What is one book you can't live without?

This is a tough one because no single reference is sufficient for my specialty.

The one that is in tatters is my Sheldon Penny Whimsy.

My newer Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents 1703-1814 is currently getting more use with it's better die state information.

I actually use the online catalog of Holmes Early Date Auction for comparison coins rather than the book illustrations of either. http://www.icollector.com/The-Pre-Long-Beach-Sale_as14916

Then My 2010 Redbook answers most of my other general questions concerning mintages, weights and rough valuations of the common varieties as well as information for other coinage.

To pick one is like choosing between my children. (which I never do by the way)

 

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essential reference... redbook, spink, and scbi vol. 39. can't pick between them.

 

Too many books to just pick one. I luvem' all!!!

 

No particular favorite, most are loaded with valuable info., but the redbook seems to be alot handier for a quick reference...

 

Red book for general reference, then "Coin Values Making The Grade: A grading guide to the top 50 most widely collected U.S. coins." Very informative, and a little pricier than the red book, but worth the $40 IMHO!

 

Probably the red book.

 

"Grading Coins By Photographs" , by Q. David Bowers, followed by ALL the Red Books! (Red Book Guide to Morgan Dollars, Red Book Guide To Buffalo & Jefferson Nickels, Red Book Guide to.... Well you get the Idea!
Steve
P.S. Favorite Periodical, Coins Magazine, Numismatic News favorite weekly! (or when ever it arrives)

 

Breen's encyclopedia is my favorite. I especially enjoy the few pages he has that preface each new coin design - these vignettes are always entertaining and often get into the politics of each design.

Not to hijack the thread, but curious if anyone uses an online database (eg PCGS Coinfacts) before or instead of reaching for a book, as I sometimes do.

 

Gotta go with the Red Book.

 

Specific book/author with most info ~ Breen's Encyclopedia
Specific books which made me money, Cherrypicker's Guide.
Books to drool over, catalogs of old Bowers and Merena auctions, Heritage auction, etc.

 

A Guide Book of Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels by Q. David Bowers. It is the only book that lives on my desk and not on the bookshelf.

 

Coin Chemistry is a book that rocked my world. It slammed my wallet shut for 6 months. It put in perspective what and why I am seeing certain surfaces. Not a reference book really, but one I reread every year to refresh my perspective on how to aproach every coin I am looking at. Can't say enough about it, just get it.

 

Redbook

 

I could not narrow to one but I could tell you my two or three favorites:
Lange's Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels
Burdette's Renaissance of American Coinage vol. 2 (I still need to get the other two volumes -- not cheap books but great history)

I recently obtained the Breen Encyclopedia but have not started going through it yet.

By the way, the Bowers book on nickels that Paul mentioned is one I consult a fair amount -- a lot of good information there on strike variability for each particular Buffalo issue.
If you can't tell, I was a reader before I was coin collector.

 

The Redbook's Morgan Silver Dollar book.

 

This is not a U.S. Coin book but since I am a silver art bar collector, I cannot live without an Archie Kidd Silver Art Bar Guidebook. The title of this guidebook is called "An Indexed Guide Book of Silver Art Bars". I currently have 3 of these guidebooks (4th, 6th and 2009 editions) and they are very useful to me as a reference when I need to identify a particular silver art bar. This guidebook is the "Red Book" of silver art bar collecting.

 

Cherry Pickers for Lincoln Wheat Cents. Google for everything else.

 

Only one I use regularly is Vamworld.

 

Mine would be Greg Brunk's Merchant and Privately Countermarked Coins since my main interest is in collecting counterstamps. I also have a lot of wear on my issue of Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. It's a bit dated now, but still a great reference.
Bruce