Encyclopedia of U.S Gold Coins 1795 - 1933 2nd Ed. [Hardcover]

Jeff Garrett/Ron Guth (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 656 pages
• Publisher: Whitman Publishing; 2 edition (May 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0794822541
• ISBN-13: 978-0794822545
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #787,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Effectively replaces David Akers' multi-volume work., February 15, 2007

By 

J. Peterson "enthusiast" (Columbus, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins: 1795 - 1933, Circulating, Proof, Commemorative, and Pattern Issues (Hardcover)

Any coin collector enchanted by TRULY rare classic U.S. coins (i.e., coins where mere DOZENS of examples still exist!) would do himself a huge favor by acquiring this volume. Here is one book that more than replaces the groundbreaking multi-volume U.S. gold work of David Akers.

Believe it or not, there ARE still many bargains to be had in U.S. numismatics... and they reside in the U.S. gold series. Fact: Many U.S. gold coins dwarf in rarity the "keys" in any other U.S. series by 10X or even 100X.

Amazingly, today's prices (even with gold bullion way up) simply don't begin to reflect this incredible rarity.

Interested? Here's just the volume to guide you along the path to discovering all these hidden treasures.

Does it really get any better than GOLD? I don't think so. It (and silver) are the only metals historically and universally recognized as REAL money. But gold stands alone as the one metal not subject to hideously damaging long-term environmental contamination.

In its day and time, one gold coin might have represented an average working man's weekly or monthly wages. Accordingly, U.S. gold coins have historically been collected only by the super rich. But clearly this no longer need be the case. The rich collected ONLY the very top-grade examples available. These coins continue to be very expensive. Largely neglected, however, have been gold coins of lower grade (coins which would be perfectly acceptable specimens in any other U.S. series.) Bonus: In some cases, the gold content alone accounts for 30-50% of one's purchase price. So the value of your collection is meaningfully backed by gold itself.

We are fortunate to live in a day and time where these lower grade examples of incredibly rare U.S. gold coins are still available (albeit with considerable searching) at true bargain basement pricing -- a combination of rarity and pricing guaranteed to quicken a coin collector's pulse.

This all becomes clear in one glorious volume of amazing scope and breadth.

The price of this volume is likewise bargain-priced. Hundreds of beautiful full color photos on hundreds of pages -- all on glossy heavy paper stock. Paradoxically, the bargain nature of this book about classic Americana is likely due to its having been printed in CHINA. But I have to give credit where credit is due: There is absolutely nothing second-rate about this book's cosmetics or content.

My advice? Buy it as fast as your fingers can click on the order button!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every collector of gold coins should own this book!, September 4, 2006

By 

Thomas M. Pilitowski (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins: 1795 - 1933, Circulating, Proof, Commemorative, and Pattern Issues (Hardcover)

Every now and then a real masterpiece of Numismatic research is created and made available to the public and the Encyclopedia of US Gold Coins: 1795-1933 is one of those masterpieces. As a professional coin dealer who specializes in better and rare dated gold coins I strongly suggest tha aquisition of this book as it will help the collector as well as investor of rare gold coins become more knowledgeable in the various series of US gold coins and there can never be too much information when researching this large and diverse area of coin collecting.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Have" if your not sure what to expect... This Book will Blow You Away!!!, July 2, 2006

By 

F. L. Kraus (Reading this Book!!!) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins: 1795 - 1933, Circulating, Proof, Commemorative, and Pattern Issues (Hardcover)

"Just Buy It, as at the asking price gosh it's just a total "No Brainer"... heck Buy Two!!!"

Having collected since I was a child, and being an avid reader my numismatic reference library is quite extensive. As the Ol'e Golden Rule of "Buy the Book First" definitely has always been key within this hobby.

If your interest is to cut your teeth on an unknown area to your prior collecting interests, maybe having just been bitten by the U.S. Gold bug? Well the price of admission on this Reference Guide is just outright stupid for all that you get! This is the one book that will steer you in the right/clear direction as a new, or even seasoned collector!

I purchased Jeff's book, not really knowing what to expect?

It just arrived yesterday, and I have never been so in awe over a book at first glance since buying Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of US and Colonial Coins close to 20 years ago.

I'm not sure how many years of their lives Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth have spent on this Encyclopedia, as it definitely looks like something that you'd have to completely devote 5 years minimum of your life to.

Just upon flipping through it upon arrival it is like no other book in this field I have ever seen.

Jeff and Ron like Emeril Lagasse have just really given the entire numismatic community some major "Bam" with their endeavor - Full color photography on each issue, history and facts, recommendations on which issues to purchase, past auction records, certification population, and the list goes on...

Jeff and Ron have taken the best of every other book ever written on this series and compiled it into one major bedside companion!

Even if the Retail Price was Double, I would still be just as ecstatic over the Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins: 1795 - 1933, Circulating, Proof, Commemorative, and Pattern Issues
by Jeff Garrett.

This is not only the best book that I have purchased in 2006, but may actually be the best book I have acquired in the last decade.

WHOLE HEARTILY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

P.S. Jeff and Ron WELL DONE!!!