BOOK REVIEW: THE BANKNOTE BOOK

Linzmayer, Owen W. The Banknote Book. www.banknotebook.com

For the past few years, Owen Linzmayer, a past editor of the IBNS Journal, has been working on an electronic book called The Banknote Book. Like most of us, Owen had been using Krause's Standard Catalog of World Paper Money (SCWPM) and found it wanting in some areas, particularly when it came to images. That is when he decided to tackle the huge undertaking of putting together a new world catalogue that would meet the needs of bank-note collectors, beginners and advanced alike.

He has been doing so one step at a time, or more precisely, one chapter (country) at a time. Thus far, he has completed 111 chapters, that is over 1000 pages containing more than 1400 notes and 8300 types and varieties. Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-colour images, and accurate valuations, as well as:

• Sharp colour images of note's front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety is assigned an individual sub-number
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight notes missing in the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Since it is an electronic book available for download from the website, collectors can buy the chapters individually. The price varies according to the size of the chapter.

My rating: 5/5, but you don't have to take my word for it, download the free sample from the web site, you'll see.

For more information about Moneta and the Ottawa Numismatic Society, see: ons-sno.ca

Wayne Homren, Editor

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web