A Spectacular find at my local used book shop... what do you think?

Since discoverying my passion for rare coin collecting roughly 10 months ago, I have developed a voracious apettite for all sorts of Numismatic literature as well. I have amassed quite a nice library of Numismatic books consisting of approximately 10 different Whitman Publishing books such as those covering coint types such as Buffalo & Jefferson Nickels, Morgan Dollars (by David Bowers), Franklin & Kennedy Halves (Rick Tomaska), to name just a few. I have a number of Ken Bressett's books. Fivaz & Stanton's Cherrypickers volumes, a rather rare book "Ths Error Coin Encyclopedia" which has been out of print for roughly 10 years (by Fred Weinberg and a coauthor whose name escapes me at the moment) as well as a few rare coin auction catalogs with my favorite being Stacks & Bowers catalog for this past January's sale of the Cardinal Collection (featuring the unique SP-66 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar-Silver Plug which is currently a world record sale for the highest price paid for a coin at auction). I really enjoy this part of the hobby, which may sound strange to some, but for me it is a great way to learn the background information and history surrounding the coins I love. Additionallly (and in reality most importantly) I am slowly but surely aquiring the knowledge one needs to be a savvy coin collector with the ability to make wise purchases that provide the best value for my numismatic dollar. And so, a little earlier today I stopped at a local used book store to see if they happened to have any Numismatic literature I could add to my ever growing library. There were perhaps 20 different titles to choose from but there was one book in particular that immediately caught my attention causing me to assume an athletic pose similar to that of an NFL Defensive Lineman, ready to tackle anyone who would have attempted to get between me and that bookshelf. At once I snatched it off the shelf, and after a moment or two of holding the book in my hand and surveying my surroundings I realized that my initial reaction was perhaps unwarranted seeing as I was the only person in the entire 50 foot long aisle of books relating to Cooking and various Collecting Hobbies. None the less, the most important thing was that I was holding in my hands a Hardcover copy of Q. David Bowers "The History of United States Coinage, As Illustrated by the Garrett Collection" 4th printing, in like new condition. It cost me a whopping $19.95, and looks to be the most amazing book on the topic of US coins ever written. Does anyone else own a copy and is it as good as it looks to be from by quick flipping through the pages? Also is $20 a good price?

 

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Some more pictures from the pages of this incedible book

 

I'd pay $20 even though it is free online... I prefer a physical book (unlike most of my generation, I love to read physical books )

 

I own a copy and $20 was a fair price. The book is good, but I wouldn't place it among the top several dozen coin books out there.

 

Lastly thought I might as well throw in a few pictures of S&B Cardinal Collection Catalog and the American Rareities Night catalog which happened the same night as the Cardinal sale.

 

The online resources are great, of course, but I love physical books, and wouldn't hesitate to drop $20 on the Bowers. Excellent find!

 

Try paying $20 for a copy of Penny Whimsey or that book on early half dollars, now that would be an outstanding buy.

 

A few years ago, and by few I think maybe 6 or 7, I purchased a copy of Walter Breen's Complete encyclopedia of U.S. and colonial coins for $30, which I thought was a steal.

 

Im guessing we hail from the same generation. Like yourself I prefer looking at a tangible book with pages I can turn and throw a bookmark in. I also prefer reading a printed newspaper too. Im guessing Im one of only a few 29 year olds that prefer printed material to electronic books. I feel like an old man. :grandpa:

 

I'm not sure... I'm in the end/start of the Generation....

I'm still a YN

It's weird to be one of the few people who will ask for a hard copy... I love how Chapters (Canadian bookstore) is so popular here... I find we up North like our hard books.... While the rest like their electronics (may have to do with how slow the internet is here... and how expensive [not that I'm paying ])

 

Actually not too long ago I picked up the 1949 first edition Early American Cents by Sheldon for $20.

That was a steal, even 6 or 7 years ago.

Better to not take chances, what if someone HAD been there and you didn't do it? You might be crying in your beer right now. (Which personally I think the only thing beer is good for.)

I did have a copy of it once, but lost it in a fire. Haven't really felt the need to replace it.