Numismatic literature: How many coin books and numismatic magazine subscriptions?

I have a large assortment of catalogs and books in my collection accumulated over 39 years of collecting. I have several editions of the Standard Catalog of World Coins going back to the one volume, second edition published in 1974. The first edition sold for the princely sum of $10 a copy in 1972. I wanted to buy it. Mom said 'no,' way too expensive for a 12-year old!

I also have many books authored by Q. David Bowers, one of the finest and most prolific numismatic authors to publish in the last 50 years. I also have several specialized and detailed catalogs of British and Canadian coins and I am a 22-year subscriber to Coin World as well as their newest bimonthly magazine, Worldwide Coins.

You cannot intelligently collect coins with good numismatic literature. It pays for itself MANY times over!

 

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I think you meant to say . . .

You cannot intelligently collect coins without good numismatic literature. It pays for itself MANY times over!

 

I currently have all but 10 Red books, Get Numismatics News via email, and a few other one line subscriptions. I am wondering if BNT is going to have a monthly mag as well:goofer:

Regards,
S

 

Quite a few books, no subscriptions (except greysheet).

Most recent book - Al Overton's "Bust Half Die Varieties". A classic. Very informative.

Favorite - Garrett and Guth's "Encyclopedia of US Gold Coins 1795 - 1933". THAT oughta git ya droolin'. Champagne taste on a beer budget, right here.

 

Used to subscribe to Coin World a long time ago, in the days before the internet... now I get just as good info here as I ever would get there, for free, and without a lot of ads to sift through to get useful information.

About 2 years ago when I renewed my interest in the hobby I got the 2006 blue book and red book for Christmas. I've followed that up with the 2007 and 2008 red book (see no point in getting the blue book also). Good, reliable, almost always accurate information (do mkae minor errors from time to time) and while they don't have up to the minute coin values you can at least figure out the ballpark figures as to what coins are likely more valuable than others, plus if you get it every year can look at long term trends. Is great for things like a given coin's specifications, mintage, etc.

Also got the Official ANA grading standards, 6th edition.

Don't know if it counts as coin literature lol but also have "Double Eagle" by Alsion Frankel... I'd recommend it as it's greatly entertaining and informative even to those who have no interest in coins... a fun read about the saga odf the 1933 double eagle.

 

I have a couple of grading books, half a dozen price guides, and a couple of other books. No subscriptions but I check out a few of them at the county library. Every time I buy a book, I feel like I just sacrificed some coin money so I try not to buy them. There's a lot of info online for free.