How Often Do You Buy A RedBook

Cam40

For every year?

How many editions do you own?

Do you save all your various price guides?

Which edition is out now and when does the new one come out?

Louis

I have a bunch of books on coins, but I have never owned a Redbook.

Russ

Never have bought one. The only one I own is 1964 edition that was a gift from a forum member.

Russ, NCNE

JxnBoy

Once. I think mine is a 2000 or 2001 edition.

ksteelheader

I buy yearly and pass the older editions on to the grandkids

Stuart

I like to purchase a Red Book about every 3 years. I find them very helpful to summarize alot of information about U.S. Coins. I don't use it as an absolute price guide but as a relative price guide to help identify the scarcer dates & mintmarks for a specific issue.

It's also very useful for type collectors to help identify the various types & varieties of U.S. Coins

mgoodm3

I use it as a general reference, I wear one out about every 2 years.

rottnrog

I get a new one every year thru the coin club I belong to!!

RGL

Since the prices are largely useless/missing on MS/Proof, I buy one about every two years ... I have a 1959 Redbook. Man, would I have loved to have my current income and been buying coins back then at dem prices ...

coinkat

I like the early editions... they are really fun to look at...

dbldie55

I have the 8th edition and then from 10th to present.

291fifth

About once every five years. It is still a good general reference book. I hope the new owner corrects some of its deficiencies.

kranky

About every 2-3 years.

nwcs

So far I only have one, last year's. When I was growing up I borrowed my brother's 1982 one. That's all I've ever used.

Cam40

I have a 2001, 54th edition and a 1977, 30th edition.
Is the 2004, 58th edition out now? I may get that one or wait till the 2005 edition hits the shelves....not sure.

itsnotjustme

I buy one about every 3-4 years. Currently I have a 2001

hookedoncoins

double post

hookedoncoins

I have bought one red book. It is 2002 or 2003.

Seems like I hardly ever use it.

wjd283

I buy one every year and pass my old ones to my co-workers.
Yes,the 2004 red book is out and it is 57th edition.

MFH

Have bought one every year since 1960. The older ones are well thumbed thru, the newer ones are only referred to once or twice a year.

cladking

Same as Russ. I have a 1964 edition a friend gave me long ago. I'll buy a new one
when I believe the modern pricing in it.

airplanenut

I have a few--1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2004... I got the 04 so Ken Bressett could sign it for me

goose3

I used to buy them each year but quit buying them a few years ago. I gave a couple of them away to some newbies. I'd rather buy books that are more specific on the series I enjoy.

flaminio

I buy a new one whenever I lose my old one. Usually takes about three-four years before I leave it in a train station or park bench or whereever (if I knew where I left them, then they wouldn't be lost...).

Coinosaurus

I have the first 50 or so but I don't buy new ones. I never use it. Breen, or Trends, or Auction Prices Realized are better sources of information for me.

dollardude

Every year. Less than the cost of a pizza. Come on guys, they cost next to nothing, and are a valuable source of info. With a little bit of negotiating, you can get them for below cover price.

Cam40

I just had a thought......it may not be cost effective or some other business rhetoric, but wouldnt it be neat
to have the RedBook on DVD with high quality movie images of a few different coins and `what to look for`.

I think this should happen. More and more coin collectors are getting online and joining the modern coin collecting
community. I hope we can take advantage of new technology like this if nothing more than to help promote
the hobby and welcome the newcomers as well as keep the average collector interested.

BAJJERFAN

The only one I have owned was given to me as a gift. Most of the info remains the same from year to year and the pricing info doesn't really mean much. Do they have a section on eBay yet?

SDCollector

<< <i>Every year. Less than the cost of a pizza. Come on guys, they cost next to nothing, and are a valuable source of info. >>


I agree! I'm surprised so few responders buy it regularly.

I buy it every year and it has become my primary reference for my type set. For my type of collecting, the prices are a good general reference point and the photos are the best of any reference book I have. I also subscribe to Trends and I'm beginning to think that their prices are not that much more useful than the Red Book's. (I'm learning to do my own research on prices through realized auction and a review of reputable dealer prices.)

For about $12, I don't think there is any general coin reference better than the Red Book.

Lakesammman

1.5 years ago I bought the 1958 edition. Before that, bought the 1998 edition in 1998. Only need it every 10 years or so.

misterR

Bought one every year for the last 15 yrs. or so. Might break the trend this year.
Each year when I bought the latest edition I gave my old one to someone who had an interest in coins.

dollardude

I'd like to add a thought for all you cheapskates out there. At the end of each year, you can usually buy the previous year's Red Book at most bookstores in the clearance section for around five bucks or so. Just a thought.

jdimmick

I buy a new one every year and give away the old copy to someone who needs it

Shamika

I buy one every 3 to 5 years. I've kept all of my old ones.

MadMonk

Never!

dddangerousdan

I have an 86 and a 2003

DAN

MacCoin

yearly but this year it (2004) was kind of out dated by Dec. so I have been using the mouthly trends in the coin rags.

numismatic2004

I wear the heck out of them,my 2003 edition is about to fall apart.I use it for a priceguide for the less expensive stuff(roughly my whole collection).Plus it has a boatload of information and great pictures for identifying errors.

jeffnpcb

Review first before purchase to check for new info and variations of coins in the back section. Last 3 years bought one!

MatthewBabcock

I purchased my first copy in the early 80s and used it pretty much as a way to inventory what I had... Marked it right in the book...

At about the time I finishec marking that copy up, I graduated high school and joined the Army... Guess where everything went... Into a box for later rediscovery...

I rediscovered that box about 8 years ago... I purchased a new copy of the Red Book and used it while visiting local dealers, coin shows and regional flea markets. Lately, I've been getting copies every year since 2000...

Needless to say, after my first inventory (in the book), I decided to maintain my inventory list differently...

Hope that helps...

(PS - This was my 50th posting here...)

richbeat

I've gotten one every year since 1979 (except for the 1989 edition) and still have them all.

coppercoins

I don't buy them at all - waste of time, energy, and funds. Pricing is unrealistic and listings are almost completely non-existent for what I collect. Frankly, the book doesn't cover the scope I collect and I don't expect it to, but that alone makes it useless to me.

nucklehead

I have about two thirds of the entire series (1958 is my oldest) and have two signed by Mr.Bressett as well(2001 and 2003).

papabear

I collect the Red Book have them all except the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 40th (1987) special A.N.A. cover, 45th (1992)A.N.A cover, 50th (1997) Special anniv. cover and the 55th (2002) A.N.A special cover. Does anybody have thease book's for sale?
Please contact me at

papabeardrh@zoominternet.net

Thank You papabear

JoyofCollecting

I think I bought my last one in 1977 as a twelve-year old. That's about the time I decided to focus my collecting and the Redbook became pretty useless.

I would recommend it for anyone that is actively building an eclectic set of coins......which can be a lot of fun.

Coulport

I usually have one left on my table every couple of years that goes unclaimed. That keeps me current enough.

agentjim007

Bought a 5th edition at a swap meet for $3 bucks (had no idea it's value). Offered it to a local dealer for 10 bucks, he laughed. Saw a guy in Coin World advertising to buy old Red books. Called him and asked how much for a 5th edition, he said he would pay me $175. I said it's on it's way. That was the last one I bought probably 10 years ago.

Keyrock

Generally, I buy it yearly when it is discounted and I have been buying back issues. It is just like an auction catalog a great resource. It's amazing to to see what coins worked there way into the bock and what coins have been eliminated, the impact of new varities etc. As a pricing guide I thinks its almost worthless unless you are looking historically at the prices, even then it is limited generally only list a MS65 copper no RD/RB DCAM/Cam etc.. designation. Still a nice reference book.