Alchemy
Contributions of alchemy to numismatics
AlchemyNumismatics
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ALCHEMICAL MEDALS.
CONTRIBUTIONS
OF
Alchemy to Numismatics
By henry CARRINGTON BOLTON, Ph. D.
REM) BEFORK THE NEW YORK NUMISMATIC AND ARCH/EOLOGICAL SOCIETY, DEC. 5, 1889.
-» < ♦ » ^-
AUTHOR'S EDITION.
NEW YORK.
1890.
One Hundred and Seventv-Five Copies,
Reprinted from the American Journal of Numismatics.
PRELUDE.
3 EAD is worth about five cents per pound and gold about three hundred
dollars per pound orOwit thousand times as much. Even though the
process be costly, the conversion of the base metal into the precious one
would yield a fabulous profit. This transformation has been accomplished by the few
who have discovered or inherited the precious secret ; to attain it the only requisites
are industry and piety, therefore we shall devote our lives to the undertaking.
Such was4t-oiu:« the creed and the goal of the alchemists for more than five
centuries. Is-it-possible to imagine a more attractive belief, a more enticing occupa-
tion-?-,
253998
CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
NUMISMATICS.
VHE doctrine of the transmutation of metals prevailed
in many nations at an early period of their intellectual
development. It seems to have been an outgrowth of
primitive notions concerning the constitution of matter,
one element or principle being regarded as fundamental
and capable of giving birth to the others. Water, air.
fire and earth were severally regarded as the first prin-
ciples of all things by Greek philosophers, and these
four were adopted by Aristotle. He held, moreover, that these elements are
mutually convertible, each having two qualities, one of which was common
to some other element. Thus he wrote :
Fire is hoi ,incl dry.
Air is liftt and moisi.
Water is cold and moist.
Earth is cold and dry.
In each element one quality was dominant, and by changing the propor-
tions of the qualities, one element could be changed into the other. This
\/
6 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
doctrine was afterwards extended to metallic bodies, and a race of alchemists
began to investigate it experimentally?) We do not read of attempts to
change gold into silver, nor either of these metals into lead, for avarice acted
as a mighty stimulus in advancing the inquiry, and a false philosophy sus-
tained it through many hundred years.
Jn the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the belief in the possibility of
converting lead into gold and silver was well-nigh universal, and[j;he pursuit
^\ of alchemy was followed by persons in every station of life ; physicians vainly
hoping to discover the Elixir of Life, merchants and tradesmen seeking a
short road to riches, peasants and noblemen, beggars and princes with whom
avarice was a common motive, each and all courted the fascinating follyTj
The belief was not confined to the ignorant and unlearned, but was held by
the men of science, the theologians, the warriors, and the statesmen of that
period. Some who professed to have accomplished the ** great work," as
the transmutation was called, were undoubtedly self-deceived, owing to the
occurrence of certain phenomena which modern chemists have no difficulty
in explaining, but which to the experimenters of the Middle Ages seemed
conclusive proofs of the wonderful transformation. On the other hand there
were many unprincipled impostors who gained a precarious livelihood by
pretending to a knowledge of the hermetic art, and who practiced their
profession at the bidding and costs of wealthy and credulous devotees of
Mammon. These hired laborers in alchemy, anxious to maintain their
reputation and to please their patrons, fostered this belief by many tricks
and clever impostures. The learned and crafty Dr. John Dee, who enjoyed
the patronage of both Rudolph II, the Emperor of Germany, and of Queen
Elizabeth of England, when about to seek favors from the latter, sent her
a small disc of gold which he claimed to have made by hermetic art from
a copper warming-pan ; and shortly afterwards Dee forwarded to the Queen,
as an unimpeachable witness, the warming-pan itself, having a hole in the
copper bottom of the exact size of the piece of gold.
Leonhard Thurneysser, a noted German physician and alchemist, on the
20th of November, 1586, in Rome, performed a miracle with a common iron
TO NUMISMATICS, 7
nail ; the nail was dipped into the melted philosopher s stone, and the iron so
far as immersed was transmuted into gold. All of which was solemnly testified
to by a Cardinal of the Church ; besides, was not the nail itself, half iron and
half gold, a tangible witness convincing to the most skeptical ?
Believers in the transmutation of metals had however far more satisfac-
tory and authoritative evidences than these questionable specimens, to which
they could point with assurance ; these were the medals and coins of silver and
of gold, duly stamped with the records of the transmutation, commemorating
the power of the adept and honoring his noble patron. The number of these
hermetic rarities in numismatics is surprisingly large ; to catalogue them all
would be no easy task ; we herein describe forty-three pieces mentioned in
literature or preserved in cabinets abroad.
The chief source of information concerning hermetic numismatics is a
scarce little quarto published at Kiel in 1692 by Samuel Reyher, and bearing
the title *' De Nummis quibusdam ex chymico metallo factis!' It is a disser-
tation presented to the Faculty of Jurisprudence of the University. In its
144 pages it includes thirty-seven chapters ; the titles of the first five are as
follows: Cap. I. De Nummis Aureis, II. De Nummis Argenteis. III. De
^nigmatibus nonnullis Chymicis. IV. De Auro ex Auripigmento, V. De
A^gypiiorum Chrysopceia et de Aureo Vellere,
As may be inferred from these allusions to the '* Enigmas of Chemistry,"
and to the *' Alchemy of the Egyptians and the Golden Fleece," the author
was imbued with the credulous spirit that pervaded all branches of philosophy
and science at that period. He writes as a historian, but is not thorough,
since he fails to catalogue many pieces existing prior to his time.
In the first two chapters, on gold and silver coins respectively, he gives
representations of five gold and four silver pieces, besides naming some others.
These will be described in their chronological place. We may be pardoned
for remarking that Reyher lived and wrote about a century too soon, for after
his day a much larger number of these evidences of transmutation and credu-
lity appeared, which would have greatly added to the size and interest of his
essay.
8 CO^TRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
Additional information is found in the works of J. David Kohler {^Histo-
rischer Miinzbelustigungen. Niirnberg, 1 729-1 750, 24 vols.), David Samuel
Madai {Vollstaendiges Thaler- Cabinet. Konigsberg, .1765), Schulthess-Rech-
berg {Thaler- Cabinet. Wien, 1840, 3 vols.), and other numismatic treatises:
our chief reliance, however, is on works that belong rather to an alchemical
than to a numismatic library ; these we shall mention in passing.'
I. (13th Century). — Among the earliest of the coins, whose undisputed
existence was regarded as visible proof of hermetic labors, were the so-called
Rose nobles made from gold artificially prepared by Raymund Lully. This
celebrated alchemist (1235-1315) was invited by Edward II, King of England,
about the year 13 12, to visit his realm; on his arrival he was furnished with
apartments in the Tower of London, where he transmuted base metals into
gold ; this was afterwards coined at the mint into six millions of nobles, each
worth more than three pounds sterling. These Rose, or Raymund nobles as
they were also called, were well known to the antiquarians of the sixteenth
century, and were reputed to be of finer gold than any other gold coin of that
day. On the obverse of these coins is represented in a very rude fashion a
ship floating on the sea decorated with a royal ensign and carrying the king,
who bears in his right hand a naked sword and on his left arm a shield.
Around this design: edward d[e]i gra[tia] rex ANGL[iyE] z franc[iae]
d[omi]n[u]s iB[ERNiiE]. (Edward by the grace of God King of England
and France, Lx)rd of Ireland.)
On the reverse a conventional rose surrounded by four lions and ducal
crowns, alternating with four lilies. The inscription on the outer circle reads :
JHS. aut.[em] transiens. per. medium illor.[um] ibat. (But Jesus passing
through the midst of them went His way.) St. Luke iv : 30. (Wiegleb, Unter-
such. Alchemie. Weimar, 1777, p. 217.)
I Since my first paper on ' Alchemy and Numismatics ' In the preparation of this article, Mr. Lyman H. Low,
{Amer, Journal of Numismatic Sy XXI, p. 73), Mr. David of New York, granted me the use of his library, and
L. Walter, one of the Vice Presidents of the American made several bibliographical suggestions; his courtesy
Numismatic and Archaeological Society, has contrib- and kindness I thankfully acknowledge,
uted some notes on the subject, including a brief list of The valued communication of Dr. Hans Riggauer,
authorities. To this communication I am indebted for of Munich, I acknowledge elsewhere,
a few points.
TO NUMISMATICS, 9
Rose nobles are figured by Lenglet du Fresnoy in his Histoire de la
Philosophie Hermetique (Paris, 1741, Vol. II, p. 8.), who remarks, *'They
are less rare in the north of England than in the capital ; one of my friends
had several, some of which weighed ten ducats."^ These coins are said to
have been worn as amulets to preserve from danger in battle, and to have
been used as touch pieces in connection with the gift of healing by royal
touch. (Pettigrew, Superstition in Medicine and Surgery, London, 1844,
p. 129.)
Lully himself, in his '' Last Testament," declares that while in London he
converted twenty-two tons' weight of quicksilver, lead and tin, into gold.
This relation is vouched for by Cremer, Abbot of Westminster (Maier's Tri-
pus Aureus, Francofurti, 1618, p. 183), and the Raymund nobles are described
by William Camden, the English antiquary (^Britannia sive regnorum AnglicB
descriptio, 1586), and by John Selden {^Mare Clausum, 1635). Robert
Constantine, in his History of Medicine (1545), states that he found public
documents confirming the report that Lully made gold in the Tower by order
of the King, and Dr. Edmund Dickenson relates that the workmen who
removed the cloister which Lully occupied at Westminster found some of the
powder, by which they enriched themselves. Historians who do not believe
in transmutation, point out chronological discrepancies which throw doubts
on the pretensions of Raymund Lully. (See Wiegleb, op, cit,)
The alchemists clothed their writings in a mystical, enigmatical lan-
guage, and illustrated them with very extraordinary symbols and hieroglyphs,
only a part of which are decipherable ; whether the remainder really had any
rational significance is doubtful. These symbols included those used in
common to designate the seven known planets and the seven known metals,
an association that dates from the first centuries of the Christian era ; they
were in general use in alchemical manuscripts and printed books for several
2 Numismatists classify Rose nobles into the old (Kohler, Vol. VI, 327 ; Kenyon's Gold Coins of Eng-
and new, the former being coined prior to 1500. Some land, p. 17. Also Ruding's Annals of the Coinage of
of them bear the image of arose resembling a star with Great Britain, London, 1840, which reviews the alchem-
long points and crowned, others the image of a ship (as istical legend of Lully.)
above); the latter are also known as ship-nobles.
lO
CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
centuries, and hence are naturally found on coins and medals whose history
is connected with transmutation.^
Symbol.
Metal.
Planet.
Symbol.
Metal. Planet.
o
Gold
Sun
U
Tin Jupiter
D
Silver
Moon
s
Iron Mars
?
Copper
Venus
9
Mercury Mercury
h
Lead
Saturn
t
Antimony (added later) .
Alchemists attempted to explain chemical facts known to them, and
especially the constitution of bodies by this theory: All bodies, they said, are
made up of three elementary principles named and symbolized thus : ^ Sul-
phur, volatility; Salt, fixedness; 5 Mercury, metallicity. This mercury
they distinguished from the metal by calling it the ** Philosophical Mercury."
All bodies are formed of these imaginary principles combined in various ways,
and the predominance of any one determined the degree of volatility, of
fixedness in fire, or of metallicity. Thus gold, they argued, had little sulphur
and much salt and mercury, while lead had much sulphur, no salt, and a large
share of mercury. They further believed that by changing the proportions of
these principles one metal might be transmuted into another ; thus to convert
lead into gold, it was necessary to remove its sulphur, increase its metallicity,
add salt, and change its color. Besides these the literature of alchemy
abounds in curious signs ; every substance, every apparatus, and every
operation (such as fusion, distillation and filtration,) had its appropriate sign ;
some were pictorial and abbreviative, some symbolical, but the majority were
arbitrary. (Bolton, Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sciences, Dec, 1882, and March,
1883.) A mere catalogue of them fills a book of many pages; the Alche-
mistisches Oraculum, (Ulm, 1772,) contains over 2,000 such symbols.
In their writings the alchemists further used metaphors to denote mate-
rials and operations. Thus nitre (saltpetre) was a ** venomous worm," a
** scorpion " and a ** dragon ; " antimony was a ** wolf" {lupus inetallorunt)\ sal
3 Modern Numismatists, I am informed, use the fol- Vorsteny 1735, *•'■ Gravenhage, 3 vols, folio), uses the
lowing abbreviations for the metals indicated : A^ gold, first five symbols in the preceding table for the re-
/R silver, Ld lead, W M or w m white metal, B brass, spective metals in connection with the engravings.
T tin, N nickel. Van Mieris, in his handsome work on Also Schulthess and others,
the Coins of the Netherlands {Histori der Nederlandsche
TO NUMISMATICS, ii
ammoniac an ** eagle ; " and pictorial representations of these objects were
employed to designate the underlying chemical facts. Hence lead, being
Saturn, was represented by this god of mythology, usually as the Greek
Chronos, or Father Time, with his wooden leg and a scythe and hour-glass.
This enigmatical method of expression is quite common in the manu-
scripts and books of certain authors. The works of Michael Maier,^ physician
to Rudolph II of Germany, and of Basil Valentine, an obscure (perhaps
mythical) monk of the 15th century, afford striking examples.
These symbols, hieroglyphs and pictorial metaphors, enter into the
designs of the gold and silver pieces coined to commemorate '' the great
work," thus giving them a character at once significant and easily recognizable.
Metallic talismans also frequently contain the symbols of the seven
metals, signs of the zodiac and magical characters, but these are devoid of
true alchemical association, and form no part of our study. The curious may
consult the plates in the third volume of Appel's Repertorium zur Miinzkunde
des Mittelalters (Wien, 1824;) also the essay on Medallic Amulets and
Talismans by David L. Walter, in Proceedings Am. Numismatic and Archaeo-
logical Society of New York, for 1886. (p. 38.)
II. ( 1 604) . — A good example of the fantastic representations mentioned
is the piece dated 1604, figured by Reyher in the work named (p. 15).
Obverse. Rude figures of the four animals of prophecy, the lion, the
calf, the man and the eagle (Rev. iv. 7) supporting in their midst a spotted
fleece. Above these are three crowns ; on the first rests a young man hold-
ing a sword in one hand and a cross in the other ; on the second rests an old
bearded man wearing a pointed helmet and holding the Reichsapfel or Imperial
Globe ; on the third crown rests a dove. Around these symbolic figures of
the three persons of the Trinity are the words :
Tria mirabil.[ia.]
Deus et homo.
Thin, [us] et un.[us.]
Mater et virgo.
4 Atalanta fugiensy Oppenheim, i6i8; Symbola au- darium cAytnicum by Stolcius de Stolcenburg, Franca-
rea mensis duodecimo Francofurti, 1617. Also: Viri- lurti, 1624. Long i2mo.
12 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
(Three marvels : God and man : three and one : mother and virgin.) This
inscription is found also on other coins of hermetic association.
On the Reverse, in the centre, a conventional and modified symbol
of mercury supports a pelican feeding its young ; within the lower circle of
the symbol stands an eagle. The lower part of the symbol is made up
of 9 (copper), the centre of J (antimony), and the top of the caduceus of
Mercury, intertwined. On the right stands a young man holding in one
hand the symbol ^ (sulphur), and in the other a nondescript object: on the
left stands a young woman, holding § (mercury) in one hand and a cornu-
copia in the other. The inscription reads : above the figures, ess[entia] una
(One essence); below the same, ritrt. g. i. w. and lower down sic volvere
FATA (Thus the fates have decided.) Beneath is 1604. Around an outer
circle, natur[a] un[ita] usu r[e]nata modo tot[a], T? fueram, nunc
clar[issimum] exto. (Originally one in my nature, now entirely regenerated,
I was lead, behold me most brilliant gold.) Silver, oval.
III. 161 7. — Samuel Reyher, in the work described, says he possesses
through the liberality of Dr. Johann Ludolph Ringelmann a golden piece
which he shows in a wood-cut without giving its history. Its description is as
follows : — Obverse, Figures of a man and a woman apparently in a savage
state on either side of an ornamented shield ; the inscription around the outer
circle is: mo.[neta] no.[va] argentea civitatis ereford. (New silver
coinage of the city of Erfurt.)
On the reverse a shield quartered like a coat of arms surmounted by a
cherub's head in clouds, with the date 161 7 and the signs ^ (sulphur of the
alchemists), and § (mercury). Around the edge the inscription: date caes-
aris caesari et qu^ DEI DEO. (Matthew xxii : 21. Render therefore unto
Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.)
(Kohler, [J. D.] op, cit,. Vol. 21, p. 65. Madai, No. 2219.)
Two specimens of this Erfurt thaler of 161 7 are preserved in the Royal
Bavarian Cabinet of Coins, Munich, as I learn from Dr. Hans Riggauer.
IV. Another coin of the same date is briefly mentioned by Tenzel. It
was stamped with a phoenix, and beneath this fabulous bird the words in
TO XUMJSMATICS.
'3
I
TERRis RARlssiMA SED TAMEN. (Most rare in the earth, yet nevertheless I do
exist.) The origin of this coin was unknown to him. (For Tenzel, see coin
of 1687 below.)
V. { 1622.) — Dr. George Wolfgang VVedel, Professor of Medicine in the
University of Jena in 1673. member of learned societies, and court physician,
was a frequent contributor to alchemical literature. Of unimpeachable
character, his assertions were of great weight among his compeers. Wedel
(also called Wedelius) describes a silver piece struck by the city of Erfurt, of
the date 1622, and distinguished by the characters 4 (sulphur) and 5 (mer-
curj). The full description is as follows:
Obverse. mo[neta] no[va] arc[entea] civit[atis] erfford. 1622.
(New silver coinage of the city of Erfurt. 1622) surrounding a wheel with
scrolls, and the signs ^ and 5 (sulphur and mercury.)
Reverse. The arms of the city of Erfurt and the inscription : nach dem
ALTEN scuROT UND KORN. (Of Standard weight and fineness.)
Wedel. however, points out that in [622 there were two masters of the
mint in Erfurt named Ziegler and Weismantel. and the latter to distinguish
his coinage from that of the former, employed the well-known signs given,
without any intention of attaching to them a hermetic meaning (Reyher, p. 6 ;
Buddeus, §21). To this category obviously belong the German coins of the
fourth century- mentioned by Reyher. Dr. Hans Riggauer informs me that
three specimens of the Weismantel coins are preserved in the Royal Bavarian
Cabinet. Munich.
VI. (IV Century.) Quoting Tilemann's Mum-Spiegel, (1. 3. c. 4
/. 91,) Reyher says : At that time it came to pass that the people had coins,
but the most of them were thin and hollow {hole) for the convenience of the
common people. Afterwards the Kings and Princes | in Germany] coined
silver and gold pieces, but of small value, from 20 to 25 Eschen. like the
Roman Semis and Tremis. The gold, however, was of unequal fineness,
some, perhaps the most ancient, being of 22 carats, some of 18 and others,
perhaps the most recent, of 12 carats. These had busts of various monarchs
on one side and on the other a figure of Mercury, the messenger of the gods,
14 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
holding the symbol $ in his hands ; that is to say the upper part of the sign
reversed r in his right hand, and the cross + in his left : from this it appears
that the coins were struck by the Suabian rulers, for as Tacitus remarked,
Mercurius was specially honored by the Suabians. So far, Tilemann.
A poorly executed and diminutive woodcut in Reyher s work shows the
coin as above described, and an almost undecipherable inscription.
The alchemists sought the philosopher s stone in the three kingdoms of
nature, animal, vegetable and mineral ; but the chief object of their efforts
was the liquid metal, quicksilver; this had great weight, and the paradoxical
property of fluidity ; they argued that if it could be changed to a yellow color
and ** fixed," that is, deprived of its fluidity, it would become gold. Mercury,
therefore, is constantly symbolized on the hermetic coins, but to claim every
coin as proof of transmutation that has the impress $ is obviously absurd.
Josef Neumann {^Beschreibung der bekanntesten Kupfermunzen, Prag,
1858) names several coins bearing the symbol for copper ? to indicate the
metal of which struck. Nos. 2649 ^.nd 2650 are of the date 1767, and were
coined by Stanislaus, King of Poland. A third copper coin named by Neu-
mann (1203 a) bears the symbols <i © ? on one of three shields. This is
an Austrian coin of the year 1652. We merely note these in passing, as addi-
tional pieces in evidence that the planetary symbols were used by mint-mas-
ters without any thought of attaching to them an alchemical significance.
VII. (1630). — A silver thaler of handsome design, coined in Mainz, is
catalogued by Madai as alchemical, probably because it is stamped with the
symbol §.
Obverse, A portrait bust of Anselm Casimir (Elector and Archbishop
of Mainz) wearing a standing collar, with the words : anselmi casimiri d. [ei]
g.[ratia] archiep[iscopi] mog[untinensis] s.[acri] rom[ani] im[perii] per.
germ[aniam] arch [i] can [cellarii] p[rincipis] e[lectoris.] (Anselm Casi-
mir, by the grace of God Archbishop of Mainz, Arch-chancellor, Prince and
Elector of the Holy Roman Empire.)
Reverse, The Prince's arms with three helmets and archbishop's staff and
sword. Inscription, moneta nova argentea moguntina. 1630. d. ?. (New
TO NVMISMATICS.
'S
i
lilver coinage of Mainz. 1630). The sign n. ^ is believed to be that of the
nt-master. This piece occurs in two styles, round and eight- cornered.
Madai. No. 402.)
VIII. (1634.) — Several gold and silver coins stamped with the effigy of
Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, or with his royal arms, are regarded by
alchemists as evidence of transmutation, their claim being ba.sed on the cir-
cumstance that the coins bear the venerated hermetic signs for mercury 5
and sulphur ^. John F. Buddeus and other historians do not consider this
claim valid, and attribute the designs to the fancy of the royal coiner. ( His-
torisch und politische Untersuchung von der Alchemie, in Roth-SchoUz
Dtuisches Theatrum Chemicum, Erster Theii. Niirnberg, 1728.)
Reyher. quoting the traveler Monconys {liin. part II. p. 381), relates the
following circumstances :
"The apothecar}\ Strobelperger, told me that a certain merchant of
l-ubeck. not verj' successful in business, yet who knew how to ■ fix' lead and
to convert it into gold, presented to the King of Sweden, then traveling in
Pomerania, a mass of gold weighing one hundred pounds, prepared by himself
through hermetic art. Gustavus Adolphus caused ducats to be made of this
gold, bearing his likeness on one side and the royal arms with the characters
for mercury and sulphur on the other. He gave me (continues Monconys)
fone of these ducats and said that after the death of the merchant, who
'4id not seem to be very wealthy, and had long since discontinued trade,
one million seven hundred thousand crowns were found in his house."
(Reyher, Cap. i.p. 4.) The coins referred to are figured by Reyher and by
Buddeus :
Obverse. Bust of Gustavus Adolphus, head in profile crowned with a
wreath: around the edge the inscription: gustav[(;s] aix)I-Ph[ls] d[ei]
g[ratia] suec[orum] gothIorum] va.\d[alorum] r|e\]. (Gustavus Adol-
phus, by the grace of God, King of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals).
Reverse. The royal arms of Sweden, with ^ and $ on either side, and
the date 1634. On the edge the inscription : pr[inceps] finl[andiae] dux
ethon[ia] et CAREL[i.tL] DOM [iNus] rNGER[MANNiAL]. (Priocc of Finland,
^
1 6 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
Duke of Esthonia and of Carelia, Lord of Ingria). The size of the coin is
given by Reyher in a circle 22 mm. in diameter.
IX. (1632.) — A double ducat of Gustavus Adolphus of the date 1632
is also claimed by the votaries of Hermes. This gold coin has on the obverse
a human skull resting on a bone ; out of the skull issue serpents, together
with a grape-vine, on the branches of which hang many clusters of
grapes. Around this emblem is the inscription : ezech.[iel] am. xxxvii
cap.[itel] und am. VI NOVEMBER 1632. (Ezekiel, Chapter 37, and on
November 6th, 1632.) In an outer circle the words: gustavus adolphus d.
G. suEC. GOTH. VAND. RE *. (Gustavus Adolphus, by the grace of God King
of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals.)
* Reverse, The royal arms of Sweden, with the year 1633, and the signs
for sulphur ^ and mercury § on either side. Around this : dv men[s]ch
[en] kind MEINST AUCH DASS DI[e]sE BEINE WID[er]lEBEN WERd[en]. (O
son of man, believest thou that these bones will live again). And in an
outer circle: pr[inceps] finl[andi^.] dux ethon[i^] et carel[i/e] dom
[iNUs] inge[rmanni>e.] (Prince of Finland, Duke of Esthonia and Carelia,
Lord of Ingria.) The reference to Ezekiel, chapter 37, relates to the vision
of the dry bones, to which the alchemists gave a mysterious hermetic interpre-
tation. (Joh. Heinr. Scheler, Beschreibung derer zu Ehren des Koenigs in
Sckwedetty Gustavi Adolphij mit dem Signo Sulphur is et Mercurii 1632 zu
Erfurt gepraegten zweierlei ThalerUy etc. In Hirschius [J. C], Bibliotheca
numismatica, Norimb. 1760. Reyher, op. cit. p. 9. Madai, No. 218.)
X. (163 1.) — A third coin of silver by Gustavus Adolphus has on the
obverse the Tetragrammaton mn-" or sacred name of Jehovah in Hebrew
characters within rays of glory, and beneath this are the words : a domino
FACTUM EST ISTUD. (By the Lord has this been done.)
Reverse. The inscription in eleven lines : deo ter optimo | maximo
gloria et LAUS I QUI GUSTAVO ADOLPHO | SUECORUM GOTHORUM | VANd[aLORUm]
QUE REGI CONTRA | CAESAREANUM AC | LIGISTICUM EXERCITUM | VICTORIAM TRI-
BUiT, I AD LiPSiAM DIE | VII SEPT. ANNO M. D. c. XXXI. (Glory and praise
be to God, thrice best and greatest, who gave the victory to Gustavus Adol-
TO NUMISMATICS, 17
phus, King of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals, against the imperial army and
the Ligistians at Leipzig on the seventh day of Sept. 163 1.) Beneath this
inscription is the character § (mercury), but Reyher, who gives a represen-
tation of the coin, remarks that this sign probably denotes the day of the week
(Wednesday) and not the metal that formed the basis of hermetical operations.
The Royal Cabinet of Coins of Bavaria, at Munich, possesses several
examples of these Gustavus Adolphus pieces, to wit : Of the 1634 ducat, six
pieces ; of the double ducat of 1633 in silver, one piece ; of the thaler of 1631,
one piece ; also two of the same date without the symbol, and one golden
piece of this coinage. Dr. Hans Riggauer, Director of the Cabinet, to whom
we are greatly indebted for a list of the alchemical treasures preserved in
Munich, also mentions an Erfurt double thaler, of the date 1631.
Obverse, The signs ^ and § in a decorated coat of arms, and Gustavus
Adolphus ascending to heaven in a two-horse chariot.
Reverse, Gustavus Adolphus on a bed of state. (See Schulthess, 2048.)
XI. (1647). — The pursuit of alchemy does not appear to have been
followed in Denmark at so early a period as elsewhere. Christian IV, who
ascended the throne in 1588, (died, 1648) had in his employ an alchemist
named Kaspar Harbach, who had the very useful knowledge of transmuting
the products of Norwegian mines into gold ; Danish ducats of 1644 and 1646,
were shown, which were said to have been made of artificial gold. Some per-
sons, however, were incredulous, and to vindicate the honor of his private
alchemist. King Christian caused new ducats to be coined. These bear on the
obverse a full length figure of the King in armor, surmounted by the words :
CHRiSTiANus, d.[ei] g. [ratia] DAN. [i^] r.[ex]. (Christian IV, by the grace
of God King of Denmark). The reverse has a rather large pair of spectacles
and the legend: vide mira domi[ni]. 1647. (See the wonderful works
of the Lord ). (Figured in Kohlers Munzbelustigungen, Theil xii : p. 145,
1 740).
XII. (1647). — In the same year an adept named J. P. Hofmann per-
formed a transmutation in the presence of the Emperor Ferdinand III, in
Nuremberg. From this hermetic gold the Emperor caused a medal of rare
i8 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
beauty to be struck. It is figured in the work of an anonymous author
entitled : Nutzliche Versuche und Bermerkungen aus dem Reiche der Natur^'
and published by Georg Bauer in Nuremberg in 1 760. This exceedingly rare
piece bears on the obverse two shields in one of which are eight fleurs-de-lis,
and in the other a crowned lion highly conventionalized. In an outer circle
occur the words : lilia cum niveo copulantur fulva leone, and in an
inner circle : sic leo mansuescet, sic lilia fulva virescent. 1647. (The
yellow lilies lie down with the snow white lion; thus the lion will be tamed,
thus the yellow lilies will flourish). The two shields are linked above by a
crown, over which are the letters i. p. h. v. n. f., denoting: — Johannes
PETRus hofmann vasallus norimbergensis fecit ; and on the right the letters
T. G. v. L., denoting: tinctur/E GUTTi« v. libram, which refer to the fact (?)
that five drops of the ** tincture " transmuted a whole pound of the base metal.
This power of the tincture is also indicated by the letters v. g., {quinque
guttaCy) that appear between the two shields below.
On the reverse, in the centre is a circle containing the figure of the war-
rior Mars holding the symbol 6 in one hand and a sword in the other, and
surrounded by the inscription : arma furens capiam rursusque in praelia
SURGAM. (Enraged I shall take up my arms and again" rush into the battle.)
This refers to the circumstance that the active agent in transmutation was
made in this case from iron. Around this central circle are six smaller ones ;
the first contains the symbol for lead T?, with the words a marte ligor. (By Mars
am I bound.) The second, that for tin 1(!, with the words a marte defendor.
(By Mars I am protected.) The third, the sign for copper ? , and the words
MARTE CONJUNGOR. (By Mars I am united.) The fourth, the sign for mercury
5, and the words pedib[us] mars, ars scidit alas. (Mars goes on his feet, art
has torn away his wings.) The fifth, the sign for silver ([, and the words mar-
Tis HORRORE DEFicio. (I am slain by the fear of Mars.) The sixth circle con-
tains the symbol of gold © with the words a marte obscuror. (I am hidden
by Mars. The hermetic meaning of *'Mars" being iron, as already men-
tioned.) George Bauer, describing this handsome medal in 1760, says it
is preserved in His Imperial Majesty s Cabinet of Coins, Vienna.
TO NbWflSMATJCS.
»9
XIII. {1648.) — The Thirty Years' war was brought to a happy conclu-
sion by the Emperor Ferdinand III at the treaty of WestphaHa, on October
24. 1648. In January of the same year the Emperor found time in spite of
his cares of State to experiment with the fascinating art of Hermes. A certain
Richthausen, who claimed to have received the power of projection from an
adept now dead, performed a transmutation in the presence of the Emperor
and of the Count of Rutz, director of mines. All the precautions suggested
by experience with iniposters were observed, and with one grain of
the powder furnished by Richthausen, two and a half pounds of mercury were
changed into gold. To commemorate this event the Emperor had a medal
struck of the value of 300 ducats, appropriately inscribed. The obverse con-
tained a full-length representation of Apollo with rays proceeding from his
head ; in one hand he held the lyra and in the other the caduceus ; his feet
were covered with winged sandals, thus personifying the transmutation of
mercury Into gold. Above and below the figure were the words : divina
METAMORPHOSIS EXHIBITA PRAG/E XV JAN. AO. MDCXLVIII IN PR.ESENTIA SAC.
CAES. MAjEST. FERDiNANDi TERTii. (The Divine Metamorphosls, exhibited at
Prague, January 15, 1648, in the presence of his Imperial Majesty Ferdinand
the Third.)
On the reverse there was no ornamentation, and the words : raris \\,%z
UT nOMINIBUS EST ARS ITA RARO IN I-UCEM PRODIT. LAUDETUR DEUB IN .F.TER-
NUM QUI PARTEM SU-E INHNIT-T POTENTI.^ NOBIS SUIS ABIECTISSIMIS CREATURIS
coMMUNic.\T. (Like as rare men have this art, so cometh it very rarely to
light. Praised be God forever, who doth communicate a part of His infinite
power to us His most abject creatures,) The size of this medal is given as 2I
Wurtemberg inches in diameter, and \ in thickness. It was still to be seen at
the Treasury in Vienna in i 797 ; it has been figured in .several works, among
which may be named J. J. Becher's Oedipus Chimicus (Amstelodami, 1664).
Zwelffer's Mantissa Spag'irica (1652). and W. Cooper's Philosophical Epitaph
(London, 1673).
XIV. (1630). — Two years after this successful experiment the Emperor
made another projection at Prague, operating on lead with some of the pow-
20 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
der received from Richthausen. With the gold thus obtained Ferdinand made
a second medal beaming the inscription : aurea progenies plumbo prognata
PARENTE. (A golden daughter born of a leaden parent). This medal was seen
by the traveler Keyssler in the last century, at the Imperial castle of Ambras
in the Tyrol. Richthausen, who had furnished the Emperor with the means
for these transmutations, was ennobled, being made Lord of Chaos. (J. G.
Keyssler s Neueste Reisen durck Deutschland. 2 Abth. Hannover, 1751.)
XV. (1658). — The accomplished Richthausen, now Lord of Chaos, gave
further proof of his skill (in legerdemain or in chemistry ?) in the year 1658.
The Elector John Philip of Mainz, a warm patron of alchemists, having
received some of the powder of projection from Richthausen, and taking extra-
ordinary precautions to prevent fraud, himself converted four ounces of
mercury into gold. The metal was superfine and additional silver had to be
added to reduce it to the usual quality. Pieces of this gold were in the
possession of Professor G. W. Wedel of the University of Jena ; and Mainzer
ducats were also coined from a portion of the abundant metal. These bear :
Obverse, The arms of the Electorate. of Mainz and the words: georg
[lus] FRiD. [ericus] d.[ei] g. [ratia] archiep[iscopus] p.[rinceps] e. [lector]
Ep[isc0PUs] worm.[ati/e]. (George Frederick, by the grace of God Arch-
bishop, Prince, Elector, Bishop of Worms).
Reverse, The words : ducatus nov.[us] aur.[eus] elector, [atus] mogunt
[i^] (New golden ducat, struck for the Electorate of Mainz) and below this
the Mainzer wheel. They are also stamped with the sign $ which denotes that
the gold was made by hermetic art from mercury. (Moncony's Voyages
H 379.)
XVL (1652.) — A silver piece of Low Dutch origin is figured by Rey-
her. On the obverse are these curious emblems : a tower with flames issuing
from the archway, a snail bearing a ring in his mouth, and a background of
hills above which birds are flying. Around this the words :
1J4 Vant' geen DAT Elck Versmeet ;
Ben ick in t' wesen bracht
Diek' eer maer Vullis was
Bral nu met a' hoochst pracht.
TO NUMISMATICS. 21
(No one has found that which each despises.
I am brought into being :
Though I was little more than filth
Now I shine with the greatest brilliancy.)
Reverse. Three miners at work with pick and spade in a quarry or mine ;
around this the words : —
^ Langst GEWEEST, EERST GEVONDEN ;
Door Goots gaeft te deser stonden.
t' koompt van godt
DiT Edel Lot A. 1652.
(A long time existing, just discovered
Through God's gift at this time.
This noble lot comes from God. [Anno : In the year] 1652.)
. Reyher says this is preserved in the treasury of the illustrious Count of
Schwartzburg, residing at Arnstadt in Thuringia.
XVII. (1675.) — An Augustinian monk named Wenzel Seyler, a native
of Bohemia, visited Vienna in 1675, and securing an interview with the reign-
ing Emperor, Leopold I, son of Ferdinand III, accomplished in his presence
a successful projection. He converted a copper vessel which had been
brought to him into gold. He also changed tin into gold, and from the
precious metal the Emperor caused ducats to be struck, stamped only on one
side ; these bore on the obverse a portrait bust of the Emperor with the
words: leopoldus d.[ei] g.[ratia] r.[omanorum] i.[mperator] s.[emper] a.
[uGusTus] g.[ermanle] h.[ungarle] e.[t] B.[oHEMiiE] R. [ex] (Leopold,
by the grace of God, the ever august Emperor of the Roman Empire, King of
Germany, Hungary and Bohemia.) On the reverse the year 1675, and the
couplet :
" Aus Wenzel Seyler's Pulvers Macht
Bin ich von Zinn zu Gold gemacht."
22 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
which may be paraphrased thus :
*'^ By Wenzd Seylet^s aid, Leopold
Transmuted me from tin to gold"
(Gottfr. Heinr. Burghard*s Destillirkunst. Brieg, 1748.)
XVIII. (1677.) — Wenzel Seyler was rewarded by being ennobled, with
the cognomen Von Reinburg, but resorting to deceitful practices he was sent
back to his cloister without however receiving punishment. Two years later
this crafty monk succeeded in again persuading the Emperor of his power,
and a large and elegantly ornamented medallion, still preserved in the
Imperial Cabinet of coins in Vienna, commemorates the event. This medal-
lion is of oval form, measures 40 by 37 centimeters, and has a weight of 7200
grammes. On the obverse is engraved a portrait of Leopold I, surrounded
by no less than forty-one portraits of his predecessors on the German throne.
On the reverse is a long inscription in Latin, setting forth the virtues of the
Emperor and the power of Johann Wenzel von Reinburg, in the year 1677.
This medallion is figured in Herrgott*s Monumenta Augustae Domus Austria-
cae (1760), and in Prof. A. Bauer*s Chemie und Alchymie in Oesterreich.
(Wien, 1883.) I examined it in person in August, 1888, at the Imperial
Cabinet of Coins, Vienna. It is of elaborate workmanship but decidedly
brassy in color, and is said to have a specific gravity of only 12.67, ^^^^ ^f
gold being 19.3. Two small notches, one in the upper edge and one in the
lower, show that it has been cut into for examination.
XIX. (1677.) — Baron Krohneman, one of the boldest impostors of the
seventeenth century, played the part of an adept at the court of the Margrave
George William of Baireuth, with varying success from 1677 to 1686. He
pretended to be able to **fix" quicksilver, that is, to convert it into a solid
and to change its color to yellow, in short to transmute mercury into gold.
Living at the expense of the Margrave and consuming great sums of money
in fruitless experiments, he sought to retrieve his waning reputation by a bold
TO NUMISMATICS. 23
stroke ; in the presence of the Prince he heated mercury with salt, vinegar
and verdigris in an iron dish, and at the end of the operation gold remained.
Probably the trickster mingled gold in the form of powder with the verdigris.
Silver was made in like manner, and from this a medal was struck, inscribed
with symbolical figures and dedicated to the Margrave.
'Wi^ obverse has a figure of the winged god Mercury, standing on a ped-
estal ; in his right hand he holds the caduceus with the sun at its head, his
left hand is placed across his breast. A chain connects his two arms and his
ankles, near which hang a padlock. Above the figure is the inscription : arte
ET INDUSTRIA. (By art and industry.) And below, exhibitum serenissimo
PRi[nCIPI] DNO [domino] CHRISTIa[no] ERNESTO d[ei] g[rATIa] MARCHIONI
BRANDENB. [URGIiE] DUG. [l] B0RUS[sLE] DIE VI NOv[eMBRIS] ANNO MDCLXXVII.
(Given to his most serene highness Prince Christian Ernest, by the grace of
God Margrave of Brandenburg, Duke of Prussia, the sixth day of November,
in the year 1677.)
The reverse contains the words : solius quod multis creditum esse na-
turae OPUS NON MINOS ARTIS ESSE IGNORET NEMO. PRODIERE OLIM PRODEUNT
ET NUNC IPSIUS TESTIMONIA REI. DEO HONORI, PROXIMO SALUTI, TOTI MUNDO
ADMiRATiONi. (Let no one be ignorant of the fact that what many have
believed to be the work of nature alone is not less the work of art. They
were formerly produced, they are now produced, as shown by the thing itself.
To the glory of God, the salvation of mankind, and the admiration of the
whole world.)
Krohneman had rightly reckoned on the effect of his legerdemain, and
the Prince gave him the title of Baron, together with many favors. He con-
tinued to pursue his crafty ways, duping many persons in authority, fleecing
General Kaspar von Lilien to the extent of 10,000 gulden, and living in
extravagant style on his ill-gotten gains. At different times during the ten
years in which he flourished, seven other coins and medals were struck to
memorialize the operations conducted by Krohneman, or to impose upon his
patrons. Four of these bear the date 1679, one the year 1678, one the year
1 68 1, and one has no date.
24 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
The medal of 1678 is very similar to that struck November 6th, 1677,
bearing the standing figure of Mercury holding the caduceus upright on the
obverse, and the same inscription on the reverse. The date on the obverse,
however, is January 8, 1678 ; on the pedestal of Mercury are the initials of
Krohneman*s name : c. [hristianus] w.[ilhelmus] b.[aro] d.[e] k.[rohne-
man], together with the single word posteritati. (To posterity.)
Of this medal many impressions were coined, some of them bearing in
the place of the words arte et indltstria, the legend pietate et justitia.
(By piety and justice.) They weighed ** 4 loth 2 quint," being smaller than
the coin of 1677.
XXL (1679.) — ^The four coins of the year 1679 have the following
characters :
[i.] Both in silver and in gold, the latter of the value of 8i ducats, and
dedicated to the Margravine on her birthday, February i8th.
Obverse, A Doric column crowned and encircled by a vine bearing
grapes ; on one side Cupid shooting an arrow, on the other a sunflower with
its blossom turned towards the sun, which is above and to the side of the
central column. Beneath the latter a pair of doves, in the background bay-
reuth. Inscriptions: auf libes gluth. (In the glow of love.) der durchl
[auchtigsten] und unvergleichlichten prinzessin, zu ehren f.[rauen]
f.[rauen.] (To the honor of the most noble and incomparable lady Princess.)
Reverse, A palm tree in fruit, above, the rays of the sun ; on either side
a heart connected by a chain to the tree and surmounted by a crown. In-
scription (continued from the obverse) : sophia louysa marg. [raevin] zu
BR. [andenburg] g.[eboren] h.[erzogin] z[u] w. [urtemberg] u[nd] t[eck]
AUFGERICHTET V.[on] C.[hRISTIAn] W. [iLHELM] B. [aRON] V. [on] K.[rOHNE
man] 1679. (Struck in honor of Sophia Louisa, Margravine of Brandenburg,
by birth Duchess of Wurtemburg and Teck, by Christian Wilhelm, Baron
Krohneman.) In a half circle within the outer one: folgt seegens guth ;
above one heart, die starckt ; and above the other, der muth. On one
heart, the letters c.[hristian] e.[rnst] ; on the other, s.[ophia] l.[ouysa].
(Heaven's blessing follows strength and courage.) (Kohler, Vol. IX, p. 417.)
TO NUMISMA TICS, 2 5
XXII. [2.] Also in silver and in gold, the latter of four ducats'
weight. This was struck on the baptismal day of the Prince, May 14th, 1679.
Obverse. A two-headed bird, part eagle, surmounted by a crown, over
which the words : praesidia principis. (Protection of the Prince.) On the
outer circle the words : in honorem ser.[enissimi] princ.[ipis] d[omini] d.
[ucis] CHRIST. [lANi] ERNEST, [i] MARCH. [lONis]. (Continued on the reverse.)
Reverse, An oval shield on a bare arm, the hand grasping a laurel-
branch, the arm projects from clouds. Above, the words, pro patria (For
Fatherland) on a scroll, and around the edge: brand. [enburgiae] boruss.
[i^] Duc.[i] ; OFFERT. c. [hristianus] w.[ilhelmus b. [aro] d.[e] k.[rohne-
man] m.dclxxix. (In honor of his most serene highness. Prince, Lord and
Duke, Christian Ernest, Margrave of Brandenburg, Duke of Prussia ; pre-
sented by Christian William, Baron Krohneman, 1679.)
XXIII. [3.] This is of silver and commonly called a gulden.
Obverse, The portrait bust of the Margrave Christian Ernest, and the
words: christian. [us] ern.[estus] d.[ei] g.[ratia] mar[chio] br.[anden-
BURGI^] E.[t] M. [aGDEBURGi] PR. [uSSIvE] D.[ux] B. [uRGRAVIUS] N. [oRIMBER-
G^] (Christian Ernest, by the grace of God Margrave of Brandenburg and
Magdeburg, Duke of Prussia, Burgrave of Nuremburg.)
Reverse, No ornamentation, and the inscription : in natalem sereni-
TATIS SU^ SEXT.[um] ET TRIGES. [iMUM] DECENTI CULTU MACTANDUM NUMISMA
HOC FIERI CURAVIT C. [hRISTIANUS] W.[iLHELMUs] B.[aR0]. D. [e] K. [rOHNE-
man] 1679. (Christian William, Baron Krohneman, had this coin struck to
celebrate appropriately the 36th birthday of his serene highness.)
XXIV. [4.] A silver thaler struck on the birthday of the Crown
Prince George William, November i6th, 1679.
Obverse, An armed hand resting on part of a globe and holding upright
a sceptre. The arm projects from clouds and supports a branch of laurel.
Above the sceptre the sun with long rays, surmounted by the words : a dec
ET parente. (From God and his father.) On the outer edge the inscrip-
tion: IN honorem ET diem NATAL, [em] i6. NOV. [eMBRIS] 1679. SEr[eNISSI-
Mi] PRiNC.[iPis] D.[ucis] d[omini] georg. [ii] w.[ilhelmi]. (In honor of,
2 6 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
and for the birthday, November i6, 1679, of the most illustrious Prince and
Duke, Lord George William.)
Reverse. A square table on which rests a cushion bearing a sword and a
sceptre crossed and passing through a crown ; above this an eye in clouds
from which rays project. On a scroll or ribbon the words: optima spes
PATRIAE. (The best hope of the nation.) Around the edge the inscription:
MARCH [lONIs] BRAND. [eNBURGI^e] BOR. [uSSI^e] DUG. [is] OFFERT C. [hRISTIANUS]
w.[iLHELMUs] b.[aro] d. [e] k[rohneman] mdclxxix. (Margrave of Bran-
denburg, Duke of Prussia, presented by Christian William, Baron Krohne-
man, 1679.) This being a continuation of the legend on the obverse.
(Kohler, Vol. VII, p. 265. Madai, Nos. 1053, 1054, 1055.)
XXV. (168 1.) — Krohneman lived largely by flattering his princely
patron, and in 1681 caused another silver coin to be struck on the birthday
of the Margravine (February iSth), which is notable for its rhyming inscrip-
tions. With the exception of a few stars above and below, on both sides,
this coin is wholly without ornamentation and symbols. The obverse bears
the verses :
Hoch-Grossus Fursten-Bild,
Ihr Jahr-Tag heut auffgeht,
HiER STEHT Er AUF DEM SCHILD,
WiE Ihr MIT AUGEN SEHT;
gott wolle sie beglucken
Und ihr viel Heil zu schicken
auch aller orth und enden
DEN ReICHEN SeGEN SENDEN.
(O high and mighty Princess-image, thy birthday occurs to-day.
Here it stands on the shield, as you plainly see ;
God will grant you His favor and much happiness
And on every place and region send His rich blessing.)
Around the outer circle the words: der durchl. [auchtigsten] u.[nd] un-
VERGLEICHLICHSTEN PRINCESSIN FRAUEN FRAUEN, SOPHIEN LOUYSEN, MARGRAFFIN
TO NUMISMATICS. 27
zu BRAND, [enburg] . (Most high and incomparable Lady, Princess Sophia
Louisa, Margravine of Brandenburg.) This is continued on the reverse.
On the reverse, these verses :
SIE GRUNE EWIG FORT
UND LEBE WOHL VERGNUGT,
DER HOCHSTE SEY IHR HORT
BIS SIE DIE Welt obsiegt.
Und segne alle Thaten
der himmel woll ihr rathen
DaSS SIE LEB LANG IN FrEUDEN,
BEFREID VON ALLEN LeYDEN.
(May you always remain youthful and live in great happiness, may the Highest be your pro-
tector until you rule the world, and bless all your deeds. Let Heaven be your counsellor that
you long live in peace, free from all misfortunes.)
Around these verses, a continuation of the sentence on the obverse, to wit :
geb.[oren] hertzog.[in] z.[u] w. [urtemberg] u.[nd] t.[eck] zu ehren
AUFGERICHTET AN IHREN HOCHGEBURTHE TAGEV.[on] C. [hRISTIAN] W.[iLHELM]
b.[aro] v.[on] c.[rohneman] den i8ten febr[uar] 1 68 1. (Born Duchess of
Wurtemberg and of Teck, presented in honor of her birthday by Christian
William, Baron Krohneman, February 18th, 168 1.)
This is said to be the only instance in which Krohneman's name is
spelled with a C instead of a K.
XXVI. General Kaspar von Lilien, one of the dupes of Krohneman,
already named, obtained a few ounces of gold by an experiment with some
white salt of Krohneman's preparation, the operation being carried out in the
General's own house. To commemorate this event a medal was struck bear-
ing no date, but having the following features.
Obverse, A lily plant in flower, above which the sun's rays issuing from
a semi-orb containing the Hebrew letters mn-« ; below the lily the letters :
c.[aspar] v. [on] l.[ilien] ; above it the words: durch dieses liecht.
(Through these, light. Dieses perhaps alluding to the tetragrammaton, and
2 8 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
the legend thus meaning ** Through the aid of these \i. e. God] the mind has
been illuminated.")
Reverse, Two arms issuing from clouds, on the right and left sides,
approach each other centrally ; one hand holds a support from which hangs a
small key, bearing the letters :
G E I
H I N
EMS
Geheimnis (secrecy), the space between the letters being filled with orna-
ments. Above this the words: mit vorbericht. (With preparation.)
This ends our record of the medals associated with the name of Krohne-
man ; some of them it is claimed were made out of artificially prepared metal,
and others were merely commemorative of some hermetic mystery. The end
of this arch-impostor was as tragic as his life was vicious; he was detected in
fraud and hung on the gallows by order of the Margrave. Those desiring to
follow in detail his extraordinary career, or to examine engravings of the
medals named, may consult Fikenscher's Geschichte Baron von Krohneman,
Nurnberg, 1800, 8vo.
XXVII. (1686.) — Among the many artful, shameless and pretentious
knaves and charlatans that defrauded their wealthy dupes by appealing to
their avarice and practicing on their credulity, Domenico Manuel, styled
Count Gaetano (or Cajetano), deservedly occupies a high place. His career
of .adventure, duplicity and extortion, his high positions and his ignominious
downfall, form a fascinating chapter in biography, but limited space prevents
entering into details. Of Italian origin, he appears now at Madrid, where he
stole 15,000 piastres; now at Brussels, where he secured by fraud 6,000
florins and two years' imprisonment; now at Vienna, where he gained the
confidence of the whole Court by a clever legerdemain ; now at Berlin, where
he completely fascinated the King by a projection made in his presence and
TO NUMISMATICS. 29
by promises to make unlimited gold, and now he again appears suspended by
the neck on gilded gallows at Ciistrin in 1709.'
Unlettered and blinded promoters of alchemical doctrines have con-
founded this precious rogue with the innocent Antonius Cajetanus, Prince of
the Holy Roman Empire, and since the family coat of arms of Cajetanus has a
mysterious three-faced head,' the alchemists seized upon a certain thaler
bearing this escutcheon, as evidence of the hermetic skill of the charlatan
Domenico Manuel. The piece hardly deserves a place in this catalogue, but
may be included if only to show the depth of the alchemical folly. The
thaler has the following characters.
Obverse, Portrait bust of Antonius Caietanus with a perruke. Under
the arm the figure 130: with the words: ant.[onius] caietanus trivol[sius]
s[acri] r[omani] i[mperii] prin[ceps] etc. (Antonio Cajetano Trivulzio,
Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, etc.)
Reverse, Two escutcheons inclined ; above these a crown and a head
with three faces, two of them bearded. Below, a bound sheaf of wheat, with
the words : coms. m. xi bar. retennii imper. xv et c. 1686.
(Madai, No. 2069.)
XXVIII. (1687.) — William Ernest Tenzel, the Thuringian antiquary,
(1659-1707,) author of Saxonia Numismatica^ mentions a ducat bearing
alchemical symbols.
1 A medal commemorating this execution was struck Count, which has an elaborate shield bearing the fam-
at the time. It has been described by Professor Fiewe- ily arms, surrounded by ten differing devices used at
gcr before the Berlin Numismatic Society, July 3, 1882. various periods by different branches or individuals of
(David L, Walter, Am. Jour, of Numis.^ XXI V, 5.) the family: one of them is the same three-faced head,
2 This head was one of the crests of the Trivulzios, which was placed in the dexter chief. The inscrip-
and is an heraldic or armorial pun on their name, tion on the reverse of XXVII may be read in full,
With this crest is usually associated the xaoWo '•*' Mens as explained by Litta, com(e)s m(usochi) xi bar(o)
6^«/Vfl," so that the significance of the device and motto retennii imper(ialis) xv et c(omes) i.e. Eleventh
is "Three faces (Tre Vol ti) with a single mind." The Count of Musocco, and Fifteenth Imperial Baron and
family color was green, the ecclesiastical symbolic Count of Retegno. The et c which concludes the
color of the Trinity, to which this device also alluded inscription on some of these pieces is in a sort of
indirectly, as was clearly shown in one of the beautiful monogram, and would very likely be taken for etc.
vellum Manuscript Breviaries from the famous Trivul- {et cetera) were it not that Litta explains it in full,
zio Library, sold in New York a few years ago. as given above. He remarks that the device of the
Litta, in his " Fatniglie Celebri Italianey^ (last vol- sheaf of wheat, [which appears on the piece of Theo-
ume) gives considerable space to this family, and dore, as well as on XXVII above], alludes to a tradition
engraves ten different medals or coins relating to them that one of the Trivulzios generously assisted his
(both obverse and reverse). Among them was one father-land with a gjft of gram in time of famine. —
which was struck by Theodore Trivulzio, the tenth {Am. Jour. 0/ Aumis.j XXV, 2^-)
30 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
Obverse, Portrait bust of Frederick I, Duke of Gotha, wearing a laurel
crown, with the inscription : frideric.[us] d.[ei] g.[ratia] dux sax. [onl^]
i.[uLiACi] c[LiviiE] ET MONT. [ium] . (Frederic, by the grace of God, Duke of
Saxony, Julich, Cleves and Berg.)
Reverse, Two crossed triangles from which rays proceed, with conven-
tional clouds, and symbols of the sun and moon ; below, a circle, within which
the three symbols, © [salt], ^ [sulphur], and $ [mercury], with the inscrip-
tion: A. NUMiNE LUMEN susciPio ET REDEO. (From the Deity I receive light
and reflect it again,) and the date 1687. (Buddeus, Untersuchung von der
Alchemie?)
A specimen of this thaler is preserved in the Royal Bavarian Cabinet of
Coins, Munich. (Dr. Riggauer.)
XXIX. (1684.) — The same author mentions a coin struck in 1685 by
his highness Anthon Giinther, Prince of Anhalt, as a souvenir of his success
in transmutation at Zerbst, where for many years he worked in a laboratory
with his own hands. Not having access as yet to TenzeFs work {^Colloqu,
menstr,, the first literary review published in Germany), we can give but this
brief reference to it, taken from the Edelgeborne Jungfer Alchymia, p. 204.
XXX. (1704). — The crafty alchemists who operated with the hermetic
powder, or the so-called philosopher s stone, almost always pretended to have
received the precious material from some stranger, and but few professed to
be able to prepare a larger supply of the wonder-working substance. The
following anecdote is but one of many of similar purport: In October, 1704,
George Stolle, a goldsmith of Leipzig, was visited by a stranger, who con-
versed on divers subjects for a short time and then inquired if Stolle knew
how to make gold. The goldsmith replied very innocently that he ** knew
only how to work with that metal when already made." The stranger further
inquired if he believed in the possibility of transmutation, to which Stolle
answered that ** he did believe in the art of Hermes, but had never met any
person able to give him ocular proofs." Thereupon the visitor exhibited an
ingot of a yellow metal which the goldsmith tested with the touch-stone and
by the crucible, and ascertained it to be 22 carat gold. The visitor assured
TO NUMISMATICS, 31
him it was artificial gold and withdrew. The nekt day he returned and asked
to have the bar of gold cut into seven round pieces ; this Stolle did, and after
the stranger had stamped them he gave him two of the pieces as a souvenir.
The pieces were inscribed with the words : o tu alpha et omega vit^ spes
ES POST MORTEM T? REVIVICATIO © ]). O UNICUS AMOR DEI IN TRINITATE MISE-
RERE MEI IN ^TERNITATE, PER © ^ $ FIT LAPIS PHILOSOPHORUM. (O ThoU who
art Alpha and Omega [the beginning and the end], thou art the hope of
life after death. The restoration of life to lead [transforms it to] gold
and silver. O unequalled love of God in Three Persons, have mercy on me
through eternity. By sulphur, salt and mercury the philosophers stone is
made.)
The news of this singular event made a great stir in Leipzig ; Augustus,
King of Poland, received one of the gold pieces and the other was deposited
in the collection of medals at Leipzig. The unknown adept who was so
generous with the precious metal, was popularly supposed to be a certain
mysterious personage who called himself Lascaris, and to whom for many
years were attributed similar proofs of hermetic power. {Edelgeborne Jungfer
Alchymia. Tubingen 1730.) Figured on Tab. V, No. 67, of Kundmann's
Numi Singulares, Breslau, 1734.
XXXL (1706.) — In 1705 Charles XII of Sweden condemned to death
General Paykhull, convicted of treason, having been captured while bearing
arms against his own country. The General, as a forlorn hope, offered, if
permitted to live, to manufacture annually one million crowns of gold without
any expense to the King or to the Kingdom. He also offered to teach his
art to any persons whom the King should select, pretending to have learned
the secret from a Polish officer named Lubinski, who in turn had received it
from a Corinthian priest. The King accepted PaykhulFs offer and made
arrangements for guarding against fraud, appointing General Hamilton of the
Royal Artillery to superintend the work of the alchemist. The materials
were prepared with great care ; Paykhull added his ** tincture,'* together with
some lead, and the whole was melted together. A mass of gold resulted
which was coined into one hundred and forty-seven ducats. A medal was
32 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
also struck on this occasion, having a weight of two ducats and bearing this
inscription: hoc aurum arte chimica conflavit HOLMiiE 1706 o. a. v. payk-
HULL. (O. A. Von Paykhull cast this gold by chemical art at Stockholm,
1706.) This operation, which was in all probability a mere sleight of hand,
was witnessed by General Hamilton, Counsellor Fehman, and the chemist
Hiarne ; the latter, however, had some predilections for alchemy, and in his
report of the affair did not doubt the verity of the transmutation. Berzelius
afterwards took the trouble to examine the documents attesting this transmu-
tation, and came to the conclusion that the process described could not have
accomplished the conversion of lead into gold. (Petraeus, Vorrede zu seiner
Ausgabe des Basilius Valentinus ; also Henckel's Alchymistische Brief e, Th.
I ; and Berzelius, Traite de Chimie VIII, 7.)
XXXII. (17 10.) — Professional alchemists usually operated upon lead,
but Delisle, a low rustic of Provence, excited much astonishment by trans-
forming iron and steel into gold. Although an ignorant, uncultivated man,
he succeeded in imposing on persons of learning and influence ; even the
Bishop of Senez, who was at first incredulous, wrote to the Minister of State
and Comptroller-General of the Treasury at Paris, that he *' could not resist
the evidence of his senses.'' In 1710, in the presence of the Master of the
Mint at Lyons, after distilling with much mystery a yellow liquid, he projected
two drops of the liquid upon three ounces of pistol bullets fused with saltpetre
and alum, and the molten mass was then poured out on a piece of iron armor
where it appeared pure gold, withstanding all tests. The gold thus obtained
was coined by the Master of the Mint into medals inscribed aurum arte
factum (Gold made by art,) and these were deposited in the Museum
at Versailles. (Lenglet du Fresnoy, Histoire de la philosophie hermetique,
Paris, 1 741.)
XXXIII. (17 1 7.) — The Landgrave Ernest Louis of Hesse Darmstadt
had long been ambitious of accomplishing a projection, and had made many
vain experiments, when, in 1716, he received by mail a small package sent by
one who did not disclose his identity. The package was found to contain the
**red" and the ** white tincture," with instructions how to use them, the first
TO NUMISMATICS, ii
for transmuting into gold and the second for silver. The prince himself
tested the effect of these tinctures on lead and had great success. With the
gold, he had coined, in 1717, several hundred ducats which bore on one side
his effigy and the words: ernest.[us] lud.[ovicus] d.[ei] g.[ratia] hass.
[i>e] landg. [ravius] pr.[inceps] hers, [feldensis] (Ernest Louis, by the
grace of God Landgrave of Hesse, Prince of Hersfeld) ; and below : nach
ALT. [en] reichs schrot. u. [nd] korn. (according to the old standard of the
realm) ; and on the other the lion of Hesse and the letters E. L. (signifying
Ernest Louis.) With the silver he had coined one hundred thalers similarly
inscribed, but also bearing in Latin the words : sic deo placuit in tribula-
TiONiBUS B. I. B. 171 7. (For thus it pleased God in our misfortunes.) (S. H.
Giildenfalk's Sammlung von mehr als hundert Transtnutationsgeschichten,
Frankfurt, 1784.)
For cut see Kohler, Vol. XVI, i, 1744. Madai, No. 1277.
The anonymous author of the queerly entitled Edelgeborne yungfer
Alchymia (Tubingen, 1730), declares he has seen several of the gold and
silver pieces mentioned in the preceding pages, especially those of Gustavus
Adolphus, dated 1631, 1633 and 1634. He also mentions a gold piece of
Nurnberg bearing the words : moneta nova argentea and notwithstanding
this mal-a-propos inscription for a gold coin, he considers it a piece in
evidence.
XXXIV. (1732.) — A silver triple thaler of good workmanship is de-
scribed by Madai. (No. 4544.)
Obverse. A portrait bust of the Emperor Charles VI, crowned with
laurel, and wearing a perruke. Around and above are the words : carol, [us]
III d.[ei] g.[ratia] sicil.[iarum] et hier[osolym^] rex. (Charles III, by the
grace of God. King of the Sicilies and of Jerusalem.) Beneath the portrait
c. p. (Mint master's initials ?)
Reverse. A burning phoenix on which the sun throws its rays. Below,
the letters s. m. and the date 1732 ; with the legend: oblita ex auro ar-
gentea resurgit. (The forgotten silvery [component] rises again [? is re-
covered] from the gold.) The motto, together with the phoenix, a favorite
34 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
emblem of alchemists, led Madai to believe that this handsome coin was
struck by one of their fraternity. Mr. Walter {jfournal, July, 1889, p. 5,)
suggests, however, with more probability, that the piece was struck from
silver left after refining gold. To change gold into silver was not the
alchemist's dream.
XXXV. An undated thaler, also called a talisman, is imperfectly de-
scribed by Madai, who, unfortunately for our purpose, omits the alchemical
symbols which are its chief features.
Obverse, Three flower stalks spring out of the trunk of a tree, each
stalk being tipped with a chemical symbol. A naked man with the sun for a
head, and a woman with a crescent on her forehead, draw a saw through this
tree, beneath which a serpent winds his way. Legend : *ysis-th *ysei tep-
IIETAI [Natura per naturam delectatur] (which may be rendered. Nature
delights herself in her works.) Owing to imperfect stamping the last word
may also be read temnetai [disecatur] (literally, is severed *).
Reverse. A crowned man standing on a globe, in his right hand an
open book, in his left hand a caduceus held upright. Behind him water and
rocks. The man has three faces, two bearded and one younger ; on the
globe are chemical characters. In old Gothic letters the words: nATURAG
inTGRPRe^, yic;e POn$, gloria munoi. (The interpreter of nature, the source of
life, the glor}^ of the world.) (Madai, No. 2380, quoting Val. Ferd. v.
Gudenus* Beschreibung eines gesammelten vorratks auserlesener cabinets-thaler,
Wetzlar, 1734. 175 pp. sm. folio.) <
In the foregoing pages I have briefly sketched the history and character-
istics of all the contributions of Alchemy to the science of Numismatics that
I have met with in the course of my reading ; the works cited are chiefly in
my private library. Completeness either in detailing the individual coins, or
in enumerating them, is not claimed ; a further search in numismatic litera-
ture would in all probability reveal many more. In fact, after collecting the
I The mystic character of the piece is curiously HEI (Plat. Phaedr. 240, c, etc.) thus confirming the
manifested in the legends of the obverse, the signifi- reading TEPHETAI. But TEMNETAI, which de-
cance of which is not easily given in English without a notes felling trees, seems to be indicated by the device
tedious paraphrase. The floral device mav have an of the saw : the grammatical construction is unusual. —
allusion to the Greek proverb HAIg HAIBlA TEP- {Am. Jour, of Ntnnis., XXV, 9.)
•
•_•
TO NUMISMATICS. 35
foregoing material, I received from a correspondent the rubbing of an alchem-
ical piece, formerly belonging to Mr. Wm. Poillon of New York, and which I
will describe presently. This piece is one not known to the writers I have
quoted, and this circumstance led me to entertain a hope that I might
possibly find other medals and coins of hermetic origin in the great treasuries
of Europe. A clue afforded by Bauer, especially directed me to the Imperial
Cabinet of Coins in Vienna. But first, I may note that inquiries made in
person at the Coin Department of the British Museum, and that of the
National Library in Paris, were entirely fruitless. The gentlemen in charge
received me with great courtesy, but had no knowledge of alchemical coins,
and much less preserved specimens. Inquiry, also, for Reyher's book, being
the authority on the subject up to 1692, developed the fact that it was not to
be found in either of the above far-famed institutions.
At Vienna, however, my request to see the VVenzel Seyler medallion
was promptly granted, and further queries led to the exhibition of three
handsome specimens of alchemical coins. Through the kindness of the
Director of the Cabinet of Coins, I was permitted to have made plaster
moulds of the three pieces ; these were prepared by the workman of the
Imperial Cabinet in the highest style of art. Carrying these moulds with me
to London, the Head Keeper of Coins kindly allowed me to avail myself of
the skilled electrotyper of the British Museum for the preparation of fac simi-
les. These I had made in duplicate, presenting one set to the British
Museum, and carrying away the other for my private use. One of these
pieces is of gold, or what purports to be gold, and two are of (pseudo)
silver. One of the latter was known to Reyher and is figured in his oft-
quoted book.
XXXVI. The medal of which I have a rubbing has the following char-
acters :
Obverse, A figure of Saturn as Chronos, having a scythe over his right
shoulder, and dragging behind him Mercury, whose caduceus has fallen in
front. Above Saturn, the sun and rays piercing the clouds. Over Mercury,
the words: sine me nihil. (Without me nothing [can be accomplished.])
36 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
In the sun's rays, per me (Through me), and above: tandem (At last).
In front of Saturn: si volvero (If I should be changed). The significance
of these symbols is plain ; remembering that Saturn is lead, Mercury quick-
silver, and the sun gold, they have reference to the transmutation of mercury
to gold by the aid of lead and of heat (per me in the sun*s rays).
The reverse shows a large triangle surrounded by flames issuing at right
angles to its three sides ; within the triangle is a figure made by combining
the symbols of sulphur ^, salt 0, and mercury $, over which is the symbol of
gold ©. Above this, and within the triangle, are the words: trinum in uno
(Three in one). On the edge of the piece (writes my correspondent) is the
following inscription : A star of seven pellets, with the words : dum $ cornua
]) ASSUMiT soror FIT MATER FRATRi suo © (Whilst I was mercury the
silver [moon] takes her horns, and the sister becomes the mother to gold her
brother), and following this a little tablet with the letters f. k. The piece
itself is of tin or pewter and in fine condition; it measures 35 mm, in diame-
ter. It bears no date, but is apparently not very ancient. The theory that
bodies are compounded o( three principles, to wit; sulphur, salt and mercury,
prevailed from the middle of the fifth century to the middle of the eighteenth,
though it was modified in the latter period by the introduction of Phlogiston.
XXXVII. Taking up the' fac similes in chronological order, the oldest,
though bearing no date, can be assigned to the period between 1581 and
161 9, since it bears the name of Francis II, Duke of Saxony.
This is of silver, or some white metal resembling it, and measures 68 mm.
in diameter. The obverse is almost wholly taken up with inscriptions arranged
within and without a central triangle ; several in concentric circles ; in the
corners of the triangle are fireballs, a naked man and a salamander, and
centrally another small circle.
t FRANCISCVS • II • n : G : SAXOM^. ANGARIyE ' VVESTPHALI/t:. ET : HADELERI^ * DVX
PROPITIO DEO SECVRVS AGO | ShMPLICITAS ET RECTVM TVVM | RVTA VIRESCET
DEO SIBI ET PROXIMO
MIRABILIS DEVS EST IN OPERIBVS SVIS
SAPIENTIyE DIVINE MVNVS | TANDEM | O
POSVI TIRI PVNCTVM ET REDVCAM TE
TO NUMISMATICS. 37
It is difficult to translate with certainty the medieval Latin on this piece,
but it may perhaps be rendered as follows :
(Francis 11, by the grace of God, Duke of Saxony, Engern, Westphalia, and Hadeln.
God being favorable, I act in safety. Simplicity and thy justice [prevailing] the rue [the
national emblem] shall flourish. For God, for himself and for his neighbor. God is wonderful
in His works. Gold is at length the gift of divine wisdom. I have set a mark for thee and
will bring thee back.)
The reverse has the following words, also arranged in similar style,
but within the central triangle two arms issue from clouds, their united hands
clasping an upright sword, which itself is surrounded by flames.
^ GLORIA • IN • EXCELSIS * DEO * ET * IN * TERRA ' PAX HOMINIBVS * BONiE ' VOLVNTATIS :
^ TRIA • SVNT • MIRABILIA : DEVS ' ET * HOMO : MATER ' ET ' VIRGO : TRINVS ' ET ' VNVS :
lEHOVA • VERBVM * CARO ' FACTVM. ' EST ' ZEPHIRIS * SFIRANTIBVS * MESSIAS ' S * SPIRITVS.
IRA PLACATA.
HOMO.
(^ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, to men of good will. ^ Three things are
marvels, God and man. Mother and virgin. Threefold and one. Jehovah. The word has been
made flesh. Zephyrs blowing. Messiah. Holy Spirit. Anger appeased. Man.)
The characters above the word homo are not cut with sufficient
distinctness to be indentified, and are given here as closely as possible with
type. In His tor isc hen Remarques iiber die neuesten Sac hen in Eur op a,
(Hamburg, 1702, etc.), this is described at p. 179. The writer says the first
may mean the tables of the Law, (the conventional representation of which it
evidently resembles) the centre character the world, and the last the chalice
of the New Testament ; and in view of the inscription this seems as satis-
factory an explanation as can be offered. The first character is not recog-
nizable as an alchemical symbol, the second is antimony, and the third calx,
or lime. This Medal is also described in M. Christian SchlegeFs Biblia in
38 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
Nummis, Jena, 1703, (p. 346) who however doubts its being alchemical.
(Quoted by David L. Walter, loc. cit^ See plate.
Reyher describes a variety of this ** thaler piece,*' so called, (and illus-
trates it at page 18,) which has the well-known chemical symbols © ^ $ of
sulphur, salt and mercury, but otherwise seems to conform exactly to our
plate. Historischen Remarques, p. 129, also has an engraving, and the piece
is further briefly mentioned by Kohler and Madai (No. 1282).
XXXVIII. (Medal of 1675.) — This has the appearance of a piece of
silver hammered into shape by an unskilled hand ; the marks of the hammer
are clearly seen on its faces, and the edge is turned over till it projects slightly
on the circumference. It measures 66 mm. in diameter. The obverse has a
representation of Saturn as Chronos or Time, with a flowing beard and com-
mon garments; he holds a scythe in his right hand, the blade of which passes
above and behind his head. He has, as often portrayed, one wooden leg.
In his left arm he supports a naked infant. On his left a house and a lofty
tree ; on his right rising ground and another tree ; at his feet grass and
flowers. No inscription. This design is not stamped as by a die, but is
drawn on the face by some sharp-pointed instrument.
The reverse has a few simple scrolls and the words in five lines in script
characters: anno 1675 mense julio | ego j. j. becher doctor | hanc unciam
ARGENTI FINISSIMI | EX PLUMBO ARTE ALCHYMICA | TRANSMUTAUI. (In the month
of July, 1675, I, Doctor J. J. Becher, transmuted by hermetic art this ounce
of purest silver from lead.) See plate.
This inscription is of the highest interest, as it directly associates this
medal with the eminent German chemist Dr. Johann Joachim Becher, Profes-
sor of Medicine in Mainz, and physician to the Elector. Born in 1635 at
Spires, he was self educated, but his talents gained for him many positions of
honor. At one time he resided in Munich, where he had an excellent labora-
tory ;' later in Vienna, and still later in Holland. In 1681 he traveled in
England, examining the mines and smelting works of Cornwall. He died in
1682, according to some authorities, in London. He was the author of thirty-
seven or more works, the most celebrated being that usually known as
TO NUMISMATICS. 39
Physica Subterranea, (Frankfurt, 1669) ; a later edition of this, published at
Leipzig in 1703, has a long introduction by George E. Stahl. In this joint
work the doctrine of Phlogiston is promulgated, a theory that controlled
chemical science for more than a century.
Although possessed of no mean attainments in science, Becher was a
firm believer in alchemy, and labored and wrote much on the transmutation
of metals. In the same year as that of the medal in question (1675) he
published an Essay on the possibility of transmutation, dedicated to Emperor
Leopold. At this time and for two years previously he was much occupied
with alchemy; in 1673 he made a proposition to the States General of Hol-
land to manufacture for the government one million thalers per annum, above
all costs, by operations on sea-sand, of which there certainly is no lack on the
coast. He maintained that the sand fused with certain ingredients, to which
were added one mark of silver, yielded uniformly one as of gold, and stated
that by operating on one million marks of silver daily, the above named profit
could be secured. This proposition was favorably considered by the govern-
ment, which granted him a premium and a percentage. Ir\ 1679 an experi-
ment was made, whereby one mark of silver yielded six as of gold. But
notwithstanding this fortunate result, the project was never carried out, and
Becher soon after left the countr}^ In justice to this chemist, it should be
stated that he himself said he preferred science itself to all gold. To the
circumstances connected with the medal in question, I have not as yet found
any reference in those of his works at my disposition.
XXXIX. ( 1 716.) — The third of the fac simile pieces is of (suppositious)
gold, and is a handsome piece of workmanship, the figures and letters being
in high relief.
Obverse, A large figure of Saturn resting on clouds, with the head
of the radiant Sun, and holding a scythe in his right hand and an hour-
glass in his left. On the clouds to his left is the symbol of lead T7. The
legend, surrounding this device and near the edge, is aurea progenies
PLUMBO PROGNATA PARENTE. (A goldcn offspring begotten of its parent
lead.)
40 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
Reverse, No ornaments whatever, and the following long inscription in
letters of uniform size :
METAMORPHOSIS | CHYMICA | SATURNI IN SOLEM | ID EST, | PLUMBI | IN AURUM, | SPECIATA
(ENIPONTI, I 31 DECEMBRIS MDCCXVI. | PROCURANTE : SERENISSIMO | CAROLO PHILIPPO | COMITE
PALATINO RHENI | S : [aCRI] R : [OMANi] I : [mPERII] ARCHIDAPIFERO ET ELECTORE | BAVARIiE,
lULIyE, CLIVIyE | ET MONTIUM DUCE, | TYROLIS GUBERNATORE ETC., ETC., | ATQUE IN HAC MONETA |
AD PERENNEM REI MEMORIAM | ARCI AMBROS ET | POSTERITATI DONATA. (The chemical mCta-
niorphosis of Saturn into Sol, that is, of lead into gold, seen at Innsbruck, December 31st,
1 7 16, at the hands of his highness Charles Philip, Count Palatine of the Rhine, of the Holy
Roman Empire, Chamberlain and Elector of Bavaria, Duke of Julich, Cleves and Berg, Gover-
nor of the Tyrol, etc. And a coin in this [/. e, struck in metal resulting from this metamor-
phosis] is given as a perpetual souvenir of the transaction to the Castle of Ambros and to
posterity.) See plate.
This inscription gives all that we have of its history ; the Castle of
Ambros was renowned in the last century for its extensive and valuable
collections of curiosities, many of which are still preserved in Vienna. The
hexameter on the obverse, Aurea progenies, etc., was first used, as we have
stated, by the Emperor Ferdinand III in 1650.
Since collecting most of the preceding material, I have received a kind
letter from Dr. Hans Riggauer, Director of the Royal Bavarian Cabinet of
Coins, Munich, communicating a list of the alchemical medals in possession
of the Collection ; to this we have already referred, and we here add brief
notes of additional medals named in his letters, Nos. XL to XLIII.
XL, A pest-medal. Obverse : St. George and the Dragon. Reverse, A
monogram, etc., and an inscription with the symbols 5 and cJ.
XLL A medal of lead, size of a double thaler. Obverse. In an inner
circle the sun surrounded by the signs $ ? © c? If b C» and the inscription
(translated) : this thaler is manufactured of seven metals. Reverse. An
inscription declaring that ''These metallic and mercurial materials are worn
by men as protection against rheumatism and erysipelas."
XLII. A small, thick medal of lead. Obverse, A hexagram with the
letters A D O N A I in the corners ; in the central hexagon the characters
6 O D 'if • Reverse. A pentagram with alchemical and mystical characters.
ALCHEMICAL MEDALS.
TO NUMISMATICS, 41
XLIII. A medal of tin. Obverse, A miner at work, surrounded by
sixteen alchemical characters. Reverse, An inscription of ten lines. (See
Appel, 4038.)
It is obvious from even these brief descriptions, that Nos. XL to
XLII, and possibly XLIII, fall in the class of talismanic medals, and the
alchemical symbols so-called are of purely astrological significance.
XLIV. The alchemical signs ? ([ b» copper, silver and lead, on a coin
of George II of Hanover, struck in 1740, and which bears a view of a mine,
are probably used to denote the metals found there.
In speaking of No. X, page 17, it was mentioned that the alchemistic
sign 5 is sometimes used to denote the day of the week (Wednesday): it is
also used to denote the month of September on some of the celebrated
Glocken-thaler y or Bell thalers, struck at Braunschweig- Liineburg in 1643 •
and the symbol 7/ occasionally denotes Thursday. (Madai, 1144 and 1145).
In Mr. William T. R. Marvin's superb volume The Medals of the
Masonic Fraternity described and illustrated (Boston, 1880, privately printed) ,
will be found a medal bearing planetary signs [No. CCCCXLIV, on page
1 79] , and several with astronomical emblems.
Besides the coins and medals made from hermetic gold and silver, there
were many other evidences of alchemical skill not less reliable and pleasing.
Having no intention, however, of reviewing the history of transmutations in
general, we can only allude to a few of these visible and precious proofs of
the mystic art. Early in the 17th century, Michael Sendivogius of Poland
played a successful role as alchemist in many parts of Europe, receiving
special favors from crowned heads and wealthy noblemen. In 1604 he went
to Prague and was cordially received by Emperor Rudolph II, a devotee of
alchemy ; Sendivogius presented a morsel of the philosopher s stone to the
Emperor, who made a transmutation with his own hands ; delighted with his
success, Rudolph caused to be placed on the wall of the room of the castle in
which the event occurred, a marble tablet inscribed as follows :
FACIAT HOC QUISPIAM ALIUS
QUOD FECIT SENDIVOGIUS POLONUS !
42 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCHEMY
(Let any other do what Sendivogius the Pole has done.) This tablet was still
to be seen in position as late as 1 740. Sendivogius was given the title of
Counsellor of State, and honored with a medal of the Emperor. (Lenglet
du Fresnoy, Histoire de la philosophie hermetique, Paris, 1 741 , Vol. I, p. 339.)
On another occasion Sendivogius delighted the King of Poland, Sigis-
mund II, by transmuting a silver medal into gold without injuring the orna-
mentation ; this he did by merely heating the medal red hot and dipping it
into a solution of the ** powder " in alcohol. Borel, in his Antiquites Gauloises,
relates that he saw this crown piece in Paris, and he describes it as ** partly
gold, so far only as it was steeped in the elixir, and the gold part was porous,
being specifically more compact than in its former state in silver ; there
was, moreover, no appearance of soldering nor any possibility of deception."
(JAorhoiy Bpistola ad yoel Langelottum. Hamburgi, 1673, p. 150.)
A certain Lascaris, whose movements were mysterious in the extreme and
who generally remained incognito, is credited with a remarkable feat in
Vienna. On the 20th July, 17 16, before a number of important personages,
in the palace of the Commander of the Fortress, Lascaris transformed a cop-
per pfennig into silver by plunging it into a certain liquid. This was testified
to in legal form by many dignitaries of the Church and of the State.
The Scotch alchemist, Alexander Sethon, in 1602, made a projection for
his host, James Haussen, a poor sailor; some of the gold he gave to Dr.
Vanderlinden, a reputable physician, who engraved on it the date of the
transmutation, March 13th, 1602, at four o'clock; this piece was seen in the
hands of the Doctor's grandson by George Morhof. The same Sethon is
credited with another transmutation for a Frankfurt merchant named Coch,
with whom he lodged, and from the gold thus obtained shirt buttons were
manufactured. (Th. de Hoghelande, Historiae aliquot transmutationis metal-
licae, Coloniae, 1604.)
In many families of Germany, heirlooms, such as the buttons just named,
were treasured and handed down to younger generations as mystical emblems
of a lost art ; such was the buckle, half silver and half gold, received from an
unknown adept by Baron von Creuz of Homburg in 17 15; such were the
rO NUMISMATICS, 43
silver guldens transmuted to gold by Count Caetano, in the city of Berlin
(1705) ; such, too, was the drinking-cup belonging to the Countess Sophie
von Erbach, which was changed from silver to gold by an unknown visitor in
her castle ; such also were the rings and buttons preserved by the Giildenfalk
family as a souvenir of the skill of an adept in 1755.
Those who believed and would persuade others to believe in the trans-
mutations of metals, were further wont to recall the enormous riches of many
reputed followers of Hermes, discovered usually after their death. Augustus,
Elector of Saxony, who made projections with his own hands, at his death in
1580, left seventeen millions of rix dollars in the treasury; Rudolph II of
Germany, already often alluded to, left at his death in 1680, eighty- four
hundred weight of gold and sixty hundred weight of silver, products of
hermetic art. At the same time the professed makers of gold invariably
demanded from their credulous patrons, or from the public, large sums of
gold itself, ostensibly for the preparation of the wonder-working "tincture,"
though actually it was consumed in the maintenance of ostentatious and
extravagant living.
The establishment of a truly scientific spirit of inquiry, and the progress
of a rational chemistry at the close of the last century, exposed the preten-
sions of alchemy, and deprived the charlatans of their power over the masses.
The manufacture of coins and medals to commemorate fraud and legerdemain
ceased, yet this century is not wholly without its harmless claimants of
alchemical knowledge and power.
In 1843 a curious work appeared in Paris, by a manufacturer of cloths
of one of the southern provinces, who undertook to teach in nineteen lessons
the secret of transmutation. Fran9ois Cambriel, the author of this '' Cours de
philosophie hermetique',' made the following magnificent offer:
**We therefore offer 25,000 francs for each thousand francs loaned, pro-
vided the person loaning the money will grant us his confidence and will
furnish 6,000 francs (a sufficient amount to complete our discovery), to be
paid in seventeen payments, one every month except the first, which shall be
of 1,200 francs." Then follows his address, and it is rather significant that
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