Hey! I wrote a book!

I started this project a few months ago. I took photos of all my World Silver coins, did a lot of research, and had it printed in a book. This will go on my bookcase and be a special addition to my collection.

http://www.cointalk.com/members/sonlarson/albums/495/

 

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wow, that is really impressive... would love to do something like that with my set once I get it finished so i can enjoy it while it sits in the bank vault!!!

 

Very professional looking. Nice job!

 

Looks really good to me. Very interesting project.

 

nice job, congrats.

 

Really great job.. Congrats...



P.S. I think everyone at CT should get a signed copy for research reasons...IMHO lol

 

Small Press Publishing

This is way cool. Short-run printing was predicted by Don Lancaster back in the 1980s when the first home computers made it possible.

Tell us more.

Exactly, how did you pick the printer, what did it cost, how many copies, etc.

Also, you mention having it "printed" as a book -- but to me the nuance is like when ordinary people ask how coins are "printed." My questions are about the BINDING. Is it perfect bound from sewn signatures? Here at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs and Book Festivals, we get these craft printers and we have one in town that teaches the old style of presswork and binding.

Then...
If there are other copies, how much are they?
This is something that could become a subset of the hobby, especially among the bibliophiles of the NBS.

If you are not an E-Sylum list reader, you might consider joining.

 

looking good!! Very well done! :bow:

 

Way cool, and job well done. I bet the completion was fulfilling, what is your next project?

 

Great accomplishment. Fine looking book.

Bruce

 

What a fantastic idea, very rewarding as well as informative. This could help collectors with communicating with their families the value, both monetarily and personal, of their collections. I can see a series, Vol 1, Vol 2, etc. with different series of coins. Well done!

Like mmarotta I'd like to learn more on how you found a publisher.

 

Mike,

Looks really nice. I'm considering doing the same thing once my world gold collection reaches 100 coins (currently @ 75 so probably a few years away). I have seriously thought about publishing 1st edition (Volume 1) with only 50-75 coins and do second edition (volume 2) @ 100-150 coins.

I have a working manuscript already compiled with cover design, foreword, toc, individual coin plates etc.. I'm working on reimaging my coin photos at this time and I'm always working on adding/refining the information about my collection and each individual coins.

I have the same questions as mmarotta ....
Exactly, how did you pick the printer, what did it cost, how many copies, etc.
How many pages is your book?

Please tell more

 

Not sure how sonlarson went about printing/finishing this project but anyone can make easy use of BLURB, even sell and make some money from your books. Have a look if you haven't heard of Blurb, it's really a great service. Also, if anyone uses sites like Flickr for sharing photos, you can do similar things with QOOP and MOO.

 

It looks like a great book. Congratulations.

 

Sorry for the late reply, I just got home from work.

I downloaded the software from Blurb.com
The software has several templets for the photo and for the text. You can use their templets or you can create you own. I used a combination.
It looks simple, but is is a lot of trial and error to make it look the way you want it. I had to retake the photos and resize to fit the pages twice. I also had to try a few different fonts annd type size to fit the pages. I estimate that I spent about 30-40 hours putting it together. That time was spread out over a period of about 2 months and does not include the research, rewrite, and photography time. the software uses a LOT of memory, so you have to be very patient, (which I am not), to get everything right.

Once you get everything the way you want it, including spellcheck, and have a couple of people proof read for errors, You upload the program to Blurb.

You have a choice of soft bound or hardbound and a choice of paper, I chose the premium paper, hardbound, with no paper cover. the cover is one I selected, and is pasted to the front and back.

The book is 40 pages, not including the introduction, and title, and copyright pages.

It cost me $40 to have printed. Actually the first one I sent in had the photos too large and they got the tops cut off, and I found about 15 grammer errors, which spellcheck did not catch. I redid and sent back a second time. Cost me another $40. Turnaround was about 2 weeks.

The completed book is just like you would buy at a book store.

The site will even let you show your book and sell copies for you. I mean you can actually make money off this. I chose to keep it private. I can resale it on the site for about $39 each.

Everyone I have shown this book to freaked out. Honestly, I would have paid a lot more to have this printed. It is high quality! If you have a special collection and a lot of time and patience, you will be very proud of the results.

Thanks for the kind comments, if anyone is interested in doing something like this and would like some tips, I'll be happy to share my expieriences with the project.

 

Wow, I was thinking something like that would cost me a few hundred bucks!! Good info, thanks. Now I can spend that extra money getting my coins professionally photographed so I don't have to mess with that

 

GREAT job......

 

very cool idea. i would love to do this for my currency collection:thumb:

 

"Thanks for the kind comments, if anyone is interested in doing something like this and would like some tips, I'll be happy to share my expieriences with the project."

Sonlarsen,

Thanks and I might take you up on your offer.

 

BLURB.com

That's the nature of designing. Graphic Designers spend all their time doing this stuff to get everything you see printed around you just right and over all these hurdles, from sizes, correct files, colors, paper types, fonts, you name it. To some it's pure art, to some it's fun, others a career, and to some both mystifying and tedious.

Your book looks very nice, especially considering from your comments how much time and thought you put into this and it sounds to be your first such effort. Great job. :thumb:

Everyone interested in making books easily should seriously check out Blurb.com or the others I linked to earlier in the thread. These books are great for binding your photos, presentations, collections like this and basically anything else you can dream up.