MINIATURE NUMISMATIC LITERATURE

Adrián González-Salinas writes:

According to the Miniature Book Society, a miniature book in the United States is usually considered to be one which is no more than three inches in height, width, or thickness. Some aficionados collect slightly larger books while others specialize in even smaller sizes. Outside of the United States, books up to four inches (about 10 cm) are often considered miniature. Although the miniaturization of literature dates back to ca. 2000 BC in the form of a Babylonian tablet, the process was especially popular in the Middle Ages in Europe for prayer books to be easily carried and concealed from prying eyes. Examples of nearly all genres of literature can be found in miniature form today. The ANS Library contains 7 books that are no larger than four inches and can thus be considered miniature (by international standards). There are a larger number of pocket-sized examples of numismatic literature, which were still rather portable to the user. This exhibit will display some of those examples while exploring the novelty and practicality of such a small size. Because of their small size, such small items are often kept in the rare book room for added security.

To read the complete ANS article, see:
Small Wonders: Miniature and Pocket-Sized Numismatic Literature (https://numismatics.org/exhibit5mini/)

 

 

 

 

 

 

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
THE LITTLEST COIN BOOKS (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v06n19a11.html)
MINIATURE AND POCKET-SIZED NUMISMATIC LITERATURE (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n41a19.html)
MINIATURE NUMISMATIC BOOKS AT THE ANS (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n31a09.html)
KOLBE & FANNING SEPTEMBER 2023 SALE HIGHLIGHTS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/esylum_v26n37a04.html)

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