TWO VALUABLE GIFTS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 187, 7 May 1934, Page 7

TWO VALUABLE GIFTS

New Zealand Numismatic Society ADDRESS TO MEETING At the sixteenth meeting of the New Zealand Numismatic Society, held last week, votes of thanks were passed to Mr. H. G. Williams (Dunedin) for his gift of a. coin album, and Sir John Hanham (London) for his gift of an illustrated catalogue of the Morrison collection of early English and Scottish coins. It was decided, with the consent of Mr. Johannes C. Andersen, to place the numismatic publications belonging to the society with the numismatic works in the Turnbull collection, Turnbull Library. Members may inspect these works under the usual conditions. “New Zealand Coin Laws” was the subject of a short address given by Mr. Allan Sutherland, F.R.N.S., who, on the motion of Professor J. Rankine Brown, seconded-by Mr. H. G. Mayer, was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. New members were elected as follows:—Mr. Leslie Lefeaux, Wellington, and Mr. C. Beck, Nelson. As this was the first meeting of the society following the circulation of the complete series of New Zealand coins, the opportunity was taken to discuss the designs, and other matters relating to’ the introduction of the new coinage. The consensus of opinion was that a well-balanced series of designs had been chosen, effectively perpetuating distinctive characteristics of the country. It was considered that in general the satisfactory result obtained had been made possible by a close and sympathetic co-operation between the Government and representatives of the societies interested. The bold relief was considered to contribute largely to the success of the designs. The ceremonies associated with Papal Jubilee Year and the opening and closing of the Holy Door at the Vatican were referred to by Mr. Sutherland, who exhibited some interesting papal coins and bull seals ex Mr. Willi Fels’s collection, Dunedin. including a coin of Benedict XIV, 1750, which was struck to commemorate the Jubilee Year, and which bore a design representing the Holy Door. Other exhibits included some early examples of New Zealand paper currency issued by private concerns. One note issued by a whaling company bore the signature of Mr. Enderby, after whom Enderbjy Island was named. Mr. S. P. Ward exhibited 'a set of the new Fiji coins, which attracted much interest in view of the fact that the designer (Mr. Percy Metcalfe) had unsuccessfully competed for the New Zealand coin designs. A fine series of silver and copper coins of Morocco were exhibited by Mr. H. R. Ford. Two fine examples of the puffin and half-puffin. 1929, bearing the effigy and name of Martin Coles Harman (the “King of Lundy Island”) on the obverse, and a puffin bird with inscription, “Lundy, One puffin” on the reverse, were exhibited by Mr. H. G. Williams, Dunedin.