And now I see why they are referenced so often as being essential reading. Let me say up front, I am not a fan of auctions. As a general rule I find them distasteful and more trouble than they are worth, I wouldn't do them at all if I wasn't missing out on stuff otherwise. I went online at home in 2000 and didn't even join Ebay until 2006. Back in September I visited an antique shop that didn't have a single coin, but they did have a copy of the Heritage Catalog from the Boston ANA. They only wanted $20 for it so I went ahead and bought it. I paged through it breifly then but I really didn't do any actual reading of it until yesterday. I am really enjoying seeing the large, clear pictures and reading the descriptions. I am especially enjoying the error, pattern and gold sections, as they are things I don't get to see in person, and in some cases this catalog is my first experience with them. This is definitly something I'll keep handy and pull out and look through from time to time. I have not read everything yet but I will in time. Not sure I'll shell out $50 to get them when they are new, but if I can find any others marked down I will not hesitate to buy them.
I signed up for a auction website and they sent me the auction catalog for their next auction. I haven't bought from them so I probably won't ever see another one. I guess if you keep buying, you keep getting catalogs. They are beautiful and it would be a major bonus. The quality of the pictures are better then many of the books in the hobby.
My numismatic Library includes 50 Heritage Auction Catalogs with the oldest being from 2001. I have never paid for one. While they are cool, I don't use them since Heritage's auction archives are online.
$20!!! I always give them away. I've never paid for a Heritage, Stacks, Bowers & Merena or Scotsman catalog. Chris
While it is true that as long as you bid on items from the various auction houses you will continue to get their catalogs delivered free, it is also true that once you stop bidding the catalogs will stop coming soon enough. But catalogs are and always have been one of the most valuable resources there is for a numismatist. So to many, it is well worth the annual subscription price just to get the catalogs. To others, they aren't worth a dime. But I will say this. Over the course of my life coin books and auction catalogs have never once decreased in value, they only increase in value year after year, decade after decade. While coins on the other hand, go up and down in value like a yo-yo. Do you know why that is ? It's quite simple, it's because knowledge is the most valuable thing there is to a numismatist and it always will be So I will forever and always encourage everyone to get your hands on every coin catalog that you can.
I like the catalogs a lot, Billy and think you used $20 wisely. There are people online who sell back issues if you are interested in picking up more. I always found auction catalogs good beach reading if you're stuck on a beach for an afternoon.
I ordered a Heritage Catalog for the upcoming 2011 Tampa FUN Currency Auction. While it cost $50 they sent a coupon for $50 off any future purchase. The Catalog was "free" -- ensures a future application of these funds. My main reason for ordering this particular catalog was that "The R. D. Bradley Collection" will be featured in this auction. That's RickieB for those familiar, see this thread. I doubt I'd be able to acquire such notes as his stunning examples but I've admired them many times online and would like a future reference in memory of this fantastic collection. Well worth the fee to me for obtaining a personally significant catalog. For anything else, the Heritage Auction Archives and other resources they offer collectors online suffice.
I have some coin catalogs dating back to the 40's and forward . They are a wonderful resource . There is no substitute for the color plate's . I have so many, I am giving some of these away, I just don't have room anymore.
Catalogs are invaluable to me in my research on counterstamps. Some of the auction houses sell small collections of counterstamps, but usually as part of a larger offering that includes more popular numismatic items. At times I can get new information on various issues that the in-house researchers have come up with. There's not a lot of readily available data out there pertaining to these often obscure stamps, so anything that does make itself available is a blessing. Usually I have to search on my own, sometimes for years, to nail down an attribution or to just get to the point where I can say so-and-so probably issued this piece, or the caption likely refers to this political movement or whatever. Don't get me wrong, it's more fun for me to have to research these things than to have them handed to me, but it's nice to have a little help once in awhile. I'm registered with Heritage online, and search their site quite often. This past September they auctioned Anthony Terranova's collection of counterstamps, about 200 pieces I believe. I've been going through them ever since, learning as much as I can from the descriptions, prices, and most importantly, the high quality photos. I obviously don't need a catalog for that sale, but for others I do. To me they're quite valuable. Bruce
Thanks for the comments! I'm the kind of guy who likes to have real books rather than something on the internet. It's nice to be able to take it anywhere, read it anytime I want to, and not have to be stuck in front of the computer (way too much time there to begin with!) Chris, shall I send you my mailing address? I wouldn't mind picking up more, and I think I would really like to get some that cover non-US coins. While I do enjoy them immensly- they all kind of look alike after a while. Well, not really, but there is just so much more in non-US coinage, and I don't have any reference whatsoever before 1850. (I have the Red Book on "modern" world coins that covers 1850-1964) Maybe one of these days I'll actually buy something from an auction, and get the next catalog for free. I wouldn't imagine that would be anytime soon, though, as I take issue with having to pay them for the "right" to pay them! Bruce, that sounds like some interesting research!
