2017-08-08 Tue

An astronomer is supposed to be loitering around in space but the gravity of the situation on earth is too much to take. Therefore, this astronomer’s eyes are fixed on gold coins of Newfoundland. Harvey Richer authored The Gold Coins of Newfoundland 1865–1888, which was released July 27 by Boulder Publications. Newfoundland was the only British colony in North America to strike gold coins for general circulation, which may be remarkable, given that it was one of the poorest British possessions in North America and had an economy largely based on the barter system.

The book gives us a sneak-peek at the history of Newfoundland through its coinage. It showcases new details for each year that gold coins were minted, the distribution of these scarce coins, a survey of the greatest collections and the provenances of the rarest of gold coins.

Richer, a professor of astronomy at the University of British Columbia, has published more than 140 scientific papers. He was the 2014 recipient of the Carlyle S. Beals Award of the Canadian Astronomical Society, given for lifetime achievement.

“Well-researched studies about early Canadian coinage are few and far between,” according to Paul Berry, chief curator of the National Currency Collection, Bank of Canada Museum.

Richer’s book definitely fills the void, despite drawing heavily upon official documents and contemporary newspaper accounts. Gathered with historical narrative and numismatic detail, with amusing anecdotes that give the vibe of a detective novel, make for an informative and pleasant read.