BOOK REVIEW: ABEL BUELL AND THE CONNECTICUT AND FUGIO COINAGES

I received the book last Friday and finished reading it Monday morning. I come away feeling as though I know Abel Buell, not like a brother but more like a neighbor. There are 46 chapters covering 216 pages (not including the Table of Contents, bibliographies &index). Doing the math, these are all short chapters. How it reads is like a photo album with each chapter being a snapshot in time. Each of the chapters gives a concise chronological view of Abel Buell, throughout his life, the many ventures in which he was involved, his low points and high points, the many business partners (and their stories), his family... His involvement in the coinage of Connecticut and the Federal Fugio production is described in detail. Each page is heavily footnoted. Theories are clearly stated as such and facts are supported in the footnotes.

Anyone having an interest in Connecticut Coppers or Fugio coinage will enjoy reading about this man who was so important in their production. The sense of what it was like to live in those times is well portrayed. McDowell has succeeded in writing the definitive replacement for Wroth's classic work on Buell.

As a side note, I'm so proud that C4 promotes numismatic education by presentations at our conventions, our quarterly C4 Newsletter and that this book about Abel Buell is the seventh book C4 has published.

For more information, or to order, see:
MCDOWELL, ABEL BUELL AND THE HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT AND FUGIO COPPERS (www.vcoins.com/en/stores/charles_davis/44/product/
mcdowell_abel_buell_and_the_history_of_the_connecticut
_and_fugio_coppers/599393/Default.aspx)

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