Has the Bowers book on Shield/Liberty nickels increased interest in those series?

291fifth · October 30, 2007 2:29AM

Your thoughts...

Longacre · October 30, 2007 2:35AM

I think IGWT is the only person in the Western Hemisphere who collects Shield nickels, so I don't think the book has made a difference.

RYK · October 30, 2007 2:36AM

IGWT has increased my interest in Shield Nickels (and granite countertops) for than the Bowers book. I did not even know it existed.

howards · October 30, 2007 10:42AM

I would say no.

I am a moderator of the Yahoo Shield Nickels group, and we haven't seen any big increase in membership or posts.

I correspond with the same set of people continuously. Every once in a while, someone new comes along. No big influx.

Coxe · October 30, 2007 10:51AM

I rcently migrated back into shield nickel varieties after a ten year or so haitus. I also have practically zero interest in buying Bowers' book on them. With all due respect to him as a numismatist, a writer, and a sage, he doesn't produce the material that I find helpful in the way I collect. Maybe the nickel book is different in content, but I found the Morgan book as providing very little fresh information on the actual coins in the series. If I wanted a light reading annual history book for the era, that would be different. [I am a little different anyway...haven't read fiction since school (but a lot of other books) and don't watch sports. So I am hardly an indicator.]

What I do see is a lot more competition for those nickels in auctions. Not something that was as common in the '90s.

IGWT · October 30, 2007 11:54AM

I enjoyed the book, and it provides some interesting (and somewhat provocative) new theories on die production. I think you'd like it, Coxe. But, with all due respect to QDB, Howard has done far more to generate good will and interest in Shield Nickels by moderating the Shield Nickel Yahoo Group and producing the Shield Nickel Viewer. I don't think that QDB would disagree (Howard was a major contributor to the book). Still, despite Howard's efforts and some help from other collectors of the series, the ol' Shield is still far from popular.

Coxe · October 31, 2007 1:22AM

I'll check it out at the book store. If I can find something interesting in a few minutes of perusing it, it usually ends up being a winner.

Anyone know where to get a good cud book by the way? Something that covers shield and 3 cent nickels, in particular?

howards · November 2, 2007 9:11PM

The Design Cud, by Sam Thurman is the only book on cuds I know of.

howards · November 2, 2007 9:12PM

<< <i>I think IGWT is the only person in the Western Hemisphere who collects Shield nickels, so I don't think the book has made a difference.

>>

Both of the other members of the Yahoo Shield Nickel club would beg to differ. :-)

I exaggerate only slightly. ;-)

howards · November 2, 2007 9:15PM

QDB's Shield & Liberty nickel book provides both historical information to place those series in context, and numismatic information for the collector. Some of the numismatic information is new, and has not been published elsewhere (for example, the forum discussion on 1880 business strike shield nickels).

It's not an expensive book, and if you collect shield nickels I think it's a worthwhile addition to your library. Disclaimer: I could be biased because I did contribute a lot of material to the book.

Has the Bowers book on Shield/Liberty nickels increased interest in those series?

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