Book Review--American Gold and Silver (Medals and Coins), by Dennis Tucker
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
Last week your very own Longacre was on a business trip to the mystical Orient---China and Korea. My stops in China included Shanghai, Wuxi, and Shenzhen. On my regular calls to Mrs. Longacre, which are required to “check in” on a daily basis, she mentioned that a package had arrived. I figured it was one of the many expensive online purchases that Mrs. L frequently makes. However, to my delight, she mentioned that the box said “Whitman Publishing”. My heart aflutter, I told her to put the box in a safe place for my repatriation to the US, knowing full well that a fine numismatic publication was in the offing.
And as I write these words, gentle readers, I am enjoying a very expensive Dominican rum, while dictating my book review to my dutiful valet, Consuelo.
The book is entitled “American Gold and Silver: US Mint Collector and Investor Coins and Medals, Bicentennial to Date”. The author is Dennis Tucker from Whitman Publishing. The book is published in the China, and had I known, I could have picked up a personal copy while in country, saving Whitman the media rate to ship the book.
The book hails at 374 pages, and it contains a foreword from my beloved QDB. The chapters are particularly impressive, and show the depth of this subject, and, to be honest, one which I was not very familiar. I found the scope of the book to be fascinating, because there was far more information in this book that I did not know, versus what I had already known. In fact, there were many medals mentioned that I had never even heard of before, and I consider myself to be a fairly accomplished numismatist.
The book starts with a history of silver and gold in human civilization, and a history of silver and gold money in America. What I really like about the book are the full color pictures that complement the very well written text within. For example, the start of the chapter on the history of gold and silver money in America begins with an absolutely beautiful color picture of an old whaling ship that was pressed into service to transport miners to California for the gold rush. It is that level of attention to detail that makes this book special. I am sure any clip art could have been slapped onto the page, but the author probably took a great deal of time to find the “right” picture.
The balance of the book is the meat and potatoes and substance of the subject. As mentioned above, there was a lot of information in this book that I had not known previously. For example, the American Arts Commemorative Series was effectively a response to the South African Krugerrand and the related political issues surrounding that nation. Also, the book does a nice job of detailing out, item by item, the medals in the series, mintages, sales, and values. The author does a very nice job outlining the historical background of each issue and allows the reader to get to know the subjects of the medals.
The remainder of the book contains further chapters on other medals and bullion coins. It covers well-known issues such as the American Eagle bullion program, the American Buffalo, First Spouse and ATB series. Again, even for these series which the reader thinks he or she knows, Dennis Tucker seems to find many tidbits of information that make you realize how little you know. I did not know all of the different finishes on the ATB five ounce medals that were available, either be design or by accident. As with the other sections, much more information about history and background is provided to put each coin in context. If you are looking for a book that just lists mintages, this is not the book for you.
Tucker really shines when he writes about the more esoteric issues, such as US Mint Silver and Gold Medals. I personally had never heard of American Revolution Bicentennial Medals, Young Astronaut Medals, and the Benjamin Franklin Firefighters Medal. Reading about these issues piqued my interest so much that I instructed Consuelo to start to search for some examples for my collection, immediately after typing and posting this review.
In summary, this book gets 5 Longacre stars. I recommend that anyone with even a passing interest in the topic pick up a copy (available in all bookstores and from Whitman; no need to go to the Whitman printing facility in China). Congratulations to our very own Dentuck on a very nice book. I am keeping my copy in a revered spot in my library, and will hope someday to seek out the author for a personal inscription and autograph in my copy.
And as I write these words, gentle readers, I am enjoying a very expensive Dominican rum, while dictating my book review to my dutiful valet, Consuelo.
The book is entitled “American Gold and Silver: US Mint Collector and Investor Coins and Medals, Bicentennial to Date”. The author is Dennis Tucker from Whitman Publishing. The book is published in the China, and had I known, I could have picked up a personal copy while in country, saving Whitman the media rate to ship the book.
The book hails at 374 pages, and it contains a foreword from my beloved QDB. The chapters are particularly impressive, and show the depth of this subject, and, to be honest, one which I was not very familiar. I found the scope of the book to be fascinating, because there was far more information in this book that I did not know, versus what I had already known. In fact, there were many medals mentioned that I had never even heard of before, and I consider myself to be a fairly accomplished numismatist.
The book starts with a history of silver and gold in human civilization, and a history of silver and gold money in America. What I really like about the book are the full color pictures that complement the very well written text within. For example, the start of the chapter on the history of gold and silver money in America begins with an absolutely beautiful color picture of an old whaling ship that was pressed into service to transport miners to California for the gold rush. It is that level of attention to detail that makes this book special. I am sure any clip art could have been slapped onto the page, but the author probably took a great deal of time to find the “right” picture.
The balance of the book is the meat and potatoes and substance of the subject. As mentioned above, there was a lot of information in this book that I had not known previously. For example, the American Arts Commemorative Series was effectively a response to the South African Krugerrand and the related political issues surrounding that nation. Also, the book does a nice job of detailing out, item by item, the medals in the series, mintages, sales, and values. The author does a very nice job outlining the historical background of each issue and allows the reader to get to know the subjects of the medals.
The remainder of the book contains further chapters on other medals and bullion coins. It covers well-known issues such as the American Eagle bullion program, the American Buffalo, First Spouse and ATB series. Again, even for these series which the reader thinks he or she knows, Dennis Tucker seems to find many tidbits of information that make you realize how little you know. I did not know all of the different finishes on the ATB five ounce medals that were available, either be design or by accident. As with the other sections, much more information about history and background is provided to put each coin in context. If you are looking for a book that just lists mintages, this is not the book for you.
Tucker really shines when he writes about the more esoteric issues, such as US Mint Silver and Gold Medals. I personally had never heard of American Revolution Bicentennial Medals, Young Astronaut Medals, and the Benjamin Franklin Firefighters Medal. Reading about these issues piqued my interest so much that I instructed Consuelo to start to search for some examples for my collection, immediately after typing and posting this review.
In summary, this book gets 5 Longacre stars. I recommend that anyone with even a passing interest in the topic pick up a copy (available in all bookstores and from Whitman; no need to go to the Whitman printing facility in China). Congratulations to our very own Dentuck on a very nice book. I am keeping my copy in a revered spot in my library, and will hope someday to seek out the author for a personal inscription and autograph in my copy.
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
local book repository for perusal and likely purchase. Cheers, RickO
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
And as I write these words, gentle readers, I am enjoying a very expensive Dominican rum, while dictating my book review to my dutiful valet, Consuelo.
I'm sure I speak for many of us when I say this thread is useless without pictures.
The new software is very user friendly.
First of all, a tip of the Tucker top-hat to Longacre for this engaging and colorful book review. It reads like a Rick Steves travelogue of the mystical East --- but with fewer pledge-drive interruptions from my local American Public Television station. And of course it’s good to see Consuelo making himself useful around the house and grounds since his cigar-cutter accident.
I had just finished dinner and was settling into the third-floor study with my nightly snifter of brandy and a hand-finished Nicaraguan panatela when a tickertape came through, informing me of the review. I cut short my after-dinner videoconference with QDB to check the Collectors Universe forum, which has a dedicated server and large-screen monitor in the study.
I’m pleased (and not a bit surprised, given his nuanced appreciation of all things numismatic) that Longacre appreciates the visual and thematic complexity and delicate artisanship of my new book. He graciously declined to mention that the binding is NOT the originally planned limited-edition dragon-leather from the sacred Jade Emperor Summit in Shandong Province. I was only able to secure enough binding material for a scant six books in that format; each has been paired with one of the five known 1913 Liberty Head nickels, plus the sixth unpublished nickel, which is located in [location redacted]. The rest are merely expertly constructed hardcovers of the finest Oriental craftsmanship.
This book was several years in the making. My research took me to each of the currently operating U.S. mints (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point), plus the historical sites of Dahlonega and New Orleans, and Mint headquarters in Washington, D.C., plus various Federal Reserve facilities. I tried to include as many behind-the-scenes photographs and never-before-published tidbits of information as possible.
Digging into the federal archives on the American Arts gold medallions was a treat. I believe that series has never been studied and analyzed in such depth.
Interviewing hobby-community celebrities for their opinions and insight brought many interesting perspectives to the table, even though it nearly depleted my summer estate’s stock of vintage Cuban rum and fine aged cigars. The result, in my opinion, was well worth it.
Countless facets of previously secret or little-known knowledge are revealed herein. The revelation of intimate details of the Mint’s silver Rittenhouse Medal for Excellence by itself is worth the entire price of admission. Multiply that knowledge by a thousand other points of previously unpublished information and you see why, pound for pound, this book is the greatest bargain in numismatics.
Will the price of the coins and medals in “American Gold and Silver” skyrocket from the new spotlight of publicity shining on them? Perhaps. I have undoubtedly made enemies of the passionate collectors who have been squirreling away these jealously guarded treasures, confident in their secret knowledge. But I feel that the broader hobby community deserves to know about these beautiful works of U.S. Mint artistry, and should have the chance to add them to their collections.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
First of all, a tip of the Tucker top-hat to Longacre for this engaging and colorful book review. It reads like a Rick Steves travelogue of the mystical East --- but with fewer pledge-drive interruptions from my local American Public Television station. And of course it’s good to see Consuelo making himself useful around the house and grounds since his cigar-cutter accident.
I had just finished dinner and was settling into the third-floor study with my nightly snifter of brandy and a hand-finished Nicaraguan panatela when a tickertape came through, informing me of the review. I cut short my after-dinner videoconference with QDB to check the Collectors Universe forum, which has a dedicated server and large-screen monitor in the study.
I’m pleased (and not a bit surprised, given his nuanced appreciation of all things numismatic) that Longacre appreciates the visual and thematic complexity and delicate artisanship of my new book. He graciously declined to mention that the binding is NOT the originally planned limited-edition dragon-leather from the sacred Jade Emperor Summit in Shandong Province. I was only able to secure enough binding material for a scant six books in that format; each has been paired with one of the five known 1913 Liberty Head nickels, plus the sixth unpublished nickel, which is located in [location redacted]. The rest are merely expertly constructed hardcovers of the finest Oriental craftsmanship.
This book was several years in the making. My research took me to each of the currently operating U.S. mints (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point), plus the historical sites of Dahlonega and New Orleans, and Mint headquarters in Washington, D.C., plus various Federal Reserve facilities. I tried to include as many behind-the-scenes photographs and never-before-published tidbits of information as possible.
Digging into the federal archives on the American Arts gold medallions was a treat. I believe that series has never been studied and analyzed in such depth.
Interviewing hobby-community celebrities for their opinions and insight brought many interesting perspectives to the table, even though it nearly depleted my summer estate’s stock of vintage Cuban rum and fine aged cigars. The result, in my opinion, was well worth it.
Countless facets of previously secret or little-known knowledge are revealed herein. The revelation of intimate details of the Mint’s silver Rittenhouse Medal for Excellence by itself is worth the entire price of admission. Multiply that knowledge by a thousand other points of previously unpublished information and you see why, pound for pound, this book is the greatest bargain in numismatics.
Will the price of the coins and medals in “American Gold and Silver” skyrocket from the new spotlight of publicity shining on them? Perhaps. I have undoubtedly made enemies of the passionate collectors who have been squirreling away these jealously guarded treasures, confident in their secret knowledge. But I feel that the broader hobby community deserves to know about these beautiful works of U.S. Mint artistry, and should have the chance to add them to their collections.
Someday Longacre will be able to write with such flourish as Dentuck does.
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)
(and book)
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