COINS OF LONG AGO.

CHRISTCHURCH BOY'S FIND. VARIED. COLLECTION. UNEARTHED BY DJGCBaCL ftn interesting collection of old coins was unearthed rsccntly at Ghristchmrh The find was made by tie same lad who about a year ago found the cave at the top of tie clifi on the face of Richmond * Hill, where were discovered some Maori remains and specimens which are now in the Canterbury Museum. The boy was playing near a stream when he found an old coin, • and on digging round close by and washing the soil away he found several more, a total of sixteen. They were all within a foot or two and about two feet from the surface.

Foot countries' coinages were represented, there being seven English, six French, two Itiilian, and one Indian.. In date they varied from 1807 to 1874. There was a big, clumsy penny of George ILL's reign, dated 1807, a silver pennyhalfpenny piece of 1835, stamped with William IV.'s head, two silver twopenny pieces of 1838, and two half-farthings — of a year or two later. The other British coins were an old farthing and a very, old Indian quarter-rupee, issued by - the East TnrK.i. Company. On this coin the date is illegibile.

Italy's struggle under Garibaldi and the establishment- of freedom is commemorated on one of the coins, struck in 1807, while the other Italian coin, a five ceutesima piece of 1862, shows a monarchy in power again under Victor Emmanuel XL The French corns show the history of France from 1844, when Louis Philippe was Emperor, beforfe the " coup d'etat" of 1848, then three coins of Napoleon EEL, two five centimes pieces of 1854 and 1855, and a 50 centimes piece of 1864. France's return to the Republic is shown on the two remaining coins, a ten centimes piece of 1872 and a five centimes piece of 1874. It is conjectured from 'the position where the coins were found and their variety that they belonged to some sailor from one of the ships which formerly went to the Heathcote jetty by way of the Sumner Bar.