This is the first book to explore the history of the field of Chinese numismatics from both Eastern and Western perspectives. With upwards of 100 illustrations, it consists of three papers that complement each other beautifully and give a sound introduction to the beginnings of the study of Chinese numismatics, focusing on the 19th century:

 

A Short History of Chinese Numismatics in Western Languages – Helen Wang A run-through of publications on Chinese numismatics to 1900 – giving information about the authors, their occupations, motivations and areas of interest. A good background to the subject, and includes information on where to find bibliographies etc.

 

Currencies of Ancient China from their Origins to the Late Empire – Francois Thierry, translated from the French by Helen Wang and Lyce Jankowski Also the title of Francois Theirry’s award-winning book, published in 2017 – the result of having worked for decades as the curator of Asian coins in Paris. The author notes how Europeans sometimes understood Chinese money and sometimes got it completely wrong.

 

Numismatic Friendship: Social Networks of Numismatists and Coin Collectors During the Late Qing Dynasty – Lyce Jankowski, translated from the French by Lyce Jankowski and Helen Wang Also the title of the author’s book published in 2018, and a very important piece of work. It shows the world of Chinese collectors of Chinese coins, their networks and motivations.