Featured Fitz's Medieval Book Review

metcalf is more an economic history than a catalogue

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

thank you for the insight! As I wrote, I haven’t read it, but this is good to know!

 

Faintich, Marshall. Astronomical Symbols on Ancient and Medieval Coins. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2008.
ISBN: 978-0786469154
Cost: $29.95



Grade: C

Since this book covers both Ancient and Medieval coins, I have decided to post this review under both of my book review threads. If you read it in one, don’t bother with the other as they are the same. However, the book focuses mostly on Medieval coins, with what appears to be a previous article or two written on Ancient coins interspersed. The reasoning given for this was because of the ability to calculate astronomical phenomenon to a greater degree of certainty in the Medieval period.

I am conflicted on this book (and hence the middling grade). Let me begin with the good qualities, and then end with my criticism. I think Faintich has tackled a subject which absolutely needs to be discussed more, particularly in the realm of Medieval coinage. It is all too easy for us in the modern age to ignore the night sky, or view astronomical phenomenon as merely curiosities, but these were very much viewed as important omens in the world for people in the past. Faintich’s expertise in Astronomy, and use of computer models to ascertain when eclipses occurred in the past (primarily the Medieval past), thus brings in the necessary technical information to help confirm Astronomical symbols present on coins. This is best shown in instances where a coin has a clear astronomical symbol, and was issued after a relevant astronomical event which coincided with an important event. The example of the liberation of Thebes in 379 B.C., and the addition of a crescent moon to Theban coins following a partial eclipse in 380 (hence not a moon, but a partially obscured sun symbol), shows this book at its best. (pgs. 37-8)

However, there are many flaws. Primarily, there is a lack of evidence to support much of the assertions made. While eclipses in particular can be determined through modeling, we can’t assume the people in the past always saw the eclipse (perhaps if there was a cloudy or rainy day), and so combining this with recorded sightings in the particular area of issue would make a stronger case. Faintich also seems to see an astronomical symbol is EVERY pellet, annulet, and mullet. While the first chapters attempt to make the connection between these design elements and celestial events, the evidence is lacking and shaky. So, subsequent chapters attempt to show the addition of annulets and pellets to every known celestial event, and any coin containing a pellet or annulet without a corresponding event is dismissed as an immobilized design. Faintich also favors the astronomical theories over older established theories with little other evidence to support his position. At times I felt the common refrain was “This old interpretation is incorrect, because of STARS.”

The evidence is often stretched to fit the narrative as well. At times it felt as if portions of the book had been shared with historians or other numismatist who pointed out a flaw in the argument, and so Faintich attempted to change the history to fit the theory. Perhaps the most egregious example of this is the attempt to fit the supernova of 1054 with Edward the Confessor’s ‘martlet’ issue, stating that these birds are the ravens which foretold the end of English kingship (which is laughable because the tower fo London where the ravens are kept did not exist in Edward’s time). (pgs. 95-96) Another, though less offensive example, is explaining the Champagne deniers as actually a comet, rather than a comb on a field (and then turning the coin 90 degrees to make it look more like a comet, despite the usual trend of the cross in the inscription beginning at the top of the coin design). The reasoning for this was simply dismissing the ability of the people of Champagne for understanding the pun for over 300 years, and that the ‘field’ only referred to the field on the coin (whereas I would maintain it was an actual field in relation to farming). (Pg. 65)

As such, this book has incredible potential, but I think it needed to be co-authored with an historian to help eliminate some of the shoddy theories. At one point I became so despondent that I decided to research the publisher to see if it was a vanity press (it’s not, but neither is it the most highly esteemed of academic presses). But some examples of clear astronomical design could be linked to coins which haven’t been yet discussed. In my brief search on the web, I did not see anyone make the connection between the Sundog witnessed by Edward IV at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross, which was interpreted as his right to rule as king. While the event took place in 1461, the first coinage reform Edward performed as king was in 1464. Among his reforms was the introduction of a new denomination (the Angel) whose initial design portrays a large sunburst on the reverse (but is missing in subsequent issues). This is a much clearer astronomical symbol than just an annulet or a pellet. So, the general concept of the work is good, but I think the book suffers from far too much confirmation bias.


A sundog (optical illusion where the sun appears in triplet in the sky), and the reverse of an Edward IV Angel issued in 1464 (SCBC 1967, image taken from the book)

 

Thank you for reviewing these books. I have been fortunate to have a good chunk of them and also been able to read some of these titles. It is great to read another opinion on these publications.

I am currently reading Grierson’s “Coins of Medieval Europe”. The rarity plus the mark up on price made it a 15 year long hunt.
I had previously read MEC’s 1,6,and 14 and one day will tackle Volumes 12 and 8 as our 3.5 year old keeps us very busy.

The more books you can read, the better you can piece the puzzle together.

Always on the book hunt and look forward to seeing more reviews.

 

Welcome to CoinTalk @L C! I feel your pain about Grierson - I still do not have a physical copy (I borrowed one from the ANA for my review). I have (most of) the MEC volumes and use them, but haven’t read them through yet. Feel free to include your own reviews to this thread if you’d like!

 

Thank you so much FitzNigel! Will do. Will have to dig through what you haven’t covered (you have covered a lot of them). It has been awhile since I read some of these books including using them.
I’m probably way too nice on reviews but will try my best. I am still pretty new to this group.

 

Feel free to review one I have already reviewed. As you say, it’s always good to have another opinion

 

And since this thread was revived, anyone have a lead on a good book or website for medieval coins from Frankfurt am Main? I’ve got a digital copy of Die Münzen von Frankfurt am Main by Joseph and Fellner, but would like something more recent and in English if possible. (I recognize this is a big ask, but thought I’d give it a shot...)

 

Medieval German is tough to find in the English language. I tried Metcalf’s Coinage of Southern Germany in the 13th Century but no results. However I did find 15 pages worth in Krause’s German coins 1501- Present. I do realize that it’s likely well past the “Medieval” time frame. Not sure if that helps.

Oh how I wish that we could get a new MEC book release.

 

He was one of the most prolific writers in medieval numismatic studies. He was the one who came up with the different classes of Anonymous Class A ( A2 to A3) Byzantine coinage, it was proven wrong at a later date but we still follow it in the coin collecting world ( Proven incorrect by one of his students)
He authored and co authored over 14 books on Medieval coinage. He was one of the greats, does not get the recognition he deserves.

 

agreed! It seems we had a nice stretch for a couple years there. It’s at least heartening to see that many are in preparation. At this point, I would at least be happy for volume 8 to come out in paperback

 

Welcome, @L C, and massive thanks, along with @FitzNigel, for (starting and) reviving this thread! I'd missed it the first time. @FitzNigel, I hope this doesn't come across as condescending --trust me, the opposite is true-- but this is very impressive. I'll be coming back here.

 

I hope it’s impressive - I’ve been at it for five years! Currently reading the de Witt catalogues.

 

Thanks @+VGO.DVCKS . Appreciate it.

@FitzNigel
I am curious to hear the de Witt books as I’m not familiar with them. Were they for Frankfurt am Main too?
I have been on and off reading for around the same. Very heavy reading and family keeping me busy. Always looking to see what’s out there and what’s available.

@BenSi
I do agree! Metcalf is one of the greats!

 

The de Witt catalogues were a series of three auctions from Kunker that sold the collection of William de Witt which was a very large and comprehensive collection of medieval coins. At the moment, it is probably the best visual reference for most medieval coins (but the scholarship is very questionable)

 

...Sorry for taking this long, having found this whole thread as late as I did, but here are a couple. In case any of these have been reviewed already, @FitzNigel's generous call-out for alternate evaluations is especially welcome. In place of pics, I'll just do my dimly remembered best at full citations, in very approximate MLA (--don't throw anything too ripe!) format.
When it comes to the thorny issue of grading, this will be about trying to take the authorial intent into account, along with the state of the research at the time of publication. After all, we're talking about medieval references here; thinner on the ground than ancient ones, pretty much across the board. ...The only grading I ever did was of weekly 101-level Philosophy quizzes, during my glory days as an undergrad (/second semester) 'department assistant' ...before abandoning the major. It was never about grading on a curve per se, but I did try to acknowledge the students' preexisting frames of reference.

Album, Stephen. A Checklist of Islamic Coins. Second ed. Santa Rosa, California: Album, 1998.
Grade: A (...Yep, staying with it.)
This is just what Album says it is --especially in this less than current edition, without plates, never mind subsequent revision of the text. Album frequently notes variants of given issues, otherwise without elaboration. But for the sheer scope of the polities he manages to cram into this, the net accomplishment, while less than 'comprehensive' (a rhetorical chimera, in numismatics as elsewhere) is remarkable. And the commentaries are unfailingly incisive, both in the prefatory matter and before the entries for given subseries and reigns. You get the distinct sense that, relative to Album's acquaintance with the material --likely unequalled in the western hemisphere-- the book's concision is an accomplishment on its own merits.
Crusafont i Sabater, M[iquel]. Acuñaciones de la Corona Catalano-Aragonesa y de los Reinos de Aragón y Navarra: Medioevo y tránsito a la Edad Moderna. Vol. IV of Las Monedas Españolas. Madrid: Vico, 1992.
Grade: A.
A thorough, reliable, and (...) thoroughly reliable reference for the coins themselves, illustrated throughout with photographs and line drawings.

(MEC vol. 6: ) Crusafont, Miquel, Balaguer, Anna M. and Grierson, Philip. The Iberian Peninsula. With a Catalogue of the Coins in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Vol.6 of Medieval European Coinage. Cambridge U P, (2013/) 2017.

Grade: A-. The coverage of everything except the Andalusian series (plural) is absolutely top-drawer. The extensive commentary isn't just incisive, and often cogent; it seamlessly combines historical and economic contexts with more formally numismatic ones, relating to weight, style and hoard evidence. No particular segment is credited to an individual author, but you get the resonant sense that for the aggregate subject, Grierson's colleagues were very much on his level.
The only limitations are due to those of the Fitzwilliam collection itself. This is especially evident in the Andalusian coverage. Particularly in reference to the Almoravids, entire reigns are unrepresented. For those, you really have to go elsewhere.
...But the true piéce de resistance of these is the last one.
Dumas-Dubourg, Françoise. Le trésor de Fécamp et le monnayage en Francie occidentale pendant la seconde moitié du Xe siècle. Paris: Bibliotéque Nationale, 1971.
(This needs a shout-out to Rémi Thieux, of rtnumis on Delcampe and ebay, who sold me his copy at his cost. --Inscribed, at my insistence.)
A+++; Michelin: Three Stars ...and you've got change left over for the gumball machine.
This is a phenomenal study of a no less phenomenal hoard. The 8,584 examples which could be recorded provide a panoramic view of French issues, siegneurial, ecclesiastic, and royal --comprising both early Capetian and Carolingian-- along with a broad range of contemporaneous English, Frisian and German coins. For any British equivalent, the Cuerdale Hoard has to be the first thing I can think of.
The photography is as state-of-the art for the time as it is comprehensive. Dumas-Dubourg (/Dumas)'s attributions and other commentary are no less resonantly so. Her familiarity with a kaleidoscopic and correspondingly arcane range of French numismatic literature (often from journals, many going back to the 19th century) is readily matched by her incisive interpretive syntheses of it. ...Meanwhile, her candor regarding the inexorable limitations of the extant research is refreshing. Often enough, she gives you a range of interpretive options ...and, ultimately, leaves you with them. Almost as if to say, 'I took you this far; from here, you're on your own.'

 

Finally finished reading it. I agree with your review.

The only other thing I would also add is that the book was released / published in 1991. Internet was technically around but very few people had it.

With new discoveries, findings and the advancement of the information super-highway, imagine the potential if this were published today.

Such an amazing feat that some of these books were so well written that they still hold their ground to this day!

It took me 15 years of searching for this book. This book is highly sought after and recommended by many which unfortunately commands a premium price. I’m glad that I was able to find one reasonably priced.

It was worth the wait.

 

Congrats @L C! And my own shout-out to @TheRed who just pointed me into the direction of getting a reasonably priced copy of this book too! You all are too kind on this forum

 

After the successful purchase of Bendall's book “The Later Palaeologan Coinage” from his library last year with many notes, corrections and additions by Bendall's hand, I did not even dream that it would be possible to purchase something like this again . Book from the Metcalf Library. Rather, a draft of his book, co-authored with David Hill "Sceattas in England and on the Continent" with a "million" of some notes, photographs, Metcalfe's personal correspondence ... someone to him - he to someone .….. It will take "a year" to see it all.

 

Very cool @VD76 , thats coin history. Excellent purchase.