From: The Journal of the American Oriental Society | Date: January 1, 1997| Author: | COPYRIGHT 1997 American Oriental Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Numismatics is essentially a science of observation and classification. The more you observe and the more you classify, the more you learn. Whether it is a hoard or a treasure, a small or large private or public collection, a series issued by an individual king or a dynasty or by a state or a guild, meticulous observation and intensive classification of the relevant coins are bound to yield valuable results and advance our knowledge of history, society, and culture. Ellen M. Raven's two-volume work is an excellent example of this exercise. It is a valuable contribution to not only ...