Cherrypickers' Guide [Hardcover-spiral]

Bill Fivas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2008

Whitman Publishing, LLC is proud to announce the release of the latest edition of one of America's most popular coin books: the Cherrypickers' Guide to Rare Die Varieties, Fifth Edition, Volume I. This volume covers all United States series from half cents through nickel five-cent piece. The book is a result of many years of cumulative research and finessing by the lead authors, Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton, in cooperation with many collectors, scholars, dealers, and others in the numismatic community. It presents information unavailable in any other single source. By Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton, foreword by Q. David Bowers. Spiralbound Hardcover.

Product Details

• Hardcover-spiral: 480 pages
• Publisher: Whitman Publishing; 5 edition (December 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0794822851
• ISBN-13: 978-0794822859
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,408 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect gift for numismatists and new collectors, February 20, 2010

By 

T.C. Owens - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cherrypickers' Guide (Hardcover-spiral)

"Buy the book before you buy the coin" is some of the best advice often given by coin experts. This is one of those books to buy, in addition to Vol. II. Don't spend that pocket change before you do. In addition to both Cherry Pickers' Guides, for someone, like myself, who collects U.S. coins, I recommend having a current copy of The Official Red Book; The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection; PhotoGrade and/or The Official American Numismatics Association Grading Standards of United States Coins; and The Coin Collector's Survival Manual, all of which can be purchased on Amazon.com. When it comes to coin collecting, ignorance isn't just an excuse, it can be downright costly.

20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointed, December 26, 2008

By 

jcu47 (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cherrypickers' Guide (Hardcover-spiral)

After having been a thrilled student of the 4th edition, I was almost holding my breath to get my hands on the 5th edition. Now that I have it, to say the least, I am very disappointed ...

The guide stops at listing varieties at 2000 - which is a real bummer as a lot of what I have been collecting are DDOs from after the year 2000.

Another huge problem is the prices they list: some are too high and others too low which is just going to lead too confusion in the variety coin market. For example they list '97 DDO-001 as going for $500 in MS-65 which is way too high in my view. Then they list the 1909 DDO-001 for $90 in MS-65 which is unbelievable low - PCGS lists this @ $1,500, while high, is closer to what I have seen them sell for.

They omit the '89 and '89-D RDV-006, the '98 proof close AM; and the '92-D close AM. They then have a 2000 proof close AM listed, something I have never heard of even existing.

Hard to say if the problems with this volume are just sloppy work putting the book together at the last minute or (somehow) misguided research. Whatever the cause, it is too bad this is such a mess as the CPG use to be one the most reliable sources for die varieties. I would suggest not buying this book - rather - find a copy of a used 4th edition (or hold your breath) and wait for the publisher to fix this version ...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cherrypicker's Guide, September 12, 2009

By 

Gregory T. Hall (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cherrypickers' Guide (Hardcover-spiral)

Great book! A must have if you want to find valuable coins for a fraction of their cost. Very well laid out with pictures so you know exactly what to look for. I have early volumes of this book that I used, about five years ago to find two Proof 1960 Dimes that are listed with a PF-65 with a price of $350.00.