'Largest ever' hoard of prehistoric gold coins unearthed by a treasure hunter using a metal detector
Arizona Coin Collector
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1120523/Largest-hoard-prehistoric-gold-coins-unearthed-treasure-hunter-using-metal-detector.html?ITO=1490
'Largest ever' hoard of prehistoric gold coins unearthed
by a treasure hunter using a metal detector
By Daily Mail Reporter
The largest hoard of prehistoric gold coins in Britain in
modern times has been discovered.
The discovery was made by a metal detectorist in a field
near Wickham Market, Suffolk.
The 824 gold staters, worth the modern equivalent of up
to £1m when they were in circulation, were buried in a
plain pottery vessel between 15 and AD 20.
(STORY IMAGE PHOTO)
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/01/17/article-1120523-0036C97600000258-219_468x286.jpg
Prehistoric gold coins such as these
were found in a field near Wickham
Market, Suffolk
According to the Independent, almost all the coins were
minted by royal predecessors of Boudicca, a queen of the
Iceni people who led an uprising against occupying Roman
forces in AD 60.
The find is the most substantial Iron Age gold coin hoard
found in Britain since 1849, when a farm worker unearthed
between 800 and 2,000 gold staters in a field near
Milton Keynes.
To protect the site, archaeologists from Suffolk County
Council kept the discovery secret for months while they
made excavations, funded by the British Museum.
The area was thoroughly searched to ensure that all of
the coins had been found before the discovery was
announced to the public.
Ian Leins, the British Museum's curator of Iron Age
coins, told the Independent: 'The [new] hoard is
absolutely unique.
'It is the largest hoard of British Iron Age gold coins
to be studied in its entirety.'
The solid gold staters, each weighing just over 5g,
were made between 40BC and AD 15, most of them in the
final 35 years of that period.
It is thought that the hoard represented part of the
wealth of an individual or community and was buried as
an offering at a time of a political stress, drought
or other natural disaster.
..
oly
wrote:
> FROM:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1120523/Largest-hoard-prehist...
>
> 'Largest ever' hoard of prehistoric gold coins unearthed
> by a treasure hunter using a metal detector
>
> By Daily Mail Reporter
>
> The largest hoard of prehistoric gold coins in Britain in
> modern times has been discovered.
>
> The discovery was made by a metal detectorist in a field
> near Wickham Market, Suffolk.
>
> The 824 gold staters, worth the modern equivalent of up
> to £1m when they were in circulation, were buried in a
> plain pottery vessel between 15 and AD 20.
>
Quite a wonderful hoard - there's a decent chance that I will visit
the British Museum later this year, I hope to see the hoard there. No
doubt that the Museum will acquire it, but it will cost them a whole
lot to payoff the finder.
oly
Jerry Dennis
wrote:
> FROM:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1120523/Largest-hoard-prehist...
>
> 'Largest ever' hoard of prehistoric gold coins unearthed
> by a treasure hunter using a metal detector
>
> By Daily Mail Reporter
>
> The largest hoard of prehistoric gold coins in Britain in
> modern times has been discovered.
>
> The discovery was made by a metal detectorist in a field
> near Wickham Market, Suffolk.
>
> The 824 gold staters, worth the modern equivalent of up
> to �1m when they were in circulation, were buried in a
> plain pottery vessel between 15 and AD 20.
>
The only issue I have with the story is the term, "prehistoric." As
soon as I saw it I thought of dinosaurs. What type of coin would a
dinosaur strike? Great find, just the same.
Jerry
Opening the door for a slew of humorous responses.
oly
>
> - Show quoted text -
Initially, I felt the same about the word "prehistoric", but given
that the coins are dated before the Roman invasion of Britain - I
think that the term is accurate. I don't think the Iceni left any
written records from the earlier period and much of what we know about
them is from the archaeological record (including names found on
coins) and what the Romans wrote about them later.
oly
som...@some.domain
>On Jan 17, 10:06=EF=BF=BDam, "Arizona Coin Collector" <nos...@nospam.com>
>wrote:
>> FROM:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1120523/Largest-hoard-prehis=
>t...
>>
>> 'Largest ever' hoard of prehistoric gold coins unearthed
>> by a treasure hunter using a metal detector
>>
>> By Daily Mail Reporter
>>
>> The largest hoard of prehistoric gold coins in Britain in
>> modern times has been discovered.
>>
>> The discovery was made by a metal detectorist in a field
>> near Wickham Market, Suffolk.
>>
>> The 824 gold staters, worth the modern equivalent of up
>> plain pottery vessel between 15 and AD 20.
>>
definition.
oly
>
> - Show quoted text -
Well, Messrs. Merrian & Webster do have a definition: prehistoric; of,
relating to, or existing in the period before written history began.
I would suggest that for the human race as a whole, you can't hardly
find 4,000 years of written history. In some specific places,
prehistoric could be as few as 200 years ago.
oly
Mr. Jaggers
My world history teacher, Miss Wright, taught us that the ancient Sumerians
used cuneiform ca. 3000 B.C., which would make 5000 years of written
history. But I wonder about cultures that have no written form at all, but
rather a rich oral tradition, through which tales of the ancestors are told
and retold. Do they have history or no?
James
Helvetica
can a so-called journalist be to call anything from 40
BC and 15 AD "prehistoric" ? This was the time of the
reign of Augustus. The Greeks had already had coins for
over a thousand years, Rome had underwater heating,
libraries, hot baths, paved roads, multi-storey
housing, all religions were welcome and swapped Gods
and Goddesses, lawyers were not allowed to charge a fee
and, for a time, the Senate abolished taxes.
Maybe that sounds pre-historic to some people, it
sounds pretty civilized to me...
Helvetica
Peter
>
> - Show quoted text -
There is a lot to discuss about what constitutes history. Being able
to verify accounts is a favorite theme for some. There are many
accounts that were written but are generally believed to be entirely
fanciful, although presented as history. Definitions aside, and with
full respect to lexicographers, 5000 years of history (more or less)
has big gaps.
Mr. Jaggers
Well, of course. But it would be equally hard to isolate and define, say,
1000 "missing" years. Oh wait, politicians do that all the time.
James
note.boy
"Jerry Dennis" <JDen...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:069b8b65-244e-4a3e...@g38g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
On Jan 17, 10:06?am, "Arizona Coin Collector" <nos...@nospam.com>
wrote:
> FROM:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1120523/Largest-hoard-prehist...
>
> 'Largest ever' hoard of prehistoric gold coins unearthed
> by a treasure hunter using a metal detector
>
> By Daily Mail Reporter
>
> The largest hoard of prehistoric gold coins in Britain in
> modern times has been discovered.
>
> The discovery was made by a metal detectorist in a field
> near Wickham Market, Suffolk.
>
> The 824 gold staters, worth the modern equivalent of up
If they were "prehistoric" nothing would be known about the issuers, sloppy
journalism by the newspaper. Billy
Arizona Coin Collector
"Arizona Coin Collector" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:ko-dna4HY6OYaezU...@earthlink.com...
Hello
The BBC also has the same story but with a different image.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/suffolk/7835228.stm
..
James Weston
doubt that the Museum will acquire it, but it will cost them a whole
<lot to payoff the finder.
Are you sure? I've heard that the British govt., like all other govts,
simply confiscates finds by landowners and then gives them to museums. In
other words, when you report a find or turn it over to the authorities, you
get fucked over.
James Weston
"Arizona Coin Collector" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:ko-dna4HY6OYaezU...@earthlink.com...
oly
> prehistoric is used incorrectly here.....it should be "ancient gold coins"
>
> "Arizona Coin Collector" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in messagenews:ko-dna4HY6OYaezU...@earthlink.com...> FROM:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > 'Largest ever' hoard of prehistoric gold coins unearthed
> > by a treasure hunter using a metal detector
>
> > By Daily Mail Reporter
>
> > The largest hoard of prehistoric gold coins in Britain in
> > modern times has been discovered.
>
> > The discovery was made by a metal detectorist in a field
> > near Wickham Market, Suffolk.
>
> > The 824 gold staters, worth the modern equivalent of up
> > to £1m when they were in circulation, were buried in a
> > plain pottery vessel between 15 and AD 20.
>
> > (STORY IMAGE PHOTO)
>
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
England has a seemingly very fair "Portable Antiquities Scheme" which
is the successor to the ancient (but not prehistoric) "Treasure Trove"
laws. The State will no doubt take the coins for the British Museum,
but the State will have to pay for it. Several appraisers will place
a value on the finds and a coroner's jury will choose a price in
between the various appraisals. In the event that the British Museum
would not need soemthing, various other museums also have the right to
claim finds, as long as they can get the funds to pay for the finds.
The PAS has paid out millions of pounds in recent years.
The coin hoards which have been found in England since 1990 are
numerous and amazing. If the PAS weren't fair, these finds would
vanish, unreported.
oly
oly
>
> - Show quoted text -
In 40 B.C., the Romans were living in historical times, the natives of
Britain were still in prehistory, and there has never been a society
where lawyers didn't lie and gouge. Sheesh, you must be drunk already
today - not that there's anything wrong with that.
oly
RWF
> The coin hoards which have been found in England since 1990 are
> numerous and amazing. If the PAS weren't fair, these finds would
> vanish, unreported.
What's fair about the government seizing what you find?
Anyone who would report a find must have a geranium in their cranium.
Bruce Remick
"Mr. Jaggers" <lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com> wrote in message
news:gktjr...@enews4.newsguy.com...
I would think that any society that designed and produced its own coins was
recording its history by doing so.
The term "prehistoric" sure gets peoples' attention, but it doesn't seem to
apply here, IMO. Picky. Picky.
Bruce Remick
_____________
If I were a lucky Brit treasure finder unfamiliar with PAS rules, I would be
a bit concerned if I were told that a coroner's jury would have the final
word on how much I might receive for my find. Might even make me want to
forget the whole thing.
som...@some.domain
markey price. the finder gets it, of half of it on someone else's land.
"all other governments"? you seem poorly informed.
oly
> "oly" <oly2...@aol.com> wrote in message
On occasion, the British Museum has paid as much as 3.15 million
pounds for coin and artifact finds that were properly reported.
What would a coin dealer offer you IF he knew that you were trying to
sell coins outside of the law? Two dollars?? Three-fiddy???
oly
oly
> "oly" <oly2...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> - Show quoted text -
Government is good when they pay you your federal pension and bad
otherwise, eh?
oly
Bruce Remick
__________
Au contraire. Apparently US and UK citizens have differing notions of what
a "coroner's jury" implies. That was my only point. If a coroner's jury
was involved in any settlement involving me, I would suppose it would be
because I were dead. Otherwise, I have no problem with the UK policy
regarding treasure. Of course if I were a tourist and happened to kick up a
few "prehistoric" goodies, I might feel otherwise.
note.boy
"Bruce Remick" <rem...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:eTucl.48526$Jy.1...@newsfe06.iad...
As prehistoric means, prior to written records, we are not being picky, for
a journalist to have used it in this context, and for various editors to
have missed the error, does not show the newspaper in a good light. Billy
note.boy
give you the benefit of the doubt and post a reply.
The value of the hoard will be split between the finder and the land owner,
as has been the case in the UK for many years.
If it were otherwise the historical value of found hoards would on many
occasions be lost to archaeologists.
This large hoard may bring down the price of this type of coin, I own no
Celtic coins but I have been tempted a few times. Billy
"James Weston" <les...@bress.org> wrote in message
news:gktms5$nql$1...@news.motzarella.org...
> get over.
>
>
>
note.boy
If a hoard is not declared and the finder is found out they get zero reward
and a jail sentence and/or a large fine.
Non declaration is a very big risk, the bigger the hoard the larger the
chances of being found out as a large number of coins coming onto the marked
that were previous not seen on the marked would start the alarm bells
ringing. Billy
note.boy
"James Weston" <les...@bress.org> wrote in message
news:gktn01$p0r$1...@news.motzarella.org...
oly
>
> - Show quoted text -
In fact, any goods that apparently were buried 2100 years ago are
likely to be the former property of people who are no longer very
likely to be alive. Thus, the coroner is involved. Makes much sense.
oly
Bruce Remick
"note.boy" <note...@naespamntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:8HGcl.5607$2Z1...@newsfe20.ams2...
Again, my comment simply applied to the term "coroner's jury", not to any
legal or moral ramifications of UK treasure laws. Here in the US, the
involvement of a "coroner's jury" (if there even is such a thing) in
deciding a case like this would imply that the finder is no longer alive.
If that were the case, I'd gladly back off and let anyone who wants the loot
have it all. Coroner, stay away from my door!
Bruce Remick
_______________
Hmm. Sounds archaic to me. 2100 years ago, the land and whatever was on or
under it most likely belonged to whatever ruler was in power. I guess I
don't see how the duties of a 2009 coroner would have any relevance to a jug
of money lost or buried 2100 years earlier. What corpse are they examining?
Actually as I suspected in this case, apparently unique to the UK, a
coroner's jury has a unique function in deciding who gets how much reward.
A coroner's duties are more traditional in the US, thus the involvement in a
treasure case might seem odd to some of us colonists.
oly
>
> - Show quoted text -
In the Patch, Illinois U.S.A., "inquests" are deaths presented by a
coroner to a jury to determine the cause of death when unknown or
ambiguous. So, in a form, we probably have coroner's juries here.
For the purposes of this thread, I would note that it seems the UK
coroner's jury can only choose between the appraisals of several
experts to establish an award to the finder (and landowner). Either
the finder or the landowner has the right of appeal if they believe
the award to be too small.
I would also note that the Crown and individuals have a "chain of
title" to the lands of the UK which they have traced back at least
into the dark ages following Rome's abandonment of Britain. All the
ownership of real estate theoretically traces back to these early
Kings and Kingdoms of Wessex, Northumbria, Anglia et alia ( and there
were earlier Kingdoms than these, BTW, which are shadowy in history).
Officers of State in the UK have a much longer history to consider
when establishing things like the ownership of real estate (or buried,
cached or abandoned goods). It seems odd to Americans only because
our own European descent history is so short - just over 400 years.
I could recommend a book sometimes found on remainder tables at B&N -
"British Kings and Queens" by Mike Ashley (1998) published by Barnes &
Noble Books. The subject of Kings and Queens of Britain goes back
much much earlier than even most historically literate Americans are
aware.
oly
Bruce Remick
_________________________
Is it always the current landowner who stands to benefit? Consider a family
which may have owned an estate for generations, even centuries, and lately
sold it to someone who owned it when a cache of coins happened to be found
there.
________________________
I would also note that the Crown and individuals have a "chain of
title" to the lands of the UK which they have traced back at least
into the dark ages following Rome's abandonment of Britain. All the
ownership of real estate theoretically traces back to these early
Kings and Kingdoms of Wessex, Northumbria, Anglia et alia ( and there
were earlier Kingdoms than these, BTW, which are shadowy in history).
Officers of State in the UK have a much longer history to consider
when establishing things like the ownership of real estate (or buried,
cached or abandoned goods). It seems odd to Americans only because
our own European descent history is so short - just over 400 years.
I could recommend a book sometimes found on remainder tables at B&N -
"British Kings and Queens" by Mike Ashley (1998) published by Barnes &
Noble Books. The subject of Kings and Queens of Britain goes back
much much earlier than even most historically literate Americans are
aware.
_______________
I think that most historically literate Americans are aware of the
complexity of the subject. Especially since many of us could theoretically
trace our roots to those Kings & Queens. I find it all fascinating,
considering that I believe my own Remick ancestor may have come to America
from England in the mid-1600's-- a mere modern pinpoint in the British
timeline.
Mike Marotta
wrote:
> 'Largest ever' hoard of prehistoric gold coins unearthed ...
> By Daily Mail Reporter
This story came to me via the e-Sylum maillist of the Numismatic
Bibliomania Society. Perhaps being more literate, the editor, Wayne
Homren, gave it this headline: "LARGE HOARD OF GOLD STATERS UNCOVERED
IN SUFFOLK, ENGLAND" which reference this BBC news story, "Huge Iron
Age haul of coins found."
I had a problem with the monetary evaluation of the hoard in both
ancient and modern terms. I sent my assay to the e-Sylum and it will
appear int he January 25, 2009, issue.
Mike M.
Michael E, Marotta
"Subjectivity of Values: Friedrich or Selma Hayek?"
Mike Marotta
> > > Au contraire. Apparently US and UK citizens have differing notions of
> > > what a "coroner's jury" implies.
This is what I learned in four years of criminal justice classes.
Following the Norman invasion, every now and then, a Norman would be
found dead somewhere. There was a penalty for killing Normans.
However, there was no penalty for killing Saxons. So, someone had to
determine which the dead man was. The person who did that was a
CORONER because he represented the CROWN. In the centuries
following, coroners and their juries came to investigate other matters
on behalf of the crown, Normans ever so slowly but inevitably becoming
the least of England's problems.
Bruce Remick
"Mike Marotta" <mer...@torchlake.com> wrote in message
news:37ca6e69-e5e4-4d64...@r37g2000prr.googlegroups.com...
___________
Still confusing to me, but then I don't live in the UK. There's no dead
individual for a coroner to examine or investigate when a cache of
2100-year-old coins is uncovered. Just because the coins were 2100 years
old doesn't mean they were buried that long ago. Thus it probably can't be
resolved who might have owned the land at the time they were buried, nor of
course who might have buried them. I don't really see what there is to
investigate, beyond determining the value of the hoard. Who gets what
should be boilerplate policy. A lawyer and museum numismatic expert should
be able to handle all this. But then the Brits do like formalities and I
guess the system has worked so far.
oly
> "Mike Marotta" <merc...@torchlake.com> wrote in message
You are forgetting that England is the mother bulb and America is only
the offset.
Tulipomania (and Weimar hyperinflation) are the reading "orders of the
day" here in Springpatch.
oly
Mike Marotta
> Still confusing to me, but then I don't live in the UK. There's no dead
As I said, examining dead people is what _started_ the office of
coroner. The coroner does much more in the UK. In the UK, the
coroner is a general investigater on behalf of the crown. Coroner
corona crown ... the Danish money "krona" ... the coroner represents
the government.
In the UK, the crown has an interest in all land. The king (queen)
literally owns it all by right of might, but grants title to it. "I
hereby declare you Baron of Braynes." The king can take your title
away and you lose your land. We still have this in America. We call
land "real estate" because in the middle ages land was the only real
property -- not tools or books or ideas. It is called "estate"
because title to it comes ex-state, from the state. Even in America,
title searches are critical to buying property. It is fundamental to
law (even in America) that all property comes with title to it. If
you steal something, it is not yours because you are not en-titled to
it. (By extension, free education is an enTITLEment because your
"right" to it (ahem) is granted by the government.)
So, in the UK, any coins that are found in the ground -- no matter
where or when or how or how long ago they were found or buried --
belong to Queen Elizabeth II. Bottom line. Her Majesty and Her
Majesty's Government have been _gracious_ enough (dei gratia) to allow
their museum to pay the finder after an independent appraisal which is
overseen by Her Majesty's local representative, the coroner.
Mike M.
Michael E. Marotta
"Gentleman without title"
mazorj
On Jan 19, 7:53 pm, "Bruce Remick" <rem...@cox.net> wrote:
> Still confusing to me, but then I don't live in the UK. There's no
> dead
> individual for a coroner to examine or investigate ...
...
< In the UK, the crown has an interest in all land. The king (queen)
literally owns it all by right of might, but grants title to it. "I
hereby declare you Baron of Braynes." The king can take your title
away and you lose your land. We still have this in America. We call
land "real estate" because in the middle ages land was the only real
property -- not tools or books or ideas.
The derivation of "real" from "royal" predates its attachment to "real
estate" so the original meaning of the term "real property" probably
meant "royal property" - as in land, which as you note, belonged to
the king and could be held by others only at his sufferance. It's
probably a coincidence that in modern English "real estate" can
signify "real property" as in "actual, substantive" property, not mere
personal effects. The use of real = actual is a word evolution of
more modern derivation.
< It is called "estate"
because title to it comes ex-state, from the state. Even in America,
title searches are critical to buying property. It is fundamental to
law (even in America) that all property comes with title to it. If
you steal something, it is not yours because you are not en-titled to
it. (By extension, free education is an enTITLEment because your
"right" to it (ahem) is granted by the government.)
Yep, ditto with car "titles". Automobiles represented a substantial
piece of highly mobile property and owners had an interest in being
able to prove their ownership in the case of theft or contested
ownership. That, and law enforcement needs, made it necessary to
create a government title recording system that parallels recordation
of real property titles. We also do this to a lesser degree with
registration of ownership (title) of copyrights, trademarks, etc. For
most property, the state doesn't provide this service. We have to
prove ownership on our own with receipts, contracts, witnesses, etc.
< So, in the UK, any coins that are found in the ground -- no matter
where or when or how or how long ago they were found or buried --
belong to Queen Elizabeth II. Bottom line. Her Majesty and Her
Majesty's Government have been _gracious_ enough (dei gratia)
Oy, you awakened the 4-year Latin scholar dweeb in me. That's "by the
grace of God". It's on coins to signify that that king, by the grace
of God, is ruler of X, Y and Z, or whatever. IOW, he has this by
divine right so don't even think of challenging it. Here it would be
"regis gratia" (or "reginae gratia"). By the grace of the king or
queen.
< to allow their museum to pay the finder after an independent
appraisal which is
overseen by Her Majesty's local representative, the coroner.
It's done at the crown's discretion, but not so much out of altruistic
gratitude (grace) as out of recognition of pragmatic realities
(there's that word again). Most people would not report their finds
if the crown expropriated the entire treasure. A 50-50 split feels
about right as the minimum incentive for the treasure hunter to follow
the law.
John Mazor
Language Nerd Extraordinaire
note.boy
Coin hoards like this are usually found inside a contemporary pot, or found
with a broken pot, thus proving that they were buried at a time when the
coins would have been in circulation. Billy
Mike Marotta
> Oy, you awakened the 4-year Latin scholar dweeb in me. That's "by the
> John Mazor
> Language Nerd Extraordinaire
Yes, I was stretching for a pun: the crown is gracious by the grace of
God.
Gracious means having grace, right, and gratia also means "thanks"
etc., etc.
When I was a kid, there was a guy on Sunday morning TV named Bergen
Evans who lectured on linguistics and philology -- I think they were
filling the slot with unused reels intended for Sunrise Semester.
Also, the local morning paper carried a Berlitz column. When I
entered the ninth grade, my Mom got the house some new tools, Boston
pencil sharpener (which I still have) and a New World Dictionary --
locally produced by World Publishing back then; the mother of one of
my classmates was an advisor for it, that sort of thing. Unlike the
ones at school, this dictionary had etymologies, In college, my
German professor was a Rhodes scholar with a Charleston accent, so we
never spoke German in class, but did get lots of lectures on philology
and sound shifts.
My maternal grandparents were Hungarian, a non-IE language, of
course. About 10 or 15 years ago, my brother sent me some xeroxes
from grammars for Ostyak and Vogul. I find that kind of stuff more
interesting than die clashes and mispunched Mint marks. To me, coins
are semata. I wrote an article for the MSNS MichMatist on why "Money
is Speech."
Mike M.
Michael E. Marotta
When money speaks, it usually says "Good-bye."
mazorj
...
< When I
entered the ninth grade, my Mom got the house some new tools, Boston
pencil sharpener (which I still have)
As do I. The hand-cranked Boston was and still is the best tool ever
devised for putting a point on a pencil.
Yer' scaring me, Mike.
>and a New World Dictionary --
locally produced by World Publishing back then; the mother of one of
my classmates was an advisor for it, that sort of thing. Unlike the
ones at school, this dictionary had etymologies,
I have the 2-volume complete OED. Every page has 4 pages of the
original photo-reduced on it. I got it in the 1970s through a book
club for $30 IIRC. Best book investment I ever made. I'm so
nearsighted that I can peer over the top of my glasses and read it
unassisted but all others better have a darn good reading magnifier.
< In college, my
German professor was a Rhodes scholar with a Charleston accent, so we
never spoke German in class, but did get lots of lectures on philology
and sound shifts.
Prof. John McWhorter did an 18-CD (36 hours) series of lectures on the
evolution of language for The Teaching Company. He tours the entire
waterfront, including shifts, creoles, you name it. I ran through the
whole thing in a week, it's that good. You could do far worse than
this baby when it's time to start hinting for a Christmas or birthday
gift.
< My maternal grandparents were Hungarian, a non-IE language, of
course. About 10 or 15 years ago, my brother sent me some xeroxes
from grammars for Ostyak and Vogul. I find that kind of stuff more
interesting than die clashes and mispunched Mint marks. To me, coins
are semata. I wrote an article for the MSNS MichMatist on why "Money
is Speech."
There are a lot of similarities in the "mindset" of the two interests.
Discovering and cataloging the complete set, including oddities and
errors. Tracking the progression and lineage of changes, including
deviations from the norm. Looking for similarities between two
independently evolved lines. Parsing minor differences in exemplars.
Identifying the roles of geography and technology and history. It's
the same detective hunt, just played out on words and coins. Other
occupations, like archeologists, have the same traits.