Symbols of Power: Ten Coins That Changed the World
Money makes the world. For millennia, currencies have brought order (and disorder) to human society, directing trade, growing economies, developing national identities and religions—and spreading empires. More than ever, money's power to shape our character, our politics, and our daily lives is clear.

This revelatory history of ten major currencies details how the trajectory of world civilization is bound up with the movement of money. From the earliest measures of precious metals to the global fiat currencies we use today, the evolution of the shekel, the drachma, the denarius, the florin, the franc, the mark, the rupee, the yen, the pound, and the dollar tracks closely with the rise and fall of influential rulers, governments, and imperial powers. These coins have acted as powerful symbols of political expression and continuity despite deeply disruptive social, economic, and political change. Rich with illustrations from the famous collections at the British Museum and elsewhere, this book charts the fascinating path of each coin as it has traveled throughout history.
1120894356
Symbols of Power: Ten Coins That Changed the World
Money makes the world. For millennia, currencies have brought order (and disorder) to human society, directing trade, growing economies, developing national identities and religions—and spreading empires. More than ever, money's power to shape our character, our politics, and our daily lives is clear.

This revelatory history of ten major currencies details how the trajectory of world civilization is bound up with the movement of money. From the earliest measures of precious metals to the global fiat currencies we use today, the evolution of the shekel, the drachma, the denarius, the florin, the franc, the mark, the rupee, the yen, the pound, and the dollar tracks closely with the rise and fall of influential rulers, governments, and imperial powers. These coins have acted as powerful symbols of political expression and continuity despite deeply disruptive social, economic, and political change. Rich with illustrations from the famous collections at the British Museum and elsewhere, this book charts the fascinating path of each coin as it has traveled throughout history.
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Symbols of Power: Ten Coins That Changed the World

Symbols of Power: Ten Coins That Changed the World

by Thomas Hockenhull (Editor)
Symbols of Power: Ten Coins That Changed the World

Symbols of Power: Ten Coins That Changed the World

by Thomas Hockenhull (Editor)

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$19.95 
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Overview

Money makes the world. For millennia, currencies have brought order (and disorder) to human society, directing trade, growing economies, developing national identities and religions—and spreading empires. More than ever, money's power to shape our character, our politics, and our daily lives is clear.

This revelatory history of ten major currencies details how the trajectory of world civilization is bound up with the movement of money. From the earliest measures of precious metals to the global fiat currencies we use today, the evolution of the shekel, the drachma, the denarius, the florin, the franc, the mark, the rupee, the yen, the pound, and the dollar tracks closely with the rise and fall of influential rulers, governments, and imperial powers. These coins have acted as powerful symbols of political expression and continuity despite deeply disruptive social, economic, and political change. Rich with illustrations from the famous collections at the British Museum and elsewhere, this book charts the fascinating path of each coin as it has traveled throughout history.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780231174084
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication date: 05/05/2015
Pages: 144
Product dimensions: 5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Thomas Hockenhull is project curator of the modern money collection in the British Museum's Department of Coins and Medals.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
The Shekel
The Drachma
The Denarius
The Florin
The Franc
The Mark
The Rupee
The Yen
The Pound
The Dollar
Conclusion
Bibliography
Picture Credits
Index
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