So my wife and I were driving through a small town in PA a couple of days ago and came across a used bookstore. We dropped in on a whim. They had a couple numismatic books, so I decided to buy them. The woman at the desk said she had more books in the back room if I wanted to see them. I said sure, and here's what I came away with... One of the more thorough histories of the Nabataeans in book form, Nelson Glueck's Deities and Dolphins. Anthology of lectures given at the University of Chicago on the philosophical and theological traditions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Hebrews. Crosby's 1875 treatise on Colonial Coinage. This work can be found in many modern reprints for cheap, but this is the 2nd edition 1948 reprint of which only 500 were made. Reinach's analysis of Jewish coins written in 1903. Most of the information in this book has been superseded by modern scholarship, but it's an interesting bit of numismatic historiography, and this is the 1966 reprint which is also collectable. A very well-written introduction to numismatics, tracing its history to ancient times. The sort of thing you would read as a beginner before the days of the internet. Kraay's AES Coinage of Galba. Extensive analysis and die study... Nice overview of Classical mythology. Looks like a freshman textbook in a Classics program. An extensive analysis and catalog of coins found in archeological explorations of Sardis. Vermeule's Numismatic Art in America. I have not read this book, although it's standard fare among collectors of US coins. It interests me because it traces numerous Greek and Roman sources as the inspiration for American engravers. A pamphlet-sized overview of Islamic coinage. Looks like it might have been an accompaniment to a Sotheby's catalog. It has the fabric of a catalog...
And last but not least is this 2006 edition of the Cambridge Dictionary of Classical Civilization. Only 996 pages. If I study one page per day, it'll only take 2.7 years.
You have to wonder how those books got to that store. If they bought a library of someone who would appreciate those books, there should have been more. They are not what you find on most amateur shelves. The exception is the Clain Steffanelli which was sold at museums and is a really good history of the hobby when it was the hobby of kings. Your copy appears to be ex-library. Congratulations.
That's a great collection of books, John! Some of them look like they may once have been public library books. You better make sure there are no outstanding dues or fines on them! LOL
JAZman, those are some good looking books and I'll bet you were fist pumping your way out of the store - SCORE! Books have been my primary passion for the last 20 years and I still actively collect, but not as aggressively as I once did. In my mid-20s I started understanding books (the value of) and have financed most of my collecting habits by bookscouting. I used to turn many books into a single good one, but lately I've been turning the books into coins - all my book buddies are aghast! I particularly like your Crosby "Early Coins of America" and I'm sure "The AES Coinage of Galba" is interesting. I wouldn't have passed on any of them. Numismatically, the best book I've found is Paid 9.98+tax and I could easily get 125 out of it. For the last few years I've kept my eyes open for Numismatic & Ancient History books, but they sure do seem pretty hard to come by out in the wild. If you haven't subscribed to the E-Sylum email list, put out by The Numismatic Bibliomania Society, I highly recommend it. It's sent once a week on Sundays and is always an interesting read. Visit the Main NBS page or subscribe to the e-mail list here If you have a few minutes to spare you can read about my best book find ever! (Be forewarned though it is not Coin related) Book Huntin’ on the Bayou Keep on bookin' and coinin' -d
