Copyright 1996 Mike Locke All rights reserved Reproduction of this book review is prohibited, except as noted below. 1.) This review may be publicly distributed by individuals explicitly mentioned here (none at this time) as an electronic document only. 2.) Other individuals may make 1 electronic duplicate of this document and they may make 1 printed copy for their personal use. This applies to the whole document, or any part of the document. 3.) In no case will this document be duplicated without this copyright notice. 4.) In no case will this document be presented for publication except as noted above, or as granted by written permission of the author. A REVIEW OF NUMISMATIC BOOKS by Mike Locke This is a short form review intended to provide persons who are considering buying the subject books with enough information to decide if the book meets their requirements. Since these books are intended to be non-fiction and contain little story telling, most of this review is in a tabular form. All reviews are the personal opinion of Mike Locke. The content of the reviews reflects the personal interests of Mike Locke. Errors in fact or judgement are inevitable, please be patient with the quality of this free information. Corrections are gladly accepted. All books are written in English unless otherwise noted. About photos: Books do not contain photographs, they contain lithographic (my probably technically incorrect terminology for half tone prints) reproductions of photos or drawings. Lithographs are made up of many small dots of varying spacing and/or size. The final quality of the reproduction is dependent both on the photographic quality and the lithographic quality. The resolution acheivable by a lithograph is limited, so enlarged reproductions are preferable. Magnifying a lithograph is usually a pointless exercise. All prints are black and white unless otherwise noted. While I attempt to distinguish between photographic and print problems, in many cases these cannot be distinguished. About DLRC press: DLRC press is owned and operated by David Lawrence, author of 3 of the DLRC titles and coin dealer/Barber coin specialist. DLRC books are all written in a similar style and format. DLRC books are available heavily discounted direct from David Lawrence. DLRC titles are usually in the format "The Complete Guide to ...". DLRC gets special mention here because of the large number of titles published by this company. Titles reviewed (all in English, unless otherwise noted). My sincere thanks to Clint Cummins for helping me set up this index.
*Coming soon* "An Attribution Guide to Large Cents 1840-1857" by Grelman "Early United States Dimes 1796-1837" by Davis et al "Striking Impressions" by Haxby "Coins and Tokens of Canada" by Breton "The Complete Guide to Shield and Liberty Nickels" by Peters & Mohon "Monnaies Coloniales Francaises" by Victor Gadoury The reviews **********************************************************************
About the text Breen provides a 38 page overview of the history of half cent collecting and the history of half cent minting. Some personal details of Breen's life are given also. The text is informative and gives references. The book is primarily an enumeration and description of each known die variety of US half cent. About the photos Breen gives high resolution lithographs of every subject coin. The photography is very good and the enlarged prints are excellent. A set of color plates showing 1 coin of each year is a nice added touch. Just in case you have ever been curious, there is a color plate of Breen in his study. About the technical data Breen provides a photographic grading guide for each design type. He does not have photos for every grade/type combination and the grading is by the Early American Copper Club (EAC) standards, which are much stricter than Photograde/ANA standards. A useful guide, if you use EAC price lists for determining the value of half cents. The photos are more detailed, cover more design types, and are generally more useful than those found in Photograde. Breen provides adequate technical descriptions of the die varieties. Breen provides known proof population information for each die pair. Breen often provides additional information about the apparent quality of the available coins. About the investment data Breen provides condition consensus data, where available. Some pedigrees are given. Rarity ratings are given. Breen does not provide value information. A few auction prices realized are given with some of the pedigrees. About the book Published by American Institue of Numismatic Research Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 82-73551 ISBN: 0-911021-00-0 10 page introduction + 501 pages of text + 16 color plates Pages are 8.5" X 11" Nice cloth bound binding with heavy weight glossy pages. No dust jacket. Pricey, but a worthwhile investment for specialists, researchers, and those interested in early US coinage. **********************************************************************
"United States Large Cents 1816-1839" by William C. Noyes, copyright 1991
I will review these 2 books together, because they are intended to be sold
as a set.
About the text
Noyes provides a very brief history of these books, and a few pages
about selecting and buying US large cents.
The book is primarily an enumeration and description of each known die
variety of US large cents of the subject years. Do not buy this book
for the text.
About the photos
Noyes provides very high quality lithographic enlargements of very
high quality photographs of mostly the finest known specimen of each
die variety. These books have the highest quality prints of any that
I have reviewed. Buy this book for the photos.
Noyes sells color photographic prints (enlargements only) of his coin
photographs.
About the technical data
No grading guide provided.
Noyes provides adequate technical descriptions of the die varieties.
Noyes provides limited notes about which dies were used to make proofs.
Noyes provides a "quick finder" to help speed the attribution work.
The quick finder for 1808-1814 is all on one page, while other years get
a quick finder per year.
Noyes does not provide any information about the quality of typical
coins of the given variety.
The following errors in the technical descriptions were acknowledged
to me by Noyes in a personal correspondance:
1838 N.9 photo is of the very similar N.10 variety. The inset
showing N.9B is correct
The quick finder for 1835 shows N.19 as "Head of '34" when N.19
is actually "Head of '36".
About the investment data
Noyes provides condition consensus data, where available. Many
identification numbers are given for the condition consensus coins.
Rarity ratings are given. Identification numbers are given for the
photographed coins, where applicable.
Noyes does not provide value information.
About the book
Published by Litho Technical Services
Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given
ISBN: not given
The pages are not numbered, and "I aint count'n 'em". About 250 pages
per volume. Pages are 8.5" X 11"
Nice vinyl bound binding with heavy weight glossy pages. No dust
jacket. Shipped in a protective, heavy cardboard box. Very pricey, but
a worthwhile investment for both the specialist and researcher. "Maybe
I'll just look at the pictures and forget buying coins"
**********************************************************************
About the text Snow provides a history of the small cent, the artist/engraver, and some notes about collecting small cents (26 pages) The book is primarily an enumeration and description of every collectable variety of US small cent, through 1909 (excluding 1909 Lincolns). Pattern data and photos are given. Hub revision notes are interspersed with the technical data. About the photos Snow provides good quality lithographic reproductions of variable quality photographs of the subject coins. Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality. The lithographs are enlargements, but not large enough to see the fine details of the coins. About the technical data No grading guide provided. Snow provides adequate technical descriptions of most of the die varieties. Identifying details of proof dies are given, although there are no comments to if the dies are proof only. Snow does provide limited information about the quality of typical coins of the given coinage year. Snow provides notes about minor and major design changes with the description of the coinage of the date of the change. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. For extremely rare coins (mostly patterns) the known specimens are enumerated. Rarity ratings are given. Snow does not provide value information. About the book Published by Eagle Eye Press Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: not given 13 page introduction + 161 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" x 11" Nice vinyl bound binding with medium weight glossy pages. Color dust jacket, with a nice enlargement of a 1873 MS64-65 RB doubled die cent. A bit pricey, it is worthwhile for the specialist, but of limited use for research due to the limited print quality. **********************************************************************
About the text Taylor provides alot of history of the Lincoln cent, and a little information about the Victor David Brenner. The book is primarily a description of what happened during each year of the Lincoln cent that affected the coinage. About the photos Taylor provides poor quality lithographic reproductions of variable, below average quality photographs of some of the subject coins. Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, in some instances. Have a look at the overexposed photo on the cover; few of the photos inside are any better. About the technical data Taylor provides a text grading guide. Taylor provides adequate technical descriptions of most of the die varieties. Some information is provided on how to authenticate key date coins. Very little information is provided on authentication of proofs. Taylor does provides limited information about the quality of typical coins of the given coinage year. Taylor provides very limited notes about minor design changes, even though he notes that many such changes were made. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are not given. An enumeration of the grades of the coins in the "finest slabbed" Lincoln cent set is given. Taylor provides both historic and current value information, in most cases by date/mint mark, not by collectable variety. About the book Published by KNI publishers Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: not given 10 page introduction + 290 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive paper binding with heavy weight pages. I found the book to be of limited technical utility, but somewhat entertaining to read. Buy it if you can find it discounted. **********************************************************************
About the text Lange provides a nice overview of the Buffalo nickel, including the history, information about the models and artist, information about errors, proofs, patterns, regular strikes, and collectable varieties. Most of the information given in this book is available from other sources. This text brings it all together for the specialists convenience. About the photos Lange provides average quality lithographic enlargements of good quality photographs of the subject coins. Vignette enlargements of details are given in some instances. Most, but not all of the subject coins are very high grade. About the technical data Lange provides a photographic grading guide, including a mint state guide that explains the complexities of the weakly struck issues of this series. Lange provides adequate technical descriptions of most of the die varieties. Lange does not provide technical descriptions of the proof dies. Lange provides information about the quality of typical coins of the given coinage year. Lange provides notes about the 3 minor design changes, and discusses the accuracy of the information in Breen's encyclopedia. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are given by date/mint mark. Rarity rankings are also given. Lange provides both historic and current value information, in most cases by date/mint mark, not by collectable variety. About the book Published by DLRC press Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-880731-14-2 (softcover) ISBN: 1-880731-13-4 (hardbound) 2 page introduction + 123 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" x 11" The reviewed book was softcover. Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. My example has page 123 misprinted. A good book for the Buffalo nickel specialist (whether or not you collect the varieties) and for research (useable photos) **********************************************************************
About the text This reprint actually includes 5 "books": "The United States Half Dimes" by D.W. Valentine, 1931, 130 pages with a complete set of 47 plates on 24 pages "Classification of the Early Half Dimes of the United States", by Harold P. Newlin, 1883, 25 pages with a hodge podge of plates on 2 pages "The United States Half Dimes from 1829 through 1873" by Will W. Neil, 1927, 12 pages, no plates "Addenda to List of United States Half Dimes", by Will W. Neil, 1927, 2 pages, no plates "Half Dimes 1794-1873" by Doug Winter, 1984? 15 pages, some individual lithos no plates. The book is a mostly reprint of original publications of technical descriptions of the die varieties of half dimes. Doug Winter presents an overview of half dime history. About the photos Valentine's plates as reproduced by DURST are average quality lithographic 2X enlargements of variable quality photographs. The early coins are mostly very high grade specimens. Many of the photos are overexposed, limiting the visible detail. The other lithographs in the book are of very limited use. About the technical data No grading guide is provided. Valentine provides adequate technical descriptions of the die varieties that he had identified. Proof die varieties are noted, with no indication if the dies were proof only. No other information is provided. Winter provides some very limited information about the history of the series and the qualities of the coins. About the investment data No rarity information is provided. No value information is provided. No condition consensus or pedigree information is provided. About the book Published by DURST Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 84-70699 ISBN: 0-942666-39-9 186 pages Pages are 6" X 9" Nice vinyl binding with medium weight pages. I found the book to be of limited utility, more information about the series is available in Breen's encyclopedia. Useful as a reference, since most auction houses list half dimes by Valentine number. **********************************************************************
About the text Blythe provides a very short history of the development of the Liberty Seated design. The book is primarily a description of the important die varieties of the Liberty Seated Half Dimes. About the photos Blythe provides good quality enlarged lithographs of below average quality photographs of the coins. Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins are of better grade, but certainly not "finest known". Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, in some instances. About the technical data Blythe provides a photographic grading guide, but it is less detailed than the guide found in "Photograde". Blythe provides technical descriptions only of those die varieties that he considers collectable (ie, those that are scarce). Blythe does not provide information about proof die varieties. Blythe does provides limited information about the quality of typical coins of the given coinage year. Blythe provides limited notes about minor design changes, although a quick scan reveals that the description given of the changes to 1840 no drapery coins makes no sense. Blythe provides a very limited amount of information about pattern coinage. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are given by grade. Some rarity survey results are also given. Blythe provides both historic and current value information, in most cases by date/mint mark, not by collectable variety. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-880731-06-1 (hardbound) ISBN: 1-880731-07-X (softcover) 3 page introduction + 167 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. I found the book to be somewhat disappointing. Some of the photos are useable for research. Valentine is better for classifying die varieties. The primary useful information found here is the year by year descriptions of the typical coin quality. This book is available very cheap direct from DLRC press. **********************************************************************
About the text The book is intended to be a description of all of the die varieties of the Liberty Seated Dimes. In fact, Ahwash was not very successful in identifying the various dies, unless you believe that the mint was striking 2+ million dimes per die pair. About the photos Ahwash provides good quality, greatly enlarged lithographs of good quality photographs of the coins. The huge enlargements account for the bulkiness of the book, and provide excellent rendering of the details of the coins. Photographs are by variety. The coins are of better grade, but certainly not "finest known". Vignette enlargements of details are given in some instances. About the technical data Ahwash does not provide a grading guide, historical information or much of anything other than the descriptions of the varieties. Ahwash does provide a detailed explanation of his die variety classification scheme. Some notes are provided about design changes and mint mark changes. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity rating are given for UNC coins only. Value information is not provided. About the book Published by KAMAH press Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 77-75930 ISBN: not given 2 page introduction + 411 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Average quality hard binding with medium weight pages. No longer in print. Not as comprehensive as it was intended to be, this text is mainly useful for the wonderful large lithographs. Breen's encyclopedia lists a moderately large number of varieties that Ahwash missed. OUT OF PRINT **********************************************************************
About the text The book is primarily a description of the important die varieties of the Liberty Seated Dimes. About the photos Greer provides good quality enlarged lithographs of average quality photographs of the coins. Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins are of better grade, but certainly not "finest known". Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, in some instances. About the technical data Greer provides a photographic grading guide, similar in quality to the guide found in "Photograde". Greer provides technical descriptions only of those die varieties that he considers collectable (ie, those that are scarce). Greer provides limited information about proof die varieties. Greer does provide limited information about the quality of typical coins of the given coinage year. Greer provides a section on design changes, complete with detail enlargements. Greer provides detailed information about the various mintmarks that appear in this series. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are given by grade. Some rarity survey results are also given. Greer provides both historic and current value information, in most cases by date/mint mark, not by collectable variety. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-880731-08-8 (hardbound) ISBN: 1-880731-09-6 (softcover) 3 page introduction + 184 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. I found the book to be somewhat disappointing. Some of the photos are useable for research. Awash is probably better for classifying die varieties. The primary useful information found here is the year by year descriptions of the typical coin quality. This book is available very cheap direct from DLRC press. Somewhat more informative than Al Blythe's book. **********************************************************************
About the text Lawrence provides a very short history of the development of the Liberty Seated design, and a very short biography of Barber. The book is primarily a description of the important die varieties of Barber dimes. About the photos Lawrence provides good quality enlarged lithographs of average quality photographs of the coins. Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins are of better grade, but certainly not "finest known". Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, in some instances. About the technical data Lawrence provides a photographic grading guide, comparable in quality to "Photograde". Lawrence provides technical descriptions only of those die varieties that he considers collectable (ie, those that are scarce). Lawrence does not provide information about proof die varieties. Lawrence does provides limited information about the quality of typical coins of the given coinage year. Lawrence provides a nice description of the only known design change in the series, including side by side photos (no enlargements). No notes about the transition to hubbed dates is given. Detail photos of the 2 known varieties of "S" mintmark are given. Other mintmarks are not detailed. Lawrence provides a very limited amount of information about pattern coinage. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are given by grade. Some rarity survey results are also given. Lawrence provides both historic and current value information, in most cases by date/mint mark, not by collectable variety. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: not given 3 page introduction + 123 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. I found the book to be somewhat disappointing. Some of the photos are useable for research. The primary useful information found here is the year by year descriptions of the typical coin quality. This book is available signed, very cheap direct from DLRC press. **********************************************************************
About the text Lange provides a moderately detailed history of the development of the Winged Liberty design, including a 1 page biography of Weinman, and 1 page biography of Elsie Stevens (the model). The book has descriptions of the important die varieties of Mercury Dimes, as well as detailed description of the technical characteristics of the coinage. About the photos Lange provides good quality enlarged lithographs of better than average quality photographs of the coins. Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins are of high grade, and in some cases possibly the "finest known". Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, in some instances. About the technical data Lange provides a photographic grading guide, comparable to "Photograde". Lange provides technical descriptions only of those die varieties that he considers collectable (ie, those that are scarce). Lange provides no information about the proof die varieties. Lange provides information about the quality of typical coins of the given coinage year, and about apparent production difficulties that the mint was having. I found his by year and mint "Comments" very informative and much more thorough than seen from other authors. Lange provides detailed notes about minor design changes, information that I have not seen published elsewhere. Good detail enlargements are provided of these changes. Lange provides a section detailing the most common counterfeit and altered coins encountered by collectors. Lange provides some information about the pattern coinage, including historical notes. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are given by grade. Some rarity survey results are also given. FB rarity ratings and pricing called out separately. Lange provides both historic and current value information, in most cases by date/mint mark, not by collectable variety. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-880731-19-3 (hardbound) ISBN: 1-880731-17-7 (softcover) 6 page introduction + 181 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. This book is significantly more informative than the other books that I have sampled from the "The Complete Guide to..." series from DLRC press. If you collect Mercury Dimes this is a *must have*, you will not find this information elsewhere. The notes on hub varieties and deterioration are invaluable to the type or hub collector. Available cheap directly from DLRC press. **********************************************************************
Bowers & Merena printing, 1992. Originally published in 1925
About the text
The book is primarily a list of descriptions of the known die
varieties of early US quarters. Scattered notes about the typical
characteristics of the die varieties are given.
The introduction discusses the history of this book, and provides
very little information.
About the photos
For who knows what reason, Breen decided to use Brownin'gs original
photos, but enlarge them and insert them between the text discriptions
as well as including Browning's original plates. The few newly
discovered varieties are displayed with new, uniformly over exposed
photos. The plates are reproduced life size in a flat paper lithograph
format, so that their utility is extremely limited.
Breen provides good quality enlarged lithographs of variable, but worse
than average quality photographs of the coins (many under exposed, 1 or 2
out of focus). Photographs are by die variety. Most of the coins are
of high grade, although a few heavily worn specimens are shown.
About the technical data
There is no grading guide.
Browning provides adequate technical descriptions of each of the die
varieties.
Breen provides some supplemental die variety descriptions, including
die states.
Breen notes which die varieties are known in proof.
While Breen is known for in depth analysis of device punch changes,
this is not to be found in this volume. You are on your own to
figure out why no two eagles from 1831-1838 appear to be from the
exact same punch.
About the investment data
Breen provides rarity ratings (some of which are now doubtful, and
some of which are drastically different from Reiver's)
Robert W. Miller provides condition consensus data by variety.
Breen also provides some pedigrees
No pricing information is provided.
About the book
Published by Bowers and Merena Galleries Inc.
Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given
ISBN: 0-943161-44-4 (limited edition hardbound)
ISBN: 0-943161-40-1 (softcover)
8 page introduction + 153 pages of text + 8 plates on 16 pages
Pages are 5.5" X 8.5"
Inexpensive paper binding with light weight pages.
This is essentially the only book in print covering the subject
material. As such it is what the early quarter dollar specialist
needs. The photographic quality limits its use for research.
Available direct from Bowers & Merena, you can probably get it
signed, although Bowers only wrote an introduction.
**********************************************************************
About the text The book is primarily a list of descriptions of the known die varieties of early US quarters. Scattered notes about the typical characteristics of the die varieties are given. This manual apparently was designed as a quick reference guide for variety identification and is not intended to be a primary reference book. The introduction discusses the purpose of this book, and provides very little information. Scattered notes are provided to explain the shorthand identification methodology. These notes can be found at the beginning of the section for a given design type, and are mandatory reading before attempting to use the book About the photos Reiver provides very few photos. Photos are provided for some of the varieties that were not in the original Browning book. A few other photos are provided where Reiver wanted to illustrate some point. Reiver provides poor quality enlarged lithographs of unknown quality photographs of the coins (print quality is too poor to judge the photo quality, similar to "The Complete Guide to Barber Halves"). The illustrated coins appear to be F-VF condition. Better specimens are illustrated in the Browning-Breen book. About the technical data There is no grading guide. Reiver provides adequate technical descriptions of each of the die varieties. Reiver provides some supplemental die variety descriptions, including die states. No information is provided about device punch changes. No information is provided about proof issues. About the investment data Reiver provides rarity ratings, some of which are drastically different from Breen's ratings. Reiver made a marked space for condition consensus data, but left the area blank!? About the book No publisher information, presumably self published. 3 page introduction + 44 pages of text Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive paper covers, stapled binding with medium weight pages. This out of print book probably represents J Reiver's personal notes used for "field" early quarter identification. It is suitable for that purpose and not particularly useable as a research reference. A small hoard of new copies were available at the 1996 ANA convention. Contact Remy Bourne (612)789-7070 or Charles Davis ( Numislit@aol.com ) **********************************************************************
About the text Briggs provides a short history of the development of the Liberty Seated design and a more detailed history of the coinage of the liberty seated quarters. An analysis of every hub change is given, as well as an analysis of the reeding pitches seen on these coins. The "How to use this book" section must be read to understand the die identification scheme used in the variety section. The book mostly consists of descriptions of the known die varieties of Liberty Seated quarters. In some cases, it is noted that the list is of varieties is too short, given the mintage figures. Some notes about the technical qualities of each coinage year are given. About the photos Briggs provides good quality enlarged lithographs of average quality photographs of the coins (most slightly overexposed). Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins are of high grade, but generally not the "finest known". Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, or illustrate an important detail of a variety. About the technical data Briggs provides no grading guide. Briggs provides adequate technical descriptions the known die varieties using a unique date positioning notation. You need an extremely sharp eye or a magnifier with a measuring graticule to use this scheme. Briggs identifies the proof die varieties. Briggs provides some information about die states, and a little information about the quality of the coins produced in that year at that mint. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are given by grade. No value information is given. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-880731-04-5 (hardbound) ISBN: 1-880731-05-3 (softcover) 2 page introduction + 255 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. A useful guide for the LS quarter specialist, researcher, or hub collector. Available cheap directly from DLRC press. **********************************************************************
About the text Lawrence provides a short history of the development of the Barber design and coinage. A very short biography of Charles Barber is given. An analysis of every hub change is given, and pictures of the various patterns are presented. The book mostly consists of descriptions of the important die varieties of Barber quarters. Some notes about the technical qualities of each coinage year are given. About the photos Lawrence provides good quality enlarged lithographs of good quality photographs of the coins. Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins are of high grade, all UNC or proof. Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, or illustrate an important detail of a variety. About the technical data Lawrence provides a photographic grading guide with separate pictures of early hub and late hub coins for grades XF40 and above. Intermediate grade (ie F15, VF30,...) are given and illustrated. The photos are a little bit better than those in Photograde. Lawrence provides adequate technical descriptions the noted die varieties. Lawrence provide a little bit of information about the quality of the coins produced in that year at that mint. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity rankings are given by mint state grade. Historical and current pricing information is given. The ranking information is tabulated at the end of the book. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 94-79248 ISBN: 1-880731-21-5 (hardbound) ISBN: 1-880731-22-3 (softcover) 3 page introduction + 127 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Spiral binding with medium weight pages. Overall, not an especially useful book. The grading guide and hub notes are useful. The die varieties noted here may be of use to the Barber quarter specialist. The notes on the typical appearance of each mint's issue by year should be useful in evaluated coin purchases. Available cheap directly from DLRC press. **********************************************************************
About the text Cline provides a long and detailed history of the development of the standing liberty quarter (76 pages). This includes profiles of MacNeil (the artist), Doscher (the model), prints of prototypes and plaster models, and letters between the Treasury dept and MacNeil. The year and mint mark analysis consists of descriptions of the characteristics of the coinage. Only the 1918/7-S die variety is described. About the photos Cline provides average quality enlarged lithographs of poor quality photographs of the coins (out of focus and underexposed). Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins seem to be of high grade, but how can you tell when the photo is out of focus? About the technical data Cline provides a line drawing type grading guide for the 3 major hub varieties. 1916 is not treated separately. Cline gives some detail information about the 2 known proofs. Cline provides a lot of information about the technical character of each mint issue. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity rankings are given. An estimate of the % of surviving coins in various grades is given. Tables of historic and current value information are given at the end of the book About the book This book rather uniquely lacks any identification of the publisher or ISBNs. 3 page introduction + 222 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive paper binding with light weight semi-gloss pages. The history of the coinage makes for interesting light reading. The provided information about the characteristics of the coinage is invaluable to the SL purchaser. Don't come here looking for lists of RPMs and doubled dies, there are none at all. Available very cheap from Brooklyn Coin Galleries. **********************************************************************
About the text Feigenbaum provides a short history of the development of the Washington quarters design, including a one page biography of Flanagan. An analysis of every hub change is given. Some details of how to detect common counterfeits is given. The book mostly consists of descriptions of the important die varieties of Washington quarters, and an analysis of the characteristics and value of each date/mint mark. About the photos Feigenbaum provides good quality enlarged lithographs of average quality photographs of the coins (most slightly overexposed). Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins are of high grade, but generally not the "finest known". Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, or illustrate an important detail of a variety. About the technical data Feigenbaum provides a photographic grading guide, similar in quality to that in photograde. The various hubs are not shown separately. Feigenbaum provides useful comments about the technical characteristics of the issue from each mint. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are not given. Certified coin populations are given by grade MS60 through MS67, for the earlier coinage years. Historical and current value information is given. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-880731-23-1 (hardbound) ISBN: 1-880731-20-7 (softcover) 4 page introduction + 150 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Nice cloth hard binding with glossly dust jacket (with an enlargement of a very high grade 1932-S) and light weight glossy pages. This book is somewhat useful to the Washington quarter collector. Available signed at a discount directly from DLRC press. The premium for hard binding is small. **********************************************************************
About the text Overton provides an explanation of how to use this book in the 25 page introduction. It comes complete with some highly entertaining line drawings of the subject coins. An analysis of edge varieties, punch changes, error coins, and grading are provided at the end of the book. The book mostly consists of descriptions of the known die varieties of early halves. Reeded edge halves are not included. About the photos Parsley provides good quality enlarged lithographs of good quality photographs of better grade coins. Photographs of the various edge types, made using a parabolic mirror to project the entire edge towards the camera are also provided (and rather exceptional btw. Parsley says you can use an old-style flash bulb reflector to take these pictures.) About the technical data Parsley provides a photographic grading guide, similar in quality to that in photograde. The various hubs are not shown separately. A design type section is provided with photos and explanations of the various design changes. Unfortunately, it contains several mistakes. Notes are provided about "collectable" die states. About the investment data Condition consensus data is given. Rarity ratings are given, but not by grade. No value information is given. About the book Published by Edwards Brothers Incorporated Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 90-92196 ISBN: not given 25 page introduction + 676 pages of text. Pages are 7.5" X 10.5" Nice cloth hard binding with glossly dust jacket (with an enlargement of a better grade 1817/4) and medium weight pages. This book is *the* reference for early half dollars, no other comparable text exists. The lithographs are of adequate quality for research work. A fourth edition became available recently. **********************************************************************
Its a book review of a book review, aaahhhh! Its gone recursive! About the text The book mostly consists of an enumeration and review of the contents of various books and auction catalogs that relate to US capped bust half dollars. In addition a partial reprint of a series of monographs on early mint procedures by Dr. Ivan Leaman. This monograph includes a cross reference table, an emission sequence chart, a hub modification table, and huge blowups of each hub variety. The book reviews are fairly complete and give the reader a reasonable idea of the circumstances under which the books were written and published, as well as the quality of the contents of the book. About the photos There are a total of 14 pictures in this book; 1 (repeated) illustration of an 1812, and the rest are extremely large (nearly full page size) illustrations of hub varieties. Although the lithography is a little coarse (a little worse than average), the size of the reproductions more than compensates. The photography is very good, while the coins range from XF (late dates) to high mint state (1808!?). About the technical data Karoleff notes the number of pages and quantities of prints in his reveiws. Leaman provides much highly detailed information about the changes in this coinage series. *Very* interesting reading for any collector of early US coins. About the investment data Karoleff notes that a few of the books are likely to increase in value. No other information is provided (it should be noted that this book has potential as a collectable). About the book No publishing information provided (self published?) Pages are 8.5" X 11" 96 pages Inexpensive paper binding with paper reinforced edge, very light card covers, and medium-light weight pages. Comes with an archival protective plastic envelope. This book is a must have for the bust half enthusiast. Don't let the title fool you, about 40% of the text is Leaman's monograph. Available directly from the author. **********************************************************************
About the text Souders attempts to relate everything he knows about capped bust half dollars that is not in Overton's book. This includes information about mint processes, collecting & buying, counterfeits & doctored coins, and a year by year analysis of coinage quality. Notes about hub changes and contemporary history are also included. About the photos Souders provides high quality enlarged lithographs of good quality photographs of better grade coins. This is not a variety identification manual, so only a modest number of photos are included. A few closeups (photomicrographs?) are provided, illustrating details that are difficult to see in any other reference. At least 2 photos are upside down! About the technical data Souders provides a table of strike qualities of each capped bust half dollar production year, and a table of mintages. There is a really nice and informative time line chart of mint history on the inside of the cover. About the investment data Souders provides his opinion of which issues are under or over valued. About the book Published by Money Tree Inc. ISBN: 1-886852-33-2 17 page introduction + 330 pages of text. Pages are 6.5" X 9.5" Nice cloth hard binding with medium-light weight pages. Also available in limited (100) numbered and signed, or delux (leather) limited (25) numbered and signed formats. Unfortunately, while the contents of this book sound very promising, the book itself is rather disorganized (not unlike Sol Taylor's Lincoln cent book), making it difficult to use as a reference. Lots of useful information is presented, but it is intersperced, seemingly at random, in the year-date analysis section. Souders teases with a text description of the hub/master die varieties, but no illustrations of the changes or enumerations of the relavent Overton varieties. **********************************************************************
About the text Wiley and Bugert provide a lot of information about this long series. They provide information about die making, hub changes, mint mark changes, collar changes (both diameter and reeding), and counterfeits. A year and mint-mark analysis of identified die varieties is provided, complete with an assessment of the author's opinion of how complete the variety identification is. A single page addenda dated 10 Oct. 1993 is also provided. About the photos Wiley and Bugert provide good quality enlarged lithographs of good quality photographs of high grade coins. Most lithographs are by year-mint mark, not by variety. Vignette enlargements are provided to illustrate certain varieties. About the technical data Wiley & Bugert provide a photographic grading guide, somewhat better in quality to that in ANA guide (much better than Photograde). The major varieties are shown separately. A design type section is provided with photos and explanations of the various design changes. Tables are provided about coin diameters and edge reeding counts. This can be very useful in authentication work. A table of the number of issued or cancelled branch mint head and tail dies is also provided for 1840-1878. About the investment data Condition consensus data is given. A table of rarity ratings is given by grade and variety 1992 value information is given from a number of sources. About the book Published by DLRC press ISBN: 1-880731-17-7 6 page introduction + 234 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Nice cloth hard binding with glossly dust jacket (with an enlargement of a high grade 1844/1844) and light weight pages. Not available paper bound. This book is *the* reference for seated half dollars, no other comparable text exists. The lithographs are of adequate quality for research work. Available at a discount, signed by both authors, directly from Randy Wiley. **********************************************************************
About the text Lawrence provides a short history of the development of the Barber half's design, but refers the reader to the more complete history in the Barber quarter book (odd, since almost all of the patterns are of half dollars). An analysis of 2 hubs is given, with a claim that Breen's list of hub changes is wrong. The book mostly consists of descriptions of each coin by date and mint mark. Lists of die varieties are given, but photos are not provided. About the photos Lawrence provides poor quality enlarged lithographs of good quality? photographs of the coins. Photographs are by date/mint mark. The coins are of high grade, but generally not the "finest known". About the technical data Lawrence provides a photographic grading guide, similar in quality to that in photograde. The various hubs are not shown separately. Even though the photos are enlarged, the limited lithography keeps the overall useability of the guide to no better than photograde. Lawrence provides useful comments about the technical characteristics of each mints issue. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are given, by grade. Rarity rankings are also given, both with each date/mint mark, and tabulated at the end of the book. Historical and current value information is given. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-880731-04-5 (hardbound) ISBN: 1-880731-05-3 (softcover) 2 page introduction + 113 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. The severely limited quality of the lithographs greatly reduces the potential uses of this book. Most of the information presented in this book is available elsewhere. Available cheap, signed directly from DLRC press. **********************************************************************
About the text Fox provides a short history of the development of the Walking Liberty half's design, including a half page biography of Weinman. An analysis of every hub change is given, although this is strictly copied from Breen's encyclopedia. Some details of how to detect common counterfeits is given. The book mostly consists of descriptions of the coins of each date and mint mark. Lists of die varieties are given, some with vignette enlargements. An analysis of the characteristics and value of each date/mint mark is also given. About the photos Fox provides good quality enlarged lithographs of average quality photographs of the coins (not lit well). Photographs are by date/mint mark, with only a few exceptions. The coins are of high grade, but generally not the "finest known". A few Vignette enlargements of details are given in order to compensate for the reproduction quality, or illustrate an important detail of a variety. About the technical data Fox provides a photographic grading guide, similar in quality to that in photograde. The pre 1921 vs post 1921 coins are shown separately, even though these are not noted as different hubs! Fox provides useful comments about the technical characteristics of each mints issue, including a tabulation of where striking problems occur on the most troubled issues. About the investment data Condition consensus data is not given. Rarity ratings are given by grade. Rarity ranking are given. A "rarity consensus" is provided. Historical and current value information is given. About the book Published by DLRC Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-880731-15-0 (hardbound) ISBN: 1-880731-16-9 (softcover) 4 page introduction + 145 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. Useful to the collector for the detailed notes about strike quality of the various issues. Don't buy this book to study hub varieties. The photos show almost enough detail to be used for research. Available cheap directly from DLRC press. **********************************************************************
About the text This enormous tome attempts to gather all knowledge of US silver dollars into one place. The history of the creation of the coins, the history of the collecting of the coins, and descriptions of die varieties are all given in great detail. Comprehensive listings of die varieties are not given for post 1840 silver dollars. The treatment of Eisenhower and Susan B. Anthony dollars is rather cursory, and it is mostly plagarized from Breen's encyclopedia. In an unusual move, Bowers provides an explanation of his numismatic terminology and history. Most other authors *assume* that you understand their terminology. About the photos Bowers provides good quality enlarged lithographs of variable quality photographs of the coins. Some of the photos are excellent, while others are rather poor. Most of the coins are of high grade, many of them finest known. The modern issue coins are of average grade. Some of the Seated Liberty dollar photographs are overexposed. About the technical data Bowers does not provide a grading guide. Hub changes are described with the coinage year when the hub changed. Bowers provides notes about the strike qualities of the coins. The technical data is not the reason to buy this book. About the investment data Condition consensus data is given. Rarity ratings are given by grade. Historical (back to date of issue) and current value information is given. While this sounds like the same old stuff in other volumes, be sure that Bowers has provided far more detailed information than you will find in any of the other literature. About the book Published by Bowers & Merena Galleries Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-943161-48-7 12 page introduction + 3055 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Glossy cloth binding with light weight pages. Per page or per pound the cheapest numismatic book on the market. Its not really possible for me to do this volume justice. Although the size of the book is expanded by redundant information, large print, and wasted page area, the total amount of information presented is still staggering. The treatment of later date coins is not as comprehensive as you would find in the VAM, so do not expect this book to replace all other dollar coin references. The early dollar listings are comprehensive and include cross references to other popular catalogs. The extensive notes on the history of the coinage and collecting of silver dollars would be very difficult to find elsewhere. Available signed, directly from Bowers and Merena Galleries, or somewhat cheaper from Brooklyn Coin Gallery. **********************************************************************
About the text This book is primarily a history of the events leading up to the elimination of silver from US coinage. Some information about the coinage is also presented. About the photos Rapsus provides average quality life size lithographs of average quality photographs of the coins. Photographs are few and far between. The coins are mostly of typical grades. Some photos are provided of historical events and relevant political cartoons. This is the only numismatic book you will find with a "glamour shot" of the author on the last page. About the technical data Rapsus does not provide a grading guide. Some hub changes are described but I suspect the list is incomplete. Rapsus provides some notes about the strike qualities of the coins. Rapsus provides statistics from a sample of coins from circulation. The technical data is not the reason to buy this book. About the investment data No investment data is provided. About the book Published by Bowers & Merena Galleries Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 1-943161-42-8 3 page introduction + 173 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive paper binding with glossy covers and medium weight pages. A mildly entertaining book which does not contain a whole lot of useful information. Most of the history presented is available in Breen's encyclopedia. Available directly from Bowers and Merena Galleries, or somewhat cheaper from Brooklyn Coin Gallery. **********************************************************************
About the text This book is primarily a listing of the varieties of California "fractional" gold coins that were known to the author as of 1932. Descriptions are provided of some souvenir pieces. This is useful for the souvenir collector, as all such listed pieces must have been made before 1932. A very brief introduction is provided. About the photos There is a single plate with life size reproductions of 41 coins. The print is too small to be of any practical use. About the technical data Textual descriptions of the coins are given. About the investment data No rarity or value information is given. About the book Published by Tower-Lee Company Inc. (one of Ed Lee's sons) Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: not given 3 page introduction + 94 pages of text Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive fake leather cloth binding with medium weight pages. A mildly interesting historical text of mostly useful for the period listing of known varieties (both genuine and souvenir). OUT OF PRINT, highly collectable for historic value **********************************************************************
About the text This book is primarily a listing of the varieties of "fractional" gold coins and tokens that were known to the author as of 1955. Some history of the gold rush, coinage and also some collecting notes are provided. About the photos There are no photos or line drawing of any kind. About the technical data Textual descriptions of the coins are given. This includes, California fractional coins, California fractional tokens (so called souvenirs), Alaska gold tokens, Idaho gold tokens, Montana gold tokens, Oregon gold tokens, Utah gold tokens, British Columbia gold tokens, Louisiana gold tokens, and some so-called dollars. About the investment data There is a table of values for each of the listed issues in 3 grades (fine, UNC, and proof!?) at the back of the book. About the book Published by The Advertiser Publishing Co. Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: not given 9 page introduction + 95 pages of text Pages are 8.5" X 11" First printing is 3 hole punched in a brittle green binder with gilt lettering on the cover and quite scarce. Medium weight pages. Second printing is paper bound and was available new for $35 until a few months ago. Although difficult to use due to the lack of pictures and rarity information, this is the only text that has any real detail on the souvenir pieces. Even so, the California fractional souvenirs are not described very completely. OUT OF PRINT **********************************************************************
About the text This book is primarily a listing of the varieties of California "fractional" gold coins that were known to the author as of 1970. Some history of the coinage and collection thereof is provided. About the photos K. Lee provides neither photos nor line drawing of any coins. About the technical data Textual descriptions of the coins are given. Descriptions of the "Kroll hoard" coins are also given. These are common counterfeits. About the investment data Some rarity ratings are given, but these are known to me to be grossly inaccurate. An insert contains a value list of the coins, with one value per variety and no explanation as to the condition for that value. About the book Published by University Press Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: not given 9 page introduction + 138 pages of text + 1 page insert Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive cloth binding with medium weight pages. A mildly interesting historical text of very little use in modern numismatics. Available cheap when you can find it. OUT OF PRINT **********************************************************************
About the text This book is primarily a listing of the varieties of California "fractional" gold coins that were known to the author as of 1979. Some history of the coinage and collection thereof is provided, essentially a repeat of the text in the first edition. About the photos K. Lee provides good quality lithographs of mostly good quality photographs of most of the varieties. In some cases, these are the best available prints of the variety (later books sometimes copied these prints). Despite a substantial enlargement, the photos are somewhat of a strain to view, due to the tiny size of the coins. About the technical data Textual descriptions of the coins are given. Descriptions of the "Kroll hoard" coins are also given. These are common counterfeits. About the investment data Some rarity ratings are given, but these are known to me to be grossly inaccurate. An insert contains a value list of the coins, with one value per variety and note explaining that it is for "extremely fine" coins. About the book Published by George Kolbe Publications Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 79-65467 ISBN: 0-934352-00-3 20 page introduction + 100 pages of text + 1 page insert Pages are 8.5" X 11" Inexpensive cloth binding with fake leather mimicking the Ed Lee book and light weight glossy pages. Although quite a bit of the printed information herein is suspect, this book contains enough useful pictures and text to be of value to the collector or researcher. Copies are usually priced around $50 for fine to very fine copies. OUT OF PRINT **********************************************************************
About the text This book is primarily a listing of the varieties of California "fractional" gold coins that were known to the author as of 1982. A new numbering scheme is introduced, but cross references to Lee's work are provided. Some random bits of the history of the gold rush is given. Doering provides a complete list of his references, including auction catalogs. Doering includes photos of certain recently made counterfeits. This documentation cannot be found elsewhere. Unfortunately, the photographs are intersperced with the regular listings, even though they are clearly labeled "counterfeit". About the photos Doering provide high quality enlarged lithographs of good quality photographs of mostly high quality coins by variety. This and the Breen-Gillio text are the only references with truely useable sized prints. About the technical data Textual descriptions of the coins are given. About the investment data Some rarity ratings are given, but many of these are doubtful. In addition, Doering uses a "Doering" rarity scale that is deceptively similar, but not the same as the Sheldon scale. Values at several grades are listed with each variety, but these values are and were inaccurate and inconsistent. About the book No publisher information provided 20 page introduction + 196 pages of text Pages are 8.5" X 11" Nice cloth binding with light weight glossy pages. Useful for quality prints and counterfeit listings. OUT OF PRINT ($35-50 in F-VF condition) **********************************************************************
About the text This book is primarily a listing of the varieties of California "fractional" gold coins that were known at the time of publication. Some history of the coinage and reproductions of rare references are provided. A cross reference table to Doering and Lee numbers is in the back of the book (forwards and backwards). This book started life as an auction catalog for the Lee collection. As a result many of the illustrated coins are from the Lee collection. When the Lee collection sold intact, this book was produced separately. About the photos High quality enlarged lithographs of mostly high quality photographs of the coins are provided. The enlargements are large enough to be useful (about the same size as Doering's). Some of the prints are very high quality, others not so good. Most of the not so good prints can be traced as being copied from Doering's or Lee's books, and are much better in the original form. About the technical data Textual descriptions of the coins are given. Breen-Gillio provide die state information not found elsewhere. Breen-Gillio provide archeological information not found elsewhere. A section of questionable varieties, including the "Kroll hoard" coins is also given. While some of these coins are well known to be counterfeits, BG1308 has since been proven to be genuine. About the investment data Rarity values are given, but these are known to me to be inaccurate (consistently high). A few auction records are provided, but no systematic value information is given. Enumerations of the known specimens of extremely rare varieties are provided. About the book Published by Pacific Coast Auction Galleries Inc. Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: not given 10 page introduction + 150 pages of text Pages are 8.5" X 11" Paper binding with light weight pages (a limited edition hardbound version is rumored to exist) This is the reference book that everyone uses for California Fractional gold. Despite numerous inaccuracies, the contents of this book are quoted as the absolute truth by many coin dealers and auction houses. Breen-Gillio numbers are the current standard designation for these coins. OUT OF PRINT, hard to find, and pricey when you find it. Expect to pay $125-200 for a copy. **********************************************************************
About the text This book is a rambling tome of factoids about Hawaiian coins, tokens, paper money, medals, and militaria. The majority of the book consists of a listing of the known tokens. About the photos Lithographs are of good quality, produced from mixed quality photos. Images are not provided for all of the tokens listed. About the technical data The only grading guide for the 1847 cents and 1883 coinage that you will find anywhere is in this book. This is a good quality photographic guide. No guide is provided for other coins. The die varieties of the 1847 cent are described in detail. About the investment data Values are given for the coins. Tokens are valued in UNC or XF only, while the coinage is valued by grade and variety. About the book Published by not given Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 88-92767 ISBN: 0-9623263-0-5 160 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Glossy plastic coated hard binding with medium weight semigloss pages. This rather disorganized and incomplete book is somewhat disappointing, but it is virtually the only guide to numismatic Hawaiiana. So if you want to collect these coins, you need this book. Available from Circle Island Company on the internet **********************************************************************
About the text This book is an attempt to cover the history, physical characteristics, and collectability of every coin that has circulated inside what is now the United States as money. It is remarkably comprehensive, although there is no coverage of "hard times" tokens. Breen includes a section on French colonial coinage that I have not been able to find in any other reference. These include the various French coins that circulated in Canada and Louisiana, and a historical explanation of the various edicts that attempted to force these coins to circulate. Philipines coins are not included. Hawaii coins are included. ARRC tokens are included. Territorial gold coins (including Ca fractionals with BG numbers) are included. About the photos Lithographs are of good quality, with varying amounts of enlargement and produced from good quality photos. Images are only provided for issues that Breen considered significantly different or rare. I have found the lithographs difficult to use for research (most are too small), although they most certainly are a useful reference. About the technical data No grading guides are provided. Breen includes his own mintage estimates. Breen includes his own rarity estimates. Breen includes alloy, weight, and size information for each issue. About the investment data Auction records are given for extremely rare specimens. No other value information is given. Breen gives pedigree information for extremely rare specimens. About the book Published by Doubleday Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 79-6855 ISBN: 0-385-14207-2 7 pages of introduction + 754 pages of text. Pages are 8.5" X 11" Plain cloth hard binding with medium weight pages and a glossy jacket. If you were only going to own one reference book on US coins (excluding a price guide) this is the one to own. Despite its several omissions and Breen's sometimes strong prejudices (expressed in the historical commentary) this is the most complete work on US coins that you will find in one volume. Most collectors will find that this book contains all of the information that they need. Pricey, but worth the cost for the US coin collector. Can be found discounted at around $70 US, sometimes. **********************************************************************
About the text This book is an attempt to cover the history, physical characteristics, and collectability of every coin type that has circulated inside what is now the United States as money. Reed includes a lengthy section about the history and processes involved in coin making. About the photos There are no photos, only lithographs of drawings. The drawings are somewhat informative but not useable for any research. About the technical data A compact Good-Fine-EF grading guide is provided for all covered coin types. Mintage figures are given by type. Alloy and dimensional specifications are given. About the investment data None provided. A few key date coins are pointed out. About the book Published by Cowles Book Company Inc. Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 70-90063 SBN: 402-01111-2 16 pages of introduction + 300 pages of text. Pages are 6.5" X 9.5" Plain cloth hard binding with heavy weight pages and a glossy jacket. OUT OF PRINT Mostly useful for the historical perspective and for entertainment. **********************************************************************
About the text Consists of 1 or 2 paragraph biographies of 100 or so Medalists and Die-Sinkers from before the Civil War. About the photos Below average lithographs of below average photographs are provided of some of the artists work. About the technical data None About the investment data None About the book Published by Sanford J. Durst Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 80-70817 ISBN: 0-915262-95-9 2 pages of introduction + 24 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Stapled together pamphlet with medium weight pages and a glossy cover. More of a "who did what" text than true biographies in this book. Very limited utility, except perhaps as a starting point for researching further information about particular artists. **********************************************************************
About the text This book is an introductory text to type coin collecting. US, Canada, and Mexico design types are discussed. Definitions of design types and general advice about coin collecting are also provided. About the photos None, except the montage on the cover. About the technical data None About the investment data None About the book Published by Amos Press, Inc. Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: not given 2 pages of introduction + 67 pages of text. Pages are 5/5" X 8.5" Stapled together pamphlet with medium weight pages and a glossy cover. A good book for the young or beginning numismatist. **********************************************************************
About the text This book was produced by Congress to explain to the American public why the government was bankrupt. It is not a complete enumeration of the promised coinage laws, rather, only the laws that were considered relevant to the issue were quoted. The introduction provides information about how to use this book. About the photos None About the technical data None About the investment data None About the book Published by Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc. Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: none given ISBN: none given 11 pages of introduction + 77 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. Because the Senate Committee saw fit to sumarize or entirely omit certain coinage laws (like those regarding territorial coinage) this text is of limited use except for the historical perspective. **********************************************************************
About the text This book consists mostly of line drawing of coins in various grades. There is a nice introduction containing an explanation of the grading of coins, problems found on coins, and coin lingo. The standards used in this book are out of date, but still useful as a reference when reviewing historical documents. About the photos There are no photos, only line drawings. The line drawings are carefully drafted to mimic the wear patterns on US coins. Unfortunately, these drawings fail to replicate the fine details on the coins, making high grade coin grading difficult. About the technical data This book is only a grading guide. About the investment data None given. About the book Published by Western Publishing Inc. (Whitman) Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 0-307-09097-3 352 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Plain cloth hard binding with medium weight semi-gloss pages. Useful as a historical document only. Available cheap. **********************************************************************
About the text This book consists mostly of photographs of coins in various grades. There is a nice introduction containing an explanation of the grading of coins, problems found on coins, and coin lingo. This is the most commonly encountered standard for grading coins. About the photos This book has small but good quality lithographs of mostly good quality photographs of appropriate condition coins. A few photographs are under or over exposed, making details difficult to see. Larger lithographs would have been better. About the technical data This book is only a grading guide. About the investment data None given. About the book Published by Western Publishing Inc. (Whitman) Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: not given ISBN: 0-307-19876-6 351 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. Hologram of 1892-O quarter on the front cover has luster! This is *THE* comprehensive grading guide. While the grading guides given in some of the specialist books are superior, this book gives the best overall explanation of the grading of US coins. **********************************************************************
About the text This book consists mostly of photographs of coins in various grades. There is a nice introduction containing an explanation of the grading of coins, problems found on coins, counterfeits, cleaning (good and bad), and coin lingo. The grading of uncirculated coins is explicitly not treated in this book. About the photos This book has poor quality lithographs of below average quality photographs of possibly appropriate condition coins (the lithographs and photographs are often too poor to tell). The net result is a tendency for the grader to overgrade coins, due to the poor detail in the prints. About the technical data This book is only a grading guide. About the investment data None given. About the book Published by Bowers and Merena Galleries Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: 74-188572 ISBN: 0-307-09361-1 208 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Inexpensive paper binding with medium weight pages. This book is useful mainly as an example of how not to produce coin pictures. Some of the notes about cleaning and counterfeit coins are useful. **********************************************************************
About the text This book consists mostly of line drawings of coins in various grades. There is very little text. About the photos In its day, this book was the only pictorial grading guide. However, by modern standards the line drawings are poorly detailed and inaccurate. In particular, inadequate attention is paid to strike characteristics and die erosion. About the technical data This book is only a grading guide. About the investment data None given. About the book Published by Western Publishing Inc (Whitman) Library of Congress Catalog Car Number: Not given ISBN: Not given 206 pages of text. Pages are 5.5" X 8.5" Semi gloss cloth binding with light weight semigloss pages. This book is useful for the historical perspective only.