BOOK REVIEW: THE PUBLICATIONS OF ERIC P. NEWMAN

From start to finish, The Publications of Eric P. Newman: A Collector's Guide is an enticing read for bibliophiles and connoisseurs of Eric Newman's numismatic scholarship. I gained a greater appreciation for his diligence as a researcher and writer, as well as his meticulous preparation of manuscripts for publication. I was astonished at the sheer number of novel discoveries that Newman made and followed up on over a period of more than seventy years. This book is a page-turner, as one anticipates the next numismatic mystery to be investigated by Newman. It is worth savoring each page!

This expertly researched, organized, well-illustrated and edited volume is not a hagiography of Newman or his scholarship. It is a creative presentation of Newman's personal papers and library artifacts intertwined with his published works. The authors provide clarity when Newman's research findings have been updated by more recent numismatic research. They also review Eric's rare failures or limits to his scholarship.

One point that stood out to me was Newman's hardline approach against the merits of numismatic copies, alterations or forgeries. While I understand the hazards of these, in my experience, some coin reproductions may be useful tools for educating numismatists about the diagnostics of authentic versus spurious coins. For example, I benefited from examining and comparing original gold coins of various denominations, early American coppers, Indian Head and Flying Eagle cents to matching counterfeit coins during my classes at several American Numismatic Association Summer Seminars.

Orosz and Augsburger are to be commended for producing this engaging guide to Newman's body of scholarship. I especially recommend this book for learning about Newman's tackling of significant numismatic questions.

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
NEW BOOK: PUBLICATIONS OF ERIC P. NEWMAN (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n09a03.html)
BOOK REVIEW: THE PUBLICATIONS OF ERIC P. NEWMAN (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n10a07.html)

 

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