'Those with S C only in laurea on the reverse, are too co’mon and of little value, unless of Otho. The lower Empire are not worth buying in generall. I have a good number of them, but bought them with others. As I remember I noted some of them that are Scarce in the Catalogue of your Watchmakers sent to Venice. While I am on this Article, I must not forgett to acquaint you that Medalls wth Punick or the old Phoenician Characters, are sought after. I had two from you in Silver, and one Brass, very fair in the first parcell, that were very acceptable to my Lord Pembroke who engag’d me in this Study. Those with Samaritan Characters are also valued by others, some disputes being among the learned on their accot. I have about 40: wth Arabick letters, most of the Caliphs, and should be glad to increase their number, learning a Gentln in ffrance, is about writing a History of them by their Medalls, as Monsr Vaillant has the Ptolemies and Seleucids.
...
As to the Catalogue of Medalls transmitted wth yours of the 8th June, I cannot make so near a judgment of them, as of your former, for want of the Reverses to the greatest part, but I believe you offer’d for them as much as they can be worth, unless they be very fair, and the Reverses remarkable. There are of them 9 Kings, most of them very Co’mon; 28 Imperiall Greeks, 17 Lattine, and 25 of the Lower Empire, Aelia Eudocia rare, the rest not worth above a parà a piece.
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I gave you an acct of my misfortune, whilst I was at my Country house last May, which is much greater than and thou know of. Somebody gott into my Studdy (whether by the Door or Windows I know not) and carry’d off what money they found, with 428 Small Silver Medalls, 41 Medaillons, five Brass Othos, with severall others they thought were silver. This disgrace, wch wou’d have cur’d anothers folly increases mine, tho I have no prospect of ever being able to gett so good a Collection again.'
(Royal Society, MS 256/763; Burnett 2020b, p. 612-14)