I have been able to obtain all the current US Eagles from 1986 to date and have decided to try continue the run back as far as possible. I know very little about these prior to 1986 and wondered if anyone can recommend a good book? I'd rather do some reading prior to buying coins I know little about. Many thanks in advance.
Bowers' encyclopedia is available free on PCGS books, so with only a very general question to work with, perhaps it would be a decent starting point. The address is (IIRC): pcgs.com/books
There is "Morgan Dollar: America's Love Affair with a Legendary Coin" (from my blog): This is a year by year, highly detailed examination of Morgan dollars. Not by die variety like the VAM book, but the history of each coin: changes to dies, certified population and price guides, plus historical trivia related to the coin, its mint or Morgan himself. It's a market study and a history lesson with Morgan Dollars as the backdrop. Each year is illustrated with high-resolution photographs from the Coronet Collection, the PCGS Number One Finest Morgan Dollar registry set of all time.
Start by getting a Red Book and deciding which dollar series you want to tackle next. For modern coins there are 5 series: -- Presidential (2007-present) -- Native American (2009-present) -- Sacagawea (2000-2008) -- Susan B. Anthony (1979-1999) -- Eisenhower (1971-1978) For the true silver dollar series the popular ones are: -- Peace dollars (1921-1935) -- Morgan dollars (1878-1921) There are quite a few other series before that but they generally involve serious money.
The Authoritative Reference on Eisenhower Dollars - 2nd Edition by Wexler, Crawford & Flynn A Guide Book of Peace Dollars by Roger W. Burdette (Whitman Publishing) The Official Red Book of Morgan Silver Dollars by Q. David Bowers (Whitman Publishing) The Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of Morgan & Peace Dollars, 4th Edition by Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis (commonly referred to as the VAM Bible). Chris
For the OP, I think Ikes would be a good series to tackle, they are big, available, affordable, and can have attractive subtle toning on MS coins.
Wow, thanks for all the information here and the links. I'll work my way through them. I'm now hoping to be proven wrong, but I'm not terribly convinced that the UK is as set up for coin shops as the U.S. The ones I have been in are old, dusty and expensive for items I do know about. Thinking of visiting the FUN show in January if flights are fairly reasonable. I think that from a quick glance, the Susan B. Anthony dollars should be my next aiming point in chronological order. I think there are three years. I'm yet to pick a mint. Thanks guys.
Near me, in the UK, all coin stores except one appear to be online or mail order except Lockdales which is a little more of a drive than I've been wanting to make. I wouldn't mind poking around in an old dusty shop.
For 2015? If you haven't made hotel reservations yet, you probably won't find any rooms close to the convention center. Besides the fact that the FUN Show is one of the largest in the country, you'll also find that January in Orlando is the peak of tourist season. Chris
If you do decide to come to the FUN Show I can recommend a very good hotel that I've stayed at for an extended period while working in the Orlando area. It is located next to I-4 in Altamonte Springs--about a 30 minute drive in good traffic to the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). The rooms are Studio Suites with a Kitchen, and go for between $45 to $65/night depending upon the season. Although it is not right near the OCCC, the savings on the room, and not having to fight the tourist traffic nearby to get to restaurants, etc. is in my opinion worth the drive. The Hotel is called Homestead Studio Suites, located at 302 Northlake Blvd. Altamonte Springs, FL 32701.
