Before the Redbook there was ??

ElKevvo

Just wondering...going through some stuff today and came across a copy of "The American Catalog and Standard Premium List of all United States Coins", the 1945 Edition. It is compiled and published by RA Wilson who was a member of the ANA, the American Collectors Association, and the California Coin Club. Above the listing for many of the coin series is a small blurb about the series, etc. and it has Prices Paid and Prices Asked in a variety of grades for most dates/mm's.

Anyway, before the Redbook series what sort of price guides did collectors use? I also have a couple of older mail order catalogs but these are from the 50's and the books were already available.

K

savoyspecial

291fifth

Wayte Raymond published a yearly hardcover US retail coin price guide. I think it started publication in about 1940 and continued until the late 1950's. It was more expensive than the Red Book and was sold at coin sections of department stores.

AUandAG

Greg,
Interesting but did you notice that there are no mint marked coins. Strictly by date only.

bob

savoyspecial

>>Greg,
Interesting but did you notice that there are no mint marked coins. Strictly by date only.>>


not true, check that 1838 Orleans half dollar

Coin Finder

Take a look at the price for that modern crap 1880 Trade Dollar

Kablemodem

It also doesn't say if those prices are for slabbed or raw coins.

CaptHenway

My earliest Wayte Raymond catalogue is dated 1938.

TD

Dentuck

The Guide Book of the Official Red Book of United States Coins has information on pre-Red Book numismatic guides.

COALPORTER

1874 twenty cent piece ? Did someone spend patterns or maybe just a rumor ?

Dentuck

P.S. Greg, thank you! for posting those scans --- very interesting!

AUandAG

<< <i>>>Greg,
Interesting but did you notice that there are no mint marked coins. Strictly by date only.>>


not true, check that 1838 Orleans half dollar >>



Missed that one.....I'll take a roll at $3 each (best quality).

bob

speety

The key date seated dollars were consistantly priced even or higher than the 1794 up until basically the 1930s. Also, the 1836 (basically J-60) Gobrecht dollar has a relatively low listed price, i've always considered this coin overpriced (it's an R-1!) and thus a reason we have not picked one up as an intro to our seated dollar set.

Interesting that the 1858 has such a high price listed. They were a proof only issue with very few made, but early demand such as this add means that they still survive in relatively large numbers and high grades for the low mintages and are thus cheap compared to other dates in the series (mixed with the fact that strict-business strike collectors don't purchase them).

TwoSides2aCoin

Before the Redbook, I had no clue. In that respect, I still haven't any.

lkeigwin

Greg,
That is absolutely incredible! I had no idea Drew's Yeast Powder was so potent.
Lance.

bumanchu

Speaking from the perspective of " before I had a copy of the Redbook".....

Hope that you might have a valuable coin.......then after looking the coin in question up, you realized that face value was the best you could get for it!!!

bumanchu

COALPORTER

<< <i>Speaking from the perspective of " before I had a copy of the Redbook".....

Hope that you might have a valuable coin.......then after looking the coin in question up, you realized that face value was the best you could get for it!!!

bumanchu >>



Not really, since there was a time when Proof Trade Dollars were sold for less than $1.

Gemini

I have Wayte Raymond's 1946 "Standard Catalog Of United States Coins" eleveth edition. The Redbook began in 1947 and copies the format/contents of Raymond's book almost to a tee. I don't know when the publication of Raymonds book ended but 1946 may have been one of his last due to the popularity of the new Redbooks. I also wonder if Raymond might have worked out a rights or sellout to Yeoman?

PTVETTER

Tadum coin company sent out flyers in the early 1940's

CaptHenway

The Wayte Raymond catalogues lasted until his death in the late 50's. His widow tried to carry on with a different editor and John J. Ford's help, but it didn't work.

Yeoman borrowed heavily from Raymond, including listing mint marks in the chronological order that the mints were established. Because of various criticisms that he had borrowed too much from Raymond, Yeoman eventually changed a few things, including putting the mint marks in alphabetical order just to be different.

TD

Gemini

Interesting CaptHenway thanks for that added information Raymonds book had a much longer life span than I had believed.

ElKevvo

This is interesting...so I also have a 1958 Copyright (1959 edition) of the blue book by Yeoman. It is the 16th edition....so would the Yeoman version have started in 1943 (1959-16) or were there a couple of editions per year?

K

RWB

Much of the mintage information for both circulation and proof coins was supplied by the U.S. Mint although they received little credit.