I'll add that a book providing a handy summary of data; introducing new readers to the array of resources on coins, the vocabulary of their form, and the methodology of their analyses; with an overview of new discoveries and current research themes from the last 10 years; further directing archaeologists to all those wonderful out of print titles in senior scholars' libraries will have a place on the shelf in my lab. 

Unless someone can point to another title that does that. 

Cheers,
Tim


Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 1, 2013, at 7:21 PM, "Warner, Mark" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Mark and co.
> I thought I'd jump in briefly on  this thread.  First of all just to lay my cards on the table, I've taken over the editorship of the Left Coast Press series on material culture and I was the one that recruited the authors of this book for the series.   So if you want to grumble about this book feel free to grumble to me about it.   Now to put in my two cents worth (after all we're talking coins).   The authors came to me about what the most effective way is to reach out to the historical archaoelogy community to gather information on discussions of coins in the grey literature.  I told them that histarch is the best venue for reaching out to colleagues to get information from an array of colleagues, they're trying to make sure they aren't missing some lesser known resources that may be in state archaeology or regional archaeology journals or in site reports that have had limited distribution.   So keep in mind what this posting was -- just a calll for information.    FYI the
>  full book prospectus was several pages long and is a much broader based study that just and identification manual.  (example:  what do folks know about the use life of coins?  or about coins being re-purposed) .  The point here is that the volume potentially brings to historical archaeologists an understanding of what else coins offer besides just dates-- something that I personally think can be an important contribution.    Some of this is based on recent personal experience where I was part of a large project in which the creative analysis of dozens of coins and tokens contributed to understandings of behavior on the site  -- something more than just providing a convenient TPQ.  I guess what I'm saying is see what you think when the book comes out.  We all know of coin books telling us when a Mercury dime was in production etc.  but as archaeologists what do we have at our disposal that helps us puzzle out some other questions that can be explored through coins?  
> 
> Finally, I'd like to add that if you remain skeptical about the utility of the volume I would like to hear some suggestions about what you think would be useful texts that are currently not out there for historical archaeologists -- or better yet, I'd love to see folks step up with a book prospectus of their own for the series.   Feel free to respond to me off list on this second issue
> 
> best
> Mark Warner
> University of Idaho
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Branstner, Mark C <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 11:45 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Announcement for HISTARCH list serve
> 
> Since the prospectus for the planned "coin" publication was very vague,
> let me jump in with a couple of thoughts that were probably obvious to
> more than a few list members ..
> 
> OK, not to put too fine a point on it ... But, coins and tokens are
> probably the best documented artifacts that we could possibly find on an
> archaeological site.  There are shelves of books dedicated to every type
> of coin, token, and medal that you could possibly think of, dating back to
> Classical times. So, I see very little utility in another book that
> reiterates what is available from so many other, and almost certainly,
> infinitely more complete sources ... At least in terms of basic IDs.  That
> was exactly what was wrong with Left Coast Press' recent book on ceramic
> marks.  Although it promised much, it yielded almost no information that
> was not readily available in standard reference books.
> 
> Now, on the other hand, if your proposed publication is going to focus on
> the presence of "atypical" coinage, medals, etc., in well documented
> archaeological settings, then I can see some utility to the book, and the
> potential for adding significant new information.  However, if you're
> going to tell me that you found a 1863 U.S. 2-cent piece on a
> mid-nineteenth farmstead in Ohio, that is information frankly not worth
> knowing.
> 
> Just my 2-cents.
> 
> Mark
> ___________________________________
> 
> Mark C. Branstner, RPA
> Senior Historical Archaeologist
> 
> Illinois State Archaeological Survey
> Prairie Research Institute
> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
> 209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
> 23 East Stadium Drive
> Champaign, IL 61820
> 
> Phone: 217.244.0892
> Fax: 217.244.7458
> Cell: 217.549.6990
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> "The difference between genius and idiocy? Genius has its limits."  --
> Albert Einstein
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 7/31/13 1:08 PM, "ROBERT NEYLAND" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
>> Coins and tokens from shipwreck sites may be useful since these are
>> usually well dated sites.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> On Jul 31, 2013, at 1:42 PM, "James C. Bard"
>> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> 
>>> Send information to Margie Akin and James Bard regarding coins and
>>> token finds
>>> 
>>> Bard is:   [log in to unmask]
>>> Akin is:    [log in to unmask]
>>> 
>>> thanks!