No comments about Cherrypickers' Guide to Rare Die Varieties.

5 comments about A Guide Book of United States Coins 2001 (Guide Book of United States Coins (Paper)).

1. I've been a coin collector since I was 6 years old (1961). I'm not hard core like my brother, so I don't buy a Red Book every year, but I have a couple of them lying around the house. I still refer to them for mintage numbers and other technical info from time to time.

   I've seen other coin guides and price lists, etc. and they all pale in comparison to the "Red Book".

   Get this one. It's the best.

   --George Stancliffe




2. Handy, convenient, and more reliable than the internet. Together with a currency guide, this is all most people would ever need. My latest copy was 13 years old, so I figured it was time to break down and get a new one.



3. A good guide to see what dealers will SELL you coins for. This is not what you will get if try to sell your coins.



4. The 58th edition is out, I expected a newer edition than the 54th edition I received.



5. The 2002 edition of the red book is so similar to the 2001 edition, even Amazon's computer seems too pool the reviews together. The casual collector probably should not invest in the 2002 edition if they have the 2001 or even 2000 edition. Regular collectors will want it simply for the updated mintage figures or price guides. I would encourage any new collector to pick up a copy, because it is an excellent reference to have handy.
   The book continues the annual trend of replacing black and white photos with color (particularly in the gold coin section), to generally positive ends. Oddly, the 1797 plain edge half cent photo has vanished. A glaring omission is the absence photos of the 2000 state quarters, particularly given the fact that there are two blank pages set aside for future state quarters listings, and all the 2000 mintage figures are included. Since that the primary value of the redbook is as a reference, Bressett has overlooked an important addition that should have appeared. On a positive note, a very helpful open wreath image has been added for the 1849 gold dollar.
   Some minor modifications and additions exist in the commemorative section, and a great photograph of some gold from the S.S. Central America has been added, which is very appropriate given the magnitude of the find.
   The redbook continues its trend as a very handy reference, but it is difficult to justify the exclusion of five new coin designs, costing the 2002 edition a star.

1 comments about Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint: 1839-1909.

1. This is the 3rd of Doug Winter's books that I have bought and it is the best by far. I have already commented on his work on Dahlonega gold and I stand behind my critical comments on the photos. Whether the original pictures were good is beside the point. We can only judge the work we have in front of us and that work had lousy quality pictures regardless of who was responsible. Intent is nothing in this regard; finished product is everything. His work on CC gold was much better, for although again no pictures were in color, nevertheless the quality of them was good. Here, however, all things come together to produce an excellent work. The population analysis, the discussion on strike, luster, etc. are everything we have come to expect from the foremost expert on gold coins. I consider this book invaluable whenever I consider buying New Orleans gold and consult it religiously before making a purchase. The photos are excellent, are all in color, and provide a succulent icing on an already delectable cake. I hope he publishes an update on Charlotte gold soon with the same results.

No comments about Coinage and Mints of Phoenicia: The Pre-Alexandrine Period (Harvard Semitic monographs).

No comments about Dictionary of Greek Coin Inscriptions/English Greek.

1 comments about Roman Imperial Coins: Augustus to Hadrian and Antonine: Selections, 31 BC - AD 180 (John Max Wulfing Collection in Washington University, Vol 3) (John ... Collection in Washington University, Vol 3).

1. I got this as a gift and am very glad that I did. While not a complete identification tool like RIC or SEARS, this is an awesome book for someone starting out with an interest in Imperial coins. It provides detailed inscriptions, RIC and SEARS numbers for the coins pictured, then provides an index of inscriptions and subjects. Truly a great catalog of a collection I want to see in person. Worth the price.

No comments about Coins of England and the United Kingdom 2002 (Standard Catalogue Brit Coins).

No comments about Pennsylvania obsolete notes and scrip.

2 comments about Traver's Top 88 Coins over $100.

1. I found this easy-to-read little book an excellent companion to Travers' more essential "How to make money...". The latter explains the workings of the rare coin market and the crucial grading arbitrage business that can lead to very fast profits. "Top 88..." is written primarily for the long term investor, providing rationale for why certain coins are likely to appreciate or lose value over time. This is done entirely with examples -- both pro and con -- to illustrate Travers' investment coin philosophy. The book is a little dated as I write this and it's likely Travers would modify the list to some degree in a new edition. This is only a minor shortcoming, however, an inevitable consequence of the passage of time. There is still plenty to learn here.



2. This book is going to help two primary classes of people: 'rare coin' collectors and collectors of 'rare' coins. Please indulge me with my distinction between the two. The rare coin collector is the person who builds a collection of coins, based around, say, getting one of each year and mint mark of the Buffalo Nickel, for instance. The collector of rare coins collects any coin that catches his fancy but which is distinguished by being extremely rare or highly prized within its genre, the 1955 Double Die Lincoln Cent, for instance. This book is going to help the latter type of collector because the coin-world renowned authority on U.S. coins, Scott Travers, has chosen 88 coins and categories of coins that are either 'winners' i.e. highly desirable and much sought after and 'losers' i.e. much hyped as being desirable and sought after but which are not, or carry too much of a premium to be worth acquiring. As a handy reference, this book is great for allowing one to get right to the point without having to do much of any research on one's own. Travers exxentially crystalizes decades of his coin buying/selling experience into brief form explaining why he has picked or panned each subject. These thumbnail analyses will be of help to the former type of collector to begin to understand what it is about an issue or series, mint state or condition, that creates demand and desire within a coin's niche. If one begins to employ critical analysis such as Mr. Travers does in his explications, whilst examining a coin or investigating a new realm of the coin collecting universe, one can make informed decisions about constructing the most highly desirable agglomeration of any given coin genre by knowing which coins to aggressively hunt for and acquire and which can be collected at one's leisure. After one has taught oneself to grade coins properly, this book is a must own for the entry level or, like me, just plain lazy collector of rare coins. Highly Recommended!!

No comments about Coinage in Roman Egypt: The Hoard Evidence.