Building Your Book Collection

Yes. Taxey's book is good too but a bit out dated 60's or 70's isn't it?
Larson's book is first rate. However, you *absolutly* have to understand the minting process to understand the book. Otherwise, it's a first rate book IMO. It's also a bit depressing to see what counterfeiters are capable of.

 

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Jody
I'll watch for that one the best!

sylvester
Maybe someday I'll be more interested in "dark side" coins, but now they just don't grab me.
I might get a few dark side books....just so I know about them.

longnine009
I would like to find them too--I looked for them once and found one but didn't buy it--I think the price was rather high..I'll look again.

Taxey's book is older and outdated....I found it at a flee market for $2.00 and got it....I've read most of it and found some things I didn't know, so it was alright.
I'll keep your coments about Larson's book in mind--I may buy that one later.

Thanks

Speedy

 

I've been wanting a copy of Overton's book on bust halves. It looks like I may be able to get an older edition cheaper, but I'm unsure of the extent of each revision. Comments?

 

Didn't Bowers recently come out with a book about Morgan Dollars? I wouldn't mind having that one. That and the much rumored but yet to appear Volume 2 of the Cherrypicker's guide. I haven't read Numismatic Forgery yet, but I hope to get my hands on a copy sometime. I've heard it's pretty interesting.

Rachel

 

He did. He writes a few books each year. Now they are additions to the Red Book line.

 

Has anyone tried the ANA's Money Talks book?

 

Which one of Don's books did you buy speedy...?

 

I'm looking forward to adding Fisher's Ding, an English translation of Ding Fubao, the basic Chinese book on cash coins, to my library. I ordered it Friday.

 

Don't want to speak for Speedy, but it's no telling when he'll be back online.

I believe he has Counterfeit, Mis-struck and Unofficil US Coins

 

I recently added Guide to Biblical Coins (Hendin) to my library, but I really need a lot more in US books, so I'm going to wait to add any more World or Ancient books (unless a really good one comes along). Oh, who am I kidding? I'll just keep adding any book that strikes me until I have them all

 

Book Library..

The way I built my Numismatic was to buy 1 book each quarter or 4 book a year at least. This didn't count the Redbook, Bluebook or upgraded photograde. Over the years my library has grown quite a bit and it didn't break my pocketbook.

catman

 

Hey Guys
Sorry its taken me so long to reply--my computer was out of it for 2 days.

Kyra
I've seen his book on silver dollars and the first few pages I read was a little boring--I'm sure its still a good book maybe it was just me that day.

Catman
Jody is right about that book!!

Jody
You can speak for me anytime

Now catman that is a great idea

Today I won the Cherrypickers' Guide for a total for $12.00!!!!

My next one I'm watching is the ANA grading guide.

I guess I'll make up for not buying books the last few years.


Speedy

 

It depends on what you have a book collection for.

Your list of books tells me that you are a general collector of U.S. Type coins. You mentioned getting the Complete Guide to Franklin Half Dollars, so, clearly, you have an area of special interest. Basically, the first rule (quoting the late coin dealer Aaron Feldman) is "Buy the book before you buy the coin."

If you look at the Red Book, you will see that each major section has a bibliography. Those are the books that they used to write the Red Book.

United States patterns and related issues by Andrew W. Pollock is all about the coins that never became coins and the designs that did. If you love US coins, you will love this book.

So far, we are only talking about American coins. A few people have posted their books about other areas. For me, in ancient Greeks, the must-have book is David Sear's Greek Coins and Their Values (2 vols). However, there are many other books, each for a different area of specialization within the broad area "ancient Greek."

So far, no one has recommended Eric Newman's Early Paper Money of America. It is the book for colonial paper money and as such is important to an understanding of American history, whether or not you actually collect the notes -- which I do not. Newman purposely chose the title of his book to reflect Early Coins of America by Philip Crosby, which is about colonial and early Federal coins and tokens.

Bust Half Dollar collectors consider Overton to be a "bible." However, Overton rests on Beistle. Now there is The Ultimate Guide to Attributing Bust Half Dollars by Dr. Glenn R. Peterson which builds on Overton and goes far beyond. The point is that every area of numismatics has its own special authorative references.

The ANA library catalog is online at www.money.org, but personally, I find the ANS library catalog easier to search and browse, at www.amnumsoc.org. Then, there are the websites of the publishers themselves, such as DLRC, Stanton, and of course Krause and Amos.

And speaking of Amos. The COIN WORLD ALMANAC is one of the "must have" books for U.S. numismatics and for numismatics, generally. If you know what a world almanac does for world history and world news, then you know what to expect from the Coin World Almanac.

... and so far, we have only discussed books (with a nod to auction catalogs). Specialty magazines such as The John Reich Journal and Longacre's Ledger are where books are born, incubated as articles.

 

If you collect U.S. coins, then the one book you have to incliude is Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins.

It was recommended in this thread a few times, but no one said why.

Walter Breen earned a four-year degree from Johns Hopkins in 1951 in one year. Walter Breen was a genius who brought a new level of academic research to American numismatics. His Encyclopedia is a complete history of U.S. coins based on prinary research on the coins themselves, and from auction catalogs and government records.

Breen worked for the New Netherlands Coin Company, which was founded by Charles Wormer, who was the son of Moritz Wormser, one of the leading lights of the ANA in the early 1900s. In this capacity, and working for other dealers on contract, Breen personally attributed many of the finest known examples of American coinage. When asked what he collected, Breen answered, "Knowledge."

 

When asked what he collected, Breen answered, "Knowledge."[/QUOTE]


Now there's a smart man! Speedy was kind enough to point me towards an eBay auction for Bowers' Morgan Dollar book that I put a bid on, everyone cross your fingers! I figure just about anything that Bowers writes is worth a read.

Rachel

 

mmarotta
I have my book collection to learn about all US coins.

My favorite coin is the Franklin half and I've done 2+ sets and am working on Proofs--

I will look for a paper money book--even though I collect little in that area I would like to be prepared

DLRC is where I got the book "Complete Guide to Franklin Half Dollars"

I saw a copy of Breens book tonight for $135!! Its cheaper on e-bay.

Breen was a genius and a great collector from what I have read and heard.

I'll keep in mind all of your comments.


Rachel
Glad I could help---hope you like it.

Speedy

 

I'm so excited...my Breen Encyclopedia just arrived today!! Now I'm just waiting patiently for Joe to go to bed so I can pour a glass of wine and dive into it.

Still waiting on my Morgan VAM book and another on Walking Liberty Halves to show up any day now...I get just as excited getting books in the mail as I do when I get coins, LOL.

 

I asked a similar question a few days ago and basically was told that the newer editions are worth the extra cost. I looked into it a little more and found that the first edition (printed in the 60's, I think) has 274 pages, the revised (2nd) ed. (1970) has 349 pages and the 3rd ed. (1990) has 676 pages. So, I guess with almost 2X as many pages the 3rd edition is probobly a lot better. I also read in my searching (I just looked to find it again and couldn't) that a new edition is expected to be released early in 2005, so it may be worth waiting for, although, like I said, I couldn't find where I'd read that, and I don't have any official confirmation of it. I'm waiting though, I figure if I'm gonna spend a chunk of change on a book I might as well get the most up-to-date version.

 

joesmom
Glad you got that book--from what I've read in the library its a great book.

The_Cave_Troll
Did you try e-bay??

Speedy