Red Book: "back of the book" sections

Dentuck

What do you think of the "back of the book" articles and content in the Red Book?

- U.S. Pattern Coins
- Private and Territorial Gold
- Hard Times Tokens
- Feuchtwanger Tokens
- Lesher Referendum Dollars
- Civil War Tokens
- Confederate Issues
- Hawaiian Coins and Tokens
- Philippine Issues
- Alaskan Tokens
- Misstrikes and Errors
- The Red Book as a Collectible
- Bullion Values
- Great Collectors and Collections of the Past
- Top 250 Auction Prices
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index

Have you read these sections? Do you use them as references? Are there other series/issues/articles you'd like to see?

Longacre

Unfortunately, I don't know what you're talking about.

I don't use my Redbook very often. I tend to use the specialized books for my area of interest. I need to check it out tonight and let you know!

flaminio

Spotty, at best. These are complicated aspects of numismatics, and don't water down to Red Book standards as well as standard Federal Issues. The "front of the book" "colonial" issues are similarly spotty.

As a general introduction to each particular area, they're OK, but for someone who would actually collect those issues, they're suboptimal.

Leiana

The CWT and Confederate issues don't have enough info. Also I never understood why the section on the Redbook as a collectible was there.

-Amanda

AlixTCat

<< <i>The CWT and Confederate issues don't have enough info. Also I never understood why the section on the Redbook as a collectible was there.

-Amanda >>



Which part do you not understand?

Jonathan

Leiana

<< <i>

<< <i>The CWT and Confederate issues don't have enough info. Also I never understood why the section on the Redbook as a collectible was there.

-Amanda >>



Which part do you not understand?

Jonathan >>



Because it's a book about coin prices, not book prices. It just seems like something stuck in on an afterthought.

-Amanda

ziggy29

<< <i>Because it's a book about coin prices, not book prices. It just seems like something stuck in on an afterthought. >>

Plus to me, it smacks of self-promotion.

Longacre

Maybe Dentuck can explain the purpose of having those back of book articles in there. Then we can determine if the articles meet the goals of the publisher and fill our needs as collectors.

Cladiator

I collect Redbooks and find it interesting to see how the "back of the book" changes.

Dentuck

<< <i>Maybe Dentuck can explain the purpose of having those back of book articles in there. Then we can determine if the articles meet the goals of the publisher and fill our needs as collectors. >>



Good question, Longacre! Actually, the goal of the publishing company is to fill the needs of its audience(s). That's what gives value to any book.

The "Red Book as a Collectible" section might seem self-promotional, but Whitman has no stake in the secondary market for collectible books -- that's for rare book dealers to weigh in on. Many people do collect Red Books and have collections dating back to the early editions in the 1940s! I guess a collector is a collector is a collector...

Amanda, if you were to expand the CWT and Confederate sections, what would you include or change?

Longacre, I look forward to hearing your thoughts -- praise and criticism equally welcome!

ziggy29

<< <i>The "Red Book as a Collectible" section might seem self-promotional, but Whitman has no stake in the secondary market for collectible books... >>

Technically true, but they do have a vested interest in showing how valuable old Redbooks are so maybe they'll buy new ones.

The difference, though, is much like coins, far fewer people saved things to put aside as "collectors' items" in generations past, thus making the collectors' market better. It's a bit ironic that the more people put something aside to be "worth something" someday, the less they are condemning it to be worth...

Leiana

<< <i>Amanda, if you were to expand the CWT and Confederate sections, what would you include or change? >>



For the tokens I would have included information on major die sinkers and maybe some photos and prices realized for some rarer peices. There are over 10,000 different types known! For the Confederate issues I would include more history about Confederate control of the three southern mints and how the mint facilities were used during the war. I would also include information about the gentlemen behind the Confederate coinage and also about the proposed (but never realized) gold pieces and the proposed denomiations that would have been easily exchangable with the countries in Europe.

-Amanda

Conder101

<< <i>It's a bit ironic that the more people put something aside to be "worth something" someday, the less they are condemning it to be worth... >>


Can you say "State Quarters"? I knew you could.

LanceNewmanOCC

.
i think the back of the redbooks contain a lot of action!
.

COALPORTER

Have you read these sections? YES, some more than others. some not too much.



Do you use them as references? Maybe, but closer to NO, they are okay for basic
introductions but not close to the final word.

Are there other series/issues/articles you'd like to see?

No, not unless the Red Book plans to goto multi-volume sets,
(which it should really consider doing and become more of
a reference work)

kiyote

I like them a lot.. it's how I found out about Lesher dollars and territorial gold. Fun stuff!

AUandAG

CC GSA prices would be welcomed and add to the growing collectability of them.
Perhaps a section on GSA dollars separate from the rest.
bob

ambro51

Even Heritage is including the Bashlow "restrikes" as Confederate, should you search that term. I'd like to see the cent and half illustrated explained and priced