The Faces of Captain Cook - A Numismatic Memoir: A Record of the Coins and Medals of James Cook

"To those whose collecting stops when a coin or medal reposes in their album, [this book will ] simply be a catalogue of medallic portraits. To those however, who use the medals as a key to history and human achievement, it will open doors to a wealth of fascinating knowledge of a time when men circumnavigated the world in ships we would fear to board for the shortest of journeys; of a time when sea scurvy could decimate an entire ship's company in a matter of a few weeks, a time when ships foundered on ill-charted reefs and shoals. Cook did not change all these things himself, but his three major Pacific voyages did set a standard that sparked an awareness of the perils of those who go down to the sea in ships, and created a methodicity in scientific observation that saved the lives of a multitude of seafarers. The medallic memories of this man, so ably presented in Allan Klenman's treatise, will make all those who embark on their study, aware that Cook was an extraordinary person, of his time but in many respects before it." - Foreword. 85 pages. Bibliography. Illustrated in black and white. Includes a detailed obituary of coin and stamp designer James Berry O.B.E., 1906-1979, whose works prominently featured James Cook. Worldcat suggests only 100 copies of this book may have been printed. Clean, bright, tight and unmarked with very light wear. An excellent copy.; 8vo.…