BOOK REVIEW: CHERRYPICKERS’ GUIDE TO RARE DIE VARIETIES OF UNITED STATES COINS

The Cherrypicker’s Guide has grown over the years into two volumes, the latest issue is the Fifth Edition, Volume II. This contains information on varieties of coins starting with Half Dimes thru Dollar coinage and includes Gold, Commemoratives and Bullion issues.

Anyone who collects varieties of the above coinage has been anxiously awaiting this publication. This volume sets the tone for collecting unusual varieties, because if a new coin is worthy of listing in this book then it is worth saving. The new edition does not disappoint, it includes new varieties that either did not exist or were not discovered since the last edition. It also has added some varieties that were not listed previously and can now be considered worthy of collecting.

As has been the standard of this book it includes excellent photographs of the coins selected for inclusion making it easy for both veteran and new collectors to identify the varieties listed.

There are three titles that are essential to current collectors of U.S. coins: The Guide Book of United States Coins (The Red Book), Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of Colonial and United States Coins and the Cherrypickers’ Guide. Most of the questions a collector has about American coins can be answered by these books. If you are a specialist then a reference to your field of interest can be found in these books.

The first two titles try to explain information, attempting to be complete without going into extreme detail since they are for everyone and try to include all that is generally collected. The Cherrypicker’s Guide does it differently - it only lists varieties of coins that need some examination to identify and are worth your attention to find.

The Cherrypicker’s Guide once again makes coin collecting fun by making it possible to find noteworthy and valuable coins in change and in rolls of coins, thus bringing the adventure of collecting back to the young and curious next generation of collectors.

The Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties of United States Coins, fifth edition, volume II
By Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton; edited by Ken Potter; forewords by Q. David Bowers and Kenneth Bressett

ISBN 079483239-3
Spiralbound hardcover
512 pages
Retail $39.95

For more information, or to order, see: www.whitmanbooks.com/Default.aspx?Page=81&ProductID=0794832393

Wayne Homren, Editor

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