Masonic Numismatics

Wo have no knowledge of tho history or origin of this medal . It is evidently upwards of ono hundred years old ; the motto AMOK , IIONO ' I . ET JUSTITIA is the same as that which was used on tho Prince of Wales medal , jnst alluded to , and also on tho Masonic Medal in memory of Washington , suuck in 1797 * , and may enable us to trace it .

Wo -I'oiii'vo that a catalogue of Masonic Medals would he found to possess considerable interest , and prove to be much more extonsivo than Mr . Norton seems to have thought , in 1859 . . Perhaps some ono of tho readers of the Joiminl will prepare such a list , or . send , description of any Masonic Medal ho may have , that they may bo preserved in your pages for the use of some future labourer in this interesting field .

W . 'T . E . M . Mr . Norton ' s article is as follows : Few persons , even members of the Fraternity , in * this country aro aware of the number of Masonic Medals which have been struck during the last hundred and twenty-five years , by the Lodges of Freemasons .. or by individual members of the Sooicty ; nor of | the interest taken in this subject , more especially by the European Lodges , many of whom have

large and valuable cabinets . We propose to give a brief sketch of this branch of Numismatics . The oldest Masonic Medal known , is mentioned by Schroeder , in his " ilaterialen , " I . 37 ; by Ridel , iu his article on " Medals j " by Zacharias , in his " Numnthecatfumismatica , Latnmnrum" I . ; and by Merzdorf , p . 110 ; and is a silver medal of Lord Charles Sackville ,

Duke of Middlesex , who in 1733 , without authority , founded a Lodge at Florence , in commemoration of which event this medal was struck . Zacharias asserts that the Lodge Minerva , at Leipsic , was in possession of a specimen ; but Merzdorf ; who had a , leaden copy of it , states that it has disappeared , and that the only original specimen is preserved in tho Hammerstein Collection . Merzdorf also mentions ' a Roman" medal

of 1742 . Hamburg next claims priority in regard to the antiquity or her Masonic Medals . The oldest , bearing the legend " Facies ' sujpvevii eadem , '' has no date , but in the Essen Catalogue is attributed to tho year 1740 ; a second dates from 1742 , a " third from 1743 , and a fourth from 1745—all of silver . Besides these Hamburg medals , Merzdorf mentions a bronze Frankfort medal , of the Lodge'"Eiuigkeit , " of .

1742 '; a Brunswick medal of silver aud sold , of 1744 ; and ono of 17 . 45 —which , under the name of " Freemasons' Ducats , " appear to have been used as school premiums . Ho also mentions three from Halle , of 1744 , 1745 , and 1747 , the only ones ever struck in tijab ! city . The above comprise all tho Gorman medals struck during the first hah ? of the eighteenth century . ¦ ' :

Accordirig ' to Merzdorf , the oldest English medals are— -One . of 1760 , withoutnanie of place or coinage ; one of Exeter , 1766 ; one of London , without ' date ; and another of 1760 . ] '' ' . ; . " France contributes four of Paris , —1760 , 1769 , 1773 , and 1776 ; and one of Rheims , 1776 it . ' : ' . ' Belgium furnishes one of 1757 , with the impress of Brussels .

Holland , one from the Hague of 1779 . Sweden has medals of 1746 , 1753 , 1762 , 176 S , 1780 , 1785 , 1787 , 1792 , and only two others since the commencement of the present century . Tho Russian Medals aro limited to four , of tho dates 1775 , 1780 , 1781 ; and in Moldavia wo find ono strnck at Jassy , in 1774 .

Italy offers but two modals ot the eighteenth century , —the Floren- ' tine medal of 1773 aud the Roman of 1742 , both before allnded to . Two Spanish medals were coined at Madrid , iu 1809 and 1811 , according to Merzdorf . North America has but one medal of the last centnry , T ^ struck in 1797 . J The Masonic Medals of Asia are all very modern , and . are ' derived from the Lodges established by the English in the East'Indies .

Masonic Numismatics

. Iu regard to the total number of Masonic Medals ; Thory , in his •: ; Histoirede la Fondation dn Grand Orient de Franco , " p . 336 , estimates it at 200 , commencing with the year 1720 . Zacharias , in his " Numotheca , " gives drawings of 48 different medal * . Merzdorf mentions in all : i 3 l , bi-sides 9 others which cannot bo ( strictly termed Masonic , —as , for instance , a medal of Molancthon . The total is mado

upas follows : —Germany , 96 ; Lnglaud , 14 ; France , 1 (! 1 ; Holland and Belgium , 26 ; Denmark ,- 1 ; Sweden , 11 ; Rns 3 ia , 4 ; Moldavia , 1 ; Italy , 9 ; Spain , 2 ; . America , 5 ; Asia , 4 . . The first cabinet of Masonic Medals was commenced by the Lodgo " Eintracht , " at Vietm ^ , about the year 1784 . Other collections wero subsequently mado at Rostock , Leipzig , and Hamburg . Private

collections wero also in the possessionof Bros , von Eck , Zacharias , von Hammerstein , and Merzdorf . Tho largest cabinet at present is that of the Prov . Gr . Lodge , of Meckleuburg , at Rostock , and contains 324 specimens of medals , exclusively Masonic , besides a number of mystical and other medals . The next iu importance are the cabinets of tho Lodges Apollo and Minerva , at Leipzig . In this country , the

Lodgo Pythagoras , at Brooklyn , La ., has a collection of about 200 specimens . A Masonic Halfpenny Token , of 1790 commemorative of tho election of the Prince of Wales as Grand Master , * appears to have been iu circulation as money , and is mentioned by Appel , Thory , and Zacharias There aro several varieties of it extant , fonr of which differ only in the inscription around the edge , viz .: —1 . Masonic Token , I . Scctchloy

fecit , . . , . x ; 2 . Half-penny , payable at tho Black Horse , Towerhill ; 3 . A Masonic Token , J . Sketchley , Birmingham , fecit ; 4 . Masonic Token , Nitchley fecit ; 1794 . ;•. ; . ' . ¦ A fifth variety has on ; the obverse a square and compass , with the legond"Pv-o bono ¦ publico' * ' Oti the revrso , the initials- ' T . H . B . " tho date " 179 p , " and the legend "East . Grimstead : Half-penny . " Around the edgo , "Payable at T , H . Booimau . " ¦ . .

Tlic regular Convocation of Grand Chapter was held on Wednesday , the 3 rd November , at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , Lincolas-Inn-Fields . Comps . S . Rawson as G . Z ., H . Sandeinau G . H ., Capt . Piatt G . S . E ., Major Creatbn G . S . N ., J . A . Rucker G . P . S ., W . Speed

1 st Asst ., R . Grey 2 nd . Asst ., T . Fenn G . S . B ., E . J . Mac intyre G . R ., J , Smith as G . D , C ., ' B . Head , N . Bradford , A . Holraan , J . Nannj . H . J .. P . Dumas , H . Muggeindo-e , j . Glaisher , J , Percy , Leith , F . A . Philbrick , Q . O ., R . Holloui , Hyde Pullen ,, W . S . Govcr ,. John . Boyd , J .

J , Case , H . Massey , G . Newman , White , C . F . Hogard , G . Leman , W . ' Stephens , Herbert . Dickotts , W . Hammond , W . F . Nettleship , A . Ridgway , . W . Young , Cochrane ^ C . W . Nohemer , J . Seex , J . L .. Thomas , R . Spencer , G . Lambert , & c . The . G . S . iS . read the minutes of tho

former Convocation , which were , confirmed . All the petitions placed on . the agenda paper . were granted ; these were announced in our last issue . ; The Grand Chapter was then closed in due form . ..

The Emulation Chapter of . Irnproyjnient will . bold its annual festival at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street on Friday , the . 26 th insi , on Svhich . occasion ; Bro . J . Mondktdn ; President of the . Board , of General Purposes , will preside . ' '" .. ' V

A crowded and fashionable audience was present on Monday evening ; at St . James ' s Hall , at Miss Emily Mott ' s concert . The popularity of the fair cantatrice , combined with a very attractive programme , explains this . Miss Emily . Mott ' s singing is greatly improved , growing years

bringing confidence and power' to her vocalisation . She sang "Flowers of Friendshi p , " " The Minstrel Boy , " and "Trust y Her Not , " each song being deservedly encored . ¦ Miss Blanche Cole , Madame Lemmens-Sherrington , Mr . Lewis' Thomas , ' and Mr . Sydney Smith ,

solo pianist , contributed some excellent sotio-s . 'Mr . ' Sims Reeves was never in better voice . His smginu- " The Requital , " "TheBayof Biscay , " ' and " Tom Bowling , " created a furore . Bro . Fred . Godfrey ' s band , of the Coldstream Guards , was t ' ndroughly appreciated , and was one of the great features of this enjoyable musical treat .