FA Third Edition Encyclopedia Small Silver Coins

The author - Roger deWardt Lane, has published Encyclopedia of Small Silver
Coins - in two-printed versions, hardbound and soft cover. This anthology
and catalog of Modern Dime Size Silver Coins of the World with Footnotes to
History has been in preparation for many years. This publication has
expanded many details of the limited series of small silver coins of the
world from Queen Victoria to 1970. There are interesting small stories, to
place these miniature pieces of art into historical context. Over 1000 coin
illustrations have been enlarged four times for ease of viewing.



These coins had a monetary value of less than ten cents, when the value of
silver was for a hundred years about fifty cents to the ounce. Many empires
and nations issued on an annual basis millions of these little miniature
silver pieces as subsidiary coinage for their population. Except during
times of crisis or war, when species stopped being struck or were hoarded,
everywhere people traveled they received these coins in change. Many found
their way to the States, only to be saved as mementos or souvenirs of the
trip and miss the melting pot. Some eventually reached the numismatic market
place. These factors have combined to make these coins available in our time
at reasonable prices, rare types excepted.



When this work was first started, the only date listings originally
available were in national coin catalogs of the major countries - United
States, England and British Colonies, France, Austria, Russia and China and
a few others. Around the time of the first drafts, many small country
listings and catalogs were issued. In the early 1960-70's, they became the
date checklist for the coins added to the collection of the author.



It took many years to research, to transcribe the inscriptions, translate
the initials of names, titles, mintmarks, assay initials or marks, and
foreign legends, then to find their English translations and expand the text
with historical footnotes.



Coin prices are not included, since world economic and political conditions
as well as collector interest constantly change the values. The easiest way
to find a value of a coin in several condition grades is to make use of the
Standard Catalog Series, issued by Krause Publications.



In the mid-1960's computer technology became available on small PC's; so the
coin images were scanned in grayscale [looks like silver] with the files
stored on removable disks. The software used, progressed from Apple to IBM,
WordStar to MSword. The early printed pages were produced in Adobe
PageMaker, later to be exported to Acrobat, which has been uploaded to the
printer for these editions.



This current version, 600 pages, b & w, organized in 101 country chapters
has over a thousand coin pictures and a like number of century old clip art
taken from original history and travel books, which fill the pages with
related photos, from Afghanistan to Yemen.



As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, look at the
preview pages offered on the publisher's site - www.lulu.com and remember
the other famous numismatic quote - Buy the book before the coin. Both
editions are available thru the Internet and the softcover edition may be
ordered through your local favorite bookshop soon or click

http://stores.lulu.com/dewardt



Roger deWardt Lane, Hollywood, Florida.