I Want to Know About Your Numismatic Library

KellenCoin · June 15, 2017 7:29AM

This poll is anonymous. Most numismatists will be familiar with the phrase "Buy the book before the coin." I am personally a big fan of this saying, and have taken it to heart; in fact, one of my main specialties is collecting numismatic literature! But I am curious about you. I would like you to estimate approximately how many pieces of numismatic literature you own. These could comprise books, magazines, auction catalogs, etc. If you do not know how many you have, just guess. If you do not have very many, tell me why. Thanks!

MrEureka · June 15, 2017 7:35AM

At first, I thought the numbers represented shelf feet, not individual books. (I guessed 250 shelf feet.) But when I read the question more closely, the question became much easier.

Justacommeman · June 15, 2017 7:53AM

Books about a hundie

Catalogs way too many.

mark

cardinal · June 15, 2017 8:03AM

Considering individual books and individual issues of periodicals, I figure around 10,000 pieces.

BillJones · June 15, 2017 8:06AM

Books only - I don't keep most catalogs.

Justacommeman · June 15, 2017 8:09AM

@cardinal said:
Considering individual books and individual issues of periodicals, I figure around 10,000 pieces.

You literally have a library. Dewey decimal system?

mark

Insider2 · June 15, 2017 8:11AM

Another poll should be informative. Books include only those you own. No action cat's and no books where you work unless personally owned. I find it very hard for most to get over the 100-349 bracket.

cardinal · June 15, 2017 8:47AM

@Justacommeman said:

@cardinal said:
Considering individual books and individual issues of periodicals, I figure around 10,000 pieces.

You literally have a library. Dewey decimal system?

mark

I really do consider it a library. Here are a few pics:

20th century auction catalogs:

Periodicals:

Reference books:

19th century books and auction catalogs, all in acid free archival sleeves:

golden · June 15, 2017 9:08AM

I had a lot more before I let go of a lot of auction catalogs about 15 years ago.

291fifth · June 15, 2017 9:25AM

I only keep very basic reference books. I downsized my library, everything, not just coins, about 13 years ago. The catalogs I disposed of much earlier as they just took up too much space. Read the book "Clutters Last Stand".

Walkerguy21D · June 15, 2017 9:36AM

I'm probably on the high side of the 0 - 49 category....but realistically only use or look at a few of them regularly.

Justacommeman · June 15, 2017 9:41AM

Martin, see a book out of place

mark

silverpop · June 15, 2017 9:43AM

12 coin books (all are on coin values)
4 paper money books (all on paper money values)
2 paper money and coin value guides
a book on how to strike it rich with pocket change
cherrypickers guide

ctf_error_coins · June 15, 2017 10:14AM

I could count all of them on one hand.

I am in a very thin field and had to basically self teach. I learned by studying coins and coin photos.

Way back when, when I had questions about a coin that I could not figure out, I would ask here and Fred or the Capt would quickly answer it.

I have not looked at a book nor asked a question in years.

Knowledge is power.

johnny9434 · June 15, 2017 10:18AM

i wish i had more room for more books but dont. maybe its just as well and am happy with what i do have.

TwoSides2aCoin · June 15, 2017 11:22AM

Over a hundred in the office. From Breen to Snow; Danreuther, Hall, Burdette, Bowers, Ruleau, Krause-Mishler, Fivaz-Stanton, Reich, and on, and on... Not that I can remember half of what I read or previously learned... especially as it pertains to customer service.

TwoSides2aCoin · June 15, 2017 11:27AM

I wish I could say I Google everything, but some literature requires a subscription.

Insider2 · June 15, 2017 11:35AM

@cardinal I tried to look up the location for your office (not given on the site) so I could figure out your dealership. Color me nosey.

BillJones · June 15, 2017 11:40AM

It seems like your numerical categories were a little high. I said 100 to 349. Then I remembered that I have 71 Red Books so maybe my response was too low.

There is now way that I could have library like Cardinal has. My house is too small. I don't keep very many auction catalogs. I used to when I lived in Massachusetts and had an attic, but there is no room for something like that in Florida.

Insider2 · June 15, 2017 12:20PM

Cardinal's library looks like an office setting not a house. As long as he owns the books...that's some library. Otherwise, an employee of ANS could put it to shame.

yosclimber · June 15, 2017 12:41PM

If you do not have very many, tell me why.

Specialized in half dimes.
Also I prefer to look stuff up online if that is available (works well for Roman coins).

I presume you are only counting physical books and printed material.
Does it count that I have 120 issues of the Gobrecht Journal as PDFs downloaded from the Newman Numismatic Portal?

KellenCoin · June 15, 2017 1:08PM

@cardinal said:

@Justacommeman said:

@cardinal said:
Considering individual books and individual issues of periodicals, I figure around 10,000 pieces.

You literally have a library. Dewey decimal system?

mark

I really do consider it a library. Here are a few pics:

20th century auction catalogs:

Periodicals:

Reference books:

19th century books and auction catalogs, all in acid free archival sleeves:

That is honestly amazing!

Treashunt · June 15, 2017 1:10PM

@cardinal said:
Considering individual books and individual issues of periodicals, I figure around 10,000 pieces.

wow, you beat me.
I have 1,000+

cardinal · June 15, 2017 1:15PM

@Insider2 said:
Cardinal's library looks like an office setting not a house. As long as he owns the books...that's some library. Otherwise, an employee of ANS could put it to shame.

Uh, yes, color you nosey, and maybe a bit stalker-ish? I didn't see the requirement that you could only count the numismatic literature pieces that are in arms' length within your house. The "library" has expanded over a period of nearly 40 years, to where it is now.

For example:

These bookcases contain two sets of the ANA Numismatist, back to Volume 1, Issue 1. The first set was assembled volume by volume off of eBay and completed with the volumes Q. David Bowers sold at auction. The second set came from the Stack's Family Library auction a number of years later. (The Stack's volumes were all nicely bound, whereas the Bower's group had many unbound.) Yes, books have pedigrees too!

BTW, the best private numismatic library is in the Mid-West, and that gentlemen's library puts the ANS library to shame! (I understand that he intends to gift that to the ANS upon his passing.) According to those who know more about this than me, my library is the most complete numismatic library west of the ANA headquarters in Colorado Springs -- enough so that when the ANA was planning Washington, DC and San Francisco satellite branches, I was asked to supply the libraries at each location.

2ndCharter · June 15, 2017 1:17PM

I didn't bother counting the individual items but with four floor-to-ceiling bookcases that are overflowing, I figure it has to put me in the 1000+ category.

Insider2 · June 15, 2017 1:38PM

@cardinal said: "Uh, yes, color you nosey, and maybe a bit stalker-ish? I didn't see the requirement that you could only count the numismatic literature pieces that are in arms' length within your house. The "library" has expanded over a period of nearly 40 years, to where it is now."

Stalker? Absolutely not. Attention to detail and correctness...guilty. As long as the books belong to you they count. I forgot to add about 60 hardbacks to my total that are still in storage in a state I previously lived in. They would not have kicked me over 349 anyway.

"BTW, the best private numismatic library is in the Mid-West, and that gentlemen's library puts the ANS library to shame!"

Nosey again...Who, Eric Newman's?

"According to those who know more about this than me, my library is the most complete numismatic library west of the ANA headquarters in Colorado Springs -- enough so that when the ANA was planning Washington, DC and San Francisco satellite branches, I was asked to supply the libraries at each location."

I'm too anal to let anyone even touch a book of mine, much less lend them out! Props, you are the winner. I'll need to add you to my "Stalker List." Those are the members I want to ID for myself.

Nap · June 15, 2017 2:46PM

I put 50-99 but probably is over 100 if I include every auction catalog and article off-prints.

I have a lifelong goal of trying to create a poor man's Cotton Library, with busts of Roman Emperors on top of bookcases. I probably have enough books, but not the space. Nor can I sculpt..

PRECIOUSMENTAL · June 15, 2017 3:02PM

@cardinal said:

@Justacommeman said:

@cardinal said:
Considering individual books and individual issues of periodicals, I figure around 10,000 pieces.

You literally have a library. Dewey decimal system?

mark

I really do consider it a library. Here are a few pics:

20th century auction catalogs:

Periodicals:

Reference books:

19th century books and auction catalogs, all in acid free archival sleeves:

Nice!

I'd wager that you have more books than my tax attorney!

amwldcoin · June 15, 2017 3:17PM

Definitely more than your highest poll number!

MrHalfDime · June 15, 2017 4:25PM

I estimated 650 - 999 volumes, but I purposely did not include periodicals, and it includes only an estimate of the auction catalogs. If I were to include periodicals, the number would certainly be 1000+. I actually never counted them.

CoinPhysicist · June 15, 2017 4:30PM

I'm pretty young, but I would say including everything I probably have a good 30-40 things in total if you count auction catalogs and literature. My favorite is the John Whitney Walter collection 1796 catalog copy I have.

tommy44 · June 15, 2017 4:35PM

My library is in the 100 - 349 range, closer to 100. A couple of years ago I sold about 2000 1965 thru about 1992 auction catalogs whittling the library down quite a bit.