issued in England, Scotland, and Ireland. During the long suspension of specie payments, occasioned by the wars with Napoleon, the minor currency of England was supplied, not with small paper notes, but with silver tokens, issued by banks and traders, and made redeemable in bank notes. They were of reduced weight, to keep within the premium, and to prevent hoarding. They continued to circulate until the return of better times and of regular silver coinage. There were many varieties, most of which are here. PORTUGAL AND SPAIN. The coinage of Portugal and Spain in the fifteenth century, held greater sway than that of other countries. Of their coins, there are many fine specimens in the Mint Cabinet. The “joe and half-joe[12]” of Portugal are known of all nations, while the Spanish dollar, with its pretentious two globes under a crown, did not claim too much, and only tells the almost limitless rule of the great Philip. The coins of these nations became, through their possessions in the New World, the circulating medium of that portion of the earth. Spanish and Mexican dollars were almost synonymous, while the real and joe of South America was patterned after that of Portugal, which fact can be learned in this Cabinet. As nations decay it will be seen their coins become inevitably less trustworthy; even a glance at the cases marked “Portugal,” “Spain,” will give this lesson. In the Mexican collection there are issues which seem to contradict this assertion, for the “Mexican dollar” has, for generations, had a position in the monetary world of almost unchallenged credit, yet not by reason of the recognition given Mexico, but because of the _United States using it so extensively_; for, until the introduction of the “trade dollar,” this country had _no currency_ that would meet the demand of the Oriental market. MEXICO. The Mexicans use only gold and silver, and their national series is full of tragic interest, embracing, as it does, three and a half centuries of Mexican history, from Cortez to Maximilian. The “pillar dollar,” “windmill dollar,” “cast dollar” (the Mexicans are the only nation that cast money), and the “cob money” (a series so called by reason of its clumsiness), are all to be seen in this collection. COINS OF BRAZIL. One coin, a gold “half-joe,” issued in 1832, with the infant head of Dom Pedro, is very beautiful. By the side of this, in every way a contrast to it, is a series of copper coins of a late issue with the head of the “child” now seated on the throne. The coins of Bolivia proudly present the bust of Simon Bolivar. Among the West Indies are many samples of “cut money.” The law permitting money to be quartered had to be repealed, because the traders of the West Indies made the wonderful mathematical discovery that _five quarters_ make a whole! * * * * *