There is one reference book that most coin collectors will not do without and the newest edition is now available. The Official Red Book® – A Guide Book of United States Coins appears in its 66th edition with the 2013-dated release which may be ordered directly from the issuer, Whitman Publishing (www.whitmanbooks.com).
The 2013 Red Book of U.S. Coins expands on an already impressive knowledge base offered in previous issues. Information contained in the book not only helps individuals identify U.S. coins in their possession but also offers an estimate of their values based on condition.
Coin values are the largest portion of the book with the newest edition offering "7,045 entries in up to nine grades each with more than 32,000 valuations," according to Whitman. But that is not the only reason to obtain one of these helpful guides as it covers the gamut of American coinage.
"The 2013 edition of the Red Book covers the history of colonial and early American coins; official federal issues from half cents through silver dollars and gold coins; classic and modern commemoratives; Proof and Mint sets; error coins; Civil War tokens; pioneer (territorial) gold; every state and territorial quarter, plus the new National Park quarters; all of the presidential and Native American dollars; and more," explains Whitman Publishing about the newest Red Book release.
The 2013 hardcover version is 448 pages long as it has been expanded 16 pages. It also includes 1,974 full-color photographs which are instrumental in coin identification.
R.S. Yeoman founded the reference book in the mid-1940’s. An essay in the 66th edition entitled "Coin Collecting Yesterday and Today" describes the hobby from the days of the first issue through the present.
Whitman Publishing offers the Red Book in several different formats including a large print edition and a leather-bound limited edition autographed by longtime senior editor Kenneth Bressett. Whitman is offering free shipping on any Red Book order through April 17.
As of this writing, the 2013 Red Book of U.S. Coins is available in these formats and prices:
- Hardcover – $16.95
- Spiral – $14.95
- Hidden Spiral – $19.95
- Large Print – $29.95
The 66th edition will be available through bookstores and hobby shops nationwide beginning on April 10, the same day Whitman begins shipping orders it received online.
