Old Coin Books?

I agree, that would be a shame!

I AM available for adoption, tho.


Just think about it.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Stop brown nosing

 

I was out this past weekend and happened to swing by a garage sale. The guy had 4 Red Books for sale, 50 cents each. I was pretty happy to take them off his hands. He had a '75, '77, '80, and '81, none of which looked like they had ever been opened.

Frank, anything of note to look for in these issues? All of these were published before I was born, so I was happy enough with that! Anyway, really fun to look through, and amazing to see what some of the stuff I collect was worth 35 years ago... if only!

Also, anyone have an estimate on production runs for Red Books?

Thanks!!

 

Thanks

************
Thank you for the reply.

 

I have a number or old redbooks and coin world magazines. Also have a bunch of old greysheets from 80's and some Bowers and Merena and David Hall catalogues or sales flyers. I especially remember when Breen was tromping around at a coin show and selling and signing his big book (can't remember which one now) but it was a big deal at the time. And he was a very noticeable character. The good old days?????

Lack

 

Cute!

Not a bad deal, and a nice start on your set.

And, no.
In those years there is nothing of note, however, there are inverted bindings (the pages bound upside down) and doubled 'die' (doubled printed) covers for nearly every year.

Also, check for pages bound out of order, it happens, for many years.

Estimate of production runs?
Only for the first few years, and the peak was (I think) 1962 at 1.2 million copies.

Currently it is considered a trade secret, however, they increase the total # of Guide Books issues (on the cover of the spiral) every 2 years or so.
So, a guess would be about 500,000 per year.

 

I have one of the "Bluebooks", Handbook of United States Coins, 17th Edition (1960) by R. S. Yeoman. I bought it from my high school library (sometime before graduating in 1965) when they were trying to make room for new books. I think I paid about 50c for it.

Morgan Dollars

1879CC UNC $5.00
1884S UNC $5.00
1889CC UNC $30.00
1892S UNC $30.00
1893CC UNC $7.50
1893S UNC $175.00
1895 UNC $125.00
1895O UNC $7.50

And, here are a couple that will really boggle the mind of some of the neophyte Morgan collectors. Would any of you newbies like to take a shot at explainging why?

1898O UNC $75.00
1903O UNC $150.00

Chris

 

Chris:
Great question!

And if you have my book you know the answer, since I discussed the 1903 O & 1904 O.

 

Any of you new Morgan collectors want to try to explain why the prices of the 98O & 03O in the 1960 Bluebook are so unusual?

Chris

 

I too have a copy of Coins,Medals, and Seals(1861) by W.C. Prime. What is real cool is the the Harpers Monthly Volumes contained articles on coins and paper money as follows:
Vol.20 (Dec.1859-1860) Coins and Coinage - W.C.Prime
Coin in America - W.C.Prime
Vol.23 (June 1861-Nov.1861) Making Money Pt.1 Waldo Abbott
Vol.24 (Dec.1861-May 1862) Making Money Pt.2 & 3 Waldo Abbott
Vol.26(Dec.1862 - May 1863) Continental Money B.J.Lossing

You can find these volumes once in a while on Ebay , sometime pricing at $15 - $30 depending on condition. I like collecting the Numismatist(have a copy from 1896),Thomas Elders early issues, B.Max Mehl's Monthlies(1908-1919),Scott & Co. Coin Collecting Journals(1875-1888/ I'm missing the last year 1888) and other early Journals of the mid 19th century into the 20th. I still love collecting coins,as it is my first love,psst don't tell the wife!!

 

StGauden:
Nice collection there.

I also am working on a set of Mehl's but the Star Encyclopedia and Star Coin Books.

You thing that coin collecting is tough?

The Encyclopedia has (about) 61 different issues, the Star Coin Book has about #49 issues.

Both were issued irregularly, and early issues are really tough to find.

Sadly, they are worth very little, but the job of putting together a set has been an experience.

On the Encyclopedia I have only #20 of the #61 issues.
The Coin Book: 17 out of #49.

And I have been searching for years!

Some early ones are available, but they are in poor condition.

 

Okay, since none of the newbies want to take a shot at this, would anyone like to explain why the 1960 Bluebook prices for the 1898-O and 1903-O are so unusual?

Chris

 

Okay, Chris, for you:
At that time, and for a bit longer, the common date silver dollar was valued at face (ie $1 in XF and could be obtained at any bank) an unc was $1.15
These two dates were considered to be key dates the 1898 O at XF $10 and in Unc $75.
The 1903 O was $12.50 and $150 in unc. This wa while the 1895 P was listed at $175 (for comparison).
It was presumed that most of the mintage was melted during the great melt for financing of WWI.

Each date was considered very rare and only a handful known.

Soon, they would be little better than common dates, when uncirc BAGS of them were released during the tiem when the Treasury released them at face value to the public.

 

I already knew the answer, but I was hoping this question might arouse the interest of others.

Yes, the 98-O, 03-O and 04-O, as well, were considered very scarce in Mint State until the GSA Audit revealed that the Treasury was holding tens of thousands of them in their vault.

It caused quite a stir, particularly among dealers and collectors who had until that time paid substantial premiums to acquire Mint State specimens. Although I can't cite specific documentation, I had been told long ago by some old-time dealers that a concerted effort was made by some of the dealers to acquire these bags and pay them out gradually because a flood of them in the market would have had a huge negative impact on the values of the coins.

Chris

 

Chris:
I remember that dealers tried to minimize the effect -- but they blew it.

I'll try to write up my own 1903 O adventure later.

In the interim, good to remind others of this time for collectors.

 

My local library has a pretty good numismatic reference section, an example of my tax dollars actually being put to good use.

My favorite book is a 1972 catalog of European gold coins. The values will either make you laugh or cry. Remember gold was only $40 an ounce back then.

 

Hi Frank, if you ever are in the NE Ohio area, look me up. Or, if photos will be good enough, I will try to get some pics taken and posted in the near future so that others can see them. Neither of them are in very good shape though, and the 1858 one has lost its binding. I only know the year as whoever had purchased it wrote their name and the year on a page. The newest item listed in it is 1856. The 1858 one also has some realized auction prices that I bet everyone here would jump on if they had the chance.

 

I forgot to mention that neither one has any photos, but some of the manual renderings of the coins/tokens are very high quality.

 

CW:
Pictures would be great!

And if you ever decide to 'unload' them, please let me know.

[not an offer to buy or sell, just a note for future reference, Doug.]

 

Frankly for being in the 1960 edition the prices sound rather LOW. The 1960 edition bluebook would have come out in 1959 and the prices compiled in late 58 early 59. I didn't think the bags of 1903-O and 1898-O dollars until the 1961 or 1962 Christmas season and I know before the bags were released the retail value on the Unc 1903-O was over $1500.