YAMAN (History and Heritage in Philippine Money) is a regaling tale of Philippine history as told by the evolution of Philippine money. A numismatic scholar-writer divided the book content into several eras and developed the story thus: barter, gold, silver, paper and paper-less currency. Box stories included the Boxer Codex, the first known 18th century colored illustrations of gold adornments worn by Filipino royalty before the arrival of the Spaniards, and a “visit” to the BSP Security Plant where coinage is minted and bank notes are monetized and printed.
The dynamic duo of design and photography leads the story telling. Dramatic photography of coins on rough surfaces (stone, slate, leather, sand, among others) highlights the beauty of the engraving on the obverse and reverse sides. Two-page spreads with unusual photographic treatment are strategically positioned within the 400-page tome as a breather to break the scholarly dissertation. Close-ups give serious numismatics the opportunity and delight to identify individual characteristics, security marks and intricate designs on coins and bank notes.
Cover of the book features a pair of rough hands gently cupping different rare coins from different periods. The message conveys that no matter what one’s economic station in life is, due respect must be given to these legal tender at all times, for they are bearers of vignettes of the Philippines’ quest for freedom, and represent our nation’s identity.
Overall design treatment transforms an otherwise ordinary subject matter into a visual feast that marries the glint of gold, silver and copper with the quiet elegance of paper money that is embedded with Philippine abaca fibers (Banana plant native to the Philippines) as one of its important security marks.