Buschen). In 1493 Hermann

IV, Archbishop of Cologne, the duke

of Julich and Berg, and the municipal

authorities of the city of Cologne, held a

conference to adjust the irregular monetary

system then prevalent, and agreed

upon the following values : Weisspfennige,

24 to a Gulden; Blanken, 12 to a Gulden;

Double Buyschen, 18 to a Gulden; Simple

Buj'schen, 36 to a Gulden ; Half Bu.yschen,

72 to a Gulden; Old Morchen (Moergyhe),

8 to a Weisspfennig ; Neu Morchen: 12 to

a Weisspfennig.

The above appears to be an early reference

to a small copper coin which derived

its name from a bou(iuet or bunch of flowers

and leaves which appeared on one side.

These coins were later identified with the

cit.y of Aachen, or Aix-la-Chapelle. The

obsidional pieces of six and twelve sols

issued in 1597 are sometimes called Buschen,

and in the seventeenth and eighteenth

centuries the twelve and four Heller

pieces had a respective value of three

and one Buschen. They were struck as

late as 1790 or 1792 and were abolished by

the Prussian coinage system of 1821.

Bussignarfi. According to Caucich, Bol-

Irttino (li Nuinisniafica Ifaliana (iii. 34),

this was a name used in Ancona to designate

either the mezzi Ducati, or the mezzi

Scudi d'oro of twenty Bolognini. •

Bussola, or Bussolotto. A pojnilar name

for the Grosso issued at Mantua from the

period of Ludovico III. Gonzaga (1444-

1478) to Carlo II (1637-1647). The word

means a pyx, and these coins have on the

obverse the figure of a pyx, used for holding

the host.

Bussolotto Papale. This was another

name for the Giulio struck in Parma by

Pope Clement VII, the type being copied

from the preceding coin.

Butaca, or Butki. A former gold coin

of Morocco, the name of which is probably a corruption of the Pataca (q.v.). Tts value

was two Rials or twouty-seven Ukkias.

Butchers' Half-pence. This torin is used

1)\- Dean Swift in his Prapicrs' Letters,

1724 (iii), and implies eouiiterfeit or very

hase silver eoins.

Butgen. A silver eoin issued at Campen,

(!roniiij,'fii, Deveiiter, /wolle, etc., during

the tit'teciilli and sixteenth centuries. It

appears to have been of the value of two

l'lal<i<en, and is sometimes referivd to as

the half (iroot. See Frey (No. 45!)).

Butki. /SVe Butaca.

Buttala. The popular name for a coin

of Piaeen/a issued duriu": the seventeenth

century and originally of a value of ten

Soldi. Its value, however, fl\ietuated eonsiderahly,

as in a monetary ordinance of

Salihioneta of 164S, the Ii\ittala is mentioned

as e<|ual to 14 Soldi, liavinfi: lieen

ehanjred from 12 Soldi.

Buzerook. See Bazarueco.

Buzzard. A .slang term formerly apjilied

to the silver dollar of the United

States on account of the huzzarddike eagle

on the reverse.

Byoke. An ob.solete form of writing

Baioceo {q.v.).

Byte. An old English form of Bit iq.i'.).

Byzant. See Solidus.