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Rare Coin Review- Bowers & Merena 1985-1990
Tomthemailcarrier
Posts: 809 ✭✭✭✭✭
In the mid 80's I had gotten a few issues of the Rare Coin Review published by Bowers & Merena. They had mostly black and white photos of coins for sale but the really interesting part was the articles written by Q. David Bowers and other well known numismatists.
They really brought both the old coins and the historical time period to life. I bought a dozen back copies on ebay that were published from 1985-1990. It'll be some good reading material while my wife is attending a dog show down in Macon, GA.
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Enjoy the reading! I read every issue of the Rare Coin Review that was published from about 1983-4 until B&M quit publishing it. I downsized a few years ago and had to get rid of the bulk of the issues. I saved a few issues that had particular interest to me and my research.
W. David Perkins Numismatics - http://www.davidperkinsrarecoins.com/ - 25+ Years ANA, ANS, NLG, NBS, LM JRCS, LSCC, EAC, TAMS, LM CWTS, CSNS, FUN
That should be fun reading. QDB writes very well.
I have the full set, I had a nearly complete QDB set of all pubs until he went nuts with all the Red book series.
I recognize a few of those that I have stashed away somewhere!
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I read those RCR back then and I tended to follow QDB advise. One comment that he stated many times in the RCR was to purchase "eye appealing originally toned coins". At that time, most collectors preferred "white coins" and white coins sold at premiums compared to original coins which is not the case at this time. I remember purchasing a Barber dime graded in very choice mint state that was originally toned raw. Funny, that coin is currently graded MS-67 that's CAC. Glad that I read all those RCR and followed Bower's advise as opposed to follow the crowd.
I looked forward to getting those in the mail too. David Bowers writing style was always a fun read.
I saw a stack of those at an estate sale once... all tied together... but they wanted $25 for the stack... Which showed obvious signs of use and abuse.. and I passed. Likely they ended up tossing them... Cheers, RickO
The ones from the Hathaway & Bowers era are even better....and so were the coins.
The articles were great and the retail listings read more like an auction catalog. When I had a young family and no $ for coins, the Rare Coin Review kept the embers glowing until I got a little bit ahead.
Reading the Bowers' et al. house publications, especially the RCR, was one of the real pleasures of my early days in the hobby.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
Great stuff!