ARTICLE: COLLECT BOTH OLD AND NEW COIN REFERENCES

Numismatics is not just about half dollars, cents, or whatever your favorite coin is. Serious numismatists never stop learning, and may find that collecting coin reference books and other materials can be as challenging as completing a favorite series.

Many reference books can be found in whatever your favorite series may be. Silver dollar lovers can find books on Morgan, Peace and earlier dollars. Even though the prices may be severely outdated, much of the information is not, and a wealth of knowledge can be found within these books' covers. Collecting these historic titles means you are honoring and connecting with the past. It does not mean that you want to pursue your hobby without the benefit of current information. The latest editions of these or other books can be found at www.ShopNumismaster.com and other online websites.

Those who specialize in early coins can find many volumes on half cents and large cents. Large cent collectors never seem to tire of acquiring knowledge, and any large cent specialist undoubtedly has quite a few reference books in his library. Many early editions of these books are collector's items in their own right.

Many coin magazines, newspapers and other publications have seen print over the years, and sets of these periodicals can be helpful to the serious collector. Check out ads in hobby publications for back issues. It's fun to read the ads in these older issues and see what your favorite coins sold for years ago. Sometimes it's frustrating too!

If you do not have the space to store years' worth of back issues, you could save the issues that contain articles about your favorite series, rare coin, or collecting advice.

Some collectors have made a serious specialty of saving old coin holders and albums. The Library of Coins and Whitman blue folders, and the Classic albums, are collectible and can be picked up for a cheap price. Perhaps your favorite coin dealer has a few of these, or you could find some at a convention. A collector could save albums of his favorite series, or try to find albums to contain more unusual sets, such as type sets of Canada or the Philippines. I once met a large cent collector who wished to own a Whitman Classic album for that series. Some time later, I found one at a hobby shop and mailed it to him.

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Wayne Homren, Editor

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