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Best source/book of Capped Bust Half knowledge
Tunis
Posts: 430 ✭✭✭✭
The title says it all. What books do I need to purchase to start gathering knowledge about these coins? Thanks in advance.
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Overton, I like the third edition best
Peterson Ultimate Guide
COAC America’s Silver Coinage
Auction catalogs featuring the famous half collections and all of the Downey sales, Karoleff Bust Half Bibliomania May help identify many of the older sales and references
Herrman Bust Half Auction Records, lots of hidden information in this one
BUT THE MAIN THING WOULD BE TO JOIN THE JOHN REICH COLLECTORS SOCIETY and buy the back issues. A wealth of information from the greatest minds of the hobby about the bust coinages.
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.
I enjoy "Bust Half Fever," by Edgar J. S-o-u-d-e-r-s. It took several readings before I could fully appreciate it. He's not the best writer but after you get over that, there's A LOT to be learned. Dr. Peterson is also invaluable. Overton.....too complicated for me. It's cryptic! Dr. Peterson greatly simplifies and makes understandable what Overton was doing. Still....something better could be done. It's complicated. I think that's why the series is so much fun. Not to mention the beautiful design.
P.S. I hate my cheap tablet. As in Edgar J. Spiders.
http://coinzip.com/bustieguide/
is a nice site to at least get an idea of the range of varieties out there.
I've used it to attribute several coins, without buying a bust half book.
jrcs.org/aboutjrcs_membership.php
I also would vote for Bust Half Fever by Souders. I have the second edition. I found it extremely engaging and I learned a lot. Would highly recommend.
My current "Box of 20"
You might also like Dave's busthalfaddict.com
I use it for the earlier types
Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
The Capped Bust designs of 1807-1836 were struck with manual screw presses. The chief engraver from 1793-1823 was Robert Scot, and the assistant engraver from 1807-1817 was John Reich. The book Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty (available on Amazon) is the only source of objective research from archival sources about Robert Scot, and also describes the processes used to engrave the dies for the coins of that period, explained in Scot's own words.