Tokens & Tallies Through the Ages by Ted Fletcher

There is no universally accepted agreement on what is or is not a token, nor even a tally. In this book the terms token and tally mainly cover those metal objects for which there is some historical or archaeological evidence that they served either as substitutes for denominations of legal money in short supply, or as a means of recording promised payments and services due, or as a method of keeping account of time, of possessions, of work output, or of the many other things humans felt a need to count and record. The accompanying texts and illustrations serve as an introduction to each category. The recommended bibliographies should put readers on the road to expertise in all of these fascinating series.