Over the centuries Britain's soil has yielded countless spectacular hoards of ancient coins and other artefacts, affording us priceless insights into our ancestors' lives - and it is not only such large finds that await discovery but also many thousands of individual pieces. Wonderfully, discoveries both minor and momentous are frequently made not by teams of professionals but by amateur archaeologists and metal-detector enthusiasts, for whom this book is intended as a helpful companion. It provides a catalogue of commonly encountered coins, dating from ancient times until the modern day, explaining their historical context, how they might have come to be lost and where they may be found today.

The background to collecting military medals is inseparable from a study of history. The earliest British medals, as befits a nation for so long reliant upon naval strength for its independence, were issued to the Navy, beginning with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The first true campaign medals awarded to the Army followed the Battle of Waterloo, although many had been issued privately and unofficially before this. As one would expect for a country like Britain, with an outstanding imperial history dating to modern times, a vast field of military medals covering service in Africa, India, and China awaits the attention of the collector. There are, too, the collections relating to major wars, including the Crimean War, Boer War and the two World Wars. Colin Narbeth describes the medals awarded, and the actions which gave rise to special bars, ribbons and stars. Orders and decorations, including the Victoria Cross and the George Cross, both awarded for extreme valor, are described as are the naming of medals and display. As well as this wealth of background information, the author also details the aims to which a new collector should aspire, and discusses the pitfalls to guard against, including the problem of identification of forgeries. The volume is illustrated with numerous photographs selected by the author.

This new 7th edition offers an update to Maurice Bull's previous volume, with new varieties, corrections and rarity values. The arrangement is again done by monarch rather than denomination, and all Bull reference numbers are cross-referenced to the 5th edition. English Silver Coinage is a record of the major and many minor recognised types and die-varieties of English silver coins. This indispensable guide is truly the essential handbook for any collector of English silver coinage.

This brand new comprehensive guide - the first of its kind on English gold coinage - covers every type of English gold coin and includes many new varieties, along with current prices. The arrangement is by monarch, with accompanying Bull reference numbers cross-referenced to the Standard Catalogue of British Coins. The section on Provenances lists the instances of illustrations of coins and where they have appeared, potentially proving the existence of many rare examples or those only rumoured to exist. Rarity of the coins has also been looked at in light of current evidence. English Gold Coinage is a record of the major and many minor recognised types and die-varieties of English gold coins. This indispensible guide is truly the essential handbook for any collector of English gold coinage.

This book is a comprehensive guide, which will appeal to anyone with an interest in medal collecting. The book contains over 800 illustrations.

Can't make heads or tails out of coin collecting? You need "Coin Collecting For Dummies, 2nd Edition, " the treasure trove on information on numismatics. This hands-on guide escorts you through the world's oldest hobby, helping you decide which type of coins you want to collect, keep your collection in mint condition, buy and sell coins on the Internet, find interesting coin shows to attend, and assemble and diversify a great collection.

The purpose of this fun, easy-to-access guide is to turn you into a world-class coin collector in as little time as possible. You'll learn what coins can teach you about history and geography, develop organizational and observational skills, and learn to use analytical tools, all without event thinking about it. And you'll learn the basics about ancient coins, U.S. coins, world coins, and the wild-and-wooly stuff that really gets your numismatic juices flowing. Discover how to: Start your collection correctlyEvaluate coins using age, condition, rarity, and moreBuy interesting coins without breaking the bankLocate rare and expensive coinsGet savvy about avoiding fakesGet the whole family involved in your collectionDevelop a buying strategyClean and handle coins safelyKeep your collection secure at home and on the roadInvestigate tokens, medals, and miscellaneous coinsCreate complete collections of copper, nickel, silver, or gold U.S. coins

When it comes to numismatics, "Coin Collecting For Dummies, 2nd Edition" is right on the money

Coinage played a central role in the history of the Athenian naval empire of the fifth century BC. It made possible the rise of the empire itself, which was financed through tribute in coinage collected annually from the empire's approximately 200 cities. The empire's downfall was brought about by the wealth in Persian coinage that financed its enemies. This book surveys and illustrates, with nearly 200 examples, the extraordinary variety of silver and gold coinages that were employed in the history of the period, minted by cities within the empire and by those cities and rulers that came into contact with it. It also examines how coins supplement the literary sources and even attest to developments in the monetary history of the period that would otherwise be unknown. This is an accessible introduction to both the history of the Athenian empire and to the use of coins as evidence.

Galley Halfpence documents the arrival and circulation, in the Kingdom of England, of silver Soldini of the Republic of Venice between the years 1400-1416. These small coins are very common finds in the UK, and some articles and journal entries have been written on the subject. None have been put into stand-alone print, with most being online. This will be the first. It pulls together the story of the coin's arrival, using historical sources, but also an examination of the coins themselves, which are often overlooked, with a history of the denomination. There is also a detailed analysis of the finds data, using the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), and maps using the Geographic Information System (GIS) to map the finds and make conclusions based on the evidence. This book is of use to the academic, economic historians, amateur historians, numismatists (coin collectors) and metal detectorists who find these coins. Thus, containing something for everyone, with many pictures to make easy reading, but not too much that it makes it too informal. There is also interest to people from different countries. The book is in English, and the history of the coins in this country is testament to that. However, the coins are of an Italian provenance. This will neatly cover two bases, so that both Italians and English people can appreciate and use this book. Even if there is a potential language barrier, the pictures, charts and maps are able to be used, even if the reader cannot read English. The image-based nature of much of the book means that an understanding of English is not essential, thus making the book somewhat universal.

Discover a new hobby--or refine your existing techniques--with this practical coin collecting handbook In Coin Collecting For Dummies, professional rare coin dealer Neil Berman delivers a hands-on and fun guide to the intriguing hobby of numismatics--also known as coin collection! You'll learn how to buy, sell, grade, value, handle, and store your coins, as well as how to decide what kind of coins you should collect and how to assemble or diversify your collection. In this book, you'll also find out how to: Evaluate coins based on their age, condition, rarity, and more Navigate and make use of auction houses that deal in the buying and selling of rare coins Make the most of your new hobby by learning where to find rare coins and how to complete your collections There's no one "right" way to collect coins. But Coin Collecting For Dummies will show you how to avoid the most common pitfalls and take advantage of some handy tips, tricks, and best practices that make collecting coins even more fun and exciting. Perfect for the novice collector, or seasoned veterans looking for the latest news in coin grading and history, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the fascinating world of coin collection.

This study in the fields of Roman history and numismatics includes significant updates in chronology, historical perspective and numismatic attribution. The 550-year period covered here is divided into twelve epochs, most of which are prefaced with an overview of the period's social and historical developments. Especially close attention is paid to the most difficult periods, each of which is demystified with historical overviews, and in some cases with tables and family trees. Perhaps most helpful of all, however, is the treatment of Rome's final epoch (AD 364 to 480). When viewed as a single empire, this period not only is hopelessly confusing, but is fundamentally misunderstood. In this book, the post-Constantinian Empire is addressed as two separate empires. in the East and the West. The individual fates of Rome and Constantinople are chronicled in a way that allows the reader to understand and enjoy this notoriously difficult period.

Contents:
An introduction to "Perspectives on the Renaissance Medal", Stephen K.Scher. Giovanni Bernardi and the question of medal attributions in sixteenth century Italy, Philip Attwood. Changing patterns of antiquarianism in the imagery of the Italian Renaissance medal, John Cunnally. Correct and incorrect: the composition of medallic reverses in late seventeenth century France, Mark Jones. 'Un gran pelago': the impresa and the medal reverse in fifteenth century Italy, Kristen Lippincott. Ancient themes on Erzgebirgishen Medals, Hermann Maue. Text and image: themes on reverses of fifteenth and sixteenth century medals, Graham Pollard. A creative moment: thoughts on the genesis of the German portrait medal, Jeffrey Chipps Smith. Mint and medal in the Renaissance, Alan Stahl. Pisanello's Paragoni, Raymond Waddington. "The Modern Lysippus": A Roman quattrocento medalist in context, Louis Alexander. Visual constructions of the art of war: images for Machiavelli's Prince. Joanna Woods-Marsden.

In collaboration with colleagues in physics and metallurgy, Cecile Morrison has helped transform our knowledge of the techniques of late Roman and Byzantine coin production. The results are illustrated in the studies here which look in detail at standards of refining and processes of debasement. This analysis can also identify sources of metal, and explains the enigmatic appearance of concave gold coins n the 11th century. The volume itself opens with a comparison of the methods of numismatics and sigillography, and an epigraphic study showing the conservatism of the Byzantine coinage up until 1204. The following articles turn to the finances and economy of Byzantium, making full use of recent advances in numismatics. They aim to assess the importance of the state and other economic agents during the empire's different phases of expansion and contraction, and demonstrate how fiscal documents and legislation on treasure hoards can be used as evidence for the state of public finances.

This volume of Medieval European Coinage traces the coinage and monetary history of Britain and Ireland in the early Middle Ages, offering the first major single-volume treatment of the subject in decades. It examines the period from the end of the Roman province of Britain in the fifth century to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 and the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169-71. The volume re-evaluates the complex seventh- and eighth-century English coinages, follows the evolution of the Anglo-Saxon coinage into one of the most sophisticated monetary systems in medieval Europe, and also covers the coins issued by Viking settlers in parts of England and Ireland. Bringing recent advances in historical and numismatic research to a wider audience, this landmark volume is supported by one of the most complete catalogues of the period illustrating the world-class collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.

This volume of Medieval European Coinage is the first English-language survey to bring the latest research on the coinage of Spain and Portugal c.1000-1500 to an international audience. A major work of reference by leading numismatic experts, the volume provides an authoritative and up-to-date account of the coinages of Aragon, Catalonia, Castile, Leon, Navarre and Portugal, which have rarely been studied together. It considers how money circulated throughout the peninsula, offering new syntheses of the monetary history of the individual kingdoms and includes an extensive catalogue of the Aragonese, Castilian, Catalan, Leonese, Navarrese and Portuguese coins in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum. This major contribution to the field will be a valuable point of reference for the study of medieval history, numismatics and archaeology.

Bracketed by global financial crises and economic downturns, the modern age has been defined by debates about, and transformations of, money. The period witnessed the consolidation of national currencies and monetary policies as well as the diversification of payment technologies and the proliferation of financial instruments. Throughout, even as it appeared abstracted by finance and depoliticized by expert ideologies, money was revealed again and again to be a powerful medium of cultural imagination and practical inventiveness as well as the site of public and political struggles. Modern money - both as a form of liquidity and as a claim on wealth - remains deeply unsettled, caught between private and public interests and subject to epic struggles over the infrastructures of value creation and circulation and their distributional consequences. Drawing upon a wealth of visual and textual sources, A Cultural History of Money in the Modern Age presents essays that examine key cultural case studies of the period on the themes of technologies, ideas, ritual and religion, the everyday, art and representation, interpretation, and the issues of the age.

The articles republished in this volume are ground-breaking studies that employ a large body of religious figural imagery of Byzantine lead seals ranging from the 6th to the 15th century. A number of the studies present tables, charts and graphs in their analysis of iconographic trends and changing popularity of saintly figures over time. And since many of the seals bear inscriptions that include the names, titles or offices of their owners, information often not given for the patrons of sacred images in other media, these diminutive objects permit an investigation into the social use of sacred imagery through the various sectors of Byzantine culture: the civil, ecclesiastical and military administrations. The religious figural imagery of the lead seals, accompanied by their owners' identifying inscriptions, offers a means of investigating both the broader visual piety of the Byzantine world and the intimate realm of their owners' personal devotions. Other studies in the volume are devoted to rare or previously unknown sacred images that demonstrate the value of the iconography of Byzantine lead seals for Byzantine studies in general. This volume includes various articles focusing on sphragistic images of saints and on the religious imagery of Byzantine seals as a means of investigating the personal piety of seal owners, as well as the wider realm of the visual piety and religious devotions of Byzantine culture at all levels. A companion volume includes studies dedicated to the image of Christ, primarily found on imperial seals, various images of the Virgin, and narrative or Christological scenes. (CS1086).

This is a price-guide reference book containing up-to-date values, and lots of historical information on all campaign medals and related items awarded to British and their colonial and local allies from 1793 to 1902. Every significant campaign is covered, including details of the various clasps awarded. The images of medals and maps are full colour, and are often full page sized.

Fram, Golden Hind, Santa Maria, Vasa, HMS Victory are names of famous ships that have played a part in Europes maritime history. The stories associated with these and many other ships are told in this book of 'ship coins'. Each narrative provides the historical background and watercraft experience and circumstance of the soldiers, sailors, admirals and generals, explorers, naval commanders and fishermen who sometimes through bravery and sometimes through human error have merited a place in the historical record, and are associated with particular vessels that have merited the striking of a coin in record and rememberance. This book is the first ever to narrate the history through the medium of ships featured on coins. Each entry contains information on the ships, wherever available (length, beam, depth and tonnage). The book constitutes a catalogue of ship coins organised according to the popular KM numbering system, with groupings under separate headings where ships have a common design. The coin images represent the many different ways in which the ships are depicted. Each volume contains a select bibliography and an index listing the ships, persons and other major topics covered in the narratives. Volume I: Europe will be followed by Volume II: America and Asia, 1800-2008 and Volume III: Africa and Oceania, 1800-2011.