(mine are sold out) new 5th edition of Overton/Parsley available now

[delta]

The brand new 5th edition of United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836, by Donald L. Parsley, based on the classification of Albert C Overton, is available for immediate shipping, for sale here only (FSHO), payment accepted by Paypal, check or money order.

 

Cost is $69 including media mail postage. Can send priority or express mail for extra postage charge.

 

Limited number of copies available. Please send private message (PM).

 

 

[delta]

Several copies still available, please send PM.

[delta]

In response to a question, the new 5th edition is 1 ¾ inches thick, that being ½ inch thinner than the previous 4th edition. There are 702 + xxx pages, a reduction in number of pages due to elimination of some information at the back deemed inessential, such as the Redbook varieties. Although with fewer pages, the 5th is a little heavier than the 4th because a coated paper was used to help clarify the photos.

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One criticism I've heard is Parsley should not have made himself the sole author in the latest two editions, it should still be Overton, even though Overton died 42 years ago.

 

That's valid. Don Parsley only inherited the project from his father-in-law Al Overton, and he is not considered to be a numismatic expert.

 

But in my opinion, Parsley was not consciously trying to steal credit or prestige of authorship from Overton, I think he just didn't realize it was customary and preferable to continue with the name of the original author.

 

Furthermore, Parsley has in fact made numerous alterations, and this latest 5th edition does incorporate corrections, revised rarity® values, and new additions.

 

At least any shortcomings of the book can now be blamed mostly on Parsley. Among those are he was unable to understand emission sequences and pooh-poohed them.

 

Another failing is that although the photos appear to be somewhat better in the 5th than in the 4th edition, they still are mediocre. Ideally it should have been new photos, substantially enlarged.

 

 

[delta]

Despite shortcomings, this is the absolute essential reference for early US silver half dollars, 1794 up to 1836, whether you might just want one coin or a few of them as examples for a type set, or are a serious dedicated specialist.

 

They are among the most avidly sought of US coins. Might this new 5th edition even heighten the already strong interest in them?

[delta]

Still available. This is undoubtedly Parsley's last word, and last work on the subject, there will never be a 6th edition.

[physics-fan3.14]

Still available. This is undoubtedly Parsley's last word, and last work on the subject, there will never be a 6th edition.

 

I'm assuming someone else will inherit the project, right?

 

Just got mine yesterday, thanks!

[delta]

The main reason I think getting one of these is worthwhile is because all other references, guides and websites ultimately refer back to this, it is the basic benchmark.

[A.Phillips]

I got it last week, definitely worth it to buy. Thank you Mike!

[delta]

Only a couple copies left.

[VDBCoins]

I ordered one and seven of my closest friends did too. Looking forward to seeing it!

 

Best Regards,

 

George

[Deerefan8420]

 

I'll take a copy! PM on the way.

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Among the reasons I find the Capped Bust Half series appealing is we are currently going through the bicentennial of their issuance, during which time they were the highest denomination silver coin because no silver dollars were being made for circulation, and in some of those years they were the only U.S. silver coins minted.

 

The fifty cents denomination was then about the usual daily wage for a working man, although women were paid considerably less, even only 50¢ a week.

 

Also the CBHs are not prone to being profitably counterfeited, due to the lettered edges, and then especially the hundreds of different die marriages, plus the continuum of early to late die states, altogether giving each surviving piece unique characteristics beyond whatever wear and marks they display.

 

And furthermore there are enormous quantities of survivors, allowing many examples to be still relatively affordable. Meanwhile, Warren Buffet or Bill Gates can't just buy a complete set of all varieties since enough are unique or extremely rare. New discoveries are still being discovered.

 

 

[delta]

Two copies still remaining.

 

Regarding my previous statement about Warren Buffet & Bill Gates, I just checked the registry sets of NGC and PCGS. Warren and Bill are not anywhere among the best.

 

NGC does not now have a registry category for all Overton varieties, just for the major types/designs of capped bust halves (CBHs), a total of 76, fairly similar to the Red Book classification. The best is a 100% complete set assembled by Dr. Charles Link.

 

PCGS has several relevant categories, the most detailed being the 610 coin set of all Overton varieties including the major late die state (LDS) subvarieties he recognized, indicated with the addition of letter a/b. Of those, the most complete set also belongs to Dr. Charles Link, his is 92.13% complete. Of just the main (prime) varieties, with merely 450 required coins, Dr. Link is 95.33% complete, and in that respect is surpassed by "BHNC054" who is 98% complete, but that set was given a lower overall rating because of grade considerations.

[VDBCoins]

Among the reasons I find the Capped Bust Half series appealing is we are currently going through the bicentennial of their issuance, during which time they were the highest denomination silver coin because no silver dollars were being made for circulation, and in some of those years they were the only U.S. silver coins minted.

 

The fifty cents denomination was then about the usual daily wage for a working man, although women were paid considerably less, even only 50¢ a week.

 

Also the CBHs are not prone to being profitably counterfeited, due to the lettered edges, and then especially the hundreds of different die marriages, plus the continuum of early to late die states, altogether giving each surviving piece unique characteristics beyond whatever wear and marks they display.

 

And furthermore there are enormous quantities of survivors, allowing many examples to be still relatively affordable. Meanwhile, Warren Buffet or Bill Gates can't just buy a complete set of all varieties since enough are unique or extremely rare. New discoveries are still being discovered.

 

 

Yes. A few months ago my optometrist brought me his great-uncle's collection, pulled from circulation at a general store when the great-uncle was a young man. This is a fellow who would have been born around 1885. The collection contained the usual stuff, junk (excuse the expression) silver, Bicentennial spending money, a fake gold dollar or two -- and seven of the nicest, original-skin Bust halves you ever saw, ranging from Fine to one that I thought was AU55 with gorgeous rim toning. I paid handsomely for them but still every one of them disappeared at the next show with my usual (reasonable) markup. I shoulda kept that AU55! I think it was an 1829 IIRC.

 

Best Regards,

 

George

[delta]

Hello George, Many thanks for relating that recent anecdote. Don't you suppose that a high grade 1829 CBH taken from circulation around year 1900 was then being spent from somebody else's collection or stash?

 

Regarding my own most recent post, about registry sets of CBH varieties, I should have added that most collectors, including various prominent experts and advanced collectors of CBHs, do not list their holdings in public on-line registries, so it is wrong to assume anything on just that basis.

[delta]

Still one last copy available, $69.

[coinman_23885]

Still one last copy available, $69.

 

PM me with payment information.

[wdrob]

To late Kenny. I grabbed it earlier this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

[delta]

Still one last copy available, $69.

PM me with payment information.

 

Many thanks for trying, sorry you lost out to someone else, my copies are now sold out.

[delta]

To late Kenny. I grabbed it earlier this afternoon.

 

Thanks Bill, your book is going out tomorrow morning, it was my last copy.