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Any Red Book Collectors out there?
deefree49
Posts: 282 ✭✭✭
About a year ago, for some reason I got all in for Red Books. Why that happened to me I'll never know but being a collector in the first place probably puts one "at risk" for that type of thing.
Well I ended up with quite a bunch of them! 1947 1st and 2nd printing(!) 1948, 1949...almost all those early ones. Then I've got about every 3rd year up until now. Also have an early one autographed by the famous Mr. Yeo.
Anyone else out there get the bug for these?
Lincoln coin lover, especially Matte Proofs
2
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I do not actively collect them, but have a fairly large collection of them in average condition, including special editions such as the Central America edition from 2002 and the ANA edition from 2012.
Fan of the Oxford Comma
CCAC Representative of the General Public
2021 Young Numismatist of the Year
I have one from every year since Edition One, but I don't collect the varieties. My interest is more toward the historic pricing, the photo goofs that confused collectors for years, and the coverage of information that has changed over the years.
I also was interested in the price changes and that was probably the primary reason I did pick them up. It also explains why I went for a cross section of the later editions, having about every 3rd year.
I have most of a set, plus several (but not all) specials. Like coins, the early ones value are heavily defined by condition, and the 1st/1st varies dramatically based on the strength of the remaining gilt.
Since books are also graded based on wear like coins do you think cac will sticker the good ones?
HAPPY COLLECTING
I did at one time, but they were not doing much but collecting dust - so , most have been sold off. But enjoy yours!
Ws
I collect a very different and yet similar numismatic set of books-the "Standard Catalog" references by Wayte Raymond, which was the predecessor of the Red Book.
I have a complete set including the 1947 1st edition.
Redbooks are at the very best a pathetic numismatic resource. But they do have value for new collectors. I just upgraded to the 2017 version, and was surprised to see that their valuation and population report only goes to PR63. Who the Hell collects 63's. The collectors market is 65 or > in my series of IHC proofs.
Some nice coin history, but Whitman is milking the cow in relation to values. CoinFacts makes the Redbook obsolete.
OINK
Some of what you say is true now, but not from the 1940s to the mid 1970s. During that period each Red Book was eagerly anticipated. Years ago Red Books were used by estate attorneys to establish historic prices for coins bought in the past without invoices to prove the prices paid. There was a market made by those attorneys for past issues of the Red Book.
For "a pathetic resource" the Red Book still contains a lot of information in one place. I keep one by my computer all the time for quick information about mintages, weights, diameters, mintage lists and a host of other items. The book is still worth the price.
Bill, I also used the Redbook as a reference up until the 2010'sor beyond. And probably 1970 or before. I seem to collect them as a religious experience every other year or so, But I will never collect them........I like the coins better.
OINK
Missing only the 1947. Will complete the run some day.
I keep one on my desk and buy a new one every couple years. Honestly it's faster than navigating through a website to get the same info.
koynekwest, I have a full set of those as well. Some are in dust jackets, those jackets are scarce.
I have a lot of them... i do not collect them... just what I picked up over the years... certainly no special ones or early ones... Cheers, RickO
I have my birth year (1952) just so I can compare how I am doing versus the coins
I have only one copy from 1978. Fun to look at the old values from back then.
I do not collect Red Books. My only older copy is the last Red Book purchased by my grandmother in 1977. However, what I do find interesting about these books is the changes over time that go beyond additions of new U.S. Mint issues or updated prices. For example, all of the Gobrecht dollars were deemed patterns in the 1977 issue. There were far fewer varieties too. 'Getting' a new entry into the Red Book has always been a big deal, due to the influence that this reference has had on generations of collectors. John Ford certainly understood this, and campaigned to get 'newly discovered' pioneer and territorial gold pieces into the back section of the Red Book; those later deemed to have been fakes were later quietly removed.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
MegaRed contains alot of excellent information in it. Everone should get a copy and read it.
Bill Jones is 100% correct.
Shorecoll-I'd be willing to bet that the Standard Cat is scarcer in general than the Red Books. But I'm sure there are far fewer collectors.
As to the Red Book-one thing that always kinda amused me was, up until recent years, how they kept cramming more and more information into the same 256 pages.
Well.....I kinda collect them. I have saved important books for one reason or another.
I have a nice first edition, most of the ones I purchased as a young collector, my birth year edition, many special imprinted editions and a complete set of the limited edition leather bound editions. I just can't resist the leather......
I also have saved all the error editions I've come across. The 1963 edition missing pages and numerous editions bound upside down.
I also highly recommend keeping a relatively new edition at hand for the information contained on mintages, weights, sizes etc. The Redbook is often the first book I reach for when beginning an article.
Another thing, make sure you read the introduction section of the book! It contains much useful information, even for a seasoned numismatist.
Now, how about your Bluebooks?
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
Yes, just reshelving the collection after my latest move. My, that's a lot of weight!
I also have one early Blue Book and it is shocking to see the prices in there! Coins that sell for hundreds and even thousands of dollars are in there listed for a few cents. Needless to say, I don't look at it too often because those ridiculous low prices scare the bejesus out of me! The first few editions of the Red Book have low enough prices but those early Blue Books? Forget it!
I don't collect them, but I don't throw them out when I buy a new one either.
Bluebooks are also much scarcer than Red. I have over 10,000 books and references, but just could never get the desire to put blues together. I think I have a few packed away.
FYI: No Red Books were issued with dust jackets, expect for the 50th anniversary reprint of 1947
BHNC #203
I also have a complete set of Red Books, including both printings of th e1947.
The a set of signed editions, by Yeoman, minus the year that he passed away. He only signed a few of them.
Plus all special editions, contributors editions, minus one, 2009 I think.
Plus contributor's pins, error editions, etc.
many unique (literally) Red books, and associated exonumia.
now, about those Blue Books ...
BHNC #203
I was surprised when I got a free 2017 from ATS after a recent submission...my first RedBook
nice!
BHNC #203
Started to collect the Red Book in 91'at the same time I started collecting coins in earnest. One every year since.
POST NUBILA PHOEBUS / AFTER CLOUDS, SUN
Love for Music / Collector of Dreck
Missing only the 1947. Will complete the run some day.
I have a dozen or so older Redbooks that I purchased with various collections over the years. I have some going back to the late 1940s through 1960s, as well as a couple of the missing page errors and an extremely cool double stamped (doubled die in coin talk), I believe from the 1950s or 1960s.
"La Vostra Nonna Ha Faccia Del Fungo"
neat errors, I collect them.
BHNC #203
Treashunt...we were talking about the Standard Catalog with dust jackets, not Red Books.
oh, thanks for clarifying
BHNC #203
no one else?
BHNC #203
I have a couple Red Books. I have seen that they are collectible. I have one encapsulated and graded...(just kidding in case you took that last line serious!)
I've saved the Special Editions and one bound upside down.
In hindsight...If I were a young collector today attending the ANA Summer Seminar, I'd get autographs from every one!
LOL. If this catches on, I'm going to be one hated
numismatist.
I did manage to pick up both a 1st and 2nd printing of the 1947 since I posted to this thread in June.
I have a complete set from 1947 to date. It's a heck of a lot of fun to look through the older editions!
I also own some cool errors and oddities --- upside-down bindings, double-stamped covers, etc. --- and the recent special editions.
I can't believe I haven't been getting my Red Books autographed every year at the ANA convention. I should start doing that next year, since Ken Bressett, Dave Bowers, Jeff Garrett, and many contributors are all there in one place. Talk about "holding history in your hand."
And I don't have any autographed by R.S. Yeoman.
I have a 1949 and then 1956 through 2012 regular issues. As stated above it is fun looking back at the older issues, especially looking at Morgan dollar prices before and after the great Treasury sales.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
It would be about time, Dennis.
BHNC #203
I started receiving a Contributor's Copy around 1976, and my early ones are signed by both Yeoman and Bressett.
Well Captain, I'm a little behind you on the contributor copies as mine begin around 1982 if memory serves me.
Love the signed ones and have accumulated a number of earlier issues signed by Yeo.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.