2nd Edition. This comprehensive 288-page full-color book details how to begin the ideal numismatic pursuit: a collection of United States coins by type. Major updates to the 2nd edition are: new market values, new certified-coin population data, updated "Market Price Performance" charts, new coins, new section on "Great Collectors and Collections of the Past", new historical illustrations, updated auction records and a bullion-value chart. Whether you decide to collect from the beginning of United States coins in the late 1700s, or if you choose coins from the 1800s and 1900s, this book will provide you the reference tools you need: mintages, grades, collecting tips, prices, and more, all in one essential historical reference and price guide. Author: Q. David Bowers

The U.S. Mint is the source of the little copper, silver, and gold objects of material culture and value that numismatists collect, study, and catalog. It is the sole manufacturer of the nation's legal-tender coinage, and its products are used every day by millions of Americans nationwide. As a repository its facilities safeguard more than $300 billion in national assets. It employs nearly 2,000 people, including its own police force. This unique book unearths a treasure trove of numismatic knowledge, including the history of the Philadelphia Mint and every Mint branch, plus private and territorial mints; information on historical and modern minting procedures; a study and price guide of historic medals and other collectibles commemorating the Mint; data on every director of the Mint and superintendents for every branch; and illustrated behind-the-scenes looks at the modern Mint and its facilities.

The coins and tokens of colonial America and the early United States present a unique chronicle of our nation's birth. This comprehensive guide provides an authoritative reference on all pre-Federal coinage.

Volume #19 in Whitman's best-selling Bowers Series covers two of the earliest U.S. coin denominations: half cents and large cents. These classic copper coins were made from 1793 into the late 1850s. In this colorfully illustrated book, America's popular early coppers are given the famous Q. David Bowers treatment: insightful study, rich historical background, and detailed data analysis. Bowersthe "Dean of American Numismatics" and the most prolific numismatic author of all timetells you everything you need to know to be a smart collector: how to evaluate quality, determine value, understand the market, and make good buys. Along the way, he explains why, in all of American coinage, half cents and large cents possess a special charm. You'll learn how the history of the developing nation shaped the coins' designs and production, and the effects the War of 1812 and other national events on their coinage. Bowers provides a wealth of information on each issue: mintages, existing populations, grading standards, values, auction records, keys to collecting and more. Historical background sets the coins in the broader context of American life from the 1790s through the 1850s. Hundreds of full-color images, careful analysis, and Bowers' engaging style make this book a treat for anyone interested in our nation's early history.