wunder · Library
The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 cover

The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896

by William Arthur Shaw

By William Arthur Shaw · Economics · Public domain

Start reading free → Jump to chapter 1

About this book

The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 is a public-domain classic of economics by William Arthur Shaw.

The complete text is on this page and the chapter pages below — all 15 chapters, about 131,261 words (~11 hours of reading), free to read online with no signup. Chapters include “Appendix 1. to Schimmel's _geschiedkundig Overzicht_; or Again, Compare”, “Appendix I. the Monetary System of Florence, 1272-1530 301”, “Appendix Vi.) It Was to Remedy This Disorder That the Great Edict of”, and more.

The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 at a glance

Author
William Arthur Shaw
Length
131,261 words · about 11 hours to read
Chapters
15
Price
Free — public domain

Learn more about economics

Short, fact-checked Wunder courses related to The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 — free to read, no signup. Or browse every course.

Economics and financial history covering markets and systemsMoney and markets aren’t forces of nature — they are technologies humans invented to create trust between strangers across space and time. This is…45 min courseEconomic History: Booms & BustsLearn from four centuries of bubbles, panics and recoveries — starting with the discovery that the most famous one, tulipmania, mostly didn't happen…90 min courseA Short History of CapitalismFrom merchants and mercantilism to factories and free markets.30 min courseInvesting for BeginnersMaster beginner investing: stocks, funds, compounding, and risk12 min courseDeep Silk Road trade systems and economics courseThe Silk Road, taught as economics rather than romance. It was not a road and rarely carried silk end to end — it was a relay economy of middlemen…45 min courseCorporate FinanceUnderstand how companies raise and use money: the time value of money, why NPV is the only rule that's right, where the discount rate comes from, and…90 min course

Read The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 online — full text

Appendix 1. to Schimmel's _geschiedkundig Overzicht_; or Again, Compare

Soetbeer's figures with those deduced by Koehler in his Grundliche Nachricht; or by Dr. Arnold Luschin, in the Proceedings of the Congres International de Numismatique, 1880, p. 443; or with those deducible from Le Blanc's tables (infra., Appendix VI.). It is to this difference that must be attributed the discrepancy in the statement of the ratio by the French Mint authorities in 1640 (see text, infra., p. 92 and note, ibid.). The difficulty of calculating the European Mint ratio at any moment can be judged from the experience and statements of persons so widely apart as Sir Isaac Newton in England, Mirabeau and Calonne in France, and Morris and Hamilton in the United States (see infra., pp. 172-3, 229-30, and 251).

With regard to the scope of the present work, it is confined entirely to the history of metallic currency and standard. There is no reference to the paper-money experience of any country, not even America or Austria. Such a subject must form matter for a separate treatment. The account of Austrian money is, therefore, to be found in Appendix v., under Germany, and on the effects of the latest Austrian reform (as also of the latest development in India and the United States) no opinion whatever is expressed. I content myself with the simple statement of fact and event.

In appending a list of the authorities used, it is difficult to overcome the feeling of humiliation which has come to me from the contrast of the ephemeral, slight, and unworthy treatment of monetary history to-day, with the grand, solid, scholarly works which the eighteenth century produced. With the exception of Soetbeer's magnificent labours, without which the present work would have been simply impossible as far as the statements of production and relativity of the precious metals are concerned, and of the similar historic work of M. Ottomar Haupt, the literature of this subject to-day is light and polemic and transitory to a nauseating degree.

GENERAL

Authorities.

J.D. Koehler Grundliche Nachricht von dem Muenzwesen insgemein. Helmstadt, 1739 and 1741. Third edition (Leipzig, 1781), enlarged and attributed to Von Praun.

Budelius De monetis et re numaria (with twenty-four other treatises). Coloniae Agrippinae, 1591.

Melchior Goldast Catholicon rei monetariae sive leges monarchichae generales de rebus numariis, etc. Frankfort, 1620.

Almanach des Monnaies. Paris, 1784.

Muenze und Muenzwissenschaft (Oec. Techn. Encyc. xcvii.).

Nicole Oresme Traite de la premiere invention des monnaies, and--

Copernicus Traite de la monnaie, both re-edited by Wolowski. Paris, 1864.

Jean Bodin Descours sur le rehaussement et diminution tant d'or que d'argent et le moyen d'y remedier [en reponse] aux paradoxes du sieur de Malestroict (appended to Bodin's Six Livres de la Republique. Lyons, 1593).

H.C. Dittmer Geschichte der ersten Gold-Ausmuenzungen zu Luebeck im 14 Jahrhundert (Zeitschrift der Vereins fuer Luebeckische Geschichte), Heft. i. 885.

J.G. Hall On European Mediaeval Gold Coins (Numismatic Chronicle). Third Series, vol. ii. pp. 212-226.

P. Joseph Historisch-kritische Beschreibung des Bretzheimer Goldguldenfundes vergraben um 1390, nebst einem verzeichniss der bisher bekannten Goldgulden vom Florentiner Gepraege. Mainz, 1883.

K.T. Eheberg Ueber das aeltere deutsche Muenzwesen und die Hausgenossenschaften. Leipzig, 1879.

Neueste Muenzkunde Leipzig, 1853.

A.H. Smith Encyclopaedia of Gold and Silver Coins of the World. Philadelphia, 1886.

A. Soetbeer Edelmetall--Produktion und Werthverhaeltniss zwischen Gold und Silber, seit der Entdeckung Amerika's bis zur Gegenwart. Gotha, 1879.

" Materialien zur Erklaerung und Beurtheilung der wirthschaftlichen Edelmetallverhaltnisse und der waehrungsfrage. Berlin.

A. Soetbeer Litteraturnachweis ueber Geld--und Muenzwesen. Berlin, 1892.

F. Altes Traite comparatif des monnaies, poids et mesures. 1832.

G.K. Chelins Mass and Gewichtsbuch. 1830.

Gerhardt Tafeln, etc. Berlin, 1818.

Doederlein Commentatio Historica de Nummis. 1729.

C.C. Schmiede Handworterbuch der Muenzkunde. 1811.

J. Leitzmann Abriss einer Geschichte der gesammten Muenzkunde ... aller voelker Fursten und Staedte der aeltern, Mittlern, und neuern Zeit. Erfurt, 1828.

GERMANY

Authorities.

J.P. Ludewig Einleitung zu dem teutschen muentwesen mittler Zeiten, etc. 1709.

J.F. Klotzsch Versuch einer Chur Saechischen Muenzgeschichte. 1779.

D.E. Beyschlag Versuch einer Muenzgeschichte Augsburgs in dem Mittelalter. 1835.

C. Binder Wuerttembergische Muenz und Medaillenkunde. 1848.

C.P.C. Schoenemann Zur vaterlaendischen Muenzkunde vom 12-15 Jahrhundert. 1852.

J.D. Koehler Historische Muenz Belustigungen, 22 vols. 1729-65.

H. Pauli Tableaux des monnaies de l'Allemagne, etc. Frankfort, 1846.

J.G. Hirsch Das teutschen Reichs Muenz Archiv, etc., 9 vols. folio. 1750-68 (absolutely unequalled and indispensable).

J. Leitzmann Wegweiser auf dem Gebiete den deutschen Muenzkunde. Weissensen, 1869.

Euler Verzeichniss und Beschreibung der frankfurter Goldmuenzen mit einer geschichtlichen Einleitung etc. (Archiv fur Frankfurts Geschichte und Kunst), Heft iv. 1847.

E.L. Jaeger Das Geld nebst einer kurzem Geschichte des deutschen Geldes. Stuttgart, 1877.

Geschichtliche Darstellung des alten und neuen teutschen Muenzwesens. Weimar, 1817.

J.F. Hauschild Zur Geschichte des deutschen mass und Muenzwesens. Frankfort, 1861.

A. Soetbeer Denkschrift ueber Hamburgs Muenzverhaeltnisse. Hamburg, 1846.

H.P. Cappe Die Muenzen der deutschen Kaiser und Koenige das Mettelalters. 1850.

C.P.C. Schoenemann Zur vaterlaendischen Muenzkunde. 1852.

J.P. Graumann Gesammelte Briefe vom dem Gelde, von dem Wechsel, etc. 1762.

J.G. Hoffmann Die Lehre von Gelde. 1838.

" Die Zeichen der Zeit. 1841.

J. Albrecht Munzgeschichte der Hauses Hohenlohe, vom 13-19 Jahrhundert.

Grote and Hoelzermann Lippische Geld und Muenzgeschichte, 1867. (Nachtrage by Weingaertner. 1890).

E.J. Bergius Das Geld und Bank wesen in Preussen. 1846.

A. Von Berstett Munzgeschichte des zaehringen badischen Fuerstenhauses. 1846.

D. Braun Bericht von Pohlnisch und Preussischen Muenzwesen. 1722.

E. Bahrfeldt Das Muenzwesen der Mark Brandenburg bis zum Anfange der Hohenzollern. 1889.

Koehne Das Muenzwesen der Stadt Berlin, 1837.

F.H. Grautoff Historische Schriften, 3 vols. 1836 (for Luebeck Mint).

C.F. Eheberg Ueber das aeltere deutsche Muenzwesen. 1879.

J. Newald Beitrag zur Geschichte des Oesterreichischen Muenzwesen im ersten Viertel des 18 Jahrhunderts. Vienna, 1881.

Max Wirth Geschichte der Handelskrisen. Frankfort, 1890.

" Das Geld, Geschichte der Umlaufmittel von der altesten Zeit bis an die Gegenwart. Leipzig, 1884.

FRANCE

Authorities.

F. De Saulcy Recueil de Documents relatifs a l'histoire des monnaies frappees par les rois de France depuis Philippe II., jusqu' a Francois I., 4 vols. 4to. Paris, 1879. (The unique value of this work is sadly impaired by the cutting out of the preambles of the various proclamations, etc.).

Le Blanc Traite historique des monnaies de France. Paris, 1690.

Du Cange Glossarium mediae et infimae Latinitatis (Art. Moneta).

J. Adrien Blanchet Documents pour servir a l'histoire monetaire de la Navarre et du Bearn, de 1562-1629. Macon, 1887.

Hubert de Martigny De la Disparition de la monnaie d'argent et de son remplacement par la monnaie d'or (ou Situation Monetaire de la France en 1859). Paris, 1859.

H. Costes Les institutions monetaires de la France avant et depuis, 1789. Paris, 1885.

" Notes et Tableaux pour servir a l'etude de la question monetaire. Paris, 1884.

Hippolyte Berry Etudes et recherches historiques sur les Monnaies de France. 1853.

Natalis de Wailly Memoire sur les variations de la livre tournois depuis S. Louis a la monnaie decimale.

C. Bouteroue Recherches curieuses des monnayes de France depuis le commencement de la Monarchie. Paris, 1666.

L. Faucher Recherches sur l'or and l'argent. 1843.

Dupre de St. Maur Essai sur les monnaies ou reflexions sur le rapport entre l'argent et les denrees. Paris, 1746.

Abot de Bazinghen Traite des monnaies et de la jurisdiction de la cour des monnaies. Paris, 1764.

Le Vicomte G. D'Avenel Histoire economique de la propriete, des salaires, des denrees, etc., 1200-1800. Paris, 1894.

For a bibliography of the works treating of the provincial monies of France, see Vicomte D'Avenel, ubi supra, i. pp. 483-91.

ITALY

Authorities.

Ignazio Orsini Storia delle monete della repubblica fiorentina. Firenze, 1760.

" Storia delle monete de' Granduchi di Toscana. Firenze, 1766.

Zanetti Nuova raccotta delle monete e zecche d'Italia, 5 vols. folio. 1785-89.

Custodi Scrittori Italiani d'economia politica, vol. xiv.

F. Schweizer Serie delle monete Aquileia. 1818.

Ph. Argelatus Di monetis Italiae varior. illustr. virorum dissertationes, 6 vols. 1750-9.

A. Cinagli Le monete de' Pape, folio. 1848.

Menizzi Delle monete de' Veneziani dal principio al fine della loro repubblica. Venezia, 1818.

Vincenzo Padovan La numografia Veneziana sommario documentato. Venezia, 1882.

Fr. Ed. Ercole Gnecchi Le Monete di Milano.

Catalog einer Sammlung italienischer Munzen aller Zeiten. Munich, 1882.

Nicolo Papadopoli Sulle origini della Veneta zecca, etc. Venezia, 1882.

" Sul valore della moneta Veneziana. Venezia, 1885.

" Monete inedite della zecca Veneziana. Venezia, 1881.

G. Carli-Rubbi Delle monete e dell' instituzione delle zecche d'Italia. L'Aja, 4 vols. 1754.

NETHERLANDS

Authorities.

W.F. Schimmel Geschiedkundig overzicht van het muntwezen in Nederland. Amsterdam, 1882.

P.O. van der Chijs Beknopte verhandeling over het nut der beoefening van de algemeene, dat is oude, meddeleeuwsche en heden daagsche munt en penningkunde. Leiden, 1829.

V. Gaillard Recherches sur les Monnaies de Flandres. 1857.

Groot Plakkaat Boek (Can & Schelten).

Mieris Beschrijving der Munten van Utrecht. 1726.

A. Vrolik Verslag van al het verrigte tot herstel van het Nederlandsche Muntwezen van 1842-51.

L. Deschamps de Pas Essai sur l'histoire monetaire des Comtes de Flandres de la maison de Bourgogne. 1863.

F. Henaux Essai sur l'histoire monetaire du pays de Liege. 1845.

W.C. Mees Proeve eener geschiedenis van het Bankwezen en Nederland. Rotterdam, 1838.

Kornelis van Alkemade De goude en zilvere gangbaare penningen der Graaven en Gravinnen van Holland. Delft, 1700.

Continue reading The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 free in the Wunder reader →

Contents — all 15 chapters

More free classics to read

Manual of References and Exercises in Economics for Use With Volume Ii. Modern Economic ProblemsFrank A. FetterThe Accumulation of CapitalRosa LuxemburgWomen in Modern IndustryB. L. HutchinsCyrus Hall Mccormick: His Life and WorkHerbert Newton CassonThe Wheel of FortuneMahatma GandhiPrinciples of Political EconomyArthur Latham PerryCommercial LawRichard D. CurrierWomen in the Printing Trades: a Sociological Study.James Ramsay MacDonald

The Wunder Library · Learn anything · Home — complete public-domain books, free to read, with narration and illustrations. The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 is in the public domain.

© 2026 Wunder Learning LLC · Terms & Privacy