Best books on U.S. coin and U.S. mint history 0

[rynegold-migration]

Suggestions please.

 

I'm getting the VAM book of dollars but I'd like an informative, readable book on the history of the U.S. mints.

 

Additionally, any good book on the history behind our early monetary policies, (i.e. 'cross of gold' speech... silver miner's lobbying congress for the silver dollar etc.) bi-metal coin history and so on. I guess generally, just some good reads on our "favorite" subject!

 

tia, mitch

[DaveG]

For the history of the US mints, I recommend "History of the United States Mint and its Coinage" by David W. Lange.

 

Get it from Wizard Coin Supply here

 

As for the history of our early monetary policies, well, you could read a whole bookcase of books on the subject. However, Dave Lange's book will give you an overview and help you identify any areas about which you want to learn more.

 

You might also be interested in Chapter Two (beginning on page 25) of Doug Winter's "Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint", which you can find here

 

edited to add: You might also find this article to be of interest: Link

Edited April 15, 2015 by DaveG

[leeg]

Dave brings up some good topics for you to start with.

 

I would also go with Roger Burdette's "Renaissance" series to continue to enlighten yourself into the 20th Century..

 

 

[cpm9ball]

Also, Roger's From Mine to Mint goes into great detail on Mint operations from 1837 to 1937.

 

You might also try Van Ryzin's The Crime of 1873: The Comstock Connection, but I have to warn you that it is a "slow read".

 

Chris

[Conder101]

Another good one is US Mint and Coinage by Don Taxay

[DWLange]

Another recommendation is America's Money, America's Story by Richard Doty.

[RWB]

"The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint" by Augsberger and Orosz is packed with solid information about the first Philadelphia Mint.

 

Be careful of the VAM books....there is good info and there is a lot of obsolete info, also. The background information is old and has not been corrected/updated.

 

Much of Taxay's book is obsolete or has been superseded by better research. Rely on David W. Lange's book not Taxay.

[cpm9ball]

Be careful of the VAM books....there is good info and there is a lot of obsolete info, also. The background information is old and has not been corrected/updated.

 

Yeah, the "Bible" was last printed in 1992. At that time there were about 1,800 varieties. Now, there are about 4,000 or so. Some of the old theories no longer apply.

 

Chris

[RWB]

For Morgan and Peace dollar varieties, try the VAMworld.com site first. Some of the VAMpires there are willing to help new collectors, but try to keep it simple and stay focused. (The VAMpires are now working on 4th-level identifiers: 1922 VAM 2BZ2, and similar stuff.)

[cpm9ball]

For Morgan and Peace dollar varieties, try the VAMworld.com site first. Some of the VAMpires there are willing to help new collectors, but try to keep it simple and stay focused. (The VAMpires are now working on 4th-level identifiers: 1922 VAM 2BZ2, and similar stuff.)

 

That is why I stopped collecting VAM's. Rusty dies was bad enough, but "Squiggles" was the last straw.

 

Chris

[rynegold-migration]

Thanks to all who've posted recs! I'm off to Amazon to make an order. If you've not visited this site, or never heard of o'l KooKoo "Marty" Armstrong... this might be interesting to you:

 

http://armstrongeconomics.com/research/monetary-history-of-the-world/

 

Martin is a renouned x-con, numismatist, and economist among other things... an interesting man in anyone's book. But he is a rabbit hole if e're I've seen one.

Edited April 17, 2015 by rynegold

[RWB]

Try Wizard Coin Supply for ones that Amazon can't supply.

[rynegold-migration]

"Yeah, the "Bible" was last printed in 1992. At that time there were about 1,800 varieties. Now, there are about 4,000 or so. Some of the old theories no longer apply.

 

Chris"

 

Chris! so true! Now that's funny....

 

 

m

[MJ]

As you expand your library I highly recommend Numismatic Art in America by Cornelius Vermeule. This book deepened my appreciation for Federal coinage. My all time favorite coin related book.

 

Mark

[AmayaRoss23]

History is indeed a very interesting science.

[GoldFinger1969]

On 4/14/2015 at 9:38 PM, rynegold-migration said:

Suggestions please.  I'm getting the VAM book of dollars but I'd like an informative, readable book on the history of the U.S. mints. Additionally, any good book on the history behind our early monetary policies, (i.e. 'cross of gold' speech... silver miner's lobbying congress for the silver dollar etc.) bi-metal coin history and so on. I guess generally, just some good reads on our "favorite" subject! tia, mitch 

Covering gold from the early-1900's through the Depression......Roger's book on Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles is very interesting (check out the thread).  Covers the history of the gold standard and gold flows and gold coins.  Plus, of course, lots of stuff on every year and mintage of Saints.