Building Your Book Collection

Well I thought I'd ask what would you HAVE to include in your Coin Book Collection???

My collection is small but I'm slowly building it...
It has:
Photograde
Red Books
Counterfeit-Mis-Struck and Unofficial US Coins
The Coin Collector's Survival Manual
Coin Clinc
and tonight I won the high bid of $18 with free shipping for--
The Complete Guide to Franklin Half Dollars

Well that is my collection and I know of some other books that I'll be adding soon, but what would you add or what would you pick to start your collection?

Speedy

BTW
Has anybody read "Numismatic Forgery" By Charles M. Larson??
I saw it at the book store and think that I might pick that one up next...it was neat

 

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Hi, Speedy.

Those are some fine references.

If I were to only recommend one more, it would be; Official A.N.A. Grading Standards for United States Coins.

 

Hi Speedy, I have Numismatic Forgery. Very good book. Jody mentioned the ANA Grading Standards, and I would also include PCGS Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection as well as James L. Halperin's How to grade U.S. Coins.

Besides that, it really depends on your specialty. There are books dedicated to just about every series as well as variety and error books.

Terry

 

I would also add Breen's Encyclopedia of US and Colonial Coins. Aside from that, it depends on what you like to collect. There are excellent books for just about every series. Since I'm also an avid book collector, I'm trying to have at least one book on hand for each series, but it's probably going to take me a very long time

 

Let's see. They're scattered all over. But I have books on Flying Eagle and Indian Cent varieties by Rick Snow as well as the older book by Larry Steve and Kevin Flynn. As I recently started collecting Seated Dimes again, I managed to recently pick up a cheap copy of Brian Greer's "Complete Guide to Seated Liberty Dimes." I have the usual grading books, most Red Books from the early 1960s to today.

There's Breen's Encyclopedia, some of the "textbooks" to the ANA "Diploma Program" (I completed four courses but never got around to finishing), and I'm pretty sure there are others lying around. Those are all the books I see in this room.

And lots of books by Dave Bowers, of course. If Bowers wrote it, it's something I want to get around to reading some day, if in fact I haven't already. I'm looking forward to his new book on type coins coming out soon.

 

Jody
I have seen it and read some of it but never have gotten it...the library has it and that is about the only place that I've seen it.

ndgoflo
The two books you mentioned are two I've seen and looked at to buy but then looked at my wallet...and I haven't been back to the store to get them..maybe soon!
But the Numismatic Forgery is first I think.

susanlynn9
My library has that too and I've looked but I just can't see spending about $100 that I could use to buy a coin and use the book at the library I know I'm nuts.
I know an old collector that meet Breen and has a few copies of his books and hopefuly I'll be able to pick one up from him someday.

ziggy29
Hopefully in 2005-2006 I'l be able to start the ANA diploma course...I've wanted to for a few years but I never could see why to spend money on books that I could on coins. But, this year I got a few books and enjoyed them so much I just "need" to get more!

Well Y'all thanks for the help..any more books you think of, let me know.

Speedy

 

Well, it sounds like you're on the right track now. For one thing, books are a way to
"cheaply" enjoy coins, even if vicariously through the collections and experiences of others.

For another, becoming educated can help you avoid being ripped off (whether by buying fakes, paying too much or buying overgraded coins) AND, particularly where cherrypicking for varieties is concerned, give you an opportunity to pick up more valuable varieties for "ordinary" prices. Plus, as a geek who just likes to pick up a book and learn more about stuff -- not just coins, but just about anything -- I just like cramming my brain with more knowledge.

 

I love this thread. I measure collectors and dealers by their desire to learn.

 

Just to remind everyone that there is more to the world of coins than just the lower 48 + AK/HI, how about adding some of these to your library?

• Standard Catalog of World Coins - 4 volumes - by Krause & Mishler
• Coins of the World by Craig
• Chinese Currency by Schjoth
• Japanese Coinage by Jacobs & Vermuele
• Modern Japanese Coinage by Cummings
• Coins of Japan by Munro

Just a teensy, tiny sampling of what's out there for those with the courage to expand their horizons and explore the world!

 

Wicked, subversive darksider.

 

Another way to gather books about coins is to put yourself on a major coin auction house mailing list. They will start sending you coin auction/sale catalogs and emails, usually with great photos and tons of information about whatever they are selling. Superior, Heritage Numismatics, Bowers and Merena are a few good places to start. If you were to actually purchase something from any of these folks, you would be set for life!

Don't forget a Cherry Picker's Guide and Alan Herbert's Guide to Mint Errors, both are a must for collecting errors and varieties.

In addition, I agree with SusanLynn9 that a Breen Encyclopia in your library is worth the expense. In addition to the Encyclopedia of US and Colonial Coins, he also has great books on Commems and proof coins. There are a ton of other smaller Breen publications and they are always prized additions to my library. Breen's books are important because of the meticulous detail and depth of information about the coins discussed.

 

ziggy29
Well in more than coins I'm a "geek" and I like to read and research on the internet so as GDJMSP says...Knowledge Share it..but to share it you have to know it so I guess I'll have to read more than ever

ND
I'm gald you like this thread

satootoko
I might add a Krause catalog of world coins...just for you

cdb1950
I'd like to get some auction catalogs so I might look into that..thanks for the info.

GDJMSP
I'm still trying to read all of the titles on that list

Speedy

 

Hey Speedy,

I highly recommend the Enclylopedia of U.S and Colonial Coins by Walter Breen. It's a little expensive but you may find a used copy on Ebay or something.

catman

 

Books

I am also a book lover. I have a few in my collection now, but as always want to add to it. I love auction catalogs too.
I recently won an auction and will get in the mail soom. Bowers Garret collection book. Also four auction catalogs of the armand Cahmps library which shoud be interesting reading. Still have to but a few world books.

If you want to bid on some cool and different books go to

www.lakebooks.com

Regards Tony

 

Thanks y'all for the help--

I found a few copies of:
Cherry Picker's Guide
James L. Halperin's How to grade U.S. Coins.
Official A.N.A. Grading Standards for United States Coins

and I'll watch them for the time being.

Speedy

 

Good luck, Speedy.

Those are all worth having.
(You already know which one I recommend, but all three would be better. )

 

Darkside...

I'm with Roy on this one.

There's many many books out there.

 

I bought "Collecting World Coins" by Krause months ago, and still spend time most every night looking through it. And, I don't even specialize in world coins! Just, oit's very interesting and informative.

 

I would add include the Companion books by Dave Bowers. There are 7 of them with titles such as Numismatist's Lakeside Companion and Numismatist's Down Town Companion. They are about 200 pages each and 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches. That makes them perfect for carrying around. Most of what they contain are reprinted articles from the Rare Coin Review and that is the real beauty of these books--you don't have spend a fortune bidding on RCR issues. I really don't know where you would find these now since different people own Bowers & Merena but they are worth having.