BOOK REVIEW: GUIDE BOOK OF U.S. PAPER MONEY

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V24 2021 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 24, Number 16, April 18, 2021, Article 8

Mike Thorne published a nice review in Numismatic News of Whitman's sixth edition of A Guide Book of United States Paper Money. I just had my copy of the book out yesterday, and it's a quite useful volume. Here's an excerpt of the review - see the complete article online. -Editor

Going through the 6th edition of Whitman's A Guide Book of United States Paper Money, I can begin to see what the fuss over paper money is all about. After all, virtually any 19th century banknote is more attractive than the average coin featuring the same central motif. If you think that the Indian on the Buffalo nickel is strikingly attractive, take a gander at the $5 "Indian Chief Note" featuring the chief colloquially known as Running Antelope. Of course, the Chief has a much larger canvas than the fellow on the nickel. It's that larger canvas that makes the images on banknotes so striking.

The authors of this guide book are a pair of brothers, Arthur and Ira Friedberg, who have been in the numismatic business for more than 30 years. Both joined the family business (Coin & Currency) after finishing college. Among other activities, Arthur and Ira have stayed busy co-authoring such popular works as Gold Coins of the World, Paper Money of the United States, and Appraising and Selling Your Coins.

The guide book has a fairly lengthy introduction penned by David Ganz, an attorney and former president of the ANA (1993-1995). Ganz is the author of more than 14 books and thousands of numismatic articles in the past half century.

As you would expect, Ganz includes a brief section on grading U.S. currency. There are text descriptions only, however. Perhaps a future edition might include a brief pictorial grading guide.

Ganz closes the introduction with a listing of the types of U.S. currency. He starts with the rarest issues of Interest Bearing Notes issued because of financial emergencies brought about by the Civil War and ends with our present day Federal Reserve Notes.

As you'll find in guide books of U.S. coins, the banknotes are listed by denomination, beginning with the $1 note all the way to the unimaginable $10,000 notes (unimaginable to me, at any rate). Beyond the $10,000 notes, there are brief "chapters" that examine Fractional Currency, Treasury Notes of the War of 1812, Encased Postage Stamps, and Error Notes.

I checked the publisher (whitman.com) and found that the book was out of stock, which perhaps tells us about the demand for this item.

I contacted Dennis Tucker at Whitman Publishing who reminded me that Mike and I are both out of date - there's a newer 7th edition which had sold out as well, but there's good news about that. -Editor

"I appreciate Mike Thorne's review and observations on the Guide Book of United States Paper Money. The seventh edition has been out for a few months and it's one of several Whitman titles that have recently sold out of their initial print runs. We've got it back on press, and collectors should now be able to order a copy at the Whitman web site (https://whitman.com/a-guide-book-of-united-states-paper-money-7th-edition/) or from their favorite hobby shop or retail bookseller.

"I asked Art Friedberg to share some thoughts on the market for U.S. paper currency. He said, "Despite the fact that we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no lessening of the enthusiasm collectors have for United States paper money. Expensive notes are still setting records, and a plentiful supply of the more common material provides a field day for those wanting to expand their collection.""

To read the complete article, see:
Review of Paper Money Guide Book (https://www.numismaticnews.net/paper-money/review-of-paper-money-guide-book)