Book Review—A Guidebook of United States Coins (Professional Edition)
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
The Guidebook of United States Coins (Professional Edition) is an expanded edition of the “regular” Redbook that most numismatists use. The Professional Edition is a spiral-bound book, and contains 384 pages, all in full color. The book is printed in the good old US of A, so there is no need to worry about lead ink or other issues with a foreign printer. Personally, I don’t see any difference in quality between the books that Whitman prints at its printer in China, and the current book. I am not sure why certain books are printed in the US and others in China, because it seems the retail prices of the various Whitman books are fairly consistent, so there must be a business reason for doing so.
The book has a little blurb about what the Professional Edition is not. It states, “The Professional Edition is not a substitute for the regular edition of the Guide book of United States Coins. The regular edition includes information not found here, including grading instructions and valuations of lower grade coins, an introductory overview of the history of US coinage, stories of coins from treasures and hoards, and coverage of colonial and early US coins and tokens, and [other categories are listed].” The other categories seem to be the more esoteric areas of numismatics, such as Hard Times tokens, misstrikes and errors, and bullion, and the like.
The book starts out with several pages of advertisements. I am typically against advertisements in books, but if the ads are used to keep the overall price of the book at a low level and thus available to masses, then I can overlook this. The table of contents is well laid-out, with a listing of the contributors to the first edition, and introduction, and instructions on how to use the book. A separate section on investing in rare coins is also presented, although I don’t think something like this should be relevant to a Professional Edition of the Redbook.
Each type of federal coin is given its own section in the book, and starts off with an overview of the series. The overview is broken out into three sections-- a brief history of the series, a section entitled “For the Collector and Investor: [coin type] As a Specialty”, and “Recommended Reading”. I found the Recommended Reading sections to be useful, although with every Recommended Reading section, it is impossible to list every book that is worthy of being read about a particular series.
Each type of coin within a series is then detailed, providing technical information, such as diameter, designer, etc., and a history, striking characteristics, and comments on availability. In the next section, descriptions of the various grades of the series are listed. For example, for the VF30 grade, the authors try to describe in words what a typical coin would look like on the obverse and reverse. I generally found this to be helpful, although if a professional were using the book, I am sure that these descriptions could be skimmed over.
Values of the coins are listed next, and as stated above, only the higher grades are listed. Mintages and numbers of coins certified are presented. The “how to use this book” section indicates that the certified population numbers are provided courtesy of NGC, so unless I am missing some information, I am not sure if the other services’ pop numbers are included in the listing. Average retail prices for the various grades are also provided, along with Auction Record information, including the price realized, the auction firm, and the date of the auction.
The book also contains two appendices, one which deals with counterfeit coins (which I found interesting), and the second which provides a gallery of early US proof coins (the pictures are very nice). Overall, the book contains over 1,600 photographs.
In general, I believe the Professional Edition of the Redbook is useful, and it is a good complement to the regular Redbook. It includes information that is not found in the regular Redbook, and, personally, I found the detailed information about the striking characteristics and typical look of the coins in various grades to be most useful. Like with any of the Redbooks, the retail prices are a little out of date when the book gets printed, but the values can be used as a guideline. I liked the auction record information provided for each coin, and the fact that you are given enough information to find the coin sold in the specific auction.
In terms of improvement, personally, I don’t like the size of the book. I don’t know the standard printing sizes, but the book is essentially the size of an 8-1/2 x 11 piece of paper. I prefer the more compact size (though thicker) of the regular spiral bound version of the Redbook. The larger size might be necessary, however, given the amount of information that is contained for each coin series. If the book were in a smaller format, the printing might be too small. Lastly, as stated above, it’s a little bit kitsch to have so many advertisements in the book, but I understand the economics of doing so, and therefore cannot complain so much because the advertisements keep the price of the book low.
All in all, I believe the book is worth purchasing. I personally don’t buy a new Redbook every year, and I probably will not buy the new Professional Edition every year. However, I can see myself buying both the regular edition and the Professional Edition as a set every few years. Perhaps Whitman will offer both books in a boxed set at some point in the future.
The book has a little blurb about what the Professional Edition is not. It states, “The Professional Edition is not a substitute for the regular edition of the Guide book of United States Coins. The regular edition includes information not found here, including grading instructions and valuations of lower grade coins, an introductory overview of the history of US coinage, stories of coins from treasures and hoards, and coverage of colonial and early US coins and tokens, and [other categories are listed].” The other categories seem to be the more esoteric areas of numismatics, such as Hard Times tokens, misstrikes and errors, and bullion, and the like.
The book starts out with several pages of advertisements. I am typically against advertisements in books, but if the ads are used to keep the overall price of the book at a low level and thus available to masses, then I can overlook this. The table of contents is well laid-out, with a listing of the contributors to the first edition, and introduction, and instructions on how to use the book. A separate section on investing in rare coins is also presented, although I don’t think something like this should be relevant to a Professional Edition of the Redbook.
Each type of federal coin is given its own section in the book, and starts off with an overview of the series. The overview is broken out into three sections-- a brief history of the series, a section entitled “For the Collector and Investor: [coin type] As a Specialty”, and “Recommended Reading”. I found the Recommended Reading sections to be useful, although with every Recommended Reading section, it is impossible to list every book that is worthy of being read about a particular series.
Each type of coin within a series is then detailed, providing technical information, such as diameter, designer, etc., and a history, striking characteristics, and comments on availability. In the next section, descriptions of the various grades of the series are listed. For example, for the VF30 grade, the authors try to describe in words what a typical coin would look like on the obverse and reverse. I generally found this to be helpful, although if a professional were using the book, I am sure that these descriptions could be skimmed over.
Values of the coins are listed next, and as stated above, only the higher grades are listed. Mintages and numbers of coins certified are presented. The “how to use this book” section indicates that the certified population numbers are provided courtesy of NGC, so unless I am missing some information, I am not sure if the other services’ pop numbers are included in the listing. Average retail prices for the various grades are also provided, along with Auction Record information, including the price realized, the auction firm, and the date of the auction.
The book also contains two appendices, one which deals with counterfeit coins (which I found interesting), and the second which provides a gallery of early US proof coins (the pictures are very nice). Overall, the book contains over 1,600 photographs.
In general, I believe the Professional Edition of the Redbook is useful, and it is a good complement to the regular Redbook. It includes information that is not found in the regular Redbook, and, personally, I found the detailed information about the striking characteristics and typical look of the coins in various grades to be most useful. Like with any of the Redbooks, the retail prices are a little out of date when the book gets printed, but the values can be used as a guideline. I liked the auction record information provided for each coin, and the fact that you are given enough information to find the coin sold in the specific auction.
In terms of improvement, personally, I don’t like the size of the book. I don’t know the standard printing sizes, but the book is essentially the size of an 8-1/2 x 11 piece of paper. I prefer the more compact size (though thicker) of the regular spiral bound version of the Redbook. The larger size might be necessary, however, given the amount of information that is contained for each coin series. If the book were in a smaller format, the printing might be too small. Lastly, as stated above, it’s a little bit kitsch to have so many advertisements in the book, but I understand the economics of doing so, and therefore cannot complain so much because the advertisements keep the price of the book low.
All in all, I believe the book is worth purchasing. I personally don’t buy a new Redbook every year, and I probably will not buy the new Professional Edition every year. However, I can see myself buying both the regular edition and the Professional Edition as a set every few years. Perhaps Whitman will offer both books in a boxed set at some point in the future.
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
0
Comments
Signed...
The Man
oh yeah... nice review... what are you, a speed reader?
<< <i> The book is printed in the good old US of A, so there is no need to worry about lead ink or other issues with a foreign printer. Personally, I don’t see any difference in quality between the books that Whitman prints at its printer in China, and the current book. I am not sure why certain books are printed in the US and others in China, because it seems the retail prices of the various Whitman books are fairly consistent, so there must be a business reason for doing so. >>
I sent an E-mail a while ago to Whitman criticising some of their products...such as the U.S State Quarter Folder. If hey are selling albums for U.S. coins ..WHY ..do they have to be manufactured overseas....
<< <i>Soooooo...... nice review... what are you, a speed reader?
Now, he just wanted to make sure he got his review out before I did.
Nice review. I think I will buy one.
<< <i>
<< <i> The book is printed in the good old US of A, so there is no need to worry about lead ink or other issues with a foreign printer. Personally, I don’t see any difference in quality between the books that Whitman prints at its printer in China, and the current book. I am not sure why certain books are printed in the US and others in China, because it seems the retail prices of the various Whitman books are fairly consistent, so there must be a business reason for doing so. >>
I sent an E-mail a while ago to Whitman criticising some of their products...such as the U.S State Quarter Folder. If hey are selling albums for U.S. coins ..WHY ..do they have to be manufactured overseas....
........it's MUCH more upsetting buying an american flag with the label 'made in china'
<< <i>
........it's MUCH more upsetting buying an american flag with the label 'made in china'
..That's why reading the .."Label"..is so important...!!!..
K
<< <i>
<< <i>
........it's MUCH more upsetting buying an american flag with the label 'made in china'
..That's why reading the .."Label"..is so important...!!!..
......there are SOME that may say, i think only the LABEL is made in china!
http://www.whitmanbooks.com/Default.aspx?Page=55&HTMLName=ReviewGuest_1209
It ain't something I plan to buy. It didn't impress me a bit.
Ray
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution