Bargrave’s coins are now kept together with the collection also given to the Cathedral by Meric Casaubon (1599–1671). A catalogue of the two collections was made in the 18th century by Rev. Samuel Shuckford (1693/4– 1754), a prebendary of Canterbury and historian, and, although it gives an integrated list, he distinguished between the two collections. Shuckford’s notes indicate that the great majority of the Casaubon coins were Roman, with a few Greek, Anglo-Saxon and English medieval, as well as the Spanish and perhaps some Turkish pieces.
Shuckford observed:
'Dr Bargrave p 81 of his little written Account of his Rara antiqua &c. numbers his modern and ancient Medals of Gold, silver and Brass to be between 4 and 500. But I think those, to which his Name is put in the Catalogues before going, are about 674. Probably He had more than He had numbered exactly: or not having finished this little Book, he had wrote thus far of it, and afterwards added to his collections. However if Dr Bargrave gave the Church all the Coins mentioned in his Papers, We have since lost some of them.' (Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Lit MS E16c, pp. 129–30)
Shuckford was also critical of Bargrave’s recording:
'Dr Bargrave was very incurious in his Descriptions of his Coins and Medals. In his little Book p: 81 He says It. Titus Gold. It should be Tiberius. See the Coin p. 78 No 23. It is the Athens Owl with Minerva. See the Coin p. 2. No. 4. It is an Athenian Piece struck in Honour of Themistocles: The Inscription has the Appearance of Antique, particularly in the [ ] or in πδολυνικοι, instead of πολυνίκῳ the ω not being in use until after the Age of Themistocles. Dr Bargrave mentions next It Alexander with Bucephals Head, silver, ancient, and 3 Legs for Sicily. See his little Book p. 81. One would at first sight be at loss to know what Alexander & Bucephalus had to do with Sicily.'
(Burnett 2020b, p. 1195)
