Numismatic and History Discussion Forums > Classical Numismatics Books and References Discussion Forum
NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENTS
leseullunique:
--- Quote from: Joe Sermarini on June 12, 2020, 09:39:57 am ---https://www.forumancientcoins.com/NumisWiki/view.asp?key=Michaux
--- End quote ---
Thank you so much for that wonderfull publicity Mr Sermarini
Joe Sermarini:
Please call me Joe.
SC:
Yes, my spell check tries to change CRNS to cans to cars or cern....
SC
SC:
I recently found a new book on the Tang Dynasty cash coin type Qian Yuan Zhong Bao by Matthew H. Dick. It was just published and is available via amazon. I have read through it and provide below the review I left on amazon:
Matthew H. Dick’s “Tang Dynasty Qian Yuan Zhong Bao Cash Coins: Guide to Common Plain-Reverse Varieties” (2020) is an excellent and important new addition to Asian Numismatics. Although the Qian Yuan Zhong Bao (QYZB) type is the second most common coinage of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD), this is the first serious study of this type in English. The study lists 457 varieties, broken down into 26 groupings, and illustrates them with 461 original rubbings. While it only covers the plain-reverse varieties, it will hopefully be followed one day by a second volume covering the marked-reverse varieties. The structure of the book and the analytical tools provided allow for a relatively quick and simple identification of QYZB coins. The book discusses the history, dating and manufacture of these coins, and the provides a classification system and the means for identifying and attributing QYZB coins. The book also provides a valuable Quick ID chart that ranks to 20 most common varieties in order – the first ten varieties comprise 60% of the coinage, all 20 comprise 70%. This chart saves a great deal of time as most QYZBs can be found on it. If a coin is not found on the chart, then it is likely that the chart will have at least pointed out the grouping that the coin belongs to. Many other guides to cash coins would benefit from this simple tool.
In addition, Dick’s book has value well beyond the study of the QYZB coinage. He discusses the importance of field sizes – a very important but almost entirely neglected aspect of all cash coinage. The book provides a simple technique for measuring, recording and comparing field sizes. Furthermore, this books sets the standard for the identification and study of character varieties. Dick provides clear illustrations outlining the four characters of the QYZB coins and breaking each down into its key parts (radicals and individual parts of radicals). The book then provides clear illustrations of the variations of each part. For example, showing the reader Zhong heads that are triangular vs. curved vs. irregular vs. straight vs. degenerate. Then, when the reader comes across a term in the classification and identification section – the main body of the text – they can easily turn to this illustration of variations to see exactly what detail to look for. Studies of any cash coin type or series would benefit greatly from following Dick’s methodology.
SC
Stkp:
That is a great review, Shawn. And the book is modestly priced. I'm tempted to order it, even though I don't (yet) have any Qian Yuan Zhong Bao coins. Stkp
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