hello all i have never collected but i whoud like to start what is the best book you can buy for the newbie any help whoud be great. Allso what whoud be the best supplies i whoud buy from top to bottom not talking about storage but all the other stuff want to buy the best stuff i am going to start thise hobby right. thanks all
Books: Official A.N.A. Grading Standards for United States Coins....From the American Numismatic Association The Official Red Book. A Guide Book of United States Coins...By R.S.Yeoman You'll need a good quality loupe. About 10x. Coin folders and albums. Too many things to list, but those are a few basics.
Here is my opinion. Now it is not cheap, but worth its weight in gold. Walter Breens encyclopedia of US and Colonial coins. The red book is also a great one and a must have
Depending on where you shop, you can find the Breen Encyclopedia for $85 to $125 dollars. Most collectors quake at the thought of paying "too much" for something, but if you shop the reputable dealers and find the book at the price you can afford, just do it. (I got mine from Brooklyn Gallery a few years ago. Their current price is $97.50 online at http://www.brooklyngallery.com) I agree that one the one hand, the book is not "cheap" at a hundred bucks, but you find collectors throwing down this kind of money all the time on material. Michael "$100 Mint State Morgans are a dime a dozen."
Here is a link for another thread here that discusses the other "stuff" outside of books... http://www.cointalk.org/showthread.php?t=1253 Hope it helps, Cris
In the World and Ancients discussions, I mentioned some of the places to buy references used. The Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins now runs four volumes and totals about $120 to $200 depending on how much you are willing to pay. However, most of my own needs are only for 19th century world with interest also in those 17th and 18th century issues and som 20th. So, for me, 10-year old SCWCs are fine and I have a couple that I got at library sales for a few dollars each. Similarly, for US numismatics, I found books about US Paper Money at Half Price Books in Columbus, Ohio. The best catch was the Bowers GARRETT book. (History of US Coinage from the Garrett Collection of Johns Hopkins University, a collection built over three generations.) That book turned up at a used bookstore whose owner often complained that good coin books were hard to find and was happy to have that one come his way. What usually happens is that when the collector passes away, the dealer who buys the coins keeps the books. Among the exceptions have been the used bookstores in and around Detroit and to a lesser extent Cleveland. The reason why Detroit is so active has a lot to do with Michigan's position in the hobby. The first president of the ANA was Dr. George Heath of Monroe, Michigan. Over the years, the Detroit area has provided ANA officers in an unbroken string. You cannot find a major numismatic entity that does not have one Michigander in it. So, the sheer glut of people results in a large inventory of books. Other towns (again, Cleveland) seem to work out OK. However, generally, if you are a collector, you have to just keep your eyes open and if you see something -- whether you want it now or not -- buy it, because you will want it later.