Buy the Book, Understand the Coin

"First the book, then the coin" is a phrase often heard in coin collecting.

Surveys and experience all indicate that the average collector would rather not even spend $10 on a book or on coin supplies, when he could squirrel this away towards his next coin purchase.

In some sense, this really is being "penny wise and pound foolish." Let's get real.

How many of us have made costly mistakes in buying or selling a coin because we later found the guy on the other side of the counter had knowledge we were lacking? Do you really think he went to school to learn this or gained such knowledge by simply being in the hobby longer than ourselves? It just might be that he bothered to spend a little money on a book on grading or in some specialized coin area, while we were too busy saving those few bucks so he could later take advantage of us.

In the past 20 years, there has been an information revolution in numismatics. Never before have so many new books on specialized areas of the hobby been written and made available in suitable printing runs so that virtually anyone can own them. What will be presented here is not a definitive list, but it should give you an idea just how vast the intelligence arm of the hobby has become.

Buy the book, read it and become knowledgeable. Perhaps you can avoid costly mistakes this way.

Perhaps nowhere other than in U.S. coins has there been such an explosion of information. Some of the books on minor denominations to be aware of include: Penny Whimsy by William Sheldon, United States Copper Cents, 1816-1857 by Howard Newcomb, The Cent Book: 1816-1839 by John Wright, A Buyer's and Enthusiast's Guide to Flying Eagle and Indian Cents by Q. David Bowers, Treasure Hunting in the Flying Eagle and Indian Cent Series by Kevin Flynn, The Complete Price Guide and Cross Reference to Lincoln Cent Mint Mark Varieties by Brian Allen and John Wexler, The Authoritative Reference on Lincoln Cents by Kevin Flynn and John Wexler, Complete Guide to Lincoln Cents by David Lange, The Authoritative Reference on Three Cent Nickels by Edward Fletcher and Kevin Flynn, Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dimes by Al Blythe, Treasure Hunting Liberty Head Nickels by Kevin Flynn and Bill Van Note, Treasure Hunting Buffalo Nickels by Kevin Flynn, John Wexler and Ron Pope and Treasure Hunting Mercury Dimes by Kevin Flynn and John Wexler.

There is Standing Liberty Quarters by Jay Cline, Complete Guide to Washington Quarters by John Feigenbaum, The Washington Quarter Dollar Book: An Attribution and Pricing Guide by James Wiles, Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836 by Al Overton, Bust Half Fever by Edgar Souders, Complete Guide to Franklin Half Dollars by Rick Tomaska and Kennedy Half Dollar Book: An Attribution and Pricing Guide by James Wiles.

There are more books on silver dollars than you may realize. These include The United States Early Silver Dollars 1794-1803 by Jules Reiver, Buyer's Guide to Silver & Trade Dollars by Q. David Bowers, Morgan Dollar Overdates, Over Mintmarks, Misplaced Dates and Clashed E Reverses by Kevin Flynn, The Complete Guide to Morgan and Peace Dollars by Leroy C. Van Allen and A. George Mallis and The Authoritative Reference on Eisenhower Dollars by John Wexler, Bill Crawford and Kevin Flynn, to name a few.

Gold has not been ignored. Some of the books now available include Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint 1838-1861, Gold Coins of the Charlotte Mint and New Orleans Mint Gold Coins each by Douglas Winter, as well as David Akers' book Handbook of 20th Century United States Gold Coins 1907-1933.

This laundry list is only the tip of the iceberg. There are now coin catalogs on virtually every type and denomination of U.S. coin, not to mention the general works such as Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, books on errors, paper money and more.

World and ancient coin books are another animal, also more widely studied and cataloged than ever before. This was the subject of a separate article.

Don't waste your money. Buy the book so you understand the coin before you buy it. In the long run, you'll save money.