New Purchase - Numismatic Scrapbooks 1935-1946, ex. Harry Bass library
Mr_Spud
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I just wanted to show off my new purchase. These are the Numismatic Scrapbooks 1935-1946, hardbound ex. Harry Bass library with the very early ones not hardbound.
I’m not really sure what I’m going to do with them, but so far I’ve been enjoying reading the early ones. I went on eBay looking to see if I could buy a couple of these from this era after someone suggested that I could learn info about the early coin albums and boards by looking at the ads in them. These had just been put up for auction so I figured why not. 🌞
Mr_Spud
4
Comments
I've bought several old Numismatic Scrapbook magazines at the ANA summer seminar book sales and enjoy looking through them.
Wouldn't mind having a DeLorean and a pocketful of cash.
From what I remember, the first four volumes are quite scarce and expensive. They are also very difficult to tell from originals, though if they were from Harry Bass, they are probably originals.
Since your early ones are not bound (which is unlike Bass), could they have been switched for reprints?
If you mean so you could go back in time and buy coins at the prices in the ads in the old magazines, then yes I agree 😉
Mr_Spud
I’m not really sure, but I saw an article in one saying that they were going to change the size and offer them bound going forward so maybe that has something to do with the early ones not being bound. I’ll have to look for that again when I have the time.
Here’s the description from the eBay auction:
This is an absolutely wonderful group of the first twelve volumes of the Numismatic Scrapbook, published from 1935-1946. From the renowned Harry Bass library, and last appearing in the George F. Kolbe numismatic literature auction of the Bass Library, part III, (9/25/1999) as lot 228 (lot tag included). Kolbe described as: "Volumes 1-12. Chicago, 1935-1946. The first twelve volumes, complete. Vigesimoquarto and duodecimo as issued. The first two volumes are unbound, in the original printed yellow card covers. The remaining issues are uniformly bound in ten annual volumes. Matching blue cloth, with black spine labels, gilt, original printed paper covers bound in throughout. Very fine. A very nice complete early run of this important and underappreciated publication. During its heyday, the Scrapbook was the most important commercial American numismatic publication, occupying a position roughly analogous to that of Coin World today. The very early issues have long been difficult to obtain". This has been off the market for nearly 23 years...
Mr_Spud
And here is a picture from the auction of the unbound early ones
On the final one it mentions an important announcement on the cover as shown. If I’m remembering correctly, this was the announcement about the size of the magazine changing and also that, going forward, they would be offering them bound annually or something along those lines.
Mr_Spud
Not only are they the early editions, they are in excellent condition! Nice purchase!
Great Purchase!! Ola!!
I looked at the Nov. 1936 issue and it did say they were changing the size of the magazine, but nothing about having a years worth bound. I know I remember reading that when I first got them and was just browsing through, but I don’t remember where and what issue or year I read about having them bound. It does make sense though that the first two years were too small and thin to bind into a book cover like the 1937 and later years.
But anyways, here is what the announcement said about changing the size. What’s really interesting is that they offered the magazine for free to people that requested it. Here’s the article from Nov. 1936
Mr_Spud