What would be a good subject for a coin book?

Robert · Senior Member

Have you ever thought "Why isn't there a book on this?"

For example, I have a book from the late 1960s that shows values for several Australian varieties. I haven't seen those Aussie varieties anwwhere else, such as in Krause. A book (on-line or paper) with pics of those varieties might be useful.

Any other potential book subjects?

Earwig · Veteran Member

It all depends on what your interests are but there are alot of books out there and most subject are covered by in pront or out of print books. I know i own alot of variety books that are no longer in print but if you keep an eye out you can find them. I even got the joga gems books that basically were the begining of the cherry pickers stuff more like sales catalog for bill fizaz and j.t. stanton but alot of pics of stuff that is unlisted in many books. I wish the CP news would come back again. They started again a few years back but i only got 1 of my 4 issues that i subscribed to

Eric

eagames · Expert Member

Once in a while I see those old issues of CP news on ebay, they still go for a few bucks.

Russellhome · Veteran Member

How about a book by the title "Buying Coins: Find the deals - Avoid the Scams"

Those of us that have been in the hobby a while can spot most scams a mile away. But those new to the hobby and those not in the hobby who buy stuff for that 'special someone' who collects coins get suckered all the time. Everything from whizzed coins, bogus grading services, "Rare" coins on sold on TV with mintages in the 100s of millions, counterfeit coins, and so on. This stuff has been going on since the beginning of time, but it seems to me that there are more ways than ever to get burned these days.

Nobody likes to get scammed. I got burned on my first mail-order coin buy back in 1970. The ad was for a 1798 Lg cent in Fine condition. I received an 1803 Lg cent with VG details and badly corroded. And they ignored my complaints.

Even my local coin dealer was less than a saint. When I was a kid, he would steer me toward overpriced damaged coins - downplaying or even obscuring the damage under a price sticker. I recently sold a 1913 S Barber half with a rim ding that he sold me, reaping a whopping $2 profit over the $9 I paid for it back in the mid 70's.

Everywhere you look today you see scams and suckers buying overpriced junk. I don't know how many 1969 S machine doubled Lincoln cents have sold for on eBay in the past few years, but I know I've seen at least a dozen selling for $25 or more.

I'm sure there has already been good 'Beginners Guide' type books for coin collecting, but given all the new ways to get conned these days, it is probably time for another one. A simple book that would help new hobbiests avoid scams and find reputable deals and dealers should be a 'must read' for every newcomer.

Great deals can be had left and right on eBay and elsewhere - I know I've won more than my fair share of steals. But as much as I like a good deal, I hate to see scammers making big bucks selling junk while the honest guy sells stuff at hit and miss prices. If 1/2 the $$ spent on junk were applied to those with honest and fair deals - the coin market would be a much better place.

coop · Expert Member

Ken I guess another name would be: "The coins I WISH I hadn't bought!"

Dick · Expert Member

Ken, you might try, "Scam your friends, Everybody else does"!
All kidding aside, it would be a good book for all who are growing up, and starting school! Once they get into the class-rooms, the "Peer-to-Peer" scamming begins. There isn't enough "Authority" left in the home anymore, to try educating the kids there. I remember when I was a kid, I thought my folks knew EVERYTHING! And every time I forgot, I got my butt beat! Then I started school. Soon I thought I knew everything, and when I got home I got my butt beat! I forgot my folks KNOW everything! Funny thing is the older one grows, the more one finds out just how LITTLE one knows. Then we get into varieties, ......that is when the OTHER shoe drops! I guess my Dad was right, maybe I was behind the door, when the brains were passed out! I sure didn't expect to find so many things that I didn't know about such a simple thing as coin collecting. Ken, when you write that book, I'll guarantee that I'LL be the first to read it!
Dick

carlb · Advanced Member

In reality that is not an easy topic. I go to abaout 2 to 4 coin shows a month lately. At some there are tables full of coin books, currency books, etc. There are books on errors, each denomination, each type and on and on and on. Then thre are more and more coin web sites poping up everyday. I'm afraid another coin book would just be one more on a table at a coin show. Someone posted a similar subject on another coin forum about a coin web site. It is supposed to be on Lincoln Cents. GEE, I wonder why no one thought of that before???????

carlb · Advanced Member

I've got an idea for you. Last Sunday at a coin show as usualy there are more and more tables with error coins. Naturally there are books out there that cover lots of errors. Example is naturally coppercoin's books. Then there is that section in the back of the Red Book on errors and many other books contain some type of error explanation. But why not one book that covers all types of errors on coins, past, present and primarily errors not often discussed due to less popularity or not much value monitarily. For example:
Rotated reverses. Of course some say it is the obverse that is rotated. When I point one out to a dealer selling a coin with that feature and ask about it I get a scrug and a beats me answer.
Filled in letters or numbers is common but not explained to my satisfaction as to why some and not others on the same coin.
One of my favorites is the many varieties of rims on coins. For example many Roosevelt Dimes have what looks like a very heigh rim on the obverse. Some coins have a double or triple lines on the rim and never fully explained. Then there is the flat rim that appears as if never a rim there.
Mint marks tilted and/or located all over the place. Asked Chuck once about that and sort of got a just tolerance in placing them type of answer. OK I guess but sure would like to know more about why. Are the Mint Mark people drunks?
Bubbled surfaces on coins is usually only breifly explained
Date over dates could have much better answers and I'm sure for each type there may be different answers.
And why is there such a thing as a S over horizontal S?
Ghostly images on coins could be explained.
There are many, many other types of errors and can be explained by asking, asking, asking. But why not have one big book covering even the minor, common, not to valuable errors as well as the biggies.
Just a thought.

GarryN · Expert Member

"Are the Mint Mark people drunks?"

Fascinating post Carl. Keep up the good work.

carlb · Advanced Member

Hey here is another thing for a book. Cleaning coins. I know that right away sounds like a poor subject, but it comes up just as much as almost anything. There is a vast amount of items that could be covered there. For example:
How can grading services clean coins but you can not?
How does grading services clean coins?
What are the tel tale signs of a cleaned coin?
What are the symtoms of what is called old cleaning?
What are some of the standard chemicals used to clean coins?
Is there a difference in cleaning a Copper coin versus a Silver coin? Nickel versus Silver?
Why does some dealers carry coin cleaning agents if they are not supposed to clean coins?
When is it considered proper to clean a coin?
What are the different types of contaminates on Copper coins?
What are the different types of contaminates on Silver coins?
What can be done to avoid a contaminate on a coin?
There are web sites dedicated to cleaning coins. If it is bad, why are there so many saying it is OK?
What is the difference in prices for a cleaned coin versus a non cleaned coin of the same type and grade?
This list could go on and on and on. If you want a subject for a book, this is one I haven't seen anywhere. And in all coin forums it is one of the most common subjects. Just sit down and think of all the things associated with cleaning coins. It sure would be nice to have a realistic, informative, honest, educational book on the subject backed up by statistics and explanations. One place, one document, one source that would put the constant idiots with thier erroneous statements to rest. There is so much material there you could make it into an encylopidia. I bring this up due to all the cleaned coins I constantly see being sold to people as nice and shinny.

smed · Senior Member

Coin Chemistry Including Preservation and Cleaning by Weimar W. White might answer some of your questions.

GarryN · Expert Member

Weimar White is also a member of the Carson City Coin Collectors of America. He frequently contributes articles to the newsletter.

carlb · Advanced Member

eagames · Expert Member

How about a book about how not to get ripped off, it could tell about recognizing coins that were modified with soft dies, mashed on other coins. It could also tell about recognizing MD and other doubling that are not doubled dies and recognizing cleaned, recolored, whizzed surfaces, acid treated coins, plated coins, modified dates and mintmarks.

Sort of a what not to buy book. Wink

carlb · Advanced Member