Update: I just bought the Rennaisance of American Coinage book from Smythe

Longacre

I heard this book is great and I am looking forward to getting it. I need some reading material for a trip next week, so hopefully it will ship soon. I live just a hop, skip, and a jump from NYC, so it should come soon.

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Update: I just got the book (pretty fast shipping from those Smythe guys!). The book looks great. It is 344 pages and looks really interesting. Here is an abbreviated table of contents (the actual TOC is 3 pages long, with a lot of subheadings; what I typed below might not make much sense, but I didn't feel like typing three pages worth of stuff). Believe me, the breakout of the TOC indicates that this will be a pretty fascinating read, and I don't do the book justice with the abbreviated TOC below. The book was $60.49 (which includes first class shipping). A bargain in today's world of multimillion dollar coin sales.

1. Acknowledgements
2. Author’s preface
3. Introduction and background
4. Chapter 1: Design competition
5. Chapter 2: Sketches and models
6. Chapter 3: New designs, new delays
7. Chapter 4: Comments and reactions
8. Chapter 5: Patterns and proofs
9. Chapter 6: Comment and observations
10. Chapter 7: Story of the Peace Dollar
11. Chapter 8: Peace dollar designs
12. Chapter 9: Mythology
13. Chapter 10: Basics of making coin medal reductions
14. Chapter 11: Teresa de Francisci’s gifts
15. Chapter 12: 1921-22 Variety tables
16. Author’s comment and closing
17. Appendix (biographies, bibliographies, sources)

Longacre

See update above

Koinlink

That really does sound interesting. I'll have to get a copy! Thanks for posting the contents.

CaptHenway

It is a fantastic book. Buy one.
Tom DeLorey

Longacre

I'm surprised there were not more comments. I am starting it tomorrow and will post some tidbits as I go through it. Has anyone else actually read the book?

Coinosaurus

I read it. Highly recommended & contains much original research. I'm looking forward to the next two volumes.

Hoot

This is the best numismatic text of recent years. A superbly researched and referenced work that stands heads and shoulders above most. Not only are most numismatic texts poorly referenced, but many are based on hearsay that has become entrenched in dogma. To make matters worse, the roots of numismatic hearsay or evidence to the contrary, have never been properly exposed. Roger Burdette is meticulous in his research and backs his findings and claims with due citation. Roger is also one of the best writers that has hit the shelves recently, taking a lucid and logical approach to his subjects. And his book haas an index - a feature sorely lacking from most numismatic texts.

Hope you truly enjoy the text, Michael.

Hoot