Older versions are excellent as-is, and the publication is very refined and one of the best guides / references to coins I've seen. I'm sure that newly minted coins would get added for each year's release. But besides the new coins, what's the value added of getting the 2017 Red Book? How much of a difference is there year to year with the Red Books with respect to older coins? I'm sure new discoveries, better examples, etc. would get added... but these are probably minor changes in the grand scheme of things. It's coming out sometime in March 2016 I believe, judging by the release date of the 2016 Red Book - is it going to be some sort of 70th anniversary special that includes more content? Thanks in advance!
"The 2017 edition is 16 pages longer than the 2016 edition, making it the biggest and best yet!" [link] There doesn't seem to be a 2017 listing on the Whitman site yet. Maybe it will debut around the Spring Expo in Baltimore. There is also the online edition: https://www.whitman.com/RedBook/
The online resources are nice, but I do prefer to physically thumb through the pages for most readings. It's a fair price for the 2017 pre-order, though I'm not sure that 16 extra pages is worth it. The 1947 reissue may be interesting to get though, since it says that there's a 60 year market analysis of coins so I may get it just for that. And I can see what '47 and earlier coins were going for then, adjust it for inflation, and compare today's coin prices in real terms... since I'm into that sort of thing. Maybe I'll wait and see come March and stop by the store when they arrive. I'm sure that the 2022 75th edition will be the one to get, and I'll be expecting more than the typical year to year add-ons; though I'll probably get that one anyway as I'll probably want to update my book references.
I found that having past editions to be useful in research. If you are looking for new content you might want to look at Mega Red, as it is called, officially the Deluxe Edition. Look here https://www.whitman.com/store/Inven...luxe-Edition-The-Official-Red-Book+0794843077
That may be a neat one to get. Is it all or mostly in color, and is there a hardbound version? I can't seem to find one in hardbound.
I usually get a new red book every 3 years or so, unless it's an anniversary issue. I also got the "old Mans edition" Larger print because I'm 72 and I can use all the help I can get.
The Deluxe Edition is excellent. Just don't try to use it to price your 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter. Too bad it's not available in PDF. It would be great to have a searchable version to take to shows.
Ken Bressett & I are trying to get Dennis Tucker to make a hard cover for us. No loss in asking. But, He isn't going for it. The weight would be silly. Like an encyclopedia
What is the major difference between the Red book and the Blue book? And which one would you recommend?
Yeah, it would likely have to be a 2 or 3 volume set. I can't see that selling well. I'd rather have an official PDF so I can carry around a 1 pound iPad at a show, as opposed to this behemoth of a book that stays home when I go out.
Depending on what I'm doing, I sometimes like to put the book up on a stand and flip the pages. If I'm on the computer, it'll be easier to use a stand, as it'll take up less space, so with that setup, weight wouldn't be too much of an issue. Hardbound dictionary or encyclopedia size and weight wouldn't bother me though. First edition hardbound sounds like a good idea, esp. if you're going to be using it often. Thanks for asking - hope he comes around.
Thorpeuser. The difference is the Red book lists what a dealer would charge. The Blue book is what he might pay. Otherwise, the contents are the same.
Thank you for the great information. I have a 2016 blue book and had no idea that was what the pricing was. Of course if I read the first page I would have known. Would you recommend getting a red book too? It sounds like the mega red book with 1504 pages has much more info than my 287 page blue book. Which one of the versions of the red book is the best value for a collector?
Actually I only have the standard red book and blue book because I wanted to get an idea of the spread of prices. I think the mega book would have more information---and I should probably get one too. i
I just picked up a 1962 Red Book in very nice condition at a sale. Do you know if has any collectible value ? I suppose I could just look at the old prices and wish that I would have seriously started collecting them when I was a kid, instead of investing in U.S. stamps.
Tripped over that mega red the other night. Who the devil didn't put it back? Dang, that smarts.......