BOOK REVIEW: UNITED STATES PROOF COINS, 1936-1942

Roger Burdette’s United States Proof Coins, 1936-1942

As a young reader of the Guide Book in the 1970s, I was mystified by the lack of United States proof coinage after 1915. Roger W. Burdette explains all that and more in his latest work, United States Proof Coins 1936-1942. The reasons for suspending proof coinage (increased workload, collector complaints, cost of manufacture) today read like bureaucratic excuses, and the story of their reintroduction in 1936 is actually more compelling.

After 20 years, there was little practical knowledge remaining with respect to coining proofs, and workers struggled with the initial issues. Burdette capably documents the manufacturing variability throughout the series. The result is a collector’s guide that not only details the varieties in the series, but explains the why of the physical evolution. Altogether, the work synthesizes Burdette’s usual thorough scouring of the archives with examination of actual coins – the definition of true numismatics. The book is shipped along with a digital copy on CD, which provides readers a portable copy to read at leisure, or use for search purposes.

With permission of the author, United States Proof Coins, 1936-1942 is indexed on the Newman Portal, and brief “snippets” will appear in response to matching searches. Readers are then pointed to ordering information for the book. We encourage all authors to consider placing their newly published works on the Newman Portal in this way. Search terms in this particular case include “starburst effects” or “1937 proof dimes”.

Ordering information for United States Proofs Coins, 1936-1942:
http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/united-states-proof-coins-1936-1942-eightieth-anniversary-edition

Newman Portal search results for “starburst effects”:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/searchwithterms?searchterm=starburst%20effects

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NEW BOOK: UNITED STATES PROOF COINS 1936-1942 (www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n16a05.html)

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