John Law. Nummus ubi loquitur, 1714. B.127, B.XXIII. Unsigned. Silver. 32.3 mm. 162.0 gns. Obverse: Happy man smoking money and defecating same, the latter sprouting wings and flying away (the same die as B.126). The inscription suggests the cash is better in circulation than retained. Date in chronogram 1714. Reverse: Four line inscription of ambiguous import suggesting the necessity of wise discrimination (DISTINGUENDUM, not DISTINGVENDVM). Choice Very Fine. Neither Betts had seen one of these and both relied on Alexi's description. Benjamin correctly detected some of Alexi's errors of transcription and the identity of the obverses of his XXIII and XXIV. The reverse bears no reference to Law and its meaning is obscure. The obverse is dated 1714 and likewise makes no specific reference to Law. The reverse is struck over the reverse of B.126.
Ex Henry Christensen's sale of September 20, 1967, lot 296.
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