"In coins . . . there is almost always some historical information or some allusion, political or religious. They therefore contain much and varied information. From the purely artistic point of view, as well, they mirror in a microcosm the prevailing artistic tendencies of their day, and since they can often be arranged in a chronological order that depends upon evidence other than that of their style, they can be used to contribute to the study of style itself in art. As evidence for the illustration of contemporary life at the period of their issue, they are of inestimable value. Cults, notable events, traditions, social and political changes, and artistic achievements are faithfully recorded in their inscriptions and on the design and the types that they bear . . . But the uses of numismatics are toò manifold and the informatio which is provided by a study of coinage is so vast and fertile that it would be idle to do more than hint at it."

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