BOOK REVIEW: LE PESAGE MONÉTAIRE

Garault, Bernard. Le pesage monétaire – Boîtes et poids de France du XVIIIe au XIXe siècle. Paris: Les Éditions Cheveau-Légers, 2012.

French language, with English and German introduction. Soft bound; 14.8 × 21.0 cm; illustrations in colour and black and white; 372 pages. ISBN 978-2-916996-47-9. Price: 29 euro.

The weighing of coins – Boxes and weights of 17th- and 19th-century France is a one-volume reference on the subject that is divided in two parts: the first is Garault’s original research and, the second, is a reprint of A. Dieudonné’s 1925 Manuel des poids monétaires (Handbook of coin weights)

Garault’s work is the result of 25 years of collecting and research. As the title indicates, it takes us through the world of scales made and used in France to weigh coins from the 17th to the 19th century. He describes in great detail and illustrates the scales, weights, and their boxes (including those used when the metric system was introduced) and touches on the various French scale makers.

Dieudonné’s 1925 work, still valid today, first speaks of the theory and doctrine of coin weights, such as their various uses (during coining and in commerce). Then he proceeds to catalogue the coin weights of France, Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, the Rhine region, Italy, and central Europe.

It is a worthwhile addition to the library of those interested in the subject. My rating, because it is highly specialized, 4/5. It is available from www.cgb.fr .

Wayne Homren, Editor

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