Conducting Research, Tip's and Trick's

[leeg]

Please share any tip's and trick's that you may have around the art of coin research. I've found that factual information, meaning true facts, in this hobby are very hard to ot come by. "Stories" turn into fact's over the years's which aren't really facts, but many believe them to be true because these "stories" are told over and over ad nauseum. Don't believe everything you read in Auction Catalogs's. Most perpetuate the "stories" of old.

 

As I conduct my research on the Classic Commemorative series of coins I've found this to be true.

 

There are many different level's of difficulty involved in research. Research on one coin or a year set of coins is somewhat easy compared to a 50 piece set of Classic Commemoratives.

 

I've been working on this book for 3+ years and still probably a year away from being comfortable in what I put in print. So many outstanding author's on the Classic Commemorative series have come before me that I have a trepdidation in stating my facts. Who am I to prove them wrong the lowly collector that I am? I have to go by the facts that I've found in this series that prove my information to be "factual." Feeling's be damned.

 

My tip's and tricks are:

 

1. Source information is critical. Seek the resources at the U.S. Mint, Commissions and Committees responsible for the coin or series of coins you research.

 

2. The ANA Library has many resources available.

 

3. An Internet search many prove helpful as a first step to finding a source to ask a question on a particular coin or series of coins.

 

That is all for today.

 

Enjoy your coins and try to improve yourself by truly understanding the history behind your series of choice.

 

 

[RWB]

Single malt Scotch over very cold ice helps a lot.

 

One suggestion: do not assume any one source is correct.

 

Two suggestion: force yourself to "step back" and look at both the 'big picture' and the interconnections between data.

 

[Steve's Roosies]

I try to forget any numismatic related books and articles I've read about the subject and try to approach it as though no one has ever collected any of the related items. Good luck,

 

Steve

[physics-fan3.14]

Google books has digitized the libraries of several colleges, available for free online. Sometimes, what you are looking for may be there.

[ultra-crepidarian]

“Enjoy your coins and try to improve yourself by truly understanding the history behind your series of choice.”

 

This summarizes to me what it means to be a collector. I am saddened to see how much coin collecting has become decontextualized from History. I wonder to what extent the lack of interest in collecting among younger people is tied to their lack of knowledge of their own History.

 

In regard to your research, there is no need for trepidation. State the facts. Site the sources. Interpret what you find as honestly and objectively as you can and add your voice to those authors who came before you. No one could ask for anything more. Good luck with your project.

 

[leeg]

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts on this subject! (thumbs u

 

 

[DC Dawg]

Single malt Scotch over very cold ice helps a lot.

Ice waters down the scotch. At least two shots in a regular glass... that's the best!

[RWB]

The Scotch comes straight from the bottle and the ice sits on the drinker's head...

[shirohniichan]

If you are relying on newspaper articles, not only make sure you are reading a news story instead of an opinion piece but also know the biases of the newspaper. If both the populist and pro-business newspapers report the same thing, the chances of the thing reported being factual are greatly increased. This is especially important when researching 19th century bi-metallism, specie resumption, and other politically hot topics.

 

It's best to stick to original sources ( ad fontes ) and to "marinate your head" in your subject (as historian David McCullough says).

[truthteller]

May I suggest you do some of the research into the celebrations, festivals and organizations surrounding the reason why the commemorative coin was struck. When ebay first starting selling items back in the late 1990's, I managed to pick up some fascinating literature and emphemera from the actual celebrations. One cool item was the 1918 Illinois Centennial medal issued to an Illinois State Senator at the fair, original, in the box. I managed to pick up literally hundreds of items which were part of the 50 piece commemorative celebrations.

 

 

 

 

TRUTH

[shirohniichan]

May I suggest you do some of the research into the celebrations, festivals and organizations surrounding the reason why the commemorative coin was struck. When ebay first starting selling items back in the late 1990's, I managed to pick up some fascinating literature and emphemera from the actual celebrations. One cool item was the 1918 Illinois Centennial medal issued to an Illinois State Senator at the fair, original, in the box. I managed to pick up literally hundreds of items which were part of the 50 piece commemorative celebrations.

 

 

TRUTH

 

Good suggestion!

 

I picked up a Cal-Pac pamphlet that mentions the price of the new 1936-D halfs as $1 each or the "scarce" 1935-S for $2.

[leeg]

Great Stuff! (thumbs u

[HiHoAudio]

Lee, just the fact that you are trying to be as accurate as humanly possible is an excellent way to approach the book.

 

 

[shirohniichan]

Another interesting aspect to analyzing information is the comparison between the facts and what the contemporary public thought were the facts.

 

For example, if it were widely reported that the 1935-S Cal Pac half were scarcer and more valuable than the 1936-D back when the expo was still going on in 1936, it would be wise to mention it in your book. If the collecting public were not fooled by Emil Klicka's ads you could mention that also. Now it is easy to discover the '36-D is scarcer, but collectors during the expo didn't have the same info we do now.