The Catalog of the Ed Murphy Collection of Chopmarked Coins
(The Chopmark Reference Series)
by James Wemmick

Until relatively recently, chopmarked coins - currency countermarked by merchants in China and nearby regions, typically to confirm silver content - were thought to be damaged or at best, curiosities. Few pieces were considered important enough to be included in well-known numismatic collections, and fewer still were plated in public references. As a result, many chopmarked coins have lost their provenances with time; there are no comprehensive visual records of important chopmark collections such as those assembled by F. M. Rose and Hal Walls, apart from scattered pieces that were given pride of place in numismatic references or auction catalogs.

The Ed Murphy Collection, assembled over several decades through dealers in the Philippines and through the American auction circuit, is one of the largest collections of its kind ever assembled. Meticulously photographed and incorporating Mr. Murphy's personal attributions, the catalog is intended to showcase one collector's particular interpretation of what constitutes a chopmark, and to provide an ironclad provenance for future collectors conducting background research on specific pieces. The Murphy Collection's particular strength is the comprehensive range of its host types, representing over 500 crowns, minors, and contemporary counterfeits constituting several hundred years, each of which is illustrated.

Note that while the range of types is exceptional, the catalog provides little context for each piece or for chopmarks as a whole, and as such should be considered advanced reference material rather than an introductory guide to new collectors entering the chopmark collecting space.

Publisher : Independently published (November 5, 2023)
Language : English
Hardcover : 271 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8864194379
Item Weight : 1.69 pounds
Dimensions : 8.25 x 0.83 x 11 inches

For more information, or to order, see:
The Catalog of the Ed Murphy Collection of Chopmarked Coins (The Chopmark Reference Series)(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CMQGQZLN)