Anyone familiar with Grading Coins by Photographs by Q. David Bowers? If so, what do you think about it?
I've not see the book. However, I would likely read it after "Learning to Love via Telephone" and "Learning to Drive via a Video Game". There are certain things in life you can't do remotely, and grading, IMO, is one of them...Mike
I would be using it mostly for grading coins in-hand, not "remotely". And because my primary collection (probably about 75% of my spending) is a type set, I need all the help I can get. I don't have the time available to spend learning the finer points of grading each issue released by the US. I learn general grading principles and then let other resources (ANA Grading Guide, TPGs, etc.) help me finalize buying decisions. If you haven't seen my type set, go to the NGC Registry and look up "Pride of Kanga". All coins in the set have images.
Yes, I have the book. For $20, I believe it is a good addition to one's library. He does provide some other valuable insights about grading, characteristics of particular years, etc. My major disappointment is the size of the photos as they are about the size of the actual coin (some of the small coins are a bit enlarged). If only it were put on DVD with high resolution photos which could be zoomed in.
It's a good reference book for the shelf. It's not going to make you an expert grader but it's not intended for that. Just the same as getting the redbook is not going to make you price expert. But again, it's a good reference and helpful.
I also have the book. I like it. Though, as the general consensus says, it's a good supplement to one's library.
Thanks for the opinions. I've got a local show this coming weekend. I may get to take a look then. If not, I'll wait for the Baltimore Whitman show in June.
In any coin book the photos have to be in color and enlarged to get any sense of the grade you're comparing a coin to. I have not seen the Bowers book the OP was referring to. I do use Coin World/Values--"Making the Grade" grading guide because of the quality of the photos and the ease of use with color photos. It's by no means the best way to grade a coin but you can get a real sense of what the coin should look like at a certain grade. I often use it to grade a coin posted here on CoinTalk and compare the books photos to my monitors image. It's actually fun to do it this way. But nothing beat a coin in hand. Bruce
I use a variety, including and depending on the specimen and need; the grading diagnostics per ANA guidelines, the Red Book and it's Pro companion, auctions, slabbed specimens, and books like Breen's, Whitman's, and Bowers.
Amazing. I've got the guide you're referencing and I completely forgot about it. But there is one problem with it. It doesn't cover the issues I'm particularly interested in (Classic Head Half Cents and Capped Bust Half Dimes). But since I'm just beginning IHC's, it will come in handy. Thanks for jogging my memory.
becasue each coin is different and doesn't wear the exact same way I prefer to use the ANA guide rather than trying to match them up to photos.
Yeah, if one depends solely on Bower's 'Grading by Photographs' book, one might as well get its Pop-Up companion version as well, and use that too! :goofer: In all seriousness, IMO one shouldn't rely solely on that book to grade specimens.
