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How big is your numismatic library?

For the past couple of months, I've been working on getting my library properly shelved and organized. On a lark, I just measured the shelf footage. Came to 150 feet. I'm not sure if that's extreme or pathetic. Please tell me about your numismatic libraries. I need a reality check!
Andy Lustig

Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.

Comments

  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hmm... if we're going by linear shelf footage, I would guestimate I'm at... uh... maybe eight to ten feet or so.

    Edit to add: I live in a dinky trailer, so sadly, I don't have room for a lot of the things I'd like to have room for.

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  • 2ndCharter2ndCharter Posts: 1,640 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Only about 40 feet - but that's just paper money-related material since that's my main collecting area.

    A few shelves - probably several feet - have coin-related stuff.

    Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA

  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,721 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Does that include catalogs?

    I am conceding that I do not have 150 ft regardless of what is counted

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 23,892 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Does that include catalogs?

    Yes, and auction catalogs are probably half of what I have.
    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • RobPRobP Posts: 483 ✭✭
    Quite sensible, not extreme and very useful. I'm afraid I only have about 120 feet or thereabouts.
  • SmEagle1795SmEagle1795 Posts: 2,135 ✭✭✭✭✭
    About 60 feet and growing, if I count history books. I'm half way through "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" (unabridged) which is about two feet in itself!
    Learn about our world's shared history told through the first millennium of coinage: Colosseo Collection
  • IosephusIosephus Posts: 872 ✭✭✭
    Wow, do I feel inadequate. Mine's probably only about 20 feet when all of the random piles are combined.
  • AethelredAethelred Posts: 9,288 ✭✭✭
    I would guess 30-40 feet and I am trying to shrink that to about 21 feet.
    If you are in the Western North Carolina area, please consider visiting our coin shop:

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  • ColinCMRColinCMR Posts: 1,482 ✭✭✭
    probably 4 ft of strictly books, no auction catalogs nor magazines included

    fun question though!
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭
    Mine is crazy, because I think that I actually been able to squeeze so much into this little Mac I have that it could probably fill a Library!image

    Seriously, I have about 20 linear feet of shelf with guides and such, but I probably have 20 more feet of books in boxes which I failed to unpack from 2006.

    image -Dan
  • DennisHDennisH Posts: 13,963 ✭✭✭✭✭
    5 shelves in my bookcase.
    When in doubt, don't.
  • CIVITASCIVITAS Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭
    Looks like between Ben and I combined, we're up to 210 linear feet + about 200 books stacked on the floor because we ran out of space to put in book shelves...

    I vote extreme in our case.
    image
    https://www.civitasgalleries.com

    New coins listed monthly!

    Josh Moran

    CIVITAS Galleries, Ltd.
  • PokermandudePokermandude Posts: 2,709 ✭✭✭
    Maybe half the length of my arm. Online bookmarks though are another matter image
    http://stores.ebay.ca/Mattscoin - Canadian coins, World Coins, Silver, Gold, Coin lots, Modern Mint Products & Collections
  • MacCrimmonMacCrimmon Posts: 7,051 ✭✭✭
    Physical space? 'Bout 24 feet, give or take, not counting the 100+ 1980-1990 auction cats residing in cardboard boxes in the attic.
  • I feel like a piker. Only have 7 feet. Mostly foreign books. Don't update them every year. To expensive. Only been into the foreign about six years though.
    Proud recipiant of the Lord M "you suck award-March-2008"
    http://bit.ly/bxi7py
  • bosoxbosox Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭✭
    About 25 feet.
    Numismatic author & owner of the Uncommon Cents collections. 2011 Fred Bowman award winner, 2020 J. Douglas Ferguson award winner, & 2022 Paul Fiocca award winner.

    http://www.victoriancent.com
  • bidaskbidask Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>For the past couple of months, I've been working on getting my library properly shelved and organized. On a lark, I just measured the shelf footage. Came to 150 feet. I'm not sure if that's extreme or pathetic. Please tell me about your numismatic libraries. I need a reality check! >>

    You have a big house!
    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
    I give away money. I collect money.
    I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.




  • MacCrimmonMacCrimmon Posts: 7,051 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>For the past couple of months, I've been working on getting my library properly shelved and organized. On a lark, I just measured the shelf footage. Came to 150 feet. I'm not sure if that's extreme or pathetic. Please tell me about your numismatic libraries. I need a reality check! >>

    You have a big house! >>




    He really is the Earl at Downton Abbey.

    If I blew out the small closet in my office and added nothing but bookcases on the two walls behind me I could maybe "procure" 96 linear feet, but then I'd lose my comfy double-stuffed chair, and a good single malt just isn't the same while sitting in this office chair. image
  • bidaskbidask Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>For the past couple of months, I've been working on getting my library properly shelved and organized. On a lark, I just measured the shelf footage. Came to 150 feet. I'm not sure if that's extreme or pathetic. Please tell me about your numismatic libraries. I need a reality check! >>

    You have a big house! >>




    He really is the Earl at Downton Abbey.

    If I blew out the small closet in my office and added nothing but bookcases on the two walls behind me I could maybe "procure" 96 linear feet, but then I'd lose my comfy double-stuffed chair, and a good single malt just isn't the same while sitting in this office chair. image >>

    Don't give up that comfy double-stuffed chair and a good single malt .........image
    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
    I give away money. I collect money.
    I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.




  • MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 23,892 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If I blew out the small closet in my office and added nothing but bookcases on the two walls behind me I could maybe "procure" 96 linear feet, but then I'd lose my comfy double-stuffed chair, and a good single malt just isn't the same while sitting in this office chair.

    No need to sacrifice anything, folks.

    image
    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,721 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No, I so happen to be the Earl image

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • CocoinutCocoinut Posts: 2,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    About 35 feet, excluding catalogs. The most frequently used volumes are on a heavy, 15 linear foot wooden shelf purchased when the neighborhood Barnes and Noble bookstore closed a couple of years ago.

    Jim
    Countdown to completion of my Mercury Set: 2 coins. My growing Lincoln Set: Finally completed!
  • LochNESSLochNESS Posts: 4,829 ✭✭✭
    I converted our sun room into a floor-to-ceiling library two Summers ago, if I had to guess it's around 150 linear feet, especially if I include the long boxes of Numismatist and auction catalogs I store on the very bottom shelf under the bench seat.

    But less than 25% of that total footage is numismatic. So, don't feel bad about having so many books, just feel bad about not having any other interests image
    ANA LM • WBCC 429

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  • STLNATSSTLNATS Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭
    85 to 90 feet on book cases - including a some auctions with significant specialized collections. This does not include about 1 1/2 file cabinets of articles, notes, etc and a lot of boxes of more general cats in the basement nor history related books. Several years ago, I got rid of a number of general, older cats. They weren't indexed so were pretty hard to use and generally had no particular focus. At the time, I saved cats with important collections, which are basically references, Triton and Gemini series, etc for the shelves and many others that ended up in boxes in the basement that seemed too good not to keep.

    Over half of my library is related to currency, primarily nationals, and includes contemporary bank directories and histories, comptroller of the currency reports, as well as a number of primary documents. I have about 15 feet of "use all the time" references in my study/computer room. Every 3/4 years I tend to reorganize the stuff to better reflect my interests (and frankly to find stuff that's misfiled or buried in piles here and there). Just did it between the holidays last year so I can find (almost) everything again!

    image
    Always interested in St Louis MO & IL metro area and Evansville IN national bank notes and Vatican/papal states coins and medals!
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My already modest library will be shrinking by two or three feet.

    But these are the sacrifices one has to make if one lives in a dinky mobile home with very limited shelf space.

    (Praise the Lord or Al Gore or whoever for the Internet!)

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  • LochNESSLochNESS Posts: 4,829 ✭✭✭
    Lord M, look on the bright side: no matter where the road takes you, you're always Home.

    I've spent a lot of time "on tour" with "glamorous" rock and roll bands. People tend to forget, even with a 4-hr gig you've still got 20 hours "on the road" and it usually isn't as "glamorous" as folks imagine. Bar food for dinner, "continental breakfast" in the morning.
    Life in a mobile home starts to sound pretty tempting. The fact is, most touring artists have "tour busses" that are really just mobile homes. Big artists have actual busses. Smaller fries live in mini vans.

    So look on the bright side! image
    ANA LM • WBCC 429

    Amat Colligendo Focum

    Top 10FOR SALE

    image
  • Significantly north of 150'. image

    Not counting any auction catalogs. They have their own room and that room is totally out of control.
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