"Artistic Illustrations" compares hand drawn picture illustrations in numismatic books to the actual coin that the illustration is meant to portray. When an artist creates a coin illustration by hand the opportunity for individual expression presents itself. Obciously some illustrations are better than others. Since the exhibit is about numismatic books, I have selected just one illustration from each book. The actual coin in the illustration is exhibited. How dies it compare? Did the artist do the coin justice or perhaps even improve it? Look them over and see for yourself.

Hensler and Frey were two nineteenth Century Swiss authors. Hennseler's catalogs on the works of Swiss sculptor Antoine Bovy made many references to Frey's work, a goldmine of useful numismatic information. This is the story of these two books.

This group of historical and commemorative medals, commonly called The City of London Medals, constitutes a series struck by the Corporation of London to celebrate the accomplishment of their most notable public works, or to commemorate events of national and civic importance. The medals were issued from 1831 to the present time. Most of the City of London medals were struck in numbers between 350 and 450. In general, the medals are considered to be among the finest works of medallic art of the 19th century, as they were executed by some of the most accomplished medalists of the period.