Historia Numismatica

This work is a survey, century by century, of selected high-profile historical coins from 600 BC to the present. Seventy-two coins are studied including at least two per century, but not more than five. An enlarged photo of the front and back of each coin is presented, and the portraits, legends, and symbols appearing on each are examined and explained. Along with the discussion of the physical characteristics, one or more amusing stories are presented about the times that it was...
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This work is a survey, century by century, of selected high-profile historical coins from 600 BC to the present. Seventy-two coins are studied including at least two per century, but not more than five. An enlarged photo of the front and back of each coin is presented, and the portraits, legends, and symbols appearing on each are examined and explained. Along with the discussion of the physical characteristics, one or more amusing stories are presented about the times that it was struck and the ruler (or authority) who struck it. This work is meant to be both instructive and entertaining and to leave the reader with an appreciation of the role of coins through every age and of the great men and women behind them. The discussion of each coin averages about six pages and is supported by figures. Each chapter is self-contained and they can be read in any order. (This is not a through narrative -- one chapter does not depend on having read the previous ones). Examples of chapters include Alexander the Great, Caesar Augustus, Marcus Aurelius, Constantine, Charlemagne, William the Conqueror, Richard the Lionheart, Ferdinand and Isabella, Henry the Eighth, Elizabeth the First, Louis the Fourteenth, Napoleon, Victoria, Kaiser Wilhelm, Nicholas the Second, and Che Guevara.