A Guide Book of Franklin and Kennedy Half Dollars is the 15th entry in Whitman's bestselling Bowers Series of numismatic reference books. Franklin and Kennedy half dollars are affordable favorites of collectors. Lavishly illustrated in full color, this book features high-resolution enlargements for important overdates and other varieties. Mintages, specifications, market values in multiple grades (including Full Bell Lines for Franklin halves), inside information on set registries, and buying tips add to the book's importance as a standard reference. The new updated and revised 2nd edition will deepen your appreciation and make you a smarter buyer of these popular coins. Full Color, 288 pages, Softcover, and only $19.95
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Q. David Bowers’s best-selling and award-winning Guide Book of Civil War Tokens has been updated and expanded (32 additional pages) in a new second edition. It includes recent research findings, more illustrations, and updated pricing in multiple grades. Also new in the second edition: chapters on sutler tokens and encased postage stamps. Civil War tokens are tangible reminders of American history. These small, cent-sized tokens served as emergency “money” during the small-change shortage of 1862 to 1865. Today they are highly collectible, and A Guide Book of Civil War Tokens elevates the collecting and study of these once-shunned imitation cents to a new level of scholarship and accessibility. Novice and experienced collectors alike, as well as history buffs and everyone interested in the Civil War, will find this volume a fascinating and indispensable reference. Inside, you’ll find a wealth of information not in print in any other single source
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Volume #16 in the Bowers Series. 480 pages, softcover, full color, 6 x 9 inches.

Privately minted “Hard Times” tokens are tangible reminders of a turbulent period in America. Their political and commercial motifs are diverse, reflecting the economic and social scene of the pre–Civil War era of Andrew Jackson (the 1830s and 1840s). Numismatists find them fascinating to collect and study. Although there are major rarities in the series, most of the issues are very affordable. Novice and experienced collectors alike, as well as history buffs and everyone interested in the Jackson era, will find this volume an indispensable reference. Inside, you’ll find a wealth of information not in print in any other single source. Q. David Bowers includes recent research findings, hundreds of high-resolution images, and current market pricing in multiple grades. He expertly covers the history of these fascinating collectibles, and catalogs them with detailed information for sellers, buyers, historians, and researchers.

            Hard Times tokens have been featured in the “Red Book” since 1946. Now, collectors finally have an expanded, full-color catalog to these remarkable pieces of American history.

            320 pages, full color, softcover. Richly illustrated with more than 800 images. 

“Groundbreaking. . . . beyond the scope and depth of anything previously published.

. . . a clear, complete, verified, carefully focused, and well-photographed listing of these

important pieces.”

                                                                         —from the foreword by Robert A. Schuman

A Guide Book of Mercury Dimes, Standing Liberty Quarters, and Liberty Walking Half Dollars, 1st edition Volume #18 in Whitman’s best-selling Bowers Series covers three of the most popular U.S. coins: Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters, and Liberty Walking half dollars. These classic silver coins were minted between 1916 and 1947, an era spanning two world wars and the Great Depression. Now the “Dean of American Numismatics,” Q. David Bowers, gives collectors a single-volume study of technical, historical, and market-oriented advice and insight.

The Guide Book of Mercury Dimes, Standing Liberty Quarters, and Liberty Walking Half Dollars gives you instructions on how to grade your collection, tips on smart buying, current retail values, and a thorough analysis of each date and mintmark. Lavishly illustrated in full color, the book features high-resolution enlargements for important overdates and other die varieties. Mintages, specifications, certified population data, and other details add to the book’s importance as a standard reference. Colorful essays set the coins in the context of the time period.

This Guide Book will deepen your appreciation and make you a smarter buyer and collector of these beautiful and historic American coins.

320 pages, softcover, color, 6 x 9 inches.

Volume #19 in Whitman’s best-selling Bowers Series covers two of the earliest U.S. coin denominations: half cents and large cents. These classic copper coins were made from 1793 (the year after the Philadelphia Mint was founded) into the late 1850s (shortly before the Civil War started). In this colorfully illustrated book, America’s popular early coppers are given the famous Q. David Bowers treatment: insightful study, rich historical background, and detailed data analysis. Bowers—the “Dean of American Numismatics” and the most prolific numismatic author of all time—tells you everything you need to know to be a smart collector: how to evaluate quality, determine value, understand the market, and make good buys. Along the way, he explains why, in all of American coinage, half cents and large cents possess a special charm. You’ll learn how the history of the developing nation shaped the coins’ designs and production, and the effects of the War of 1812 and other national events on their coinage.

Bowers provides a wealth of information on each issue: mintages, existing populations, grading standards, values, auction records, keys to collecting, and more. Historical background sets the coins in the broader context of American life from the 1790s through the 1850s. Hundreds of full-color images, careful analysis, and Bowers’s engaging style make this book a treat for anyone interested in our nation’s early history.

576 pages, softcover, color, 6 x 9 inches.

Volume #20 in Whitman’s best-selling Bowers Series covers three classic U.S. coin denominations: the dimes, quarters, and half dollars designed by Charles E. Barber, chief engraver of the U.S. Mint. These classic silver coins were first made in 1892, and their production lasted to the eve of America’s entry into World War I.

In this colorfully illustrated book, the workhorses of late-19th and early-20th-century American commerce are given the famous Q. David Bowers treatment: insightful study, rich historical background, and detailed data analysis. Bowers—the “Dean of American Numismatics” and the most published numismatic author of all time—lays out everything you need to know to be a smart collector: how to evaluate quality, determine value, understand the market, and make good purchases. You’ll learn the backstage goings-on that led to the coins’ creation, why they barely made a splash when first issued, and why they weren’t mourned when they passed into history. In recent years the scene has changed—Barber’s silver coinage is among the more popular of U.S. series, with many enthusiastic collectors and students.

Bowers provides a wealth of information on each issue: mintages, existing populations, grading standards, values, auction records, keys to collecting, and more. Historical background sets the coins in the broader context of American life from the 1890s through the mid-teens. Hundreds of full-color images, thoughtful study, and Bowers’s engaging narrative make this book a treat for anyone interested in our nation’s Gilded Age and Progressive Era.

• 384 pages

• Softcover

• Full Color

• 6 x 9 inches

100 Greatest U.S. Coins, 4th Edition

In the fourth edition of the best-selling and award-winning 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, numismatic author Jeff Garrett takes the reader on a personal guided tour of the nation’s greatest coinage.

“Each of the 100 Greatest was voted into place by leading coin dealers, researchers, and historians,” says Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker. Inside the reader will find prized and seldom-seen rarities—the unique and high-valued pieces that collectors dream about, like the 1913 Liberty Head nickel and the 1804 dollar (the “King of American Coins”). The book also explores more readily available and widely popular coins: pieces so beautiful or with such strange and fascinating stories that everybody wants one.

100 Greatest U.S. Coins is not just a price guide or a fancy picture book. It’s a time machine that takes the reader to a hundred different points in American history. And it’s a fascinating introduction to the hobby of collecting U.S. coins.
• 144 pages • Hardcover, coffee-table (10 x 12 inches) • Full color

Katherine Jaeger and Q. David Bowers tell the fascinating stories of 100 of the greatest medals and tokens of colonial America, the early states, the Confereracy, the U.S. Mint, and dozens of private issuers. It's all here: the history of medals and tokens in America and how they evolved; how to collect them; grading; conservation; smart buying; and more. 100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens is not just a price guide or a fancy picture book. It's a time machine that takes you to a hundred-plus different points in America's rich history. Hardcover with dustjacket, coffee-table, 148 pages.

Emperors and assassins, owls and turtles, gods and goddesses, brave heroes and villainous rogues--all of these and more await you among the 100 Greatest Ancient Coins. In this beautifully illustrated book, Harlan J. Berk, one of America's best-known ancient-coin dealers, takes you on a personal guided tour of the numismatic antiquities of Greece, Rome, the Byzantine Empire, and other parts of the ancient world. Coffee-table-size, Hardcover, 144 pages, full color, with enlarged photographs and stories for every coin.

The latest entry in Whitman’s “100 Greatest” collection, 100 Greatest U.S. Error Coins is a beautifully illustrated coffee-table book that explores one of the hobby’s hottest collectible fields. Expert dealers, collectors, researchers, and historians have all weighed in on their opinions of the 100 all-time greatest examples of American coinage errors. The rarities, the classics, and the intriguing “how’d that happen?” specimens are here---and some interesting surprises, too. Authors Nicholas Brown, David Camire, and Fred Weinberg are three of the nation's most famous error-coin specialists, and they open the doors to the U.S. Mint to show you how and why error coins occur. With an engaging introduction by Q. David Bowers; plus full-color, high-resolution photos; and historical and current market values, 100 Greatest U.S. Error Coins will delight collectors and non-collectors alike. Hardcover, 144 pages. Illustrated with more than 500 photographs.

In this beautifully illustrated coffee-table book, distinguished numismatists Scott Schechter and Jeff Garrett take you on a personal guided tour of the most significant U.S. coins of the modern era. From humble Lincoln cents to costly American Platinum Eagles, each of the ranking coins was voted into place following rigorous research to determine which were worthy of being contenders for the 100 Greatest. This revised and updated third edition features new additions to the list and dramatic - even surprising - changes in ranking. A new appendix shows how coins changed position on the list and explains the reasoning behind some of the most extreme changes. You'll learn the behind-the-scenes stories that illuminate how these particular coins became so desirable - and why they illustrate, better than any others, the high point of our nation's modern coinage.

100 Greatest Women on Coins is the 10th entry in Whitman Publishing’s popular “100 Greatest” library. “This book is a celebration of women’s impact on numismatics,” says award-winning author Ron Guth. Each notable woman is described with an illustrated essay and colorful images of the coins on which she appears. Guth also discusses the long history of women featured on coins, and how anyone today can assemble a remarkable and meaningful collection. The book’s scholarly value is further expanded with a checklist for the specialist, and a bibliography for further research.

More than 700 queens, princesses, empresses, actresses, political and religious leaders, goddesses, and other women were up for consideration. They were voted on and ranked by members of Women in Numismatics to determine the 100 Greatest Women on Coins.

The 100 Greatest Women on Coins include real women such as Cleopatra, Martha Washington, and Elena Aladova; goddesses such as Athena, Demeter, and Nike; allegorical women (who represent an idea or nationality) such as Miss Liberty, Mother Earth, and Britannia; and women in art, such as La Pietà and Auguste Renoir’s Girls at the Piano. Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on billions of coins during her reign. Queen Victoria was featured on copper, silver, and gold coins throughout her 64-year rule, the longest of any British monarch. These real women are joined by mythical women like Angels; monstrous women like Medusa; caretakers like Mother Teresa and Florence Nightingale; women from art and fiction, like Heidi and Anne of Green Gables; famous Americans like Dolley Madison and Marilyn Monroe; and other royals like Princess Diana and Queen Nefertiti.

“100 Greatest Women on Coins is a celebration of the hundreds of women who have appeared on coins from ancient times to the present,” says author Ron Guth. “This is a book about mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, empresses, queens, ballerinas, athletes, goddesses, regents, allegorical figures, and the many forms in which women have appeared on coins. It’s the story of women who have made important contributions to history, politics, the arts, the sciences, and myriad other fields.”

The coins on which the 100 Greatest Women appear include valuable gold and silver pieces, unusual commemoratives, and super-rarities, as well as more common pieces that you can find in your pocket change.

The book includes a foreword by Charmy Harker, president of Women in Numismatics and a noted coin dealer, who calls it “a fascinating look into the important role women have played throughout numismatic history and throughout history in general.”

• 128 pages

• Hardcover

• Coffee-table format

"Step inside. You won't believe your eyes…."

Every story inside this book is true.

Tales of treasure from sunken ships, bank vaults and reserves, hidden compartments, buried chests and boxes, vintage safes, hiding places of pirates and privateers, old cornerstones, barrels and casks, Mint and Treasury storage, wrecked buildings, caves and crevices, ancient estates, dusty time capsules, forgotten collections, attics and basements, and other lost and hidden places.

Join Q. David Bowers, one of America’s master storytellers, as he shines light on the most astounding, dramatic, unusual, and daydream-inspiring American coin hoards and treasures. Old colonial coins. Hefty silver dollars. Boxes of gleaming gold. Bundles of antique currency. Many treasures have already been found; many others are waiting for you to find them….

• 480 pages

• 8.5 x 11 inches

• Hardcover

• 600+ color images

Every coin collector knows about the United States Mint’s American Eagle bullion coins. But did you know that the Mint has produced more than 150 other collectible works of silver and gold bullion since the national Bicentennial in 1976? They include some of the most beautiful coins and medals ever engraved for the United States. Some were runaway best-sellers and made national headlines. Others are well-kept secrets. Many are sought by collectors and investors around the globe. Some are “sleepers”—underappreciated treasures with great potential waiting to be discovered.

Now, award-winning author Dennis Tucker shares years of research and unique perspective in a colorful exploration of these amazing pieces of Americana. He takes you behind the scenes at the U.S. Treasury, into the engraving department of the U.S. Mint and the chambers of Congress, even to the White House, where questions about the nation’s precious metals have been argued for generations.

Inside you’ll find a richly illustrated history of silver and gold in the coinage of colonial America and the United States. You’ll see why silver and gold were difficult for the average American to acquire through most of our history. Learn about the American Arts gold medallion program of the early 1980s, and the U.S. Mint’s recent American Buffalo, First Spouse, and America the Beautiful bullion programs. Bicentennial gold medals, the 2014 gold Kennedy half dollar, 1916–2016 centennial gold coins, silver Wildlife Refuge Service medals, the 9/11 national medal, and other important modern productions all are cataloged and described inside.

Along the way Tucker shines light on a thousand people, places, and points in American history: military heroes and famous artists, awe-inspiring landmarks, fearless innovators, dreamers and doers.

Q. David Bowers calls it “Exciting, informative, and in the annals of numismatic research unique. This book will serve permanently as the source for facts on the U.S. Mint’s modern gold and silver coins and medals.”

American Gold and Silver is a fascinating trip across our national landscape, and a valuable addition to any collector’s or investor’s bookshelf.

• 384 pages

• Hardcover

• 8.5 x 11 inches

• Richly Illustrated

Foreword by Q. David Bowers

The U.S. Mint's hugely popular American Gold Eagle and American Platinum Eagle coins are collected by numismatists, stockpiled by investors, and treasured by precious-metal buyers throughout the United States and around the world.

Now, no less an authority than Edmund C. Moy-38th director of the U.S. Mint-shares his unique insight and behind-the-scenes perspective on these beautiful pieces of Americana.

To create this book, Moy has drawn on a lifetime of interest in coins and precious metals, leading up to his 2006 confirmation as director of the U.S. Mint. Under his tenure, demand for American gold bullion coins multiplied more than fivefold, from less than 330,000 ounces in 2007 to 1,800,000-plus ounces in 2009, and counting. The U.S. Mint went from a major producer to the world's largest producer of gold, silver, and platinum coins, with bullion coins accounting for the majority of the Mint's revenues.

Director Moy brings together diverse elements-technical and artistic, historical and current, market-driven and hobbyist-to make American Gold and Platinum Eagles a valuable addition to any collector's or investor's bookshelf.

Award-winning researcher Michael Moran (author of Striking Change: The Great Artistic Collaboration of Theodore Roosevelt and Augustus Saint-Gaudens), joined by gold-coin specialist Jeff Garrett, chronicles the trials and tribulations of the U.S. Mint in the first half of the 19th century and the tremendous impact that the 1848 discovery of gold in California had upon that institution and the nation as a whole. From early struggles for adequate facilities and machinery for coining in Philadelphia to dramatic political debates waged in Washington, D.C., the remarkable evolution of the Mint and the country’s coins and medals has never before been explored in such detail.

“The arrival of Colonel Mason’s oyster can full of gold in Washington would change everything in the United States,” Moran writes. “It would fuel a rapid industrialization across the Northern states with a supporting rail system. It would leave few institutions untouched, least of all the United States Mint at Philadelphia, which would be shaken to its very foundation and only just barely survive.”

With hundreds of full-color images, some not seen in print for generations; an engaging narrative that sheds new light and draws fresh new conclusions; rich details on the colorful personalities involved and their interactions; and an inventory of the Smithsonian's gold holdings, this book is a treasure for the coin collector, the gold investor, and everyone interested in the fascinating history of the United States.

“A fascinating account of the trying period of the California Gold Rush and its effect on the United States. 1849: The Philadelphia Mint Strikes Gold comes with our highest recommendation. We were genuinely impressed with the depth of the research ... written in the style of numismatic history at its best.” — Richard G. Kelly & Nancy Oliver, numismatic historians

• $49.95

• 352 Pages

• Hardcover

• Full Color

• 8.5 x 11 inches

The latest installment in Whitman’s best-selling and award-winning Cherrypickers’ Guide series, this volume covers collectible die varieties of half cents through nickel five-cent pieces. Included are some of the most popular American coin types, including Lincoln cents and Buffalo nickels.

This handy book tells you how to “cherrypick”—that is, how to examine a collection of coins to locate those with unusual characteristics: doubled and tripled dies, overdates, repunched mintmarks, and other features that can reveal a supposedly common coin to be a rare and valuable variety.

Few books have taken the coin-collecting community by storm like the Cherrypickers’ Guide. Since the first edition burst onto the scene in 1990, thousands of hobbyists have been searching for the rare and valuable die varieties described inside.

448 pages, 6 x 9 inches

Reviewed in COINS Magazine, April 2016 issue, page 15, by Mike Thorne, Ph.D.

Book-review highlights:

“The fact that the Cherrypickers’ Guide is entering its sixth edition should tell you something about the value of the information it contains. As a former textbook writer, I can tell you that books with little demand don’t make it to a sixth edition.”

“With knowledge of what to look for, the Cherrypickers’ Guide will give you the information that will allow you to cherrypick dealers’ stock.”

“Obviously, this is an extremely important work that I can see going into further editions.”

Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties, 5th edition, volume II.
The award-winning Cherrypickers’ Guide has been expanded and updated in the 5th edition, volume II, covering half dimes through modern dollars, gold dollars through double eagles, and classic commemoratives. A brand-new chapter explores modern silver, gold, and platinum bullion-coin varieties. Under the direction of editor Ken Potter (working with authors Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton), dozens of new varieties have been added across all denominations. Photographs have been upgraded, and more have been added. Retail prices and auction results have been studied coin-by-coin in conjunction with a panel of hobby experts and specialists, providing accurate market values. Coin descriptions have been fine-tuned. Rarities, interest levels, and other important market factors have been updated. The Cherrypickers’ Guide is a treasure map for how to examine a collection of otherwise normal coins, looking for unusual characteristics: doubled and tripled dies, overdates, repunched mintmarks, and other features that can reveal a “common” coin to be a rare and valuable variety. Spiralbound hardcover, 512 pages, illustrated.

Tom Bilotta is an experienced numismatist and writer, and has been a publisher of coin-collecting software for more than 20 years. In this new book he brings that experience to a valuable discussion of collecting during a hobbyist’s golden years.

“Coin collecting during retirement poses specialized challenges and opportunities,” Bilotta says. He explores these issues in depth and guides his readers toward building their enjoyment of the hobby while preparing their collections for later allocation to their heirs.

“Retirement is a time to adopt new collecting strategies, often to consolidate and focus, to define new goals,” Bilotta says. “Retired collectors might dabble in selling parts of their collections, or even jump into that pursuit with both feet.” For some retirees, this is a time to budget and scale back on hobbies, while still staying active. Others find themselves with more money and more time to devote to collecting. “Importantly,” Bilotta says, “it’s also a time to educate your family, and prepare your collection for the future.”

In addition to addressing active collectors, he gives valuable hands-on advice to inheritors on how to manage the disposition of rare coins and other collectibles.

• 256 pages

• Softcover

• Full Color

• 6 x 9 inches

In this monumental book, William R. Rice shines new light on the life and times of President John F. Kennedy. His exploration includes the history of the Kennedy family; JFK’s boyhood; his military service and early political career; his inauguration and presidency; Jacqueline and the children; life in the White House; the president’s assassination; and the world’s mourning and remembrance.

The story is told through touching and insightful essays illustrated by hundreds of coins, medals, tokens, stamps, and other memorabilia—some popular and collectible, like the silver 1964 Kennedy half dollar (with its mintage of 429 million coins), others rare and seldom seen, and some one-of-a-kind.

Special sections discuss subjects like satirical and critical pieces; brothers Robert F. and Teddy Kennedy; the Peace Corps; and paper money issued during the Kennedy administration.

In addition to colorful historical images and narrative, the book’s scholarly appeal is expanded by multiple appendices, a bibliography, and a full index. Collectors will benefit from the catalog numbering system and commentary on today’s market, along with more than 1,500 photographs.

“Historians will remain deeply indebted to Rice for his gigantic addition to the field of John F. Kennedy medallic art and related historical memorabilia.” — Dr. Gerald J. Steinberg
Hardcover, 304 Pages, Full Cover, 8.5” X 11”

For 50 years, the Franklin Mint has been producing beautiful collectibles now found in millions of homes across the world. It all started in 1964 when founder Joe Segel minted a silver coin honoring the late General Douglas MacArthur, and soon the company was creating collectible coins, commemorative medals, sparkling pendants, decorative Christmas ornaments and other valuable art. The product line then expanded into entertainment, with breathtaking creations like the Civil War chess set, the “Star Trek” checkers set, a “Gone with the Wind” collector’s plate series, porcelain sculptures, ceramic dolls, jewel-studded knives, die-cast vehicles and more. Take a stroll down memory lane with this beautifully illustrated coffee-table book celebrating the first 50 years of the Franklin Mint!

*11 inches by 14 inches *160 pages *Hardcover *$49.95

In the brand-new Golden Anniversary Edition of Coins and Collectors, Q. David Bowers brings us more than 50 illustrated chapters, telling of famous coins, obscure and mysterious tokens and medals, beautiful paper money, and legendary hoards and collections. A “Collector’s Appendix” gives the market values of the items discussed. Bowers shares the stories behind the popular favorites and modern-day classics. He introduces us to personalities including famous coin designers, unscrupulous Treasury officials, brilliant scholars, Confederate raiders, burlesque dancers, globe-trotting magicians, and dueling numismatists. Coins and Collectors includes interviews, photos, and stories never before seen in print. Order one copy for your own library and another to give to a colleague or family member who relishes American history.

416 Pages - Hardcover - 8.5 X 11 Inches - Illustrated in Full Color

Michael "Miles" Standish, vice president and senior grader of PCGS, presents and engaging history and coin-by-coin study of the famous Morgan silver dollar. Featuring the recollections of legendary dollar dealer John Love, beautiful high-resolution photographs of the Coronet Collection (ranked by PCGS as the "Number One Finest Morgan Dollar Set of All Time"), certified-coin populations, and other valuable contents for collectors, investors, and history buffs alike.

Michael "Miles" Standish, vice president and senior grader of PCGS, presents and engaging history and coin-by-coin study of the famous Morgan silver dollar. Featuring the recollections of legendary dollar dealer John Love, beautiful high-resolution photographs of the Coronet Collection (ranked by PCGS as the "Number One Finest Morgan Dollar Set of All Time"), certified-coin populations, retail prices in multiple grades, and other valuable contents for collectors, investors, and history buffs alike.

• 160 Pages
• Hard Cover
• Full Color
• 8.5" X 11"