Coins in History by John Porteous 1969 HCDJ

Coins in History
John Porteous
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Copyright 1969
32 color illustrations
300 black and white illustrations
251 pages

The front hinge is cracking and the binding is weakened. The pages are clean but lightly tanned. The orange cover shows light wear. The jacket is scuffed and very edge worn and has several tears. Acceptable. Hardcover.

The book begins with a brief description of the Roman system and its collapse. It covers the coinage of western Europe and Byzantium during the middle ages, touching also on that of Islam. Always relating the subject to its social and economic background, the author deals in some detail with the 16th century, the age of some of the most attractive coins ever struck; describes the designs on coins of particular interest or beauty; explains the techniques of minting and surveys the original sources of bullion and the history of the mints themselves. He discusses the diminishing importance of coinage from the 17th century onwards, continues with the emergence of colonial coins, the currency reforms which followed the American and French Revolutions, and comes to an end with an appraisal of coinage adapted to modern industrial society. (#GH302409)