Whitman Publishing Releases Expanded New Edition of A Guide Book of Lincoln Cents
(Pelham, Alabama)—Whitman Publishing has released an expanded, updated second edition of its best-selling Guide Book of Lincoln Cents, a popular entry in the Bowers Series of numismatic titles. The book continues in the tradition of the Guide Book of Morgan Silver Dollars and other Bowers Series guides, now numbering more than two dozen volumes. The 320-page full-color book is available online (including at Whitman.com) and from booksellers nationwide for $19.95.
Generations of coin collectors have grown up with the Lincoln cent, America’s longest-running coin series, first minted in 1909. Author Q. David Bowers, the nation’s most widely published numismatic writer, provides a detailed study of this American classic, including history, grading, market values, and more. Lincoln cents are illustrated in full color, with high-resolution enlargements for important doubled dies and other varieties. Mintages, specifications, and retail values in multiple grades (including Brown, Red/Brown, and Red Mint State) add to the book’s reference value. More than 750 photographs illustrate the text.
“Lincoln cents are an evergreen coin series,” said Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker. “They’re fun and easy to collect, but they also offer challenges for the advanced hobbyist. Collectors bought tens of thousands of copies of the first edition of the Guide Book of Lincoln Cents. We know the second edition will be just as popular.”
On the technical and production side, A Guide Book of Lincoln Cents covers die preparation, design modifications, the coining process, distribution, Proofs, mintmarks, doubled dies, and other specialized topics. An appendix by specialist Fred Weinberg discusses errors and misstruck cents.
On the market side, the book explains how to specialize in Lincoln cents, and gives advice on determining authenticity, analyzing color and strike, being a smart buyer, realities of the marketplace, comparative rarities, Full Details, certification, establishing fair market prices, and more.
New to the second edition are full coverage of the 2009 cents minted for the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth; an appendix on pattern cents; an illustrated overview of Abraham Lincoln medals and tokens, based on the research of historian Fred Reed; a study of Lincoln portraiture from the 1800s to date, also based on Reed’s work; and a gallery of alternative 2009 Bicentennial coin designs that were reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. The second edition also has a two-page index, and a new foreword by Joel Iskowitz, who designed the 2009 “Professional Life in Illinois” cent. The book has also been updated with new pricing and research. It is 16 pages longer than the first edition.
“Writing this book has been very enjoyable,” author Dave Bowers said. “It has reinforced my continuous belief that Lincoln cents are among the most fascinating coins in the entire American series.”
ISBN 0794844189
320 pages, full color
By Q. David Bowers; foreword by Joel Iskowitz
$19.95 retail
Whitman Publishing Releases an Overview of So-Called Dollars
(Pelham, Alabama) — The third edition of MEGA RED (the Deluxe Edition of the Guide Book of United States Coins) includes a ten-page full-color appendix on So-Called Dollars, a class of nearly 800 different historical medals, many of them struck by the United States Mint.
The section’s author, Jeff Shevlin, is a specialist in the field. He defines So-Called Dollars as “U.S. medals approximately the size of a silver dollar that were struck to commemorate a historical subject.” He notes that many of the most famous engravers of U.S. coins also engraved So-Called Dollars, including William and Charles Barber, George T. Morgan, and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. “Some of the designs and artwork on these pieces match or surpass these artists’ other work in coin and medal design,” Shevlin writes.
The medals are known as So-Called Dollars because their sizes typically range between 33 and 45 mm in diameter, similar to the silver dollar’s 38.1 mm. They were minted in many compositions and alloys, including gold, silver, copper, bronze, brass, aluminum, nickel, white metal, German silver, and gutta-percha. When composition is considered, there are more than 1,500 varieties to collect.
Shevlin writes that approximately half of So-Called Dollars were made to celebrate fairs and expositions (such as the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, held in Chicago), and the other half to commemorate a broad range of subjects. The completion of the Erie Canal in 1826 and the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, the centennial of the Pony Express in 1961, famous Americans, military battles, and hundreds of other local, regional, and national subjects have been remembered with So-Called Dollars.
For collectors, Shevlin explores ways to assemble a specialized collection of So-Called Dollars. “Some collectors aspire to collect the entire series, and some collect specific metal compositions,” he writes. “Many collectors have an interest in one or more of the major expositions or other significant events in U.S. history. . . . Some collect medals from local or regional areas, while others have an interest in those with a U.S. Mint relationship, which includes a broad area of different designs.” He gives examples of military medals and other popular categories.
He also lays out a rarity-rating scale, ranging from R-10 (unique) to R-1 (more than 5,000 known), and notes that hundreds of So-Called Dollars can be collected for $25 to $75 each in Mint State. “One of the most common So-Called Dollars is the 1931 McCormick Reaper Centennial Dollar, of which there were possibly as many as 5,000 struck,” Shevlin writes. “Compare that to the 1909-S V.D.B. Lincoln cent, of which 484,000 were minted. While the Lincoln cent in MS-63 would sell for $1,500, the McCormick Reaper in the same grade sells for around $20 despite being 100 times rarer.” He notes that many highly desired rare varieties from the 1800s are beautiful pieces of art, struck in bronze and with high relief: “At the upper end of the So-Called Dollar market—those that sell for $1,000 or more—collectors are treated to exceptionally rare and significant pieces.”
Shevlin catalogs more than 80 individual varieties in a richly illustrated overview that includes history, photographs, and valuations in up to six grades from Very Fine to Mint State–65, plus Proofs. He starts with the 1853 Crystal Palace medal and concludes with the 1960 Boy Scouts of America 50th-Anniversary Jamboree medal.
The third edition of the 1,504-page MEGA RED officially debuted at the Whitman Coin and Collectibles Baltimore Expo, March 30, 2017. The book retails for $49.95 and is available online (including at Whitman.com) and from booksellers and hobby shops nationwide. Because Whitman Publishing is the Official Supplier of the ANA, Association members receive a 10% discount off all purchases.
ISBN 0794845096
1,504 pages, full color
By R.S. Yeoman; senior editor Kenneth Bressett; research editor Q. David Bowers;
valuations editor Jeff Garrett
$49.95 retail
About Whitman Publishing
Whitman Publishing is the world’s leading producer of numismatic reference books, supplies, and products to display and store coins and paper money. The company’s high-quality books educate readers in the rich, colorful history of American and world coinage and currency, and teach how to build great a collection. Archival-quality Whitman folders, albums, cases, and other holders keep collectibles safe and allow them to be shown off to friends and family.
Whitman Publishing is the Official Supplier of the American Numismatic Association. As a benefit of membership in the ANA, members can borrow MEGA RED (and other Whitman books) for free from the Association’s library, and also receive 10% off all Whitman purchases. Details are at www.money.org.
United States Mint Joins National Park Service on “Island of Hope” to Release Newest Quarter
JERSEY CITY, NJ – The United States Mint (Mint) and the National Park Service today launched the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program New Jersey quarter honoring Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants seeking new opportunities and experiences in America.
The quarter’s reverse design depicts an immigrant family approaching Ellis Island with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. The hospital building on the New Jersey portion of Ellis Island is visible in the background.
“This new coin not only honors the unique history of the largest and most active immigration station in the United States, but also the spirit and determination of the millions of people seeking a better life in America,” said Todd Baldau, senior advisor to the Acting Deputy Director of the Mint.
Additional participants in the celebration included Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Deputy Superintendent John Hnedak, who read a letter from New Jersey governor Chris Christie; Projects Director Zach McCue, who represented U.S. Senator Cory Booker; Communications Director Erica Daughtrey, who represented U.S. Congressman Albio Sires; and Janis Calella, president of Save Ellis Island, Inc. Barbara Fox, designer of the Ellis Island quarter reverse, was recognized during the ceremony.
“It’s incredibly fitting that the State of New Jersey chose Ellis Island for inclusion in the United States Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program,” said Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “The National Park Service is a proud steward of this remarkable landmark that tells an important story about what it means to be an American and our history as a beacon of liberty to the world.”
After the ceremony, the Mint held its customary coin exchange where attendees traded cash for $10 rolls of newly-minted Ellis Island quarters. Product options containing the new quarter may be purchased directly from the Mint via its online catalog at www.catalog.usmint.gov or by calling 1-800 -USA-MINT (872-6468).
From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island processed 12 million immigrants. On average, the inspection process took approximately three to seven hours per person. Approximately 1.25 million hopeful immigrants spent anywhere from a few days to a few months in the hospital complex before being allowed to settle in America. It was here that they received their first impression of the United States from the care and compassion that was extended to them by the staff at the Ellis Island immigrant hospital.
Save Ellis Island, Inc., is the official partner of the National Park Service in the effort to preserve the hospital complex on Ellis Island. Its goal is to ensure that the contributions, values, concepts, discoveries, and stories of Ellis Island are reinvigorated and remembered.
The Ellis Island quarter is the 39th release in the Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program, a 12-year program that honors 56 national parks and other national sites authorized by Public Law 110-456, the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 (Act). Each year, the public will see five new national sites depicted on the reverses (tails sides) of the America the Beautiful Quarters coins. In accordance with the Act, the Mint is issuing these quarters in the order in which the national sites were officially established.
2017 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin™– Ellis Island Available on September 7
WASHINGTON – The United States Mint will begin accepting orders for the 2017 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin honoring Ellis Island (product code 17AM) on September 7 at noon Eastern Time (ET).
The reverse (tails) design depicts an immigrant family approaching Ellis Island with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. The hospital building can be seen in the background. Inscriptions are “ELLIS ISLAND,” “NEW JERSEY,” “2017,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins are struck in .999 fine silver and display the “P” mint mark indicating production at the Philadelphia Mint. Each coin is encapsulated and placed in an attractive presentation case. A Certificate of Authenticity is included.
The America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin™ honoring Ellis Island is priced at $149.95. As with all products sold by the United States Mint containing precious metals, this price is subject to change.
Orders will be accepted at www.catalog.usmint.gov and at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order at 1-888-321-MINT. Information about shipping options is available online.
The current authorized mintage limit for both numismatic and bullion 2017 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Coins for Ellis Island is 150,000 units. An announced maximum potential mintage limit of 25,000 coins has been set for the America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin-Ellis Island. However, based on demand, the United States Mint may mint and issue more than 125,000 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Ellis Island Silver Bullion Coins so long as it does not exceed the 150,000 coin limit.
Donn Pearlman named NLG Acting Executive Director
The Board of Directors of the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) www.NLGonline.org, a nonprofit organization composed of over 400 writers, editors, authors and content producers, has selected award-winning author, journalist and former CBS broadcaster Donn Pearlman of Las Vegas, Nevada to be its Acting Executive Director. He succeeds legendary journalist Ed Reiter of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania who served as NLG Executive Director from 1990 until his death this past August 24, 2017.
Since its founding in 1968, the NLG has promoted numismatic education and recognizes outstanding achievements in numismatic journalism, books, newsletters and auction catalogs. The organization conducts an annual symposium, as well as a dinner and awards ceremony, “The Bash,” at the American Numismatic Association (ANA) World’s Fair of Money® convention.
Pearlman is a longtime stalwart of the organization, having served as an NLG director for various terms since the 1980s, and from 1978 through 1989 served as emcee and organizer of its annual Bashes. He has continued through the decades to also serve NLG as a judge, member sponsor and awards presenter.
“I am honored to be selected by the NLG Board. Ed Reiter was a long-time friend and a respected leader in the numismatic community,” said Pearlman who is president of Donn Pearlman & Associates Public Relations in Las Vegas.
Pearlman has written hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles and columns promoting the numismatic hobby and profession, and was a columnist for years in The Numismatist magazine, official publication of ANA. He is the author of books on broadcasting, baseball cards and coins.
Pearlman received the NLG’s highest honor, the Clemy, in 1984, and was recipient of the ANA’s highest honor, the Farran Zerbe Award, in 2015.
Other honors the incoming Acting Executive Director received include the 2017 Burnett Anderson Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing, presented jointly by the ANA, American Numismatic Society and the NLG; the Professional Numismatists Guild’s Art Kagin Ambassador Award (2011), Significant Contribution Award (2005) and Sol Kaplan Award (1977); ANA Glenn Smedley Award (1993) and Medal of Merit (1996). He also served two terms as an ANA Governor, 1989 to 1993.
In the late 1970s to mid-1980s Pearlman was producer and narrator of a weekly series of numismatic-related educational programs for CBS Radio. He also was the script writer for the acclaimed, joint PNG-ANA 1995 video documentary, Money: History in Your Hands, narrated by actor James Earl Jones.
“I first learned of the NLG in 1977 when I attended my first ANA convention. NLG founding Executive Director Lee Martin invited me to join, and I promptly did. When I returned home, Lee told me that I was named the master of ceremonies of the next year’s Bash. I happily remained MC for about a decade,” recalled Pearlman.
Membership in the Numismatic Literary Guild is open to authors of numismatic books; publishers and editors of recognized numismatic periodicals or club publications in the numismatic field; staff writers or columnists of such periodicals; writers whose work has been published in such periodicals or club journals; published research numismatists; auction catalogers; curators of recognized numismatic museums; broadcasters and numismatic online content producers, and others deemed worthy by the NLG Membership Committee.
A membership application is available online at https://www.NLGonline.org/NLG_Member_Form.pdf.
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