The Melted Coins (Hardy Boys, No. 23) [Hardcover]

Franklin W. Dixon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1944 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Suspecting that their friend has been swindled, the Hardy brothers investigate and find themselves on the trail of a much larger criminal operation.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 180 pages
• Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Revised edition (February 1, 1944)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0448089238
• ISBN-13: 978-0448089232
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( D ) > Dixon, Franklin W.
  • #34 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Series > Mystery & Detective > Hardy Boys

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Plot Knock, April 17, 2004

By 

Scott Thiel (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Melted Coins (Hardy Boys, No. 23) (Hardcover)

The great knock against this book was the plot itself. This review concerns the original 1944 story where a gang of criminals steals valueable coins and melts them down for sale. The metal is worth more if they are still coins and are not melted. Isn't this like "shooting one's self in the foot"? I suppose it could be argued that the purpose for melting the coins was to avoid detection. Well...."Big Sigh" In any event, I really liked this book for many reasons. The criminal Black Beard was perhaps the most memorable of any Hardy Boys villain. And in the end - he was not that bad. The scene in the tattoo parlor was a classic. The book moved along well and had a beautiful cover art for its 1944 edition. This was the second last edition to be completey revised chronology wise. The Short Wave Mystery was the highest volume to be drastically altered. The original Melted Coins is a great book. RATED A-

PS: The revised 1970 text was completely different and cannot hold a candle to the original.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Rather Good Book, October 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Melted Coins (Hardy Boys, No. 23) (Hardcover)

This review concerns the revised 1970 edition. Frank and Joe are called upon by a member of the Seneca Indians to find a gold tribal relic that was stolen from them. Also they believe that their friend Chet was scammed by a summer school called Zoar College. I enjoyed this book; I thought that the mystery was quite interesting and not as predictable as some of the other books. There was a fair amount of action and the book moved along at a good pace. I liked this book and think that other fans of the series would as well.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Hardys Meet the Seneca, June 5, 2005

By 

Lonnie E. Holder "The Review's the Thing" (Columbus, Indiana, United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Melted Coins (Hardy Boys, No. 23) (Hardcover)

The 1970 revision of this book is about the theft of a group of melted coins that appear to be a face. Apparently the Seneca believe that Dr. Rideau has the artifact, and is deliberately keeping if from them. On the other hand, Dr. Rideau seems to be having a good deal of problems with intruders and small acts of vandalism that his renters, a couple of professors from Zoar College, continually attribute to the Seneca.

The story begins when Frank and Joe Hardy convince their best friend, Chet Morton, to investigate Zoar College. Fenton Hardy, the boys' father, ask the boys to talk with Rod Jimerson, a Seneca who lives in Cleveland. The story begins to get complicated when the boys travel to Zoar Valley.

It turns out that Zoar College is an abandoned shack in the middle of nowhere. Soon Chet's application fee is returned, evidence that the questions the boys asked about the college are troubling someone. The boys also have their doubts about the ethics and credentials of the professors boarding with the Rideaus. The boys also noticed the Rideaus have a substantial coin college in a vault in their house.

The Hardys and Chet soon receive warnings to leave Zoar Valley. Seneca masks are stolen, and before you can guess who the criminals are, the Rideaus' coin collection is stolen. Actually, by the time the coins are stolen you pretty much know who the criminals are.

In terms of a mystery, this story is one of the lesser books in the series. There is actually very little mystery, except for the location of the melted coins, and once you learn where they are there is little surprise. I did like reading the book, but this book is more for fans of the series than a casual reader, who may be somewhat disappointed.

Though the Hardy Boys series was written in a relatively archaic fashion, as reading material for an increasingly younger audience they are excellent. The stories were once recommended for children ages 10 to 14. As children are exposed to more violence and seem to require greater levels of stimulation, the recommended age range has move to 9 to 12. I think any child capable of reading some of the challenging words in these books will enjoy them, regardless of how tame most of the action may be. Once a child has reached age 12 or so the stories may be of less interest, but given the combination of mystery and action, these books remain good safe choices for parents who want to know what their children are reading.