Has anyone actually read a Coin book from cover-to-cover?

llafoe · June 6, 2011 10:33AM

I've been buying Larsen some books for his numismatic reference library and received Breen's Encyclopedia of Half Cents in the mail today... it's approximately 500 pages. It's LOADED with information and data (albeit outdated). I know he has/had a reputation outside the hobby, but he appears to have been an incredible researcher!

ModCrewman · June 6, 2011 10:40AM

I read Tomaska's "Brilliant and Cameo Proof Coinage of the 1950-1970 Era" from cover to cover.

Though it is kind of a Reader's Digest type of b ook it was a good read.

chieftain1 · June 6, 2011 10:52AM

That's how Walter spent most of his numismatic time...........research. Prior to his publication , I was engaged in a conversation with several other dealers and we were choosing ONE item that we would pick in the whole of numismatics. Naturally, most chose specific coins or items of historical significance (e.g. gold assay bars,etc.) When it was my turn to speak, I chose "Walter Breen's Notes" not knowing he would ever publish them. Most of the dealers agreed that those notes were of extreme significance to the community as they contained information the novice would never be privy to. Wherever you found Walter, he always had that crude magnifying glass and his notebook. For a good read , if you are into Commem.s, is Anthony Swiatek's book on Silver and Gold Commemorative Coins.. I did not want to stop reading once I obtained it.

llafoe · June 6, 2011 10:53AM

<< I read Tomaska's "Brilliant and Cameo Proof Coinage of the 1950-1970 Era" from cover to cover.

Though it is kind of a Reader's Digest type of b ook it was a good read. >>

That was the one and only coin book I purchased from 1980-2010!

Tdec1000 · June 6, 2011 10:55AM

Cherrypickers guides! Both of them!

MrHalfDime · June 6, 2011 10:56AM

I can honestly state that I have read the Logan/McCloskey Federal Half Dime reference cover to cover, perhaps several times. The same for Daniel W. Valentine's 'United States Half Dimes'. But if you also include numismatic references like Dave Bowers Garrett Collection book, Neil Carothers 'Fractional Money', Frank Stewart's 'History of the First United States Mint', Karl Moulton's 'Henry Voigt and Others Involved with America's Early Coinage', and Len Augsberger's and Joel Orosz's 'Secret History of the First United States Mint', then we can add those and perhaps several others I do not recall at the present. Others would include Taxay's 'U.S. Mint and Coinage', Denis Cooper's 'The Art and Craft of Coinmaking', and George Escol Sellers 'Early Engineering Reminiscences'. I understand the intent of your OP to mean, primarily, reference books on a single series of coins, which are not generally intended to be read cover to cover like a novel. But there are many great 'coin books', like those I have mentioned, and countless others which can best be appreciated when read in their entirety.

ArizonaJack · June 6, 2011 11:56AM

The Lange Lincoln Cent book and QDB's Adventures with Rare Coins......

EDIT to add the Wayne Miller Morgan and Peace book

illini420 · June 6, 2011 12:01PM

Not too many of them, but a few.

I know that I read one of my Redbooks cover to cover when I was younger and just getting started with higher end coins. Highly recommended as there's so much good general info in that book.

Also read the entire Swiatek and Breen classic commemorative book. Read my entire 100 Greatest US Coins book as well. Almost read all of David Hall's Mercenaries Guide, but towards the end all of the pricing info was just so out of date (either 10x too high or 10x too low!) that I started to skip around.

epcjimi1 · June 6, 2011 12:05PM

I bought RWB's Guide Book to Peace Dollars for cheap off amazon 5 months ago, Read it cover to cover. Still haven't pulled the trigger on anything. But I'm a lot smarter if I get a twitchy trigger finger!

bestmr · June 6, 2011 12:15PM

QDB's Morgan Silver Dollar guide. Not only does it talk about all the dollars, but it also gives a brief description of whats happening in that year. Love it.

llafoe · June 6, 2011 12:16PM

<< I bought RWB's Guide Book to Peace Dollars for cheap off amazon 5 months ago, Read it cover to cover. Still haven't pulled the trigger on anything. But I'm a lot smarter if I get a twitchy trigger finger! >>

I hope you didn't received the Stacks/Bowers auction catalog... there were a couple nice Peace Dollars inside!

ambro51 · June 6, 2011 12:16PM

QDBs Gold Dollar Book.

every word.

shorecoll · June 6, 2011 12:22PM

I have read several hundred from cover to cover, although I admit my retention needs work. The one most detailed I completed is the Crosby colonial work, I admit I read the Quarterman reprint, although I have an original.

Coinosaurus · June 6, 2011 12:40PM

I tend to reference books more than actually read them.

It is very difficult for me to read a book without stopping every few pages to take some notes for some research project, or for some other research project I know someone else is working on.

WinLoseWin · June 6, 2011 12:52PM

Offhand, the only one I am certain that I've completely read is Numismatic Forgery by Charles M. Larson. Couldn't put it down, a bit of a scary book.

Have seen it discussed here before and I would recomend that anyone involved with coins should read it. Out of the books that I have this is one I don't even own.

Sonorandesertrat · June 6, 2011 12:54PM

I have read at least 150 numismatic books in their entirety. Books by Bowers tend to be lighter fare, and easier reading.

Sonorandesertrat · June 6, 2011 12:56PM

<< Offhand, the only one I am certain that I've completely read is Numismatic Forgery by Charles M. Larson. Couldn't put it down, a bit of a scary book.

Have seen it discussed here before and I would recomend that anyone involved with coins should read it. Out of the books that I have this is one I don't even own. >>

Larson also gave an interesting lecture that was filmed by Lissot (see www.coinvideo.com).

BookerTSetsrock · June 6, 2011 2:20PM

Redbook!

RobertS · June 6, 2011 2:23PM

I read Eric's book cover to cover!!! Easy to read and lots of good information!!!

Elcontador · June 6, 2011 3:04PM

A few come to mind:

Breen's Encyclopedia of US Coins
Breen's Book - Half Cents
Noyes - Both books re Early and Middle Date Large Cents
PCGS original book re Coin Grading, Counterfeiting, etc.
Review's book re Bust $s
Cline's book re SLQs

keyman64 · June 6, 2011 3:10PM

Redbook when I was a kid...that would be fun to do again, but with the newest version.

100 Greatest US Coins also.

astrorat · June 6, 2011 3:29PM

Yeah ... dozens of them.

keoj · June 6, 2011 8:40PM

I have honestly read Bowers two volume encyclopedia cover to cover.

keoj

Broadstruck · June 6, 2011 9:35PM

<< Yeah ... dozens of them. >>

Don't just buy em for the pictures... A couple I've read cover to cover a few times.

Tiny · June 6, 2011 9:58PM

These in my adult years

An Analysis Of Gem Franklin Half Dollars
by Jack A. Ehrmantraut Jr.

Cameo Proofs 1950 - 1964
by Val J. Webb

The Morgan And Peace Dollar Textbook
by Wayne Miller

And a whole bunch of Red & Blue Books back when I was a kid

ricko · June 6, 2011 10:49PM

I have read a few cover to cover... most I use as reference. The Counterfeit/Grading book was a thorough read... The book on Walkers, Peace Dollars also....a few others. Cheers, RickO

Mission16 · June 6, 2011 10:54PM

I read the one from Bowers about hoards and treasures. Wish I'd kept it. Fascinating book.

Shamika · June 6, 2011 11:04PM

I've read more coin books from cover to cover than I can name and thoroughly enjoy all of them!

Coppercolor · June 7, 2011 12:04AM

QDB's Flying Eagle and Indian Cents Book

3 or 4 times. Very dense and apparently I'm nearly illiterate.

Coins911 · June 7, 2011 12:05AM

Here a note if your going to publish a coin book don't put pricing info in it. It is outdated by the time its printed.

STONE · June 7, 2011 12:06AM

<< Yeah ... dozens of them. >>

BillyKingsley · June 7, 2011 1:23AM

I've read four from cover to cover.

The Red Book...I read it cover to cover in one day, I've since reread it in it's entirety
Krause World Coins 20th Century (2009 edition). That was a long read at over 500 pages. Have not reread in it's entirety yet but I have read portions of it again.
Krause World Coins 21st Century (2009 Edition) Not as long a read but still info intensive. Ditto on the rereading part with it's 20th century counterpart.
The Handbook of Roman Imperial Coins by David van Meter (I just read this one last month)

I will finish the Krause World Currency Volume 2 book sometime soon.

mojorizn · June 7, 2011 1:56AM

Let's see...

The first numismatic book I ever read cover to cover was David Lange's Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels. Then I got heavy into colonials and early copper and went nuts.

Breen's Half Cent book was first.
Then The Cent Book by John Wright. What a great guy! I got to meet him at the EAC convention this year.
Bowers' Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins opened up a whole new can of worms so I had to get
Phillip Mossman's Money of the American Colonies and Confederation.
I enjoyed Bowers so much that I picked up his Expert's Guide to Collecting and Investing in Rare Coins and then
his book on Obsolete Paper Money.
Now I'm working on Eric Newman's Early Paper Money of America.

Lots of excellent armchair time!

Mojo

Has anyone actually read a Coin book from cover-to-cover?

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