Home U.S. Coin Forum

Authors: Tell Us About Your Current Research Projects

CoinosaurusCoinosaurus Posts: 9,614 ✭✭✭✭✭
OK, time to 'fess up - what's everyone up to?

Comments

  • DaveGDaveG Posts: 3,535
    I've got several projects in the pipeline, but right now I'm working on putting together information on gold deposits at, and the officers of, the Dahlonega and Carson City mints for the forthcoming new editions of Doug Winter's books on the gold coins of the two mints.

    Check out the Southern Gold Society

  • ArizonaJackArizonaJack Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭
    Percentage of Lincolns Cents, 1928-S small / vs large mm. Have about 16-17 rolls of that date.....Been sorting on occasion
    " YOU SUCK " Awarded 5/18/08
  • STONESTONE Posts: 15,275
    Cud's on early US silver coins (Bust type)
  • mcarney1173mcarney1173 Posts: 899 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm doing a ten page paper in school about the History of the US mint.
  • crypto79crypto79 Posts: 8,623
    I am no author but I did stay at a Court Yard Marriott once so I have been doing a long term research project on the die progression of the Doubled Obv Die for the 1934 Denver Peace dollar. Trying to nail down the progression between the non-doubled coin to the doubled version and then the change of the Rev die and back to a non-doubled coin as both of the Rev dies on the doubled coin are known without doubling too.
  • I have some further thoughts on the various Washington quarter reverses.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭
    See the HERTER'S DUBILL DOLLAR thread.
    TD
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • firstmintfirstmint Posts: 1,171
    I'm still trying to finish the book on John J. Ford, Jr. and the "Franklin Hoard".

    About a half dozen reviewers went over the 325 page (text only) manuscript right after the first of the year. Their suggestions and contributions were incorporated to make the presentation all the better.

    One problem (if someone can really call Dave Bowers a problem) is that QDB, an intended Ford biographer, is now going through over 50 years of interaction with Ford and will be adding some personal insights and background that only he has access to. He, like the others, was asked to review and comment, and after making some volutary suggestions in the Preface, I told him, "Go for it!".

    So, after two and a half years of near constant research and writing, along with having Ford's correspondence files (with invoices and more) since 2005, I can only hope that this project finally gets finished this year.

    Stay tuned for further updates as the book gets put together.



    PM me if you are looking for U.S. auction catalogs
  • LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,282 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looking forward to the Franklin Hoard book - should make for some really good reading. image
    "My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko.
  • dogwooddogwood Posts: 1,935 ✭✭✭✭
    Great coins found in old furniture.
    I haven't started it yet but it would make an interesting short read.
    I'm a furniture restorer by trade BTW.
    We're all born MS70. I'm about a Fine 15 right now.
  • RWBRWB Posts: 8,082
    Here's what has been occupying a few spare moments. Bold face are chapter headings and their starting page number. There are many more subjets and subsections. There is also much more to do on this draft.

    Table of Contents

    Chapter 1 – International Gold Standard 15
    The International Monetary Gold Standard 16
    World War I and Later 20
    Treasury and Federal Reserve Control of Gold 20
    Chapter 2 – Economic Depression 32
    The Great Depression 33
    Hobbies and Leisure Interests 52
    Chapter 3 – Slowly Digging Out 53
    Banking Failure – Near Collapse 56
    Courage and Confidence 65
    Chapter 4 – Gold and Silver Nationalization 76
    Anti-Hoarding Efforts 77
    Gold Mining 91
    Bureau of Engraving and Printing 94
    Silver Nationalization 96
    Chapter 5 – Export and Hoarding of Gold Coin 103
    How Many Gold Coins Were Melted? 109
    What Dates/Mints Survived? 115
    Identifying Hoards, Treasure and Accumulations 129
    Chapter 6 – America in the 1930s 140
    Fear Itself 143
    Beyond Politics 145
    Chapter 7 – Coin Collecting During the Depression 153
    Counterfeiting 160
    Half Cent and One-Mill Coins – States Look for Revenue 180
    Chapter 8 – Depression Era Mint 189
    Mint Conditions and Leadership – 1920s 189
    The Women Who Ran the Mint – 1933-1946 195
    Working at the Production Mints 206
    Expanding Coin Production 208
    Protecting The Nation’s Treasure – Fort Knox Bullion Depository 217
    Protecting The Nation’s Treasure – West Point Bullion Depository 225
    Chapter 9 – Bitter Fruit 228
    Khalkhin Gol 231
    Chapter 10 – America at War 237
    Protecting Philippine Treasure 246
    Golden Boat – USS Trout’s Second War Patrol 254
    Diving as a Guest of the Emperor 259
    Invasion of Alaska 268
    Chapter 11 – Production Soldiers 277
    Community and Shared Sacrifice 278
    Chapter 12 – Treasury’s Quiet Battles 292
    U.S. Special Currency 295
    Clandestine Operations 305
    Swiss Banks and Gold 309
    Nazi Plunder – Merkers Kaiseroda Salt Mine 313
    Chapter 13 – Experimental Coins and Currency 317
    Experimental and Pattern Coinage – 1941-1944 321
    One Cent – Producers of Experimental and Pattern Pieces 329
    Five Cents – U.S. Mint Experimental Pieces 382
    New Coin Denominations – Half Dime 386
    Chapter 14 – Foreign Coinage and Lend-Lease Silver 394
    Saudi Gold Discs 397
    Lend-Lease of Silver 409
    Chapter 15 – New Attitudes, New Economy 411
    A Future Unforeseen 412
    Franklin Roosevelt Dime 413
    Changes to the Mint Bureau 426
    Benjamin Franklin Half 428
    Appendix A to J - Texts of documents, production reports and submarine action reports
    Bibliography 511
    Index 531

  • DentuckDentuck Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭
    Roger, there's no . . . you . . . I can't even . . .




  • ConstantineConstantine Posts: 2,338 ✭✭✭
    RWB: you forgot a Preface, or are who holding out for Q. David Bowers to write it for you?
  • RWBRWB Posts: 8,082
    I left out a bunch of stuff, like prefaces, and forwords and backwords and sidewayses.

    For those who enjoy footnotes and references, there are over 1,000 and that's only the 500 pages drafted so far. But it's killing my MS Word software. An update I did tonight crapped out - it was only a 600 meg document.... I guess losing another $500 on Quark Express won't matter any more.
  • CoinosaurusCoinosaurus Posts: 9,614 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You sure that's only ONE book, RWB? Looks like an encyclopedia!
  • RWBRWB Posts: 8,082
    It's looking like I'll have to split into 2 vols just to be able to work with it on my computer. Book weight is also a potential problem.


    What articles and books are others working on at present?
  • RWBRWB Posts: 8,082
    FWIW - had to split the book into 2 volumes. It was too big for my paltry word processor to handle. The TOC, above, was also edited.

    This is in-progress and at least 2 years away from publication.
  • crazyhounddogcrazyhounddog Posts: 13,776 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Can't say.....image
    The bitterness of "Poor Quality" is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
  • BGBG Posts: 1,762 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Putting a little something together around the early classic commemoratives.

    A very interesting series that is rich in history with many "stories" to tell. image
  • I am taking a break - my last book contracts were a nightmare (due to people "not understanding" the darn contracts)! image So, I am helping a younger writer. image

    Eric
  • NysotoNysoto Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭✭✭
    For the last five years I have done original research from archival records on Robert Scot, chief engraver of the US Mint 1793-1823. Scot is probably the most misunderstood person of the early US Mint. He was one of the most prolific engravers of early America, his work was appreciated and in great demand by contemporary accounts, and he also trained a number of engravers who went on to train others such as Kneass, Gobrecht, and Longacre. I have identified a number of previously unknown engravings by Scot from researching archival documents.
    Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file