ANCIENT NUMISMATIC LITERATURE ADDITIONS

My numismatic library is second only to ancient coins in my collecting passion. I know many younger collectors prefer the convenience and cost of internet research, versus assembling and storing a research library of their own. That preference is perfectly understandable given the immense strides in digitizing many out-of-copyright numismatic works and auction catalogues. Personally, I prefer the hard copies. My preference is totally subjective, and not meant to disparage anyone's research methods. I simply love the tactile, visual and olfactory (yep - that old book smell!) experience of "curling-up" with an old numismatic book. Researching from PDFs on a computer monitor is too sterile for my taste and also a little hard on the eyes. Recently, I acquired the following additions to my library:

1. Bahrfeldt, Nachträge und Berichtigungen zur Münzkunde der Römischen Republik, vols 1 and 2. Max Bahrfeldt wrote a highly important series of articles, published over 20 years in the Numismatische Zeitschrift, updating and correcting Babelon's Description des Monnaies de la Republique Romaine. Later issued in 3 volume offprint book form, or ocasionally excerpted originals of the articles. In the past month, I was very fortunate to obtain volumes 1 and 2 of this elusive set. Each contains many high quality plates of rare varieties and rare types of Roman Republican coins that were unknown to Babelon. I'm now anxiously searching for volume 3 to complete the 3 volume set.

2. Cohen, Description Generale des Monnaies de la Republique Romaine (1857). This early, seminal "handbook" of Roman Republican coinage set the stage for future work. Most interesting to me are the amazing plates of etchings by Dardel, the 19th Century master, an example of which appears below. These etchings, which were state-of-the-art at the time for numismatic books, are detailed enough to match an actual coin. Cohen used many privately held collections as the basis for this work. Conceivably, it's possible to provenance a coin in these plates.

3. Grueber, Coins of the Roman Republic in the British Museum (1st ed; 1910). This is a beautifully-bound upgrade of my 1970 reprint set. The plates in the 1st edition are considerably sharper than the later reprint, though the reprint's plates are useable. While dating and mint arrangement of BMC is obsolete, Grueber's dense historical notes and the plates remain extremely useful.

4. P&P Santamaria, Signorelli Collection Part I (1951) - Greek Coins and Aes Grave. This scarce catalogue completes my assemblage of all three Signorelli Collection sales. The Part 1 sale is particularly important to me for the aes grave (aes grave are often included in Greek parts of old catalogues). I had given-up finding this scarce catalogue and recently submitted the Part 2 and 3 Roman sales to my bookbinder. I had to contact her to "stop all work" while I competed for this final part of the set. I'll now have her bind all three together.

5. Smyth, William, Descriptive Catalogue of A Cabinet of Roman Family Coins Belonging to His Grace the Duke of Northumberland (1856). This is the book that launched the fortunate string of events described in the thread "New Old Provenance." It's an important book when used in concert with the 1982 Sotheby's auction catalogue of Roman Coins from Alnwick Castle. It was published by the Duke himself in small numbers for private circulation. It contains remarkably detailed coin descriptions that attempt to describe condition as well as type in the absence of any plates. Weights are given in grains for each coin which aid in confirming provenance. Below is a photo of the written inscription "With the Duke of Northumberland's Compliments" presumably by the Duke's private secretary. Please share your recent numismatic library additions! (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/library-additions.300589/)

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Library Additions (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/library-additions.300589/) (https://www.cointalk.com/threads/library-additions.300589/)

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