Literature Suggestions

I wonder if I know your friend. How old is he?

Chris

 

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He's 52 from Texas. I doubt he's ever left the state. Hasn't shot pool in years that I know of.

 

I played in the first two Shark Shoot-Outs on South Padre Island, but that was 15 years ago. I was there when Fast Eddie died. He was a gentleman and good friend.

Chris

 

He came to Corsicana to the bowling center in 83 but I couldn't get off work to go see him. I love the movie The Hustler and have watched it a dozen times.

 

Like you Clutchy, I started out acquiring coins before I really knew much about them; now I have a rather large library and I am still adding new books and revisions to it.

While there are many books available that cover specific coin types, and a few that cover grading, I had found that the most useful to a new--or even intermediarte/advanced collector--are the following:

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF COLLECTING/INVESTING

"The Coin Collectors Survival Mmanual" by Scott A. Travers

"The Expert's Guide to COLLECTING & INVESTING IN RARE COINS" by Q. David Bowers

GRADING (Illustrated)

"HOW TO GRADE U.S. COINS--A step-by-step guide to the grading of uncirculated and proof coins" by James L. Halperin

"MAKING the GRADE--Comprehensive Grading Guide for U.S. Coins" by Coin World (this book expands on Jim Halperin's book, and includes circulated coins)

 

You mean, the first book only focuses on grading MS coins?

 

Yes, uncirculated and proof. Why, for two reasons: (1) in his view, previous texts either did not cover anything above AU, or if they did, only a small image was shown with no real guidance as to what the Prime Focal Areas and Wear Points are, other than some brief verbal sentence fragments. (2) in the opinion of many experts, grading of uncirculated coins is generally more difficult than worn coins, and at the time of his authoring the book he felt there was nothing out there for guidence.

 

Some interesting notes on the movie:

1. When Walter Tevis wrote the book, "The Hustler", Minnesota Fats was a purely fictitious character. "Fast Eddie" was based on the life of Eddie Parker who was a good friend of Tevis.

2. Once the movie was released, an obscure poolplayer named Rudolph Wanderone who was known as "Brooklyn Fats" adopted the name Minnesota Fats.

3. In my opinion, Jackie Gleason was a better player than Rudolph "Fats" Wanderone.

4. In the movie, Jackie Gleason shot all of his own trick shots. The trick shots played by Paul Newman (Fast Eddie) were actually shot by Willie Mosconi who was the technical advisor for the movie.

5. In the summer of 1964 when I was 16, the movie made its debut in the DC area. I played four exhibition matches (150-point straight pool) with Mosconi who was there to promote the movie. Result: Willie - 3; Me - 1

Chris

 

That was one of the first books I bought. Thank you!

 

Yes, I'm quite interested in counterfeits. I own a few (by choice). I feel everyone should own a few, at least the types they collect. A good lesson is to learn as much about them as possible from online, but it's a better lesson to have such a piece in hand.

 

I agree on both counts. My best tools so far has been to get a few MS examples of well struck and not so well struck coins. That alone has helped me tremendously in having confidence in my grading studies. You can't grade something if you don't have a clue on what the coin started from. HUGE swing in Lincoln Cents. A 1909 is nothing like a 1934, and a 1934 is nothing like a 1958.

 

And just for the record, I grew up with a 1970 8', 1" slate National table in the kitchen. It served as a appetizer table during family functions, and the cue settled more than a handful of family fueds.

 

So very cool, a good friend of mine gave this to me yesterday. Can't wait to hang it up!

 

My biggest regret is that I never took the time to make the 2-hour trip from Ft. Myers to Palm Beach to play Jackie. Supposedly, he was a complete gentleman and would welcome a game from anybody.

Chris

 

Other interests? Hopefully, you'll never lose those old interests completely. I'm over fifty and I still have those same interests you mentioned. (My wife of over two decades keeps me out of trouble, however.)

Numismatics can enrich your life and deepen your appreciation of the world and people around you. No need, however, to lose other interests. Numismatics should supplement your life, not replace it.

Don't write off Ancient numismatics, yet. The Ancients will open a new perspective in seeing numismatics and and appreciating history. The study of the Ancients also give a deeper understanding of the events of today. (Things and people don't change that much, even after a few millenia.)

Good luck,

guy

 

I didn't have my first home billiard room until late in 2001. It was 25'x40' with a Diamond Pro 9' table in rosewood with a ball return and Simonis 860 cloth and a Belgian made 10' 3-cushion carom table with a heated slate and Simonis 300 cloth.

If you can find a copy of the November, 2002 Billiards Digest, I won the "Best Home Room" for their Architectural and Design Awards.

Chris