I wanted, and got, coin books for Christmas. Here is one spectacular book bought from Charles Davis (of vcoins). Portraits: 500 years of Roman Coin Portraits, by Anderas Pangerl (second edition) It is a massive book (10" x 11 1/2" x 1 5/8") which begins with 247 pages of large pictures of obverses of splendid ancient coins, arranged in chronological order (see the first three photos below), then 21 pages of spectacular reverses, then thirteen articles (picture 4. e.g. "From Nero to the Flavians" [in German], only the one on Septimius Severus is in English) on 166 pages with very many photos, 7 pages of English abstracts, and finally 1 1/4' photos of the reverses (photo 5) if they have not already be included earlier. All I can say is "Wow!" The second edition differs from the first in important ways. The first didn't have the reverse images and did not have English abstracts, which are included in the second by popular demand. It is an amazing book. Did anyone else get a coin book?
No coin books or even coins, just a giant chocolate coin but who can complaine about that. Awsome book btw
I enjoy WWII books as well, I am reading some of Laurence Rees books right now, one on Japan and the other on Germany. As for a good coin book, I did not get it for Christmas but I did pull it out today, I have not read it in a long time. "The Art of Coins and their Photography by Gerald Hoberman." The handful of plates in the book are beautiful. The book is from 1981 so pre-digital photography.
Valentinian, I bought a copy of the book from Harlan J. Berk when they first became available. The photos are breathtaking! I was fairly fluent in German 50 years ago & lost most of it , but going thru the book has restored much of what was lost . Anyone who appreciates Roman portraiture should have a copy of this important book regardless of your ability to understand German.
BenSi, I bought a copy of Hoberman's book many years ago from CNG. It's an excellent book with superb photos considering the time it was compiled, 1981. I attempted to duplicate his complex technique of photography at the time without success. Some of the coins he did photograph are uninteresting , however, the Gothic period examples are standouts .
Bought the "Art of Coins and Their Photography" off Amazon, used for $32. Hopefully it isn't in horrible condition. Going to pick up "500 Years of Roman Coin Portraits" when I can find it below 80, shipped. I need to stay off CT around Christmas. I'm just going to tell my wife it's a very thick auction catalog.
The second book I got is this one: I don't collect English coins, but I love reference works. This one is old--from 1973--but scholarly with 232 pages of text and 108 pages plates with photographs in B&W taken from casts of both sides of 773 coins. I have read on the first part so far. It reads well. It is an overview of coinage and not a collectors guide. No one else has posted a coin book as a Christmas present from this year. Am I the only CT member who got a coin book for Christmas?
Rather than a new book, I rebound an old book, which my wife paid for. Adm. Smyth's 1856 descriptive catalogue of the Duke of Northumberland's collection. I happen to own one of the coins described within! This photo of the completed job at the bindery:
When I was starting out in coin photography I read a great article in Grossbild International Photo Technik, number 4, 1970, on shooting coins with a 5x7 Linholf view camera. At the time I was shooting a lot of large format landscapes but not coins. Looking at that article now, I see all the important questions covered or what I call good digital photos minus those involving using Polaroid test photos to avoid wasting the terribly expensive film. Lighting considerations for coins are the same for film and digital. I never bought the Hoberman book and don't know what camera he used but the concept of paying attention to little details before you waste large format film is still recommended in these days of 'free film'. If you every have a chance to pick up that issue of Grossbild, I recommend it. It was the house magazine for Linholf camera, makers of the finest large format camera equipment. I still have my 4x5 from the late 1950's but have not used it with film for 30 years. Film was a fun period or me. Digital is better. In the film days, you could buy junky cameras that took junky pictures or great cameras that took junky pictures when used by people allergic to learning how to use them. Some things have not changed.
