What does "Breen-4088" reference?

[Jakeblue]

Saw this description on an small ANACS. I know someone here will probably know what it means.

 

[RWB]

Refers to the coin number in Breen's aging Encyclopedia. Don’t have my copy handy -- maybe someone else does.

[Coindude]

From Breen's Enclyclo:

 

4088 1876 CC Type 1 rev. Small close CC. Scarce. McCloskey 2. C's 0.7 mm tall. Fine reeding as last.

[James_OldeTowne]

I do not have mine handy either, but am going to guess "small close mintmark". And/Or could refer to fine reeding (high reed count).

[physics-fan3.14]

Are you asking what Breen in general references, or are you asking in particular about Breen-4088? Coindude answered the latter, the former: http://www.amazon.com/Walter-Breens-Complete-Encyclopedia-Colonial/dp/0385142072/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243820755&sr=8-2

 

Breen's Encyclopedia used to be regarded as a great source, and it is to be admired for its completeness. The problem, as enumerated repeatedly, is that he fabricated much of his material. It is not very trustworthy.

[TomB]

Breen issued a number to all the coins he listed in his encyclopedia. Truly, this is one case where the falsehoods make the entire work of dubious value.

[JIM F.]

Well, my comment is that it is nice that ANACS provides a Breen reference so the collector has more information than generally provided.

 

 

[RWB]

The Breen ref by ANACS is useful to have - just not the whole story any longer.

[Jakeblue]

I just wanted anything and everything about what it meant because it was new to me and I am thinking about buying the coin. The info here was great.

 

I did a search on Breen, and ater reading about the guy, I would not take his works at face value without a huge grain of salt.

[BillJones]

I did a search on Breen, and ater reading about the guy, I would not take his works at face value without a huge grain of salt.

 

Please don't join the Breen bashers. Yes the man had some major flaws, but overall he did some real services to the numismatic collector community. Yes, there are mistakes in his Encyclopedia, NO ONE and I mean NO ONE has ever tried to cover the scope of topics that he did in that one source and do it as well.

[Jakeblue]

I did a search on Breen, and ater reading about the guy, I would not take his works at face value without a huge grain of salt.

 

Please don't join the Breen bashers. Yes the man had some major flaws, but overall he did some real services to the numismatic collector community. Yes, there are mistakes in his Encyclopedia, NO ONE and I mean NO ONE has ever tried to cover the scope of topics that he did in that one source and do it as well.

 

You make a good point and I respect your posts. I think what bothers me most about reading about him is probably what bothers most folks about him.

 

I bet his knowledge was far above the average collector; mistakes and all.

[James_OldeTowne]

Far worse human beings than Breen walk the planet today. His sordid personal history, despicable as it was, does not diminish his prodigious contributions to numismatics.

 

While his work was imperfect, it is still THE starting point for almost any numismatic question. I cannot fathom my appreciation of coins without the Breen Encyclopedia, as well as his half-cent book.

[TomB]

Contrary to Bill and James, both of whom I respect greatly for their passion and knowledge, I do not find Breen all that useful. Aside from my first going through the book, I have used it very little because of the numerous "facts" that are unreferenced or are simply made up. Perhaps it is because I am a scientist and such poorly referenced work would be laughed at in scientific circles, but I find myself unable to trust most anything in the book and this makes it near useless for me. By the way, this has nothing to do with Breen as a person or with his deeds outside of numismatics.

 

To each his own.

[James_OldeTowne]

We have to remember that the Breen Encyclopedia is broad but not deep, to borrow a phrase. It is seldom the "final word" on any numismatic issue. But, it virtually always starts me off where I want to go.

 

Some of Breen's other works, the specialty books such as the half-cent book that I mentioned previously, ARE "the final word", very often because they were done in collaboration with other authors. If errors are found, they are usually the result of research done after the book was completed.

[Jakeblue]

Let me close this thread before it becomes something not very useful.

 

I appreciate the information presented by all who posted here in regards to the defintion of the designation on the ANACS slab.

 

As always, many knowledgeable and helpful folks on here, who probably have better things to do than to take the time to answer uninformed questions.

 

Thanks again.