Whitman albumns, Red book, Blue book?

[hokiemojo]

Hello Everyone,
Thanks for the good advice so far related to my previous questions. As I've mentioned before I've been through about $150 FV of cents and $200 FV of halves (although I think I'm going to let this go because of the headache of dumping coins). I mostly started doing this to cull copper and find interesting coins. Only problem is, I don't know much about coins or know anyone who does. For example, I was excited to have found an erro half dollar (it had an imprinted rink around it near the edge) until I found two more and figured out it was probably from a wrapping machine. lol.

Anyway, I'm thinking that to take things to the next level, I should look into a few minor purchases. I was thinking of getting some albumns to fill (currently cents and in the future, maybe try for dimes and nickels). Do you guys have any advice around the Whitman books I see for sale at amazon? Do any of you keep them?

Furthermore, I'd like to know more about what to be on the lookout for. I see there are two "handbooks of US coins". The red book and the bluebook. Would those be worth the purchase, or maybe just one? It sounds like they are basically pricing guides and I'd love rough estimates of values to differentiate a $.03 penny from a $5.00 penny, but do they also tell you what to be on the lookout for? Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

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[The_EE]

Hello Everyone,
Thanks for the good advice so far related to my previous questions. As I've mentioned before I've been through about $150 FV of cents and $200 FV of halves (although I think I'm going to let this go because of the headache of dumping coins). I mostly started doing this to cull copper and find interesting coins. Only problem is, I don't know much about coins or know anyone who does. For example, I was excited to have found an erro half dollar (it had an imprinted rink around it near the edge) until I found two more and figured out it was probably from a wrapping machine. lol.

Anyway, I'm thinking that to take things to the next level, I should look into a few minor purchases. I was thinking of getting some albumns to fill (currently cents and in the future, maybe try for dimes and nickels). Do you guys have any advice around the Whitman books I see for sale at amazon? Do any of you keep them?

Furthermore, I'd like to know more about what to be on the lookout for. I see there are two "handbooks of US coins". The red book and the bluebook. Would those be worth the purchase, or maybe just one? It sounds like they are basically pricing guides and I'd love rough estimates of values to differentiate a $.03 penny from a $5.00 penny, but do they also tell you what to be on the lookout for? Thanks for any help you can provide!

You can always use http://www.pcgs.com/prices/

As for the books, I dont use them. I have a couple I got with Estate collections I purchased but I emptied them out and stuck the contents into rolls as they were all non key dates. I may go back and fill them in the future. I only have Merc and Silver FDR Dime books.

 

[usandthem]

Don't get the Whitman albums. They damage the coins. Get the Dansco albums. They cost more but they're worth it. I also suggest that you get a Redbook to start with. Good luck.

 

[Bigheed]

Agreed, I just ordered a full set of Dansco books for halves, pricey but quality made and won't damage the coins.

 

[Diver_Down]

The Redbook and the Bluebook are one in the same. The only difference is the value charts. RedBook will give you retail prices (approx.). BlueBook will give you prices what you might expect a dealer to pay. I think the RedBook is the better option as if you sell on eBay or to another collector, then it will give you an idea what to realize in such transactions. Also, the RedBook gives a quick introduction on each type along with grading standards. It is very educational for someone starting out. If you are into errors/varieties, the Cherrypickers Guide is a must.

Like others said, don't bother with Whitman books.

 

[fistfulladirt]

I once bought a silver rosie set off ebay when silver was cheap...every coin inside was tarnished and ruined, an older Whitman folder. Yuck!

 

[TheRockDoc]

My advice would be to decide on what album you are going to buy, and then buy used. Or at least shop around to find the best price. Those books (especially the good ones, are surprisingly expensive to buy. You can always buy them used though, from coin show, coin shops etc.... I got one (The good one, Im pretty sure DANSCO-its the one that protects the coin on both sides, with a plastic strip, allowing you to be able to see both sides of the coin. ) I got it for 9 bucks at a local coin show.

the other thing, is relax a little... There are sooooo many errors/varieties and just things to look out for over all, that even a seasoned vet will miss things guaranteed. So, learn it step by step, and you will start building a knowledge base.. I am amazed at what I have learned in less than a year. The crazy part is, the more you learn about it, the more you realize how much there is to learn about coin collecting, it is a "universe" of information and then some....

Good luck.

 

[Generic_Lad]

Like others have mentioned, don't get a Whitman folder, get a Dansco. Though, personally I use just 2x2 cardboard flips for my better grade coins and just stick my things only worth scrap in rolls. And mylar flips for my ancient/medieval coins.

As for books, if you want to collect US coins, the Red Book is quite valuable. If you don't want to pay $15 for a book, consider going to large booksellers such as Barnes and Noble and picking up the older year on sale. Last year I picked up a large print version of the Red Book (2010) for about $6 that I keep as a spare in my car.

The Blue Book is useful in seeing what you might get from a dealer, but a lot of what dealers will pay is based on dealer preference rather than what the Blue Book says, so I'd go for the Red Book first.

If you want to seriously collect US coins, it might be well worth your time to get the Cherrypicker's guide like what other posters have suggested. But, if you just want to go for a date/mintmark run and don't care about minor varieties (repunched mintmarks, etc.) then it might not be the book you need. If you do decide to go for the Cherrypicker's guide and collect minor varieties, a high powered loupe is a must. It also would help to have an accurate scale to check for planchet irregularities.

Of course, at the end of the day it just comes down to preference. I've met collectors that are perfectly happy to simply go through pocket change and fill the old Whitman folder they've had since the 70s. I've met collectors who try to collect every minor variety of a certain denomination. Still I've met others with no particular pattern to their collection. I've still met others who only collect high grade slabbed coins and would be embarrassed to own a coin in less than AU condition. Others are proud of coins that would only grade AG-3 at best.

In the end, who is right? All of them because they are all collecting what they enjoy. Don't be forced into a mold just because other people collect a certain way. Collect how YOU want to and you will be happy. That's the great thing about collecting, none of us has to have the same collection or same collecting patterns .

 

[usandthem]

^ Great post.

 

[hokiemojo]

This was great advice everyone and i really appreciate it. I think at this point it would be a total waste to buy the more costly folders because i only have a few coins i could put in and I don't think any qualify as key dates and only one or two qualify as semi key. I'll probably keep them seperate (avoiding whitman) until i gather up enough.

I guess I'll start with the red book and follow up with the cherry pickers guide soon after just to have some frame of reference. Thanks guys!

 

[GEOFF]

I once bought a silver rosie set off ebay when silver was cheap...every coin inside was tarnished and ruined, an older Whitman folder. Yuck!

I got a Whitman folder for my Ni-Cu halves, they been in it for 2 months. looks fine to me so far.

I also got a HE Harris folder for my 1964 Kens' and AG Dime set, they look fine too.

Maybe it was improper treatments from the previous owner.

 

[Diver_Down]

I once bought a silver rosie set off ebay when silver was cheap...every coin inside was tarnished and ruined, an older Whitman folder. Yuck!

I got a Whitman folder for my Ni-Cu halves, they been in it for 2 months. looks fine to me so far.

I also got a HE Harris folder for my 1964 Kens' and AG Dime set, they look fine too.

Maybe it was improper treatments from the previous owner.

2 months is not nearly long enough to evaluate the effectiveness of the album. Consider the fundamental process of making paper/cardboard: they rely on sulfur and acid to break down the wood pulp. Now, would you want to store your coins where they are in contact on the sides, obverse (book folded on itself), and reverse (the coin is seated in it's holder)? Most likely not. That is why the overwhelming choice is a Dansco album. The sides are only in contact with the cardboard. If you want to take it one step further, then insist on only Intercept Shield albums. Intercept shield uses acid and sulfur free paper along with polymer in the paper fiber that attracts airborne corrosives and locks them away from the coins.

 

[Stang1968]

Don't get the Whitman albums. They damage the coins. Get the Dansco albums. They cost more but they're worth it. I also suggest that you get a Redbook to start with. Good luck.

+1
I have a lot of the old whitmans, and my silvers have toned a lot in them.
I also bought one of the Whitman albums, and placed a lot of BU wheaties in it- A lot of them have now gone from full red to RB/BN in the past 15 years .
I won't be buying whitmans again.

 

[tah06090]

What about the green coin folders like the ones from littleton.?

 

[Diver_Down]

What about the green coin folders like the ones from littleton.?

trash.