The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 1, January 1, 2006, Article 4

FRICKE CONFEDERATE PAPER MONEY BOOK REVIEW

Len Harsel writes: "There is a review of the new CSA
book by Fricke in this week's Bank Note Reporter.  Not
being a CSA collector, the book is just the thing for
the collector who is concerned about varieties akin to
the berries on large cents!"

Steve Feller writes: "I have the new Fricke book -- it
is marvelous --- here is a little review I did for the
I.B.N.S. Journal:

Review of Collecting Confederate Paper Money: A Complete
and Fully Illustrated Guide to All Confederate Note Types
and Varieties by Pierre Fricke

This is a superb book.  Eight hundred pages in length
it is chock full of new information on Confederate States
of America bank note issues.  The last major works on
Confederate notes were the tenth edition of the Arlie
Slabaugh, Confederate States Paper Money, published by
Krause Publications in 2000 and the Grover Criswell,
Comprehensive Catalog of Confederate Paper Money, published
by BNR Press in 1996.   This book brings the state of our
knowledge up a quantum as we approach the sesquicentennial
of America's most important formative event. In my
opinion this new volume is superior to its predecessors.

The book is printed to a high standard and the color
plates are of very high quality.  The plates include an
example of each of the Criswell Type notes as well as some
color varieties. This new volume is a work of original
research.  In particular, there is a large focus on
varieties.  Mr. Fricke expanded upon the original notes
of the late Dr. Doug Ball.  In fact a new numbering scheme,
PF numbered varieties, is introduced in this volume.  Also,
condition census lists are provided for the first time.
For example the Type 16 notes have a listing for 17 varieties.
After the main listing there are detailed discussions of
9 of these varieties with 9 illustrations.  Further, the
pre-catalog informational section is extensive and useful
to the collector.  Each major Criswell Type is discussed
at some length and then additional pages are allocated for
the aforementioned many varieties within each type and the
book is extensively illustrated.

On the whole this high quality book is a must for the
paper currency collector as well as for buffs of the
American civil war.  Further information may be obtained
at www.smytheonline.com.  The book is $49.95 plus $5.50
shipping within the United States."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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