Im thinking of buying the book on pattern coins mainly cause I think it would be a nice read & something new to learn. I noticed the current book was made in 2008, does anyone know or read if there is going to be a new version within the next year or less? I really would hate to buy it just to find out 11th edition is right around the corner. Also for anyone who has the book, how is it as far as the photos and history? Is it similar to red book or more in-depth? Thanks for any help!
The 10th edition of "United States Pattern Coins" by J. Hewitt Judd, MD, is copyright dated 2009 and contains US Pattern coins from1792 thru 2000. The book's photos are, in my opinion, the best possible using today's technology, and shows the most recent auction transactions. I would recommend this book for anyone that desires to learn about US Pattern coins. As with any refernce material it is important to read the whole book, including Acknowledgement, Foreword, Preface, Introduction, and Users's Guide.
Highly recommended ! It's very well laid out - year by year, not by deno ination, which helps the reader better understand what was happening at the Mint at the time. It's a terrific read even if one is not planning on purchasing a pattern anytime soon. Plus, it's a good buy. Many coin books are very expensive , but not this one. Don't be worried about a new book making the current copy obselete. The body of coins is static, and it's unlikely new varieties will be unearthed. Thus, the only "dated" are the prices, but that's OK. One would never rely on any book's pricing when considering purchasing a pattern; one would check a number of sources including recent auction records. Along those lines, the book's quoted prices tend to run a bit high, sometimes as much as 30%. Fortunately, they augment their quotes with some auction records.
Highly recommended ! It's very well laid out - year by year, not by denomination, which helps the reader better understand what was happening at the Mint at the time. It's a terrific read even if one is not planning on purchasing a pattern anytime soon. Plus, it's a good buy. Many coin books are very expensive, but not this one. Don't be worried about a new book making the current copy obselete. The body of coins is static, and it's unlikely new varieties will be unearthed. Thus, the only "dated" are the prices, but that's OK. One would never rely on any book's pricing when considering purchasing a pattern; one would check a number of sources including recent auction records. Along those lines, the book's quoted prices tend to run a bit high, sometimes as much as 30%. Fortunately, they augment their quotes with some auction records.
I would also recommend becoming a member of U.S. Patterns . Com It is a great site with a vast amount of info.
The Judd book is good, but if you want more background, history, and even more listings I would highly recommend Andrew Pollock's U S Pattern Coins 1792 - date It's a older book, 1994, but I still think it should be in your library if you like patterns.
Looks out of print? Got the whitman one this thread is about today, very nice book. Thanks for the opinions once again!
