Is a Mega Red (Guide) worth purchasing - or another book? Have $40 eBay coupon.

Route58 · July 4, 2019 5:48PM

Is the Mega Red book a worthwhile purchase?

I collect mostly early 20th century US coins - Buffs, Mercs, SLQ, Walkers, etc and have about half of the 1960-2016 Red Books.

None more recent, so I'm considering adding a more recent edition.

Are the Mega Red books - not necessarily the current edition - worth adding to my reference library?

The coupon excludes everything in Coins and Paper Money, but many numismatic books are available outside the category, including many Red Books and quite a few Breen Encyclopedias (the big one).

BillDugan1959 · July 4, 2019 5:58PM

There is more information in the Mega, and the appendix have changed annually with much interesting information.

The Mega Redbook is kinda an amalgamation of the regular Red Book, and what used to be called the "Professional" edition of the Red Book, and then every year one of the "Bowers" edition books gets thrown in (they have gone by denominations each year so far), plus a potluck-ish Appendix section which changes and has mostly been very good stuff so far. I have all five editions so far, but I am a big advocate of having a good library.

U1chicago · July 4, 2019 8:00PM

I'd suggest something in the collectibles category that would be under spot with your coupon, like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113691227731?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Having a Red Book is great for a coin library, but you don't necessarily need the latest version. A prior year will have most of the info you need and can be acquired inexpensively (and some can even be found on sale at various book stores, like Half Price Books).

BryceM · July 4, 2019 8:24PM

I dunno. I got one and opened it maybe three or four times. I tend to use electronic sources for my information-getting needs.

Kkathyl · July 4, 2019 8:54PM

I love books so if you believe you will use it go for it. I just bought a world coin book from Wizard and am very pleased with it. I had been borrowing and older version so I was buying with that knowledge. I use it daily. I bought some books at Hobby lobby on clearance and those are also some of my best finds.

Kkathyl · July 4, 2019 8:59PM

I’m actually using my new book as we sit watching a movie.

U1chicago · July 4, 2019 9:06PM

@Kkathyl said:
I love books so if you believe you will use it go for it. I just bought a world coin book from Wizard and am very pleased with it. I had been borrowing and older version so I was buying with that knowledge. I use it daily. I bought some books at Hobby lobby on clearance and those are also some of my best finds.

That was another place I was about to suggest. Nice find!
If one has a Hobby Lobby nearby, the coin books on clearance can be a great deal.

I've also seen prior year Red Books on clearance at Barnes & Noble if one doesn't have access to Hobby Lobby (Borders too, but I'm certain no one has access to that any more ).

BillDugan1959 · July 4, 2019 9:14PM

In this market, Hobby Lobby offers a 40% discount coupon (on one item only) almost weekly. The Local shopper (free newspaper) carries the coupon.

I got the Bowers Series edition on Flying Eagle and Indian Head Cents book very inexpensively from Hobby Lobby.

ricko · July 5, 2019 4:52AM

I use my Mega Red all the time....I really like it. I will have to get a new one (mine is the first one) soon....I find it to be very good....Cheers, RickO

RogerB · July 5, 2019 10:43AM

Commercial Alert ---- From the author.

Consider a copy of the book From Mine to Mint. I get more reader appreciation feedback on this than from any other single book. (No, I don't make anything on a sale.)

winesteven · July 5, 2019 7:14PM

I bought the Third edition of MegaRed, and was so thrilled with the expanded section on the specific denomination for that year, that I went back to eBay to buy the first two editions, and have bought the most recent two after that. Every year includes a phenomenal greatly expanded section on a specific denomination.

AlexinPA · July 6, 2019 10:41AM

I bought one - 5th Ed.. Very nice book and easy to use.

OldIndianNutKase · July 6, 2019 5:07PM

I would recommend all collectors have a copy, but I do not think that it has to be the latest version.

If you want more in depth information on the series that you collect, Whitman publishes series specific books with much more extensive information. And there are other reference books that are series based that are "must owns" if they relate to series that you are collecting. An example would be Rick Snow's "The Flying Eagle and Indian Cent Attribution Guide", but at $199 for the two volume set, probably not for the average Morgan Dollar collector.

But, for the TYPE collector, the MegaRed is excellent.

OINK

Is a Mega Red (Guide) worth purchasing - or another book? Have $40 eBay coupon.

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