Collecting World Coins: More Than a Century of Circulating Issues : 1901-Present (Paperback)

~ Chester L. Krause (Author), Clifford Mishler (Author), Colin R., II Bruce (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Perfect for all world coin collectors, this updated edition features circulationg world coin issues of the 20th and 21st centuries. More than 16000 actual size photos illustrate more than 20000 coins with current market valuations presented for each issue in up to four grades of condition.

This edition provides and expanded guide to identifying, grading, and assessing value for each coin, including and international date conversion chart, and international numeral systems chart, a cross-referenced guide to coin denominations, and a foreign exchange table. Countries are alphabetically listed with historic-geographic reference. The coins are then listed in ascending denomination.

About the Author

Chester L. Krause started Krause Publications in 1952 with the first issue of Numismatic News. In 1972, he and Clifford Mishler coauthored Standard Catalog of[registered] World Coins. This hobby standard launched the beginning of book publishing at Krause Publications, sparking the flame that would help create the world's largest hobby and collectibles publisher. Since 1952, Chet has been a steadfast figure in the numismatic world. Clifford Mishler joined the company as a member of the numismatic editorial staff in 1962 and retired as chairman of the board four decades. In 1984, the American Numismatic Association recognized lifelong dedication to numismatics and presented its highest honor to him, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award. Employed at Krause Publications since 1975, Colin R. Bruce II oversees production of all numismatic catalogue titles relating to foreign coins and paper money. He has earned 16 awards from the Numismatic Literary Guild for his work.

Product Details

• Paperback: 831 pages
• Publisher: Krause Publications; 10th edition (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873496701
• ISBN-13: 978-0873496704
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,080,369 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the Serious Collector, April 24, 2004

By	Derek Hofmann "traal" (Mesa, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book, like the Standard Catalog of World coins (1901-present) also by Krause et al, contains all you need to identify and price nearly every coin from every nation minted since 1901. The book begins with an identification guide containing images of common themes on each nation's coins (for example, the eagle on Egypt's coins), a chart/list of the various number systems (so you can read the denominations and dates on Arabic, Chinese/Japanese/Korean, Hebrew, and Thai coins, just to name a few), and a Hejira-Christian date chart (important for dating Arabic coins).

The main section of the book is organized first by country, then by era/dynasty, next by denomination (lowest to highest), and last by style (with KM number). Within each style are a list of dates, mintages, and prices at various conditions.

The main differences between this book and Standard Catalog of World Coins appear to be: (1) this book is half the thickness and half the weight, (2) this book is printed on higher-quality paper, and (3) this book doesn't contain as many coins that never went into circulation (commemoratives, etc.). So one might say that this book is aimed toward the collector, while the Standard Catalog is geared more toward the dealer.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent reference to 20th century world coins, October 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Collecting World Coins: A Century of Circulating Issues : 1901-Present (7th ed) (Paperback)

Adequate-resolution black-and-white photographs of the vast majority (if not all) of the 20th century world circulation business-strike coinage.

Especially historically accurate. For example Germany is divided into the coinage of various coin-minting units of government over its tumultuous and shattered 20th-century history: Anhalt-Dessau, Baden, Bavaria, Bremen, Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, Hamburg, Hesse-Darmstadt, Lippe-Detmold, Lubeck, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Oldenburg, Prussia, Reuss-Obergreiz, Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenbach, Saxony, Schaumburg-Lippe, Waldeck-Pyrmont, Wurttemberg, German Empire (1871-1918), Weimar Republic (1919-1933), Third Reich (1933-1945), Federal Republic of Germany (West & unified) (1945-present), Saarland (1945-1957), and German Democratic Republic (East)(1945-1990). I consider that nation-state categorization alone impressive and intimate knowledge of coinage production in Germany, let alone the over-300 coin types documented among all of those coin-producing governments. Similar detail is taken with a multitude of other countries worldwide, with whose history I am less familiar.

Number of coins produced each year are given as are prices for typically 3 grades: very fine, extremely fine, and uncirculated.

The only way that Kraus could "improve" this book is to release a 19th century edition, an 18th century edition, a 17th century edition, and so forth, because it is disappointing to have the history truncated at 1901. Although I am not aware of such per-century editions slicing horizontally across the world, Krause has produced vertical slices by country, such as the history of German coins spanning multiple centuries, which of course overlaps in the 20th century with this book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers 330 coin-issuing countries and states, December 8, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collecting World Coins: A Century of Circulating Issues 1901 - Present (Paperback)

Chester Krause, et.al.'s Collecting World Coins widens the focus to world coins from 1901 to the present, appearing in its updated 9th edition to cover 330 coin-issuing countries and states. Over 20,000 coins are listed by date and valued in up to four grade levels. The black and white coin photos here are even more extensive and essential for identification.