Do you own a copy of "US Commemorative Coins" by Anthony Swiatek and Walter Breen??

keets

I was looking through my copy this morning and it dawned on me that I read through this book quite a bit, maybe as much as my copy(ies) of So-Called Dollars. Although I own the similar reference by Don Taxay and I think another Commem book, I really enjoy the Swiatek-Breen text as much as any Numismatic book. I don't know which of the two was the principal text writer, but their humor, sarcasm and unbridled criticism of the Political Process that leads to each issue always has me smiling. I met Mr. Swiatek around 2003-4 in Baltimore and chatted with him for about 10 minutes, past that and I would have felt I was interrupting him(though he didn't seem to mind). Unfortunately, for me, I hadn't yet dipped into the Classic Commem pool or we could have had a much more enjoyable few minutes.

Today I was in the 1927 Vermont section, a coin that strikes me because it has such nice, high relief, almost like a medal. What got my funny-bone was the talk about the way the original designs were discarded and the critique of the "catamount" on the reverse. Any US coin with a Mountain Lion on it is fine by me but the writer(s) make a good point, it probably should have been a Canadian Lynx or at least a Puma rendition that didn't resemble an African Lioness!! But, I digress, I still like the coin.

So I thought I'd ask --- Do other members see the same things I do in the book and enjoy it as much?? They seem to pull the veil off the way most Classic Commems came to be, the special interests that manipulated the process, the way that many issues turned out to not really be relevant to what they were commemorating, etc. etc. etc............................They also provide some good mintage numbers, as is the case with the Vermont. While it is widely recognized to have a mintage of 28K+ they provide a letter which says it should be about 11K less, or 17,000. Interesting!!!

Al H.

1946Hamm

I have that book. That is the book that got me to looking for the different types of Lafayette dollars. Al, I think I had some discussions with you a few years back about the differences.

Eagleguy

I love that book but I haven't opened it since I sold off my commemoratives a few years back.

CommemDude

I also prefer that book for light reading as some of the others deal in cold statistical facts about mintages, values, etc.
Don Taxay's book is a close second for me. Since you mentioned Vermonts........

Sonorandesertrat

I have that book, Taxay's book, and the one by Bowers. Swiatek & Breen is more frank regarding drivers of the designs and investment potential.

ElKevvo

It is a good book...I have one in my coin library...

K

keets

Since you mentioned Vermonts.....................

and that looks like a nice one!!

291fifth

I have a copy of "Commemorative Coins of the United States" by Anthony Swiatek. There is no mention of Walter Breen so I am assuming that this is a different book. My copy is the first edition and probably dates from the mid-1990s. ( I can't be sure since it is a library discard copy with the title page removed.) It covers issues from 1892 to 1992 and is filled with plenty of good information. It is a paperback with a price of $16.00 though I think I paid about $3.00 for it 16-17 years ago.

MrEureka

I have two hardbound copies. If anyone wants the duplicate, it's yours for a $25 donation to Soi Dog. Postage is on me.

2ndCharter

Just checked the library and discovered that I have both hardbound and softbound copies - along with Taxay, Bowers, Laibstain, Iacovo, and many issues of the Commemorative Trail. No wonder my office library is so crowded ....

kiyote

Let’s just say in the early 90s I was looking at this book more than the Sears catalog lingerie section.

shorecoll

There is the original and a later by just Swiatek, I like them both.

BillJones

I was surprised that Breen got involved with the project because he viewed many of the coins it covered to be “numismatic trash.” Then again, Breen had a bad habit of doing “things for a buck” including “letters of authenticity.” I image that many of the cynical comments came from him.

The best things about the Taxay book were the sketches of the commemorative coin designs as they were in development. I bought a used copy of the book for $2 in the mid 1980s. Needless to say it was a bargain.

Strat

Yes I have a copy of the Breen/Swiatek commem book along with Laibstain's book, which I obtained first of the two.

DRUNNER

I have the book. A delight to read. I used it, and Taxay, and Bowers, as my instruction when I put together my 50 pc. Set. (Same three Sonorandesertrat mentioned).

I haven't read anything from it since I sold my set several years ago . . . . but it is an excellent reference and read . . .

Drunner

CaptHenway

Back in the mid-1970's Coin World was dabbling with getting into numismatic book publishing, and one submission was a book on the classic commemoratives by Anthony Swiatek, then a science teacher in NYC. For various reasons the book did not happen, but the copy was run serially in CW as a column. Ed Fleischmann edited it into column format for a while, and then I took over. Eventually the columns re-appeared in his first commem book with additional material. During the same 1970's time period Coin World published Breen's Proof Encyclopedia, and I did editorial work on that as well.

When the Swiatek-Breen volume came out, I was somewhat surprised to see that so much of it had been rewritten, and obviously by Breen. Any snarky comments can safely be attributed to Breen. I am not sure that it was an improvement.

TD

Veep

I own a hard copy which I read thoroughly back when I was acquiring my 20, or so, favorite issues.