Will there be a "1950-1970 Proof Coin" book similar to the 1936-1942 volume?
RogerB
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A collector asked me if there was going to be a book on 1950-1970 proof coins similar to the one covering 1936-1942?
From what is presently understood, there are no source materials comparable to those available for 1936-42. An immense store of useful data was contained in Coining Department notebooks. Similar notebooks are unknown for the 1950-70 period, or even for a small portion of this time. Further, as proof production increased the number and cycling of proof dies increased. If documented, this could result in a book filled with data from which any conclusions could be extremely to derive - and these might be largely useless.
So, for my part there are no plans for another volume.
[PS: Thanks to everyone who has written or contacted me about 1936-42 proof coin book. I appreciate the support and interest of so many. It makes all the work feel worthwhile.]
Comments
I would be very interested in a 1950-1970 book.
(Even though the arbitrary cut-off date of 1970 is silly in my opinion.)
Sounds interesting !!!
Ask @Dentuck
BHNC #203
If I remember correctly, I think Eva Adams went a little overboard when she decided that the U.S, Mint records were of little numismatic value and purged a lot of the records needed to put the 1950-1970 story together. The end of the silver era alone is quite a story in itself.
There are two pocket notebooks from the Coining Department that made the 1936-42 book possible:
Proof Die Book
and Proof Delivery Book
These hold the keys to understanding the seven-year series. Additionally, archival records of the Cashier's Daily Statements - which list proof coin deliveries by denomination and date, including assay coins - end with 1942.
I have not been able to locate this level of detail for 1950 & forward. This prevents reliable estimates of varieties and proof-like pieces, and also prevents us from knowing how many coins were sold versus the quantities struck and accepted for sale. Without these data, too much of the subject would be speculation, not fact.
Very cool, Roger. I'm gonna get me that book.
Tom
There is a Whitman "Red Book" that covers the Proof sets from 1936 to 2004. It is not a detailed as Roger's book, but it has some good information.
The Whitman book is a good introduction and overview.
I just realized my coin library is lacking Roger's book... I must rectify this situation. Cheers, RickO
FYI - I continue to collect information on the post-WW-II proofs, but right now there is much more about planned restart of proofs in 1946/47/48/49 than the real thing in 1950 and later. With million-coin mintages by the late 1950s, the volume of potential information would become unwieldy.