ThefirstthingtheInterviewerhadtodowastoaccountforhisvisitingapersonwhohadnotaskedtomakehisacquaintance，andwhowaslivingasarecluse。Hetookouthisbatteredcoppers，andshowedthemtoMaurice。
\"Iunderstoodthatyouwereveryskilfulinantiquities，andhadagoodmanyyourself。SoItookthelibertyofcallinguponyou，hopingthatyoucouldtellmesomethingaboutsomeancientcoinsI
havehadforagoodwhile。”Sosaying，hepointedtothecopperwiththenameofGallienus。
\"Isthisveryrareandvaluable？Ihaveheardthatgreatpriceshavebeenpaidforsomeoftheseancientcoins，——eversomanyguineas，sometimes。Isupposethisisasmuchasathousandyearsold。”
\"Morethanathousandyearsold，\"saidMaurice。