Lets try this again, lets assume, this itme, that you could buy ANY con book in the world, without limitation of price, and assuming that it is available. What is the one coin book that you could NOT live without? My choice: Breen's encyclopedia, since I could make all of the necessary notations to it that I would need to update it as necessary.
Thats a tough one Frank......since my focus is on U.S. coins I'd have to make it simple and say the "Red Book".
I'd agree with Red Book. I mainly collect US coins and it tends to me my main "go to" for general information. I have other books, for more specific things, but Red Book would have the be the #1 must have.
A slight aside here - sorry to derail - but how reliable are the prices listed in the Redbook, if you're buying from a dealer?
Its not the prices that make the Red Book a valuable source but the information that is contained within. Nobody uses a Red Book as an accurate price guide to buy from any dealer. Thats when you turn to more up to date publications such as the Grey Sheet for example.
I'll still go with Breen's Encyclopedia. And I'll buy it if Speedy can find the one he saw for under $100!
God I feel like a noob when I see a question like this because I can't make up my mind. I am a US coin collector and really, 2 main books I am never without for information. I guess between the 2 I would have to stick with : "Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection" by PCGS. This one I could not do without. I will never be done reading it (or looking at it). the other of course was 'The Red Book'. I guess simply putting red book anywhere in the same text as you comment means your still wet behind the ears but hey, I have had a red book of some year since I was somewhere around 8-10 (forget when exactly my father gave me my first one). It's like a big candy store opening one but your limited to window shopping, lol.
Go to the library and check it out. The one I got was only checked out 2x in the last 14-18 months. So I asked how much to buy it. Library gave it to me for $77. Also, I think that barnes and noble can get one for like $140
I have about 15 different coin books and the list keeps growing , several I look at all the time , but I,d have to say the Red Book . rzage
Don't feel like a noob in fact anything but. I am definitely not a noob, but I can't decide on one book either. In fact since I am into so many things any general work is too simple and any specialized one would just cover one type of item and leave out everything else. I add hundreds of dollars worth of books to my library every year. Choose just ONE? I've got two dozen of them scattered around me here at the desk and many more over in the other room, and many many more of them at home. CHOOSE ONE!!??
Your Title: If You Could Only Buy One Coin Book? Your title question doesn't agree with your other question. Your title say you can ONLY have one book. Your other question says what book MUST you have, but doesn't say you can't have others. My MUST book would be the ANA Grading Guide. If I can "Only Buy One Coin Book" then I'd look for another hobby. You cannot deal with coins and only have one reference.
tough question! I must have all my books describing counterfiet detection, varieties, mintages, populations, prices..... If I can only have one & I don't have to carry it, I'll take Breen's Encyclopedia of US & Colonial. It has nearly all the statistics found in the Red Book and a lot more detail for each year of each coin. Very best regards, collect89
