An expert guide to coin history and collecting, with a countryby-country directory of classic examples.

Encyclopaedias & Reference Works.

In A Guide Book of Franklin and Kennedy Half Dollars, Tomaska explores the rationales behind the coins' values, and gives added commentary on exceptional and highly toned specimens. Along the way, he explores transitions in Mint craftsmanship and reveals why Franklin and Kennedy half dollars represent the end of an era. Study the histories of these coins and of the statesmen they commemorate. Explore how Proof coins are made. Learn the inside story on how Proofs are graded. Enjoy the detailed, illustrated guide to "Full Bell Lines" Franklin halves.

The award-winning title has now been revised to offer the most up-to-date information and consumer protection advice available.

A guide to coin collecting for beginners. Everything from buying tips to coin storage. This title will cover all the basics that beginning collectors need to know.

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 into the late 1850s. 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. Bowersthe "Dean of American Numismatics" and the most prolific numismatic author of all timetells 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 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' engaging style make this book a treat for anyone interested in our nation's early history.