Alter und neuer Müntz-Schlüssel. Das ist gründlicher Bericht unter was vor seinem Käserthum oder Königreich . . . die mancherley Arten der Güld- und Silbernen Muntz-Sorten geschlagen worden. Frankfurt & Leipzig, J. J. Förster,

Profusely illustrated coin catalogue, a survey of the gold and silver currency in use throughout the Holy Roman Empire, with illustrations of coins issued by the German States as well as coins in use in other countries including the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, England and Poland. The first edition of the work was a very comprehensive production running to 364 pages of text, and clearly rather too bulky to carry around; since the work was intended as a manual for use by tradesmen and businessmen who wanted something portable, this edition was issued a year later in a much handier size with an abbreviated text which could be slipped into the pocket. The work would also have helped with the detection of counterfeit coins. Since it would have been in almost daily use, our edition is much rare than the 1683 full version.

The text consists of a survey of coinage from ancient times (e.g. the coins of the Babylonians, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans), right up to the author's own time, with comments on their values, dependent on their relative, weight. The illustrations show the obverse and reverse of 348 coins in use at the time (i.e. making a total of 696 engravings). The eight tables on the four leaves at the end list the coins with tables showing their relative worth.

Provenance. From the Macclesfield Library with large armorial book-plate, and blind-stamp on first two leaves.

A few captions slightly trimmed, A little browning.

VD17 3:646175Y. Not in Lipsius.