Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins, 1795-1933

This comprehensive book on American gold coins is a valuable reference work for the National Numismatic Collection (NNC) at the National Museum of American History, which holds one of the largest collections of U.S. gold coins ever assembled. The coauthors visited the NNC to research the book, and the foreword is written by Richard Doty, the former senior curator of the NNC. This volume provides background information on the history of American monetary systems and the establishment of the U.S. Mint, acknowledging the important roles played by Alexander Hamilton and other Founding Fathers. It also offers overviews of different types of coinage, followed by detailed descriptions of specific coins with color photos, many featuring coins from the Smithsonian collection.