Oak Tree Coins. An early silver issue
for the Colony of Massachusetts. The
series consists of Shillings, Sixpences, and
Threepences, dated 1652, and Twopence
dated 1662. Srr Pine Tree Coins. Conf.
Croshy.
O Ashi. The common Japanese name
for money. The word means "Honorable
Foot."
Oban. The largest of the -lapanese gold
coins. It is oval in shape but variable in
size, some siiecimens being six inches in
length, and weighing over five ounces.
The face of this coin is usually covered
with s\Tnmetrieal lozenge shaped flutings,
and it is stamped at the ends and sides
with the Government crest of the day,
namely, the Kiri flower and leaves. The
value, usually about ten Ryo, is painted in
.Jajjanese ink on the face by the superintendent
of the mint.
The Oban came into use A.D. 1573-1592,
and was issued until about 1860. For the
many varieties conf. Munro (p. 188 et
Sf(j.).
Obeliskoi. Sec Iron Coins.
Oblongs. A nickname given by the
soldiers to the bills of the Bank of the
Tnited States in allusion to their shape.
The term a|)i)ears to have been common in
Oliio in the early part of the nineteenth
century. Sec Cist, Cincinnati in 185!)
(Pt. i.).
Obol, Obolus, or Obolos. Originally a
weight of iincicnt Greece, and later a silver
coin, the one sixth of the Drachm (q.v.).
Tlie etymology of the name is uncertain,
but the generally accepted theory is that
it is derived from o|ii/,6i;. o^i/.iay.o?, i.e., a
spit, or skewer, the apjiellation given to
the earliest iron bar money which was made
in this form. The normal weight of the
Obol was 0.73 grammes, or 11.25 grains.
The multiples of the Obol consisted of
Obsidional Coins, oi' Siege Pieces, as
they are generally called, are stamped
pieces of metal struck during sieges or by
iieleaguei-ed cities, when the customary
money became scarce. They frequently
represent a fictitious value, and a promise
of redemption at some future time. The
subject cannot be treated here in detail,
but conf. Mailliet.
Obverse of a coin is the side which bears
the more important device or inscription;
the, other side is called the reverse. In
the United States the side bearing the date
is called the obverse, irrespective of device.
On ancient coins the side bearing the portrait
of a ruler or the picture of a deity
is always the obverse. Some writei's claim
that in classifying ancient coins the obverse
must always be regarded as the side which
received its impression from the lower die,
i.e., the die supported by the anvil.
Ochavo. A copper coin of Spain, the
half of the Quarto (q.v.). It dates from
the beginning of the sixteenth century and
received its name from being valued at one
eighth of the Real. It was also issued
during the French occupation of Barcelona
and Catalonia (1808-1814). See Octavo.
Ochota. A Spanish copper coin struck
Ijy Charles III pursuant to an ordinance of
May 5, 1772. Its value was two Quartos
or eight Maravedis.
Ochr el guerche. See Millieme.
Octachalk. A piece of eight Chalks
(q.v.). This multiple of the Chalk is not
specifically mentioned by ancient writers
but certain large bronze coins of Egypt,
from their weights, were pi'obably of this
denomination.
Octadrachm, or v/,-iicot'/_i>.'j'/, representing
the nudtiple of eight Drachms (q.v.),
was a coin struck not regularly, but occasionally
in Thrace, Macedonia, and more
generally at Sidon in Phoenicia. The
Octadrachm of gold (also known by the
term Miuiieion, q.v.) was struck by the
Seleueid and Ptolemaic kings.
Octas, or Octussis. A multiple of eight
Asses after tiie tirst i-ednction. It is doubtful,
however, whether such a coin was ac^tually
sti'uck, or whether it was only a money
of account.
[
Octavo. A copper coin of Mexico of the
value of one eighth of a Real, adopted
during the Revolution of 1812-1813, and
later copied by the state of Jalisco from
1828 to al)out 1862. See Ochavo.
Octobol (Gr. oy.TMpoXov). The multiple
eight Obols (q.v.) and equal to one and
one third Drachms. No coins of this denomination
are known.
Octussis, or piece of eight Asses. Never
struck in bronze, but only in silver under
another and more common term : Quinarius
(q.v.) or half a Denarius (when this had
become equal to sixteen Asses).
Odelos (Gr. oSeAo?). A term for Obol
iq.v.), sometimes found in Arcadia, Crete,
and also at Delphi and Megara.
Odolke (Gr. 65oX7,ti, 6SoX/,ai'), Ilesychius
says, was the name of the Obol (q.v.) in
Crete.
Oertchen. A diminutive of Ort (q.v.).
According to the monetary regulations
adopted by the district ("Kreisordnung")
of lower Saxony in 1568, its value was
established at two Pfennige. It is of frequent
occurrence in East Priesland and
was in use in a number of the German
States to the end of the seventeenth century.
A similar coin, also called Oirtken, was
struck for Brabant in 1512 and later with
a value of twelve Mj'ten. See Frey (No.
231).
Orterer. The popular name for the
(piarter Gulden, established by the monetarv
convention of Essling November 10,
1524.
OertH. Tile name given to a billon coin
issued at St. Gallen, Schwyz, and other
Swiss cantons during tlie seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. They exist on both
round and square planchets, and were
e(|ual to four Batzen.
Offering Pieces. A name given to certain
coins of Alfred the Great, which are
considerably larger in size than the then
prevalent issue. Carlyon-Britton considers
that they were intended for Shillings. See
nrillsh Niniiisiiiiillr Journal (i. 5).
Ogata Sen. The Japanese name for
large specimens of their cast Sen.
Oirtken. See Oertchen.
104 ]
Okelpenning Oord
Okelpenning. A variety of Denier, tiie
precise etyiiidlofjy lieiiif? unknown. In an
ordinance of 1314, Johann V, Margrave of
Urandenbnrp: is authorized to coin certain
Dcniers ''(jiii rulfinrltcr Ol-clprnnbuir vocaiilur."
In Ponuneranian archives of tlie
year 182') they are called Denarii Au!_nnentabiles,
and in Brandeid)ur<; at a somewhat
later period they are referred to as Keljienninp-
e. Sec Kehlpfennig.
Oke Money. See Ilock Money.
Okkia. S(r Ukkia.
Oktodrachmon. See Octodrachm.
Old Milk Penny. An English dialect
term used in West Yorkshire to indicate a
Penny of the eighteenth century which
was formerly added to the standard
weights to give a good weight.
Olotl. See Sicca.
Omnibuses. Srr Polleten.
Onbeshlik. A silver coin of the Ottoman
Empire of the value of fifteen Paras. Its
weight is from sixty-five to one h\nidred
grains.
Onca. See Canello.
Oncetta. A Neapolitan gold coin of the
value of three Ducati, with multiples of
two, five, and ten. It was made pursuant
to the ordinance of April 20, ISIS, double
in value to the Oncia of Palermo. See
Ducato.
Oncia (Gr. b'i%i<x, oufvAa). The Latin
Uneia, the small unit of the Siciilo-Italian
Litra (q.v.), of which it was the twelfth
part. It was struck only in bronze, and
at many cities of Sicily and Southern Italy.
Oncia. A gold coin of Sicily, notably
of Palermo. It was originally e(iual to the
Oncetta of Naples, as is indicated by the
value T 30, i.e., thirty Tari, on some of
these pieces dated 1793, etc. By the ordinance
of Ajiril 20, ISIS, it was reduced
to half the value of the Neapolitan coin.
See Ducato.
The Oncia of Malta was a silver coin introduced
earl}' in the eighteenth century
and was equal to thirty Tari or two Scudi.
Ongaro. See Ungaro.
Onion Penny. An ol)solete English dialect
term, formcfly used principally in
Hampshire. The English Dialrcf Dictionary
cites a manusci'ipt glossary compiled
[
by W. Kennett, cii-cn 1700, which reads:
"At Silchester they find great plenty of
Roman coins which they call Onion Pennies,
from one Onion whom tliey foolishly
fancy to have been a giant, and an inhabitant
of this city."
On-le-vault. The pojiular nam(> for the
Denier Blanc of Cambrai, coined in 13-47
by Jean Bougier of Arras, for Guido IV
of Ventadour, the Bishop of Cambrai. It
was valued at two Deniers Tournois. See
Blanchet (i. 462).
Onlik. A Turkish silver coin originally
of the value of ten Paras, hut latei' slightly
reduced. See Rebia.
The issues for Egypt, introduced by
Soleiman I (A.H. 926-974), were of copjier,
and of the value of ten Aspers; this
was followed bv a billon Onlik binder
Mahmnd II (A.H. 1223-1255) ; and finallv,
under Abd-el-Medschid (A.H. 1255-1277),
the silver coiiLS etjual to ten Paras were
made.
In Tripoli the Onlik was a billon coin
of the value of one fourth of a Ghrush.
It does not seem to have been issued prior
to the reign of Abd-el-Hamid I (A.H. 11S7-
1203).
Onza. A name given to the gold eight
Escudo piece of Spain and the Spaui.sh
Colonies. See Dobla.
Oof. An English slang term for money,
and a corruption of ooftish, i.e., from the
(ierman auf clem Tisch, meaning "on the
table."
J. W. Pearce, in Modern Society (January
16, 1892), says: "Oof as a current
]iseudonym for money has been in use for
about seven years, but ooftish, which also
is Whitechapel slang for coin of the realm,
has been in use in England over thirty
.vears.
'
'
Oord, or Double Duit. A base silver
coin, eonnnon to all the provinces of the
Low Countries, and of the value of one
fourth of a Stuiver.
There are many varieti(>s. Those of
(lueldi'cs, Zeeland, and Ovei'ysel have the
bust of Philip II on the obverse; those of
Holland a female seated figure; those of
Uti'ccht and West Eriesland the arms of
the ivspeetive provinces, etc. All of the
in-eeeding types wei'c struck in the latter
jiart of the sixteenth century.
Tlie name of the coin is varioxisly written:
Oord, Oordje, and Ortje.
Or. See Ore.
Ora. Riidinp; (i. 114") states that this
was an Aii^Io-Saxon money of account, and
that the name is supposed to be derived
from the Anglo-Saxon word ore, i.e., ore
or metal. He adds that "it seems to have
been brought into this island by the Danes,
at least the first mention of it occurs in
tiie league between Edward the Elder and
(iuthrun the Danish monarch. The exact
date of this treaty does not appear, but
it must have been ratified between the
years 901 and 924. The Danes used this
term both as a denomination of money and
also as a weight." See Ore.
Ordensthaler, and Ordensdukaten. The
name given to such coins on which are
representations of the insignia or badges
of the Orders of Kniglithood, etc. Thus
on a Thaler of Frederick 1 of Prussia the
chain of the Order of the Black Eagle,
founded by him, is depicted ; and on a
Crown of Christian V of Denmark the cross
of the Order of Danebrog is pictured.
Ore. The name of this coin is ]irobably
derived from eijrir, a Norse word meaning
a weight of an ounce, and Latinized ora
or hora. It was employed in Anglo-Saxon
and Scandinavian computation. Sehmid,
Cliivis Numismatica (i. 50), states that it
means the same as the Latin octans, or the
eighth part of the silver Mark.
It appears originall.y as a silver coin of
Sweden, in the middle of the fourteenth
century, but under the name of Ortug;
while the Ore with its double is found in
the early part of the sixteenth century.
The silver issues ceased about 1626, since
which time the Ore has been a copper coin.
Erik XIV issued .srpiare silver coins of
four, eight, and sixteen <')re from 1562 to
1567.
After the adoption of the Riksdaler the
latter was made the eipiivaleut of one hundred
copper (")re, and this ratio was retained
when the Krone was established bj'
the monetary convention of 1875.
The Icelandic form is Aur.
Orichalcum. See Brass.
[1
Ormond Money. A series of silver
coins issued in 1643 under the superintendence
of James, Marquis of Ormond, the
Viceroy of Ireland.
They consist of seven denominations
:
Crowns, Halfcrowns, Shillings, Sixpences,
Groats, Threepence and Ilalfgroats. See
British Numismntic Journal (ii. 341-348).
Ort. An abbreviation, for the sake of
convenience, of Ortsthaler, and used to
designate the one fourth Speciesthaler common
to many of the German States in the
seventeenth century and later. The curtailed
form must have been officially recognized,
as in the Swedish series, under
Christina, the Ryksort or Riksort occurs,
struck for Stettin, of the value of one quarter
Rixdaler, and in Brandenburg, Gottingen,
Brunswick-Liineburg, etc., there is the
Reichsort, with divisions of halves and
quarters.
The one quarter Ort is also called Achtzehner,
i.e., one eighteenth, as this coin was
equal to eighteen Pfennige or the one sixteenth
part of the Thaler of twenty-four
Groschen, or two hundred and eighty-eight
Pfeiuiige. See Oord and Oertchen.
Ortelin. The name given to the (|uarter
Pfennig of Strasburg, struck in 1393. See
Blanchet (i. 494).
Ortje. See Oord.
Ortsthaler. A Thaler of small size, common
to a iuunl)er of the German States,
and popularly designated as Ort iq.v.).
Ortug. See Ore.
Orty. The plural of Ort (q.v.), used in
Poland to indicate the quarter Thaler.
Oscenses. See Denarius Oscensis.
Osella. It was the custom in Venice at
the time of the Republic for the Doge to
make a present on New Year's Day to the
members of the Council, said present consisting
of birds (uccelli). This practice
was altered at the beginning of the sixteenth
century by substituting a memorial
coin of silver, which received the name
Osella from the original gift.
The earliest of these was struck by Antonio
Grimani in 1522, and the custom was
contiinied, with few interruptions, until
1 797. These historical medals usually bear
(JO]
Othmany Ox Silver
tlio name of the Doge and the re<jnal year,
hut otherwise they present a s''eat vaiMcty
of designs and inscriptions.
There were oeeasional issues struck in
gokl, tlie earliest heing that of Alvise I,
Mocenigo, dated 1571, on tlie naval victory
at Le|)anto. The Dogaressa also had the
privilege of coining Oselle in her own name.
Of the many varieties the Osella di JMurano
bears a date instead of a regnal year.
Tliese occur as early as 1711. Sec Schmid,
Cliivis Niiinis)ii(ifica (i. 13). Conf. also
Werdnig, Die Osrllrn oiler Mihiz-Medaillen
(lev Hcpuhlik Venedirj. AVien, 18Si).
Othmany. See Akcheh.
Ottavetti, or Ottavini. A type of silver
coins reseinl)ling tlie Luigini, and cui'rent
in Genoa during the seventeenth century.
They were valued at eight Soldi. An ordinance
of 16G7 refers to clipped or light
money and mentions the Ottavetti.
Ottavo. An Italian term, implying one
eighth of some accepted standard, e.g., the
Ottavo di Scudo di Tassarolo, issued by
Agostino Spinola in 1607.
Ottene. A billon coin of the value of
three Deniers, issued by Louis XI of
P^rance (1461-1-164), for Savona in Sardinia.
Ottenpfennige. A name given to certain
Deniers of the Middle Ages, so called
after Otto I, Emperor of Germany (936-
973), in whose reign they appear.
These coins have on one side a cross
with the inscription otto rex, and on the
reverse the name of the locality.
Ottino. A silver coin of eight Danari,
current in Milan during the fifteenth century.
It was another name for the Soldo
of twelve Danari, after the same had been
reduced in 1410 bv the Conte di Virtii.
Otuzllk. See Utuzlik.
Overstrike. This term is used by numismatists
to describe a coin where a portion
of the design, and especially the date,
api)eaTs under another design or date.
Owls (Gr. rXauy-s?). The familiar name
for the Athenian Tetradrachms, which bear
a figure of an owl on tiie reverse. See
Glaukes.
Oxford Crown. The name given to a
variety of the silver crown of Charles I,
dated 1644, and made by Thomas Rawlins,
while mintmaster at O.xford.
ISchind the figure of the King on horseback
holding a drawn sword, is shown a
view of the city of Oxford, in which some
of tlie chief buildings and fortifications are
delineated. See E.xurgat Money.
Oxford Unite. When the civil war
broke out in England in 1642 the mint at
Shrewsbury was removed to the New Inn
Hall at Oxford, where gold pieces, consisting
of triple Unites, Unites, and double
Crowns, were struck.
All of these coins have on one side a
jiortrait of King Charles I, and bear on
the other a scroll with the words Religio
ProtestiiiL^, Legeft Angliae, Liherta.i Parliavieiiti
(ai)l)reviated), referring to the
King's declaration, on September 19, 1642,
that he would "preserve the Protestant religion,
the known laws of the land, and
the jiist privileges and freedom of Parliament."
The type upon which this inscription
occurs is, therefore, called the "Declaration
Tj-pe. "'
The other inscription, Exurgat Deus
dissipentur inimici, is from Psalms (Ixviii.
1).
Ox Silver. See Sheep Silver.
for the Colony of Massachusetts. The
series consists of Shillings, Sixpences, and
Threepences, dated 1652, and Twopence
dated 1662. Srr Pine Tree Coins. Conf.
Croshy.
O Ashi. The common Japanese name
for money. The word means "Honorable
Foot."
Oban. The largest of the -lapanese gold
coins. It is oval in shape but variable in
size, some siiecimens being six inches in
length, and weighing over five ounces.
The face of this coin is usually covered
with s\Tnmetrieal lozenge shaped flutings,
and it is stamped at the ends and sides
with the Government crest of the day,
namely, the Kiri flower and leaves. The
value, usually about ten Ryo, is painted in
.Jajjanese ink on the face by the superintendent
of the mint.
The Oban came into use A.D. 1573-1592,
and was issued until about 1860. For the
many varieties conf. Munro (p. 188 et
Sf(j.).
Obeliskoi. Sec Iron Coins.
Oblongs. A nickname given by the
soldiers to the bills of the Bank of the
Tnited States in allusion to their shape.
The term a|)i)ears to have been common in
Oliio in the early part of the nineteenth
century. Sec Cist, Cincinnati in 185!)
(Pt. i.).
Obol, Obolus, or Obolos. Originally a
weight of iincicnt Greece, and later a silver
coin, the one sixth of the Drachm (q.v.).
Tlie etymology of the name is uncertain,
but the generally accepted theory is that
it is derived from o|ii/,6i;. o^i/.iay.o?, i.e., a
spit, or skewer, the apjiellation given to
the earliest iron bar money which was made
in this form. The normal weight of the
Obol was 0.73 grammes, or 11.25 grains.
The multiples of the Obol consisted of
Obsidional Coins, oi' Siege Pieces, as
they are generally called, are stamped
pieces of metal struck during sieges or by
iieleaguei-ed cities, when the customary
money became scarce. They frequently
represent a fictitious value, and a promise
of redemption at some future time. The
subject cannot be treated here in detail,
but conf. Mailliet.
Obverse of a coin is the side which bears
the more important device or inscription;
the, other side is called the reverse. In
the United States the side bearing the date
is called the obverse, irrespective of device.
On ancient coins the side bearing the portrait
of a ruler or the picture of a deity
is always the obverse. Some writei's claim
that in classifying ancient coins the obverse
must always be regarded as the side which
received its impression from the lower die,
i.e., the die supported by the anvil.
Ochavo. A copper coin of Spain, the
half of the Quarto (q.v.). It dates from
the beginning of the sixteenth century and
received its name from being valued at one
eighth of the Real. It was also issued
during the French occupation of Barcelona
and Catalonia (1808-1814). See Octavo.
Ochota. A Spanish copper coin struck
Ijy Charles III pursuant to an ordinance of
May 5, 1772. Its value was two Quartos
or eight Maravedis.
Ochr el guerche. See Millieme.
Octachalk. A piece of eight Chalks
(q.v.). This multiple of the Chalk is not
specifically mentioned by ancient writers
but certain large bronze coins of Egypt,
from their weights, were pi'obably of this
denomination.
Octadrachm, or v/,-iicot'/_i>.'j'/, representing
the nudtiple of eight Drachms (q.v.),
was a coin struck not regularly, but occasionally
in Thrace, Macedonia, and more
generally at Sidon in Phoenicia. The
Octadrachm of gold (also known by the
term Miuiieion, q.v.) was struck by the
Seleueid and Ptolemaic kings.
Octas, or Octussis. A multiple of eight
Asses after tiie tirst i-ednction. It is doubtful,
however, whether such a coin was ac^tually
sti'uck, or whether it was only a money
of account.
[
Octavo. A copper coin of Mexico of the
value of one eighth of a Real, adopted
during the Revolution of 1812-1813, and
later copied by the state of Jalisco from
1828 to al)out 1862. See Ochavo.
Octobol (Gr. oy.TMpoXov). The multiple
eight Obols (q.v.) and equal to one and
one third Drachms. No coins of this denomination
are known.
Octussis, or piece of eight Asses. Never
struck in bronze, but only in silver under
another and more common term : Quinarius
(q.v.) or half a Denarius (when this had
become equal to sixteen Asses).
Odelos (Gr. oSeAo?). A term for Obol
iq.v.), sometimes found in Arcadia, Crete,
and also at Delphi and Megara.
Odolke (Gr. 65oX7,ti, 6SoX/,ai'), Ilesychius
says, was the name of the Obol (q.v.) in
Crete.
Oertchen. A diminutive of Ort (q.v.).
According to the monetary regulations
adopted by the district ("Kreisordnung")
of lower Saxony in 1568, its value was
established at two Pfennige. It is of frequent
occurrence in East Priesland and
was in use in a number of the German
States to the end of the seventeenth century.
A similar coin, also called Oirtken, was
struck for Brabant in 1512 and later with
a value of twelve Mj'ten. See Frey (No.
231).
Orterer. The popular name for the
(piarter Gulden, established by the monetarv
convention of Essling November 10,
1524.
OertH. Tile name given to a billon coin
issued at St. Gallen, Schwyz, and other
Swiss cantons during tlie seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. They exist on both
round and square planchets, and were
e(|ual to four Batzen.
Offering Pieces. A name given to certain
coins of Alfred the Great, which are
considerably larger in size than the then
prevalent issue. Carlyon-Britton considers
that they were intended for Shillings. See
nrillsh Niniiisiiiiillr Journal (i. 5).
Ogata Sen. The Japanese name for
large specimens of their cast Sen.
Oirtken. See Oertchen.
104 ]
Okelpenning Oord
Okelpenning. A variety of Denier, tiie
precise etyiiidlofjy lieiiif? unknown. In an
ordinance of 1314, Johann V, Margrave of
Urandenbnrp: is authorized to coin certain
Dcniers ''(jiii rulfinrltcr Ol-clprnnbuir vocaiilur."
In Ponuneranian archives of tlie
year 182') they are called Denarii Au!_nnentabiles,
and in Brandeid)ur<; at a somewhat
later period they are referred to as Keljienninp-
e. Sec Kehlpfennig.
Oke Money. See Ilock Money.
Okkia. S(r Ukkia.
Oktodrachmon. See Octodrachm.
Old Milk Penny. An English dialect
term used in West Yorkshire to indicate a
Penny of the eighteenth century which
was formerly added to the standard
weights to give a good weight.
Olotl. See Sicca.
Omnibuses. Srr Polleten.
Onbeshlik. A silver coin of the Ottoman
Empire of the value of fifteen Paras. Its
weight is from sixty-five to one h\nidred
grains.
Onca. See Canello.
Oncetta. A Neapolitan gold coin of the
value of three Ducati, with multiples of
two, five, and ten. It was made pursuant
to the ordinance of April 20, ISIS, double
in value to the Oncia of Palermo. See
Ducato.
Oncia (Gr. b'i%i<x, oufvAa). The Latin
Uneia, the small unit of the Siciilo-Italian
Litra (q.v.), of which it was the twelfth
part. It was struck only in bronze, and
at many cities of Sicily and Southern Italy.
Oncia. A gold coin of Sicily, notably
of Palermo. It was originally e(iual to the
Oncetta of Naples, as is indicated by the
value T 30, i.e., thirty Tari, on some of
these pieces dated 1793, etc. By the ordinance
of Ajiril 20, ISIS, it was reduced
to half the value of the Neapolitan coin.
See Ducato.
The Oncia of Malta was a silver coin introduced
earl}' in the eighteenth century
and was equal to thirty Tari or two Scudi.
Ongaro. See Ungaro.
Onion Penny. An ol)solete English dialect
term, formcfly used principally in
Hampshire. The English Dialrcf Dictionary
cites a manusci'ipt glossary compiled
[
by W. Kennett, cii-cn 1700, which reads:
"At Silchester they find great plenty of
Roman coins which they call Onion Pennies,
from one Onion whom tliey foolishly
fancy to have been a giant, and an inhabitant
of this city."
On-le-vault. The pojiular nam(> for the
Denier Blanc of Cambrai, coined in 13-47
by Jean Bougier of Arras, for Guido IV
of Ventadour, the Bishop of Cambrai. It
was valued at two Deniers Tournois. See
Blanchet (i. 462).
Onlik. A Turkish silver coin originally
of the value of ten Paras, hut latei' slightly
reduced. See Rebia.
The issues for Egypt, introduced by
Soleiman I (A.H. 926-974), were of copjier,
and of the value of ten Aspers; this
was followed bv a billon Onlik binder
Mahmnd II (A.H. 1223-1255) ; and finallv,
under Abd-el-Medschid (A.H. 1255-1277),
the silver coiiLS etjual to ten Paras were
made.
In Tripoli the Onlik was a billon coin
of the value of one fourth of a Ghrush.
It does not seem to have been issued prior
to the reign of Abd-el-Hamid I (A.H. 11S7-
1203).
Onza. A name given to the gold eight
Escudo piece of Spain and the Spaui.sh
Colonies. See Dobla.
Oof. An English slang term for money,
and a corruption of ooftish, i.e., from the
(ierman auf clem Tisch, meaning "on the
table."
J. W. Pearce, in Modern Society (January
16, 1892), says: "Oof as a current
]iseudonym for money has been in use for
about seven years, but ooftish, which also
is Whitechapel slang for coin of the realm,
has been in use in England over thirty
.vears.
'
'
Oord, or Double Duit. A base silver
coin, eonnnon to all the provinces of the
Low Countries, and of the value of one
fourth of a Stuiver.
There are many varieti(>s. Those of
(lueldi'cs, Zeeland, and Ovei'ysel have the
bust of Philip II on the obverse; those of
Holland a female seated figure; those of
Uti'ccht and West Eriesland the arms of
the ivspeetive provinces, etc. All of the
in-eeeding types wei'c struck in the latter
jiart of the sixteenth century.
Tlie name of the coin is varioxisly written:
Oord, Oordje, and Ortje.
Or. See Ore.
Ora. Riidinp; (i. 114") states that this
was an Aii^Io-Saxon money of account, and
that the name is supposed to be derived
from the Anglo-Saxon word ore, i.e., ore
or metal. He adds that "it seems to have
been brought into this island by the Danes,
at least the first mention of it occurs in
tiie league between Edward the Elder and
(iuthrun the Danish monarch. The exact
date of this treaty does not appear, but
it must have been ratified between the
years 901 and 924. The Danes used this
term both as a denomination of money and
also as a weight." See Ore.
Ordensthaler, and Ordensdukaten. The
name given to such coins on which are
representations of the insignia or badges
of the Orders of Kniglithood, etc. Thus
on a Thaler of Frederick 1 of Prussia the
chain of the Order of the Black Eagle,
founded by him, is depicted ; and on a
Crown of Christian V of Denmark the cross
of the Order of Danebrog is pictured.
Ore. The name of this coin is ]irobably
derived from eijrir, a Norse word meaning
a weight of an ounce, and Latinized ora
or hora. It was employed in Anglo-Saxon
and Scandinavian computation. Sehmid,
Cliivis Numismatica (i. 50), states that it
means the same as the Latin octans, or the
eighth part of the silver Mark.
It appears originall.y as a silver coin of
Sweden, in the middle of the fourteenth
century, but under the name of Ortug;
while the Ore with its double is found in
the early part of the sixteenth century.
The silver issues ceased about 1626, since
which time the Ore has been a copper coin.
Erik XIV issued .srpiare silver coins of
four, eight, and sixteen <')re from 1562 to
1567.
After the adoption of the Riksdaler the
latter was made the eipiivaleut of one hundred
copper (")re, and this ratio was retained
when the Krone was established bj'
the monetary convention of 1875.
The Icelandic form is Aur.
Orichalcum. See Brass.
[1
Ormond Money. A series of silver
coins issued in 1643 under the superintendence
of James, Marquis of Ormond, the
Viceroy of Ireland.
They consist of seven denominations
:
Crowns, Halfcrowns, Shillings, Sixpences,
Groats, Threepence and Ilalfgroats. See
British Numismntic Journal (ii. 341-348).
Ort. An abbreviation, for the sake of
convenience, of Ortsthaler, and used to
designate the one fourth Speciesthaler common
to many of the German States in the
seventeenth century and later. The curtailed
form must have been officially recognized,
as in the Swedish series, under
Christina, the Ryksort or Riksort occurs,
struck for Stettin, of the value of one quarter
Rixdaler, and in Brandenburg, Gottingen,
Brunswick-Liineburg, etc., there is the
Reichsort, with divisions of halves and
quarters.
The one quarter Ort is also called Achtzehner,
i.e., one eighteenth, as this coin was
equal to eighteen Pfennige or the one sixteenth
part of the Thaler of twenty-four
Groschen, or two hundred and eighty-eight
Pfeiuiige. See Oord and Oertchen.
Ortelin. The name given to the (|uarter
Pfennig of Strasburg, struck in 1393. See
Blanchet (i. 494).
Ortje. See Oord.
Ortsthaler. A Thaler of small size, common
to a iuunl)er of the German States,
and popularly designated as Ort iq.v.).
Ortug. See Ore.
Orty. The plural of Ort (q.v.), used in
Poland to indicate the quarter Thaler.
Oscenses. See Denarius Oscensis.
Osella. It was the custom in Venice at
the time of the Republic for the Doge to
make a present on New Year's Day to the
members of the Council, said present consisting
of birds (uccelli). This practice
was altered at the beginning of the sixteenth
century by substituting a memorial
coin of silver, which received the name
Osella from the original gift.
The earliest of these was struck by Antonio
Grimani in 1522, and the custom was
contiinied, with few interruptions, until
1 797. These historical medals usually bear
(JO]
Othmany Ox Silver
tlio name of the Doge and the re<jnal year,
hut otherwise they present a s''eat vaiMcty
of designs and inscriptions.
There were oeeasional issues struck in
gokl, tlie earliest heing that of Alvise I,
Mocenigo, dated 1571, on tlie naval victory
at Le|)anto. The Dogaressa also had the
privilege of coining Oselle in her own name.
Of the many varieties the Osella di JMurano
bears a date instead of a regnal year.
Tliese occur as early as 1711. Sec Schmid,
Cliivis Niiinis)ii(ifica (i. 13). Conf. also
Werdnig, Die Osrllrn oiler Mihiz-Medaillen
(lev Hcpuhlik Venedirj. AVien, 18Si).
Othmany. See Akcheh.
Ottavetti, or Ottavini. A type of silver
coins reseinl)ling tlie Luigini, and cui'rent
in Genoa during the seventeenth century.
They were valued at eight Soldi. An ordinance
of 16G7 refers to clipped or light
money and mentions the Ottavetti.
Ottavo. An Italian term, implying one
eighth of some accepted standard, e.g., the
Ottavo di Scudo di Tassarolo, issued by
Agostino Spinola in 1607.
Ottene. A billon coin of the value of
three Deniers, issued by Louis XI of
P^rance (1461-1-164), for Savona in Sardinia.
Ottenpfennige. A name given to certain
Deniers of the Middle Ages, so called
after Otto I, Emperor of Germany (936-
973), in whose reign they appear.
These coins have on one side a cross
with the inscription otto rex, and on the
reverse the name of the locality.
Ottino. A silver coin of eight Danari,
current in Milan during the fifteenth century.
It was another name for the Soldo
of twelve Danari, after the same had been
reduced in 1410 bv the Conte di Virtii.
Otuzllk. See Utuzlik.
Overstrike. This term is used by numismatists
to describe a coin where a portion
of the design, and especially the date,
api)eaTs under another design or date.
Owls (Gr. rXauy-s?). The familiar name
for the Athenian Tetradrachms, which bear
a figure of an owl on tiie reverse. See
Glaukes.
Oxford Crown. The name given to a
variety of the silver crown of Charles I,
dated 1644, and made by Thomas Rawlins,
while mintmaster at O.xford.
ISchind the figure of the King on horseback
holding a drawn sword, is shown a
view of the city of Oxford, in which some
of tlie chief buildings and fortifications are
delineated. See E.xurgat Money.
Oxford Unite. When the civil war
broke out in England in 1642 the mint at
Shrewsbury was removed to the New Inn
Hall at Oxford, where gold pieces, consisting
of triple Unites, Unites, and double
Crowns, were struck.
All of these coins have on one side a
jiortrait of King Charles I, and bear on
the other a scroll with the words Religio
ProtestiiiL^, Legeft Angliae, Liherta.i Parliavieiiti
(ai)l)reviated), referring to the
King's declaration, on September 19, 1642,
that he would "preserve the Protestant religion,
the known laws of the land, and
the jiist privileges and freedom of Parliament."
The type upon which this inscription
occurs is, therefore, called the "Declaration
Tj-pe. "'
The other inscription, Exurgat Deus
dissipentur inimici, is from Psalms (Ixviii.
1).
Ox Silver. See Sheep Silver.