Has Anyone Read RWB's Renaissance of American Coinage book series?

[Catbert]

While I was at FUN, besides buying and selling a few coins, I picked up from Wizard Coin Supply Roger Burdette's Renaissance of American Coinage - all three books/time periods. Wizard bought the whole print run and they can be found here.

 

I've begun to read the first book (the red one), 1905-1908 and, while I'm only 42 pages in, it is fascinating to read the letters written to engage Augustus St. Gaudens and the communication between he, Charles Barber, and Teddy Roosevelt. Of course, Roger provides the necessary context and his writing style is very accessible and compelling.

 

Roger's goal in writing this series is conveyed in the preface excerpted here:

 

"Several years ago, the author pulled out some of the old books on coins and read them in the context of greater experience. After purchasing more up-to-date versions and some new titles, a pervasive similarity began to infuse the information. There was an emphasis on collecting dates, mintmarks, rarity, cost and deep analysis of luster and strike for each year's issues. Scant attention was paid to the artistry exhibited on these little lumps of stamped metal, how they originated, or if traditional assumptions about their creation were true. In trying to understand who created the designs on our historical coinage, and how it was done, the writer kept being pulled into the same circle bounded by Taxay, Breen and a handful of others. Much of their research was a half century old, and examination of additional works led to increasingly conflicting assertions. Claims and counterclaims were made with little factual support, and articles in popular hobby magazines only made the situation more confusing.

 

From this thicket, the only way out seemed to be a journey back in time: to the people, places and events that shaped contemporary views a hundred years ago. This book and its companion volumes are the result of that long, enjoyable journey."

I know I'm going to have a similar enjoyable journey thanks to Roger's efforts.

 

Who's else has read one of these books? What was your reaction and would you recommend them as I would?

[wdrob]

Reading 'From Mine to Mint' for now. Those are next on my list.

 

 

[DaveG]

Catbert,

 

With praise like that, you'll make Roger blush when he reads your post.

 

I have most of what Roger has published (the three ROAC books, From Mine to Mint, the Pattern and Experimental Pieces of WWII and the first three issues of the Journal of Numismatic Research) and they're all excellent and I always feel smarter every time I read something from them.

 

I recommend Roger's work without reservation to everyone I know!

 

By the way, Wizard Coin Supply is Roger's distributor and they offer a 5% discount to ANA members. They also offer really outstanding service!

[brg5658]

I just ordered Volumes #1 and #2 last week. I have read Volume #3 a couple times from cover to cover, and I consult it often for topic specific reading.

 

======================

 

On an aside: maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe not -- but Roger's initials of RWB also remind me that the Rennaisance books are ordered from volumes 1-3 as Red, White, and Blue. When I first joined the boards, I actually thought that RWB stood for "red, white, and blue" -- until I found out it was Roger W. Burdette.

[michael]

 

 

i read all the books when they came out a few years ago

 

all were excellent reads with much new information

 

i agreed with mostly all; but not 100% of the information in volume one 1905-1908

 

i might be biased after many decades

[CaptHenway]

Yes. I have. Great stuff.

[GoldFinger1969]

I will, I'm reading the basic beginner books right now and that occupies all my free time.

[leeg]

I have the 1909-1915 volume.

 

Super good throughout!

 

(thumbs u

[Arizonadesertrat]

Good Choice. I bought that set a while back. They are great reads. If you don't have 'From Mine to Mint,' get that book too. And read it carefully---it's chock full of things collectors should know.

[RWB]

Thanks for the nice comments here and on the PCGS board. The thoughts are appreciated and I hope the work will be of long-tern value to collectors.

 

brg5658 has let the cat(bert) out of the bag! He's the first to mention this in the six years that all three volumes have been available. The book cover colors were intentional as was the pun on my initials.

 

Incidentally - they were written and published in the order of III, I, II, but the research was more or less continuious.

[brg5658]

Thanks for the nice comments here and on the PCGS board. The thoughts are appreciated and I hope the work will be of long-tern value to collectors.

 

brg5658 has let the cat(bert) out of the bag! He's the first to mention this in the six years that all three volumes have been available. The book cover colors were intentional as was the pun on my initials.

 

Incidentally - they were written and published in the order of III, I, II, but the research was more or less continuious.

 

I often refer to the books as the Red, White, and Blue "Rennaisance" series with others. I'm glad I broke your clever code! For me, it was always just an interesting mnemonic, but it being intentional on your part is all the more cool IMO!

[CaptHenway]

Thanks for the nice comments here and on the PCGS board. The thoughts are appreciated and I hope the work will be of long-tern value to collectors.

 

brg5658 has let the cat(bert) out of the bag! He's the first to mention this in the six years that all three volumes have been available. The book cover colors were intentional as was the pun on my initials.

 

Incidentally - they were written and published in the order of III, I, II, but the research was more or less continuious.

 

Heavens to Murgatroyd! And here I thought you were just being patriotic!

[BillJones]

I read them all a few years ago. Sometimes there is more there than you can really absorb and retain, but it's all good.

 

I've noted the same thing about some of the articles I have written in the past about presidential campaigns. Writing an article is sometimes like when you prepared for an exam in college. You got primed for something, and then it was over. You retain a lot of the information, but some it fades over time.

[mark]

The books are brilliant. I look forward to re-reading them. Indeed, I think they are among the few books that I have ever read that I thought are worth re-reading.

 

Mark