You probably know Francesco Petrarca (aka Petrarch) lived from 1304 until 1374. You, also, probably know him (from school History and Literary classes) as an Italian scholar, poet and Renaissance Humanist, therefore he is reknown throughout the world as the "Father of Humanism." You may even know he was the first person to refer to the "Middle Ages" as the "Dark Ages." Well, Numismatic historians believe him to be the "Father of Coin Collecting." We know many early mints retained samples of their coinage manufacture AND just about every kingdom maintained vaults filled with their own and foreign coinage. Kings, during special yearly events, tossed handfuls of coins into the crowds who amassed at the event or lined the roadways to and from the event. but Petrarch is believed to be the first non-noble person to amass coins as a collection. Petrarch traveled extensively throughout Italy and neighboring countries of Europe, and during those trips he acquired circulating coins of the realms. Several of those coins were retained by him, and, over time, Petrarch began wondering about the coins making up his accumulation. As he reentered previously visited areas, he sought information about the coins in his possession and began securing denominations he didn't already have. By asking questions, he learned whose likness was on each coin, who minted the coin, and the denomination. In due time his fascination and knowledge of coins became well-known. Petrarch wrote in a letter that he was often approached by vinediggers, who,while tilling cleared fields, unearthed old coins, asking him to buy them or to identify the images on them. Antiquity scholars believe Petrarch was, also, the first coin collector to present coins as a viable gift of history because in 1355 he presented a collection of Roman coins to Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor. Thought you'd like to know...do you? Clinker
Great historical info Clinker:high5: It seems Petrarch was also technically the world's first world coin collector. A rare breed here in CT.
Great post! We have to be careful though: the early Renaissance was characterized by a profound interest in Classical antiquities, an interest that led to organized collection and study of relics from that period --including coins. There certainly would have been many others diligently studying the coins they collected, and certainly some preceding Petrarch, (and that's just within the early Renaissance.) Petrarch did not really gift Emperor Carolus IV with a "collection" of Roman silver and gold coin, in that winter of 1355 in Mantua. The word "selection" is more honest, as it was all somewhat spur of the moment. In Petrarch's Familiarum rerum libri, he describes how Carolus IV had sought in vain for an advance copy of the author's unfinished De viris illustribus, and how Petrarch scrambled for something else he could give, to wit: "aliquot sibi aureas argenteas que nostrorum principum effigies minutissimis ac veteribus literis inscriptas, quas in delitiis habebam, dono dedi in quibus et Augusti Cesaris vultus erat pene spirans. ‘Et ecce,’ inquam, ‘Cesar, quibus successisti; ecce qus imitari studeas et mirari.’" "some gold and silver images of our princes, inscribed with tiny, ancient legends, which were dear to me, among which was an image of Augustus that seemed to breathe. “Behold, Caesar,” I said, “those you have succeeded; behold those you should strive to imitate and revere." Petrarch did provide the emperor with a written summary of the histories of the various Caesars, whose effigies appeared on the gift coins, which is proof enough of numismatic scholarship. Petrarch described himself as a sort of 'local coin-geek'. to whom farmers often referred finds that they had plowed up (no doubt hoping to sell them to Petrarch).He was just like many of us, a rabid coin collector, though his interests and scholarship ranged far abroad of just numismatics. While he may not have been the first numismatist, nor even the first true numismatic scholar (brief references to coin collections and coin collecting go farther back, even to Classical times), his interest and his gift to the emperor subsequently caught the public fancy, elevating coin collecting to a noble pursuit that Kings and commoners alike could indulge in, or at least pretend at. Petrarch's coin collecting "made the news", at a time when everything in Europe seemed to be starting from scratch. His passion for coins inspired widespread emulation by others. Thus is Petrarch the "father of numismatics". h.
Clinker you have surpassed yourself :thumb: If you were to go far enough back into the CT archives you would find an old Trivia question I posted - when was the first printed book on numismatics published ? I think most would be surprised by the answer, it was shortly after the printing press was invented - 1511. And, this may be even more surprising - it was written by a woman. You can read more about it - HERE
I want to thank those who nominated this post. I want to thank horge for the addendum, though the addendum is much larger than my trivia. And it felt very good to hear (via reply posts) from members I never heard from before. Finally thank all of you for reading and commenting... Clinker
VERY interesting thread! Thank you Clinker for the fascinating read, and thanks to horge and GD for your information also!! :thumb: Phoenix
Yes, sir. That was another excellent example of your unselfish desire to share your hobby with your fellow collectors. I admire you, sir. Your kind are few, and far between.
USS656: A big T H A N K S! Phoenix21: Good to read your comment. jody526: Wow! Makes me feel warm "all over." Clinker
To horge I didn't say that as a negative thing...A trivia usually points out one interesting fact or suppositioon about one subject. I, often, produce longer articles because I discover more than one ibteresting aspect about the subject. What you added to the subject enhanced it, for which I render my appreciation... Clinker
