Which 10 numismatic books should a public library have in order to best serve the public?

RWB

The purpose is to help our local county library decide which coin collecting books would provide the best information for novice and mid-level collectors. The ALA has a list, but it has some obvious real-world problems (such as out of print books).

Leiana

1. Redbook
2. ANA Grading Guide
3. Photograde
4. The Beauty and Lore of Coins, Currency and Medals
5. The Beginner's Guide to Numismatics

I can only think of 5. And I'm not sure the 5th one is the right title.

-Amanda

MrSpud

Redbook
Krause's World Coins
Traver's Survival Book (I forget the title)

291fifth

A set of the Krause foreign coin catalogs.

dizzyfoxx

I'm still patiently waiting for someone to do a 'Color-toned commems' coffee table book.
C'mon those who have considered it...

DaveG

In the reference section:

Breen's Encyclopedia
Krause's World Coin book(s) - this year's
Friedberg's Paper Money of the United States - this year's



In the circulating collection:

Travers' Coin Collectors' Survival Manual
Red Book(s)
Krause's World Coin book(s) - last year's
Lange's United States Mint and Coinage
Friedberg's Paper Money of the United States - last year's


I think these are all good general guides - anything else would be so specialized that only one or two people a year would look at them.

RedTiger

Reference:
1) Redbook
2) Krause World Coins 1900 to present
3) Krause 1800 to 1899

Circulating:
4) Redbook (2nd copy)
5) Coin Collecting 101, Herbert/Haefer
6) Ancient Coin Collecting, Sayles
7) Money: A History, Williams
8) ANA Grading Guide
9) PCGS Grading Guide and Counterfeit Detection
10) Guidebook for US Type (Redbook for Type), Bowers

RTS

from the hip...

RWB

What about ancient coins, or state quarters or modern commemoratives and proof sets? Other ideas?

Michigan

Books on the history of coins are probably better than ones that have then current retail values.

History is not outdated as much as values and old redbooks are not going to be very useful in the
long run. If someone volunteered to replace redbooks on an annual basis that would be helpful.

Many libraries take donations but to be honest they are not that thrilled about it unless there is a
real demand for what you are offering (please no boxes of old National Geographics for instance).

Many libraries are cramped for shelf space and are very choosy about what goes out there. A set of Krause
World coin catalogs while useful to collectors or potential collectors are probably not going to be received
with joyful open arms.

If you want to donate to a library try to get a feel for how interested they are in what you have to offer.
A lot of books on various subjects that are donated end up in a friends of the library sale to raise money
for the library and are never a part of the collection.

aeroman

are you talking about pure reference books? if so then I would say the Encycolpedia of Morgan and Peace Dollars would be a must as would a good book on coin grading.

Michigan

<< <i>are you talking about pure reference books? if so then I would say the Encycolpedia of Morgan and Peace Dollars would be a must as would a good book on coin grading. >>




The Morgan and Peace dollar book would be too specialized for a general audience. I doubt a library would
buy it but they might accept a donation.

Longacre

Breen's Encyclopedia
Krause's World Coin books
Friedberg's Paper Money of the United States
Redbook
ANA Grading Guide
US Type Coins (Bowers)
Bowers' Investing in Rare Coins book
Photograde
Taxay's US Mint and Coinage

CoinKing

Coin Collecting For Dummies
U.S. Mint and Proof Sets 1936-2002
U.S. Type Coins - A Study by Type
Top 100 U.S. Coins (Second Edition)
Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins 1795-1933

but I could be biased.

carl

<< <i>Books on the history of coins are probably better than ones that have then current retail values.
Many libraries take donations but to be honest they are not that thrilled about it unless there is a
real demand for what you are offering
Many libraries are cramped for shelf space and are very choosy about what goes out there.
If you want to donate to a library try to get a feel for how interested they are in what you have to offer.
A lot of books on various subjects that are donated end up in a friends of the library sale to raise money
for the library and are never a part of the collection. >>


How true this post is. As an example of this I have been collecting Chem books for well into 50 years and even a college professor of mine gave me all his because no one wanted them. Many are from the early 1915 to 1925 range. I approached the head of the Library in my town and asked if they wanted the entire mess. Absolutely NO. Then I tried a few bigger libraries and historical societies in a nearby large city and also heard NO. I even tried a freind that sells at a flea market and he also said NO.
As noted previously check with the people there to see if they even want a book on coins, currency, stamps, etc.

RWB

Here is a consolidated list, with a few arbitrary additions and deletions. I've also not included my own poor scribblings - they don't fit with the basics:

1. Red Book – Bressett, ed
2. ANA Grading Guide
3. The Beauty and Lore of Coins, Currency and Medals
4. The Beginner's Guide to Numismatics
5. Encyclopedia – Breen
6. Paper Money of the United States – Friedberg
7. Coin Collectors' Survival Manual – Travers
8. United States Mint and Coinage – Lange
9. Krause World Coins 1900 to present
10. Krause World Coins 1800 to 1899
11. Coin Collecting 101 – Herbert/Haefer
12. Ancient Coin Collecting – Sayles
13. Money: A History – Williams
14. PCGS Grading Guide and Counterfeit Detection
15. Guidebook for US Type – Bowers
16. Early coinage of America – Crosby
17. Encyclopedia of Morgan and Peace Dollars – Bowers OP
18. Investing in Rare Coins – Bowers
19. Coin Collecting For Dummies – Guth
20. U.S. Mint and Proof Sets 1936-2002 – Gale/Guth
21. Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins 1795-1933 – Guth
22. Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels – Lange
23. America’s Money – America’s Story – Doty
24. Complete Guide to Mercury Dimes – Lange
25. Commemorative Coins of the United States – Bowers OP

Needed: Lincoln cents, state quarters, Jefferson nickels, Washington quarters.

Longacre

What about the Renaissance of Coinage books!!

RWB

That's a nice thought, but I don't feel they fit with a basic library approach -- to paraphrase the line from "Amadeus" "....too many foot-notes."

Coxe

A basic list has to include QDB's Adventures book, ANA grading standards (or maybe Photograde) and the red book. A good general set should have Breen's encyclopedia, one of Travers' basic books, a Kraus' World Coin telephone book, and a good beginner's guide to ancients. To add specialist books, I'd recommend the librarian procure Pollock's pattern book, Valentine's Half Dimes, Breen's Half Cents, Rulau's tokens guide, and a readable and usable volume on colonial coins. Silver dollars? I think Highfill's encyclopedia (as long as folks can get past all of the SSDC and family pictures and get to the subject matter) and, of course the VAM book. I like Wayne Miller's textbook, but for the general audience, Highfill's book has a lot that is usable. Of course this is not touching currency at all. Oh, Kessler's Fugios and the 1804 dollar book are good references worthy of a decent library.