Red Book: The Smell

smartin53

So I know back when I was a kid getting into coin collecting one of the most vivid things I remember was the smell of a fairly new Red Book that I would rent from the library. I dunno if it is the same now since I haven't read one in years, but in 1992 they definitely had a distinct smell I will never forget. It is a very fond memory.

ricko

Just checked mine.... nothing notable... ask Dentuck, maybe they stopped adding

hot dog aroma..... Just kidding.... but really, did not detect anything unusual.

Cheers, RickO

golden

?

Stuart

Just gave the Sniff Test to my 2014 Hardbound Red Book, and it had the typical paper and ink smell of a new book -- because I have not used it very much.

oih82w8

Maybe someone was eating a hotdog while looking through the Redbook and "juiced it", hence the smell/aroma?



Is this where the term "juice" comes from at auctions? I know...I am reaching for it. Just let me relish in the moment.

lakeshore

I remember the smell too! Almost like leather furniture......

Broadstruck

Before you do... Remember if it smells don't lick it

BillJones

New books can have a certain smell. The biggest problem with the Red Books in the 1970s was that they often fell apart. I hesitate to open of the 1970's Red Books in my complete set for that very reason. So far, knock on wood, they are still intact.

LanceNewmanOCC

.

imo, the new ones are distinct from other books. can last for a long time if not used much.

.

david3142

OP, I know exactly what you mean! If I open my 1990 Redbook, it immediately takes me back to being a little kid, marveling at how expensive a 1909 SVDB or 1914-D were.

cmerlo1

The thing with the more recent, spiral-bound Red Books isn't the smell, it's the paper particles they shed everywhere when new.

COALPORTER

Originally posted by: cmerlo1
The thing with the more recent, spiral-bound Red Books isn't the smell, it's the paper particles they shed everywhere when new.

You mean "hanging chads" : the things that decide who's president ?

TwoSides2aCoin

I used to smell silver dollars before I looked them up in the red book. Smelled like Red Snapper ™

cmerlo1

Originally posted by: COALPORTER

Originally posted by: cmerlo1
The thing with the more recent, spiral-bound Red Books isn't the smell, it's the paper particles they shed everywhere when new.

You mean "hanging chads" : the things that decide who's president ?

Lol exactly.

I can always tell when a show is giving away free red books because I'm always having to clean them off my table.

BLUEJAYWAY

They smell like money.

johnny9434

Originally posted by: Broadstruck
Before you do... Remember if it smells don't lick it

dont touch it either if its green. you dont want to bring any verdigree ( how ever ya spell it ) home to the rest of your coins. just saying

CoinZip

It's official..... coin folks are weird ..

CaptHenway

I am sure that they have used different kinds of ink over the years. Could have been the ink you smelled.

coindeuce

Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin used to sniff their rolling papers too. Kinda the same effect, I guess.

Coinosaurus

I think we have a new collectable category here - flavored Red Books - collect 'em all

DeliaBug

The Red Book has a distinction among books in that the Chinese counterfeited it. A $5 book. Yup.

ms70

TwoSides2aCoin

Originally posted by: CoinZip
It's official….. coin folks are weird ..

I am sorry for my demeanor. (not really, but sort of )

johnny9434

Originally posted by: CoinZip
It's official..... coin folks are weird ..

ya got that right