Book for large cents

This subject has nagged at me of late. What would you think is the best 'complete' book for US large cents. (Affordable, too; as in less than 100 bucks) I remember hearing that Dave Bowers was making up a book to be published later this year, but don't really know much more than that.

 

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There is no good answer to your question.

All the "good" books are expensive and generally limited to a specific time range/series.

The best all around book has many problems -- Breen's work, but it only goes to 1814. Not sure if you can get it for $100 or not, but I suspect it is more.

 

That's something I was afraid of, because I have a very limited purse when it comes to books and coins. Has anyone heard more about the book that is supposed to be released sometime later this year?

 

Not heard about that book and I do not know of one that covers all the dates. I have three - Penny Whimsy by Sheldon goes to 1814, US Copper Cents by Newcomb, US Cents by Grellman. The grellman book was the only one I spent over a hundred on - at least I think. The easiest to attribute are the middle dates, then early dates and late dates are tough.

 

These books are all recommended by Coinfacts

[SIZE=-1]"Penny Whimsy" by Dr. William H. Sheldon[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]"Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of United States Cents 1793-1814" by Walter Breen and Mark Borckardt[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1]"United States Large Cents, Volumes I & II" by William C. Noyes[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1]"United States Copper Cents 1816-1857" by Howard R. Newcomb[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1]"The Cent Book 1816-1839" by John D. Wright[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1] "Attribution Guide For United States Large Cents 1840-1857", 2nd edition by J.R. Grellman and Jules Reiver[/SIZE]​

 

I am going to try Penny Whimsy and US Copper Cents, to start off . Thanks for helping me!:hug: I think I can get them for between $50 and $60 each.

 

Keep in mind that US Copper Cents does not have all the varieties(or delisted varieties) for the late date large cents. I still get by with it.

 

Thanks for the heads up! Hopefully it will start me off in the right direction. If I can cherrypick the right coin hopefully I can buy the Greeman book!

 

Personally, I do NOT recommend the Newcomb book. It is old line drawings and personal notes. It isn't even typeset. Rather, it is handwritten.

If you are interested in Middle Dates (1816-1839), get the Noyes book.

 

Take a visit to biblio.com, a used book seller site. Many independent book stores participate on this site. You can also get there via amazon.com, but amazon takes a cut. I found Breen's encyclopedia on biblio for $60.

As Mikey said "try it you'll like it"

 

I didn't see a Large cents on Biblio just Half Cents. I will keep the website in mind though!

 

Did a quick search on Amazon.com, book section, for "Large Cents" got the following hits. Not sure what specifically you are looking for but here's a start.

By William Noyes
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...1_olp_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242912187&sr=1-3
By Denis Loring
http://www.amazon.com/Monographs-Va...=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242912187&sr=1-6
By John Kleeberg
http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Larg...=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242912187&sr=1-7
By John Adams
http://www.amazon.com/Monographs-va...r_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242912187&sr=1-11

 

The Noyes book might be interesting to look at, but don't know about the other three...Thanks!

 

There are no finer works, IMO, than Noyes' two books. They are absolutely fabulous to attribute from. Heck, even Toad would like them and their large photos!

 

Not if they do not include the date to help in attribution.

 

The Noyes books are great but costly, and that book listed on Amazon as being by Noyes is NOT what you are looking for.

I also do not recommend the Newcomb book. Yes, it can be used but not easily.

Probably the best single book that covers the whole series is probably the 1986 Superior auction catalog of the Robinson S Brown collection. With the 1989 Superior catalog of the Jack Robinson collection being a close second. Both of these catalogs have every coin as a single lot and every lot pictured. Both of them have every single Sheldon numbered variety and many of the NC varieties. I believe each is missing just one or two of the middle date varieties. Each collection is missing no more than about a half dozen of the late date varieties.

For each lot in the early and middle dates the lot description includes the identification diagnostics for the variety, and some die state information about the variety. Often times if the obv or reverse is used on other varieties it tells you which varieties allowing you to see other examples of the same die. The coins are (usually) high enough in grade so the needed diagnostics are visible and the picture quality is pretty good. The only down side is the pictures are actual size or close to it. (But this is true of the Newcomb book as well, and the pictures aren't as good. Same goes for the 1990 edition of Sheldon's Penny Whimsy.) It isn't real useful for the late dates though. (Frankly nothing is useful on those except the Grellman book.) The differences between the varieties are just too small/delicate to show up in pictures. I have been using my copies of both of these catalogs ever since they came out. In fact I'm on my second or third copy of each and I have a couple more copies in reserve for when these are completely worn out. (and that takes a lot. My copy of the Jack Robinson sale lost its covers long ago and is currently just a pile of individual loose pages but I refer to it constantly.)

No matter what you decide to do, I would suggest getting on the Goldbergs auction catalog mailing list. The Dan Holmes collection is going on sale starting this fall. It will be sold in three parts, the early dates this fall, the middle dates next spring and then the late dates either next fall or the following spring. Dan's collection is the most complete ever assembled and the Goldbergs are doing it up pretty well. EVERY Sheldon numbered variety, all but one of the NC varieties (The missing one is unique and in the ANS collection). EVERY middle date variety, all but one of the late date varieties (The missing one, 1851 N-42, is unique and the owner wasn't willing to sell it so Dan could have the only complet set ever assembled. Fourteen people have completed the Sheldon numbered varieties and Dan has more NC's than anyone has ever assembled. Only a one or two have ever completed the middle dates, and no one has ever completed the late dates.)

The Dan Holmes catalogs would surpass the RSB and Jack Robinson catalogs except for one thing, the lot descriptions do not include the variety diagnostics. The photography is better, but what the ultimate catalog would be would be Dan's coins and photography combined with RSB sale type descriptions. (It isn't surprising the Goldberg's Dan Holmes catalog is so good, when Superior produced the RSB and Jack Robinson catalogs, it was owned by the Goldbergs.)

 

I like all of the coin to use for attributing. But I have noticed that Bob's book does get into the little things that do help in attributing, if the coin is in decent shape, so I can see how it it is a great supplement to another book but by itself, it ain't the best.

Ribbit

 

I find it to be better than anything else.

Yes it works best on higher grade pieces, but what do you expect when the only differences between these hubbed dies are the tiny scratches or polishing marks unless there is an obvious failure of the die. And the tiny differences are not going to show in the typical eBay pictures. Heck you aren't going to see them in quality auction catalog plates

 

That's one good thing about Heritage, their pics are excellent and you can usually attribute them via Bob's book. :thumb: I just introduced 75% of my coin club to Heritage the other day. They don't play online as much as the average person. And most of them aren't aware of the ongoing scams on Ebay. :computer:

Ribbit

 

I have often wondered how places like ANACs attributes some of the low grade coins. Especially when as you mention it is only tiny scratches or polishing marks.