Post Your Favorite Ancient Coin Book

As often as I have gone public with my dislike for collecting by catalog number I really like the RIC text and footnotes that too many people ignore in their quest for a catalog number. I would love to see the editors of RIC publish a one volume book consisting of the RIC chapter heads and non catalog part for the people who want to learn about coins and not spend the $1000++ for the set.

 

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One of my favorite ancient coin books:



It is easy to read and showcases some of the most artistic Greek coins with commentary on what makes them special. I have been on the lookout for coins from this book for years, some are accessible and some are very rare and/or expensive. Here is one I found a few years ago:


The book pages:





For an old thread on coin books check out:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/post-your-favorite-coin-book-and-related-coin.281606/

John

 

@Carausius , I could use a couple dozen for Saturnalia from you...


(I really abhor the pricing calculation Amazon creates...)

I have been trying to get this, but the lowest Amazon price is still $517...

 

@Alegandron , you can get reprints cheaper than that (at the expense of plate quality). However, first editions (with the best quality plates) in good condition tend to cost about 800USD these days. Also, when buying numismatic books, please try to patronize the specialist numismatic booksellers - Kolbe & Fanning, Charles Davis, Douglas Saville, etc. Amazon doesn't really need your business, but the specialist numismatic booksellers really need it!

 

Thank you! Yes, I do patronize the Specialists... My wife works for Amazon, so the Amazon site seems to always be up on the pc. Besides, the $4k+ price was RIDICULOUSLY amusing...

 

A favorite book can be just as hard as a favorite coin! It can be difficult to choose for many reasons, but perhaps my overall favorite is Confessions of a Numismatic Fanatic, by Frank Robinson, 1992. Its a general work and touches on everything from ancient to modern. A wonderful read, and I would hope that everyone would find a copy, about $10 on Amazon. I've read it many times over the years. It's so readable and relatable. Honestly, get a copy. You wont be disappointed.

 

I also have a copy. It was a great read.

 

My Favorite is Dumbarton Oakes Catalog Volume IV, Michael Hendy was the primary author and he included all known types, not just the Museum's holdings.

And guess what! All 5 volumes are now free. So regardless of your time period of Byzantine coins they got you covered.


https://www.doaks.org/research/publ...collection-and-in-the-whittemore-collection-1https://www.doaks.org/research/publ...collection-and-in-the-whittemore-collection-2
https://www.doaks.org/research/publ...collection-and-in-the-whittemore-collection-3
https://www.doaks.org/research/publ...collection-and-in-the-whittemore-collection-4
https://www.doaks.org/research/publications/books/catalogue-of-the-byzantine-coins-in-the-dumbarton

 

On your and @Al Kowsky's recommendation I just ordered myself a copy of Coinage in the Roman Economy as a Christmas present. I found a used one on eBay for $26.99...with free shipping!

 

I really enjoyed it. I know @Ken Dorney is reading or read it. It really puts Roman currencies in perspective. No, it is not a coin book yeah, several coins are featured. Rather it puts the whats, whys, and hows about coins in view of the Roman Economy changing over its history.

 

Also things of great interest that I'm reading now:

- Il fenomeno della moneta in tomba di epoca medievale nell' Italia nord-occidentale: significati, continuita e rinnovamento di un rito, a BA of Valentina Fio from Universita Ca'Foscari di Venezia

- The circulation and use of coins in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem 1099-1291, a doctoral thesis by Robert Kool of Hebrew University Jerusalem

- Les emissions monetaires de Charles dit le Mauvais e Evreux (1356-1361), J. C. Moesgaard, Revue numismatique Tome 154

And always useful as catalogs:

- Catalogue general illustre et a prix marques de monnaies francaises (provinciales) de Boudeau

- Monnaies feodales de France by Poey d'Avant

 

I’ve been looking for a cheap copy. I even asked Frank if he’d sell me one but said his stock is long gone.

 

Earlier this year I got a new copy from an MA-Shop dealer in France for something like $200 plus $40 in shipping. Arrived safely and it was the English language version. Since then they’ve had copies a few times. Keep checking. They go quickly.

 

Kenneth Harl is a real treasure and is very approachable. My most used books is the Dunbarton Oaks Catalog of Byzantine Coins. I bit the bullet on that one about fifteen years ago. I first go to David Sears Byzantine Coins and Their Values. Then I go to DOC. For Alexandrine coinage, Price's book is my favorite. For 18th Century British Provincial tokens I go to the Dalton and Hamer catalog.

I have a working library of several hundred numismatic books. Hard to pick a favorite, kinda like picking your favorite child. As a working numismatist, I need a very diverse library I can grab off of my shelf. I have been trying to cull out the books I don't use anymore. Will probably donate those to a non-profit org to use as a fundraiser. Our coin club is a 501c.3 tax deductions help, and others get a chance to pursue their hobby.

We are very lucky today that we have so much info on the internet, what a resource.
I love this hobby and the journeys it has taken me on.

Cheers to all

 

This book is by no means my favorite book on ancient coins but I bought a copy of it last year & found it a great read: The Secret Roots of Christianity, Decoding Religious History with Symbols on Ancient Coins. by David Wray. The book is a hefty 723 pages & illustrated with hundreds of coins from Wray's collection. All the illustrations are black & white but very high quality. David Wray presently teaches at River University in Nashua, NH, & won the highest literary award from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Wray has an encyclopedic knowledge of ancient history, world mythologies & ancient coins. Wray has adroitly woven a story of mysterious ancient religions that influenced & impacted Christianity. His conclusion is highly controversial & offensive to many Christians, so this book may not be for everyone. I must admit I'm not a Christian & embrace no organized religion, so I had no problem digesting the contents of this book. If you are saturated with standard catalogs & books on ancient coins including all the coffee table books & have an open mind you will probably enjoy this book.

 

Great thread, I just bought Franks Robinsons book and David Wray's book, the Wray book was very affordable..

 

Excluding the catalogues I use everyday, I would rank this fantastic book near the top of my list.

 

I have a huge library of books dealing coinage/ banknotes.

Here is a great book by Chris Rudd on Iron Age Briton Celtic Coinage...i love this book. Every known Celtic coin is shown/ gives detailed info on each coin. Great value.