The text is a comprehensive guide to collecting American copper half cents and large cents, all minted from the late 18th century to the mid 19th. The first several chapters offer not only a history of numismatics in America, but the history of the country in a greater context as well. Some chapter titles are as follows, The First Philadelphia Mint and the American Scene, People and Processes Within the Mint, Numismatics in the 19th Century, and The 20th Century and Beyond. The text then delves into the ins and outs of collecting, such as price, variety, and condition and covers all half and large cents. The text is chock full of color photos of the coinage, as well as interesting historical illustrations. Annotation ©2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)