'circa Numismata praecipue mane cum Patricio Junio et Nathaniele Hallo, mere Graeca, et Romanoru’ Imperatorum cum Graecis inscriptionibus in utroque ambitu partis anticae et posticae &. Pomeridiano etiam cum Nathaniele Hallo circa Numismata Romana praecipue &. Et dum inter farraginem fusilatorum et fucatoru’ Numismatum disquirebamus, repertus est antiquissimus et maxime indubius Julii Caesaris insolitae magnitudinis Nummus; in cuius parte antica Caesaris vultus graphice delineatus cernitur cum istis in ambitu vocabulis C IVLIVS CAES DICT PERPETVO. Et in parte antica [sic] haec in ambitus maiori spatio inscriptio BRITANNIA. et in media parte nummi S C id est Senatus Consultum. et inter illas literas effigies visitur cuiusdam stantis (Britanni procul dubio) in dextra quam porrigit coronam tenens, in sinistra pharetram, cuius pars inferior humo innititur &. Rarissimum hoc quantivis pretij Nummum (ad Historiam Britannicam tot adminicula conferentem) cimelia inter pretiosissima conservo, uti enim in Claudij Imperatoris penes me Numismate aureo et argenteo vocabula reperiuntur in postica parte DE BRITANNIA. Illa in superiori Arcus triumphalis parte reperiuntur; cuius etiam capitibus sive columnarum summitalibus binarum fixata sunt captivarum spolia quasi de Britannia domita et Imperio subdita Romano triumphasset Claudius. In hoc vero Caesaris Numismate, Britannus liber et sui iuris quasi Romanorum ea esset gens socia coronam Caesari tutelae et protectionis ergo deferre videtur. In Vespasiani Nummis me etiam penes aeneis visuntur Judaei captivi et colu’nae astricti sedentes cum inscriptione IVDAEA CAPTA. Innumera sane ex Nummis Antiquis (quorum maximam indulsit mihi Divina manus copiam) ad Historiae omne pene genus apprime conducentia fidem astruendam colliguntur. Imo plurima quae nullis Historicorum produntur monumentis, ex ipsis erui possint Numismatis: ut ex pulcherrimo me penes aeneo Nervae nummo de vehiculatione Italiae remissa &. Imagines etiam sive effigies ipsorum Imperatorum Augustaru’ suaru’ et aliorum inde eruuntur; et ex ipsis Nummis nostris Anglo- Saxonicis vetustis ego ipse prius aliquot ex elementis seulitis (?) eorum capitalibus prius didici et vidi.' (BL, Harley MS 484, ff.106v ff.; Burnett 2020b, pp. 540-1)
['Mainly on coins in the morning with Patrick Young and Nathaniel Hall, both the wholly Greek and of the Roman Emperors with Greek inscriptions on both circles of the obverse and reverse sides. In the afternoon still with Nathaniel Hall mainly on Roman coins. And while we were investigating among the mess of cast and false coins, a coin of exceptional size that was very ancient and completely unquestionable was discovered. On its obverse is visible the portrait of Julius Caesar, finely drawn, and with these letters around: C IVLIVS CAES DICT PERPETVO. And on the obverse213 is this inscription, around and with more ample spacing: BRITANNIA; and in the middle of the coin SC, i.e. Senatus Consultum (Decree of the Senate); and between those letters an image can be seen of someone standing (a Briton without any doubt), holding a wreath in his outstretched right hand and in his left a quiver, whose lower part is resting on the ground. This very rare coin of great value (which brings so much evidence for the History of Britain) I am keeping among my most valuable treasures, since similarly on my gold and silver coins of the emperor Claudius the words DE BRITANNIA can be found on the reverse. They are found on the upper part of the Triumphal Arch, whose capitals or column tops are attached trophies of two female captives, as if Claudius had triumphed over a Britannia which had been tamed and set under the Roman rule. In fact, on this coin of Caesar, the Briton, free and in his own right, seems to offer the wreath to Caesar, for keeping him safe and protecting him, as if his people were an ally of Rome. Furthermore, on bronze coins of Vespasian in my collection Jewish captives can be seen sitting chained to a column with the inscription JUDAEA CAPTA. There is really no limit to the number of prime contributions that can be made to demonstrate the truth of History of almost all sorts from ancient coins (plenty of which the Hand of God has blessed me with). Further, many things which are attested by no historical source can be derived from the very coins: just as from a very fine bronze coin of Nerva in my collection, which concerns the remission of the transport tax in Italy. The images and portraits of those Emperors themselves and their Empresses and of others are derived from here; and from our old Anglo-Saxon coins I myself have previously learnt and seen something previously from their subtle (?) and principal elements.' (translation from Burnett 2020b, pp. 540-1)]
