1974 blue book and red book prices. What a hoot!

jogbill

I just found a blue book and red book from 1974 tucked away in my desk. Just for fun check out these prices. An 1885 XF Liberty Head Nickel in the blue book is listed at $84. The red book lists it at $150. The PCGS web site shows a regular strike current retail price of $900. By the way... the selling price for the '74 blue book was $1.50 and the red book sold for $2.50.
What's even more striking is how the coin collecting has changed and become much more sophisticated since then. In 1974 the concept of MS1 to MS70 didn't exist. Nor did the labels 'regular strike' or 'raw'. Also, there is no mention of red Vs brown Lincoln cents. I guess the world was a lot simpler 30 years ago.
Bill

JrGMan2004

Well... even now, the Red Book doesn't list prices for Red vs. Brown... so.......

MacCoin

I got a 68 red book looking at that is pretty wild

lordmarcovan

I keep a copy of the 1976, since that's the year I started collecting.

mr1931S

My 1959 Redbook says inside the cover, "Return to Kodiak Baptist Mission-Kodiak Alaska."

Small cent, 1909 S, V D B Unc., $77.50. Liberty Head Nickel, 1885, Unc., $90.00. Dime, 1796, Fine, $125.00, Unc., $300.00... , Dime, 1894S, Unc. $3000.00...

Silver Dollar, 1889CC, Unc. $65.00. Half Eagle, 1798 Small eagle (5 known), Unc. $3000.00.

No way, Baptists. I paid $5 for this book at an indoor fleamarket.

NoGvmnt

"An 1885 XF Liberty Head Nickel in the blue book is listed at $84. The red book lists it at $150. The PCGS web site shows a regular strike current retail price of $900."


Okay, my 1957 (copyright 1956) Blue Book lists the 1885 XF Liberty Head Nickel at, AWWWwwww crap!!!, it only lists it in "good" ($7.50), and "fine" ($14.00).

The 1922 "No D" Lincoln Cent is listed at "Very Good" (.75), and "Very Fine" ($1.50).


Jim

flyingcougar13

mr1874,

The oldest red book I have is also the 12th edition, 1959. I love the price on the unc. 93-S morgan at 400.00 and the 1903-O morgan also at 400.00 for unc. Back then they thought all the 03-O's were either melted or shipped to India. It only makes you wish you had a time machine in the basement!

Keith

WACoinGuy

What's interesting is that the relative value of the 1885 nickel has stayed pretty constant:

1974: 1885 XF Red Book ($150) / Red book price ($2.50) = 60
2004: 1885 XF Price ($900) / Red book price ($16) = 56.25