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.

George T. Morgan was an artist - a sculptor and coin designer - in the late 1800's and early 1900's. One of his most famous works of art is instantly recognizable as an American classic: the Morgan silver dollar, minted in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Carson City, Denver, and San Francisco from the 1870's until 1921.

Today most collectors know Morgan as the father of this legendary silver coin. Specialists are familiar with his designs for commemoratives and medals, and his significant work in U.S. pattern coins.

But who exactly was George T. Morgan?

Karen M. Lee, a curator of the National Numismatic Collection housed at the National Museum of American History, finally answers that intriguing question. Introducing Morgan's never-before-published personal sketchbook, and with unique access to family photographs and documents, Lee reveals the man behind the coins.

This amazing new work, The Private Sketchbook of George T. Morgan, is an eye-opening immersion into the designer's "life of art and labor." Central to this beautifully illustrated volume are 80 pages of Morgan's personal and professional sketchbook - the entirety of the creative journal that he carried from his native England to the United States in the 1870's - which is one of the treasures of the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection. Morgan worked out his designs in this book not over weeks or months, not even simply for a few years, but over the course of nearly two decades. The sketchbook could easily have been lost to history over the nearly 100 years since Morgan died in 1925. Now brought to light for the first time, it shows us the creative process of one of America's unsung artistic geniuses.

Contents included:

• a foreword by Dr. Richard Doty, senior curator of the National Numismatic Collection
• an in-depth historical background on George Morgan's life
• family photographs, personal letters, and documents
• behind-the-scenes correspondence from the U.S. Mint and Britain's Royal Mint
• analysis and interpretation of Morgan's drawings
• never-before-published images
• an illustrated catalog of Morgan's American numismatic works
• an appendix of primary-source documents

Limited Edition Autographed Copy

George T. Morgan was an artist - a sculptor and coin designer - in the late 1800's and early 1900's. One of his most famous works of art is instantly recognizable as an American classic: the Morgan silver dollar, minted in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Carson City, Denver, and San Francisco from the 1870's until 1921.

Today most collectors know Morgan as the father of this legendary silver coin. Specialists are familiar with his designs for commemoratives and medals, and his significant work in U.S. pattern coins.

But who exactly was George T. Morgan?

Karen M. Lee, a curator of the National Numismatic Collection housed at the National Museum of American History, finally answers that intriguing question. Introducing Morgan's never-before-published personal sketchbook, and with unique access to family photographs and documents, Lee reveals the man behind the coins.

This amazing new work, The Private Sketchbook of George T. Morgan, is an eye-opening immersion into the designer's "life of art and labor." Central to this beautifully illustrated volume are 80 pages of Morgan's personal and professional sketchbook - the entirety of the creative journal that he carried from his native England to the United States in the 1870's - which is one of the treasures of the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection. Morgan worked out his designs in this book not over weeks or months, not even simply for a few years, but over the course of nearly two decades. The sketchbook could easily have been lost to history over the nearly 100 years since Morgan died in 1925. Now brought to light for the first time, it shows us the creative process of one of America's unsung artistic geniuses.

Contents included:

• a foreword by Dr. Richard Doty, senior curator of the National Numismatic Collection
• an in-depth historical background on George Morgan's life
• family photographs, personal letters, and documents
• behind-the-scenes correspondence from the U.S. Mint and Britain's Royal Mint
• analysis and interpretation of Morgan's drawings
• never-before-published images
• an illustrated catalog of Morgan's American numismatic works
• an appendix of primary-source documents

Money and coins are mentioned many times, and in many places, in the Bible. No fewer than 16 of the 40 parables preached by Jesus mention coins or money. To the casual reader, these might sound like abstract or symbolic references, but to numismatists, they tell stories with deep significance. Coins give us a running commentary on biblical events in a way that no other artifacts can supply.

What did the actual 30 pieces of silver-the money given to Judas for his betrayal-look like? Were they real coins, like the ones we use today? What were they worth in purchasing power? How could they possibly be compared to the value of such a precious life? What about the Widow's Mites-two tiny coins that offered a profound lesson in giving-what did they look like? Or the Tribute Penny so famously "rendered unto Caesar"? What kind of money did the Good Samaritan pay to the innkeeper? And why would a woman rejoice with her friends when she found a lost drachma?

In Money of the Bible, these and similar questions are answered by one of the most famous numismatic researchers of our time. Through Kenneth Bressett's fascinating study, we gain a better understanding of ancient customs and the truth in the words of the Bible.

The Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins By Q. David Bowers Foreword by Kenneth Bressett

From Q. David Bowers comes a book so comprehensive and authoritative that only the “Dean of American Numismatics” could have created it! Drawing on the expertise of dozens of specialists from around the world, plus Bowers’s own vast knowledge of the subject, the Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins includes:

Chapter 1: Money in Early America

Chapter 2: Minting and Distribution

Chapter 3: Collecting Colonial Coins

Chapter 4: How to Use This Book

Chapter 5: Silver Coins of Massachusetts

Chapter 6: British Coins and Tokens for America, Early Issues

Chapter 7: American Coins and Tokens from 1783 to 1788

Chapter 8: Other Early American Pieces

Chapter 9: European Coins and Tokens for America, Later Issues

Chapter 10: Early Washington Coins and Tokens

Chapter 11: Unrelated Foreign Coins

Chapter 12: 19th Century Colonial Copies and Fantasies

Selected Bibliography

Index

This is the new definitive reference on colonial and early American coins and tokens, and related issues.

“I think we finally have something that will replace S.S. Crosby’s Early American Coins—in spades!” —George Fuld, numismatic researcher and author

“The Whitman Encyclopedia is a wonderful, and much needed, platform for encouraging the historical research of our colonial time period.” —Ray Williams, president of the Colonial Coin Collectors Club

• 352 pages • Hardcover • 8.5 x 11 inches • Full color • Illustrated with hundreds of detailed photographs • Retail $49.95

By Fred Reed with Foreword by Q. David Bowers.

Look Inside!

Nearly 150 years after his death, Abraham Lincoln consistently ranks at or near the top of every poll of America’s best, most admired, or most popular president ever. In 2009, for Lincoln’s 200th birthday, Whitman Publishing debuted Fred Reed’s outstanding work, Abraham Lincoln: The Image of His Greatness. Beautifully illustrated in full color, with hundreds of private and public images, Reed explored the popular depiction of Lincoln as “ideal, idol, and icon.” He showed the martyred president on coins, tokens, medals, postage stamps, and paper money—and also in oil paintings, magazine covers, popular advertisements, political cartoons, and other diverse media.

This groundbreaking book won three national awards and was distributed in bookstores across the country. Now, in 2012, comes the follow-up—Abraham Lincoln: Beyond the American Icon. Bigger, with more pages, and even more images (1,400-plus), plus more award-winning analysis and commentary. This new book promises to be another best-seller and newsmaker!

Hardcover, 8.5x11, Full Color, 464 pages

By Fred L. Reed III. Nearly 150 years after his death, Abraham Lincoln consistently ranks at or near the top of every poll of America's best, most admired, or most popular president ever. This year marks the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth. His name and image will continuously be in the public spotlight for most of the next decade. The U.S. Mint will issue four new Lincoln cent designs in 2009. A yearlong celebration has been organized and supported by the congressionally established Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. In the midst of all the excitement and commemoration debuts Fred Reed's outstanding new work, Abraham Lincoln: The Image of His Greatness. Beautifully illustrated in full color, with hundreds of private and public images, Reed's book explores the popular depiction of Lincoln as "ideal, idol, and icon." The martyred president is seen on coins, tokens, medals, postage stamps, and paper money - and also in oil paintings, magazine covers, popular advertisements, political cartoons, and other diverse media. Hardcover, 8.5 x 11 inches, Full Color, 288 Pages.

Frank H. Stewart is both the hero and the villain in this remarkable tale ripped from the headlines of early 20th-century Philadelphia. He was a high-school dropout who wrote the definitive history of our nation’s first coin factory. He was no art connoisseur, and yet he commissioned unforgettable paintings of the first U.S. Mint, by famous artists. A poor boy made good, Stewart bought the old Mint, labored to preserve it, and failed in the most dramatic way possible. Could his later acts of commemoration redeem his failures in preservation? The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint tells, for the first time, the full story of the paradoxical Frank H. Stewart and his self-appointed life’s mission to celebrate an irreplaceable slice of our nation’s heritage. It is a tour-de-force work of scholarship that sets straight longmisunderstood Mint history. This groundbreaking new book by award-winning authors Joel Orosz and Leonard Augsburger is filled with dozens of sketches, paintings, and photographs of the first Mint that have been preserved in archival collections for decades, and have not been seen by living numismatists until now. 336 Pages, Full Color, Hardcover.

A Chronicle of American Numismatic History. By Richard Doty, foreword by Q. David Bowers.

When you learn about the money of the United States of America, you learn the story of how our nation came to be...and catch a glimpse of where it's headed. This is a book for everyone who loves the drama, romance, and exciting twists and turns of American history - from the preEuropean days of beaver-pelt money to today's world of gold bullion and Presidential dollars. (Includes many photographs from the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection.) Illustrated, 224 Pages. Hardcover.

Starting in 2010 and running through the year 2021, we Americans are enjoying an exciting new coinage program—one that honors national parks and sites in each of the fifty states, plus our five territories and the District of Columbia. These new quarter dollars follow the popular state and territorial quarters of 1999–2009, which introduced millions of Americans to the joys of coin collecting. Now, in this new book by Aaron J. McKeon, you’ll marvel at awe-inspiring panoramic photographs and stories about each site honored in the new coin series. You’ll also learn about the quarters themselves—how their designs are chosen, how they go from sketch to final layout, a gallery of the program’s first coins, and more. “Many people who would not have looked twice at their pocket change will become interested in coin collecting because of this U.S. Mint program,” writes McKeon. “They will be hooked by the history, artistry, culture, and friendships that the hobby offers.” Hardcover, 144 pages, 8.5 x 11, full color. By Aaron J. McKeon; foreword by Kenneth Bressett.

Numismatic Art in America - Aesthetics of the United States Coinage, by Cornelius Vermeule.
The coinage of the United States has no modern rival in aesthetic richness. Our numismatic heritage includes such masterpieces as the primitively beautiful coins of the struggling young republic, the dignified Neoclassic designs that dominated the 19th century, magnificent medals by the leading sculptors of the early 1900s, and remarkable commemorative coins of yesterday and today. By exploring America's numismatic art, Cornelius Vermeule offers new understanding of the shaping of the nation, and brings new respect to our least understood art form. Hardcover, 320 pages, More than 400 full-color illustrations.

Milestone Coins shares the interesting stories behind more than 100 famous coins and tokens, as told by the award-winning author and longtime editior of the Guide Book of United States Coins (the best-selling "Red Book"). In ten chapters Ken Bressett covers the breadth of civilization as seen in coinage - exploring every time period and geographical area from ancient Greece to modern America. Hardcover, 176 Pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, Fully Illustrated in Color. Bressett.

Noted numismatists Ron Guth and Jeff Garrett have created a definitive work of American history. United States Coinage: A Study by Type invites the reader to peer into the heart and soul of America-to view snapshots of the life and ideals of its people-by examining the coins the nation has produced since 1792. Inside this hard cover book, you'll see the simple beginnings of the United States Mint, the growth and maturation of the nation during the 1800's, the staid designs of coins of the Industrial Era, the glory and excess of the early 1900's, and the hero-worship of recent years. Completely illustrated with full-color photos. Hardcover. 192 pages.

In the best-selling Grading Coins by Photographs, Q. David Bowers has crafted a unique combination of step-by-step grading instructions for every federal coinage series from half cents to double eagles, plus information on the history and importance of grading; expert grading techniques; understanding the surfaces of coins; and smart grading and buying. His insightful text is combined with enlarged high-resolution color photographs for each grade, plus Proofs. The updated 2nd edition includes new photographs and fresh insight on today’s grading standards.

384 pages, 6 x 9 inches, Spiralbound softcover, Illustrated in full color, Copyright 2012 $19.95

Now, for the first time, in full color! The updated and revised seventh edition of this comprehensive guide spells out the official American Numismatic Association grading standards for each United States coinage series. Every coin minted since 1793, from half cents to gold double eagles to commemoratives, is studied in 384 pages of easy-to-follow text and photographs.

• Convenient spiralbound hardcover binding.
• Every standard grade is illustrated and described in detail.
• Text descriptions of 30 levels pinpoint grades from Poor to Mint State.
• High-resolution photographs illustrate exactly what to look for.
• All eleven Mint State levels are discussed in detail.
• Now in full color, from cover to cover.
• The only grading guide sponsored and endorsed by the American Numismatic Association.

The Official American Numismatic Association Grading Standards for United States Coins, seventh edition, is an indispensable aid to properly grading U.S. coins—the very foundation of smart buying, selling, and collecting.

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.

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.

This book is a comprehensive insider's look at not only rare coins, but also tokens, medals, and paper money. At 34 chapters and nearly 700 pages, it covers everything from grading to determining values to techniques of smart auction bidding.
More than 1,300 photographs and illustrations, both black and white and in full-color galleries, complement the text, showing the people, places, and coins described. Bowers' engaging case studies, strategies, and insider tips make the book an invaluable "how to" for today's marketplace. Chapters are devoted to copper, nickel, silver, and gold coins; dynamics of the coin market; fads, trends, cycles, and predictions; conserving and protecting your collection; how to be a smart seller; and more. Paperback

This hardcover book is a comprehensive insider's look at not only rare coins, but also tokens, medals, and paper money. At 34 chapters and nearly 700 pages, it covers everything from grading to determining values to techniques of smart auction bidding.
More than 1,300 photographs and illustrations, both black and white and in full-color galleries, complement the text, showing the people, places, and coins described. Bowers' engaging case studies, strategies, and insider tips make the book an invaluable "how to" for today's marketplace. Chapters are devoted to copper, nickel, silver, and gold coins; dynamics of the coin market; fads, trends, cycles, and predictions; conserving and protecting your collection; how to be a smart seller; and more. Hardcover.

This is an up-to-date, comprehensive guide that explains everything a new collector needs to know. You will learn about getting started in the hobby, mint marks, varieties, and what makes a coin valuable. It also contains information on how to care for your collection, grading, where to find valuable coins and how to identify counterfeit and altered coins. Kenneth Bressett. Softcover

Now in its fifth edition, Coins: Questions and Answers provides detailed answers to hundreds of the most commonly asked questions about the world of money, giving readers a feel for the historical significance of coins - and covering challenging, interesting subjects that have puzzled collectors for decades. Filled with hundreds of photographs, the book answers questions about U.S. coins and paper money; Canadian, Mexican, and other world coins; tokens and medals; error coins; Confederate money; commemorative coins; collecting and investing; gold, silver, copper, nickel, and more. Softcover, 353 pages. Extensively illustrated. By Clifford Mishler.

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

In the third 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 facinating stories that everybody wants one. By Jeff Garrett. Hardcover, 144 Full Color Pages, Metallic-Foil Cover.

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.