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My first coin book

jonrunsjonruns Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭✭✭

I'm pretty sure that this little book was purchased in the grocery store check out line. The first few pages are basically an advertisement to sell your valuable coins to Stacks. I was 8 at the time and coins were my first real collection...then stamps...then motel bar soap...shells...fossils...baseball cards...matchbox cars...currency...now back to coins...

I like Norman Stack's simple grading system in the book: G or F, VG or VF, or in some cases F or XF...after listening to JA's podcast I think I'm going back that way myself: a coin is either XF or AU or BU...

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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice old book of values.... Now how many coin books in your library?? Cheers, RickO

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    lkeneficlkenefic Posts: 7,823 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cool look at past prices! Gosh, an 1877 IHC for $110 in F12... such a deal!! In 1966 when I was but 6 years old, it could just as well have been 110 thousand dollars! ! lol!!

    Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

    Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
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    johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 27,505 ✭✭✭✭✭

    an 1877 indian head cent for $110.00 in fine condition, way cool

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    Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Those were the days !!! :)

    Timbuk3
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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jonruns....Thanks for the reply... and based on that, I would say you need some more coin books....Redbook, CPG for example... Cheers, RickO

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    TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 20, 2019 5:43AM

    @ricko said:
    Nice old book of values.... Now how many coin books in your library?? Cheers, RickO

    I have, literally, thousands.

    The reason?

    Easy, if I get interested in a series, say Bust half $, I buy every book ever printed on the subject.

    research, research and more ...

    Frank

    BHNC #203

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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yep... Whenever something piques my curiosity, I quickly research books on the subject and acquire one or two of which I determine to be the best sources. My library is vast.... though coin books are just a part....Cheers, RickO

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    NysotoNysoto Posts: 3,770 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My first coin book was 1964 Handbook of United States Coins - Blue book. Price of book was $1.75.

    I remember getting the book. I was 8 years old at the time, my father would go to the local department store every week, I would tag along and this book caught my interest as I was collecting coins for albums out of circulation, and wanted to know what prices dealers would pay - Bluebook rather than the Redbook. After a couple of weeks my dad bought the book for me which I still have, including a written list of coins that I found in circulation.

    In 1964 dealers would pay $1.25 for a "good" capped bust half dollar, and $4.00 for a "V. Fine" which was the highest grade listed. For the draped bust which I have collected the last 25 years, $37.50 for a V Fine, and a 1795 FH half dollar the wholesale price was $200 in VF.

    Some bad info in the book which destroyed the value of many coins "Modern silver coins can often be cleaned with a paste consisting of baking soda and water without harming the coin."

    Fifty five years later I have hundreds of books - I need more space!

    Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver

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