Books

Whitman is set to release the eagerly awaited third volume of the sixth edition of the Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties of United States Coins. This renowned series, celebrated for its excellence in numismatic literature, continues to serve as an invaluable resource for collectors seeking to identify and understand rare coin die varieties. These rare varieties, often concealed in everyday pocket change and dealer inventories, hold significant value, and the new edition promises to enhance collectors’ ability to discover these hidden treasures.

The sixth edition, Volume 3, offers comprehensive coverage of die varieties for an array of U.S. coins, including Liberty Seated, Barber, Walking Liberty, Franklin, and Kennedy half dollars; Liberty Seated, trade, Morgan, Peace, and modern dollars; gold dollars through double eagles; classic commemoratives; bullion coinage; and coins from the Philippines. The guide boasts over 310 unique varieties, illustrated with more than 1,000 high-quality images. Detailed descriptions accompany each entry, providing collectors with the essential knowledge to make informed decisions in their numismatic endeavors.

This edition introduces several new features, including an expanded introductory narrative, detailed photo enlargements, and market values presented in multiple grades. Notably, for the first time, the guide incorporates Greysheet-based pricing and GSID numbers, linking coins across the Whitman Brands family of products, such as the Greysheet online pricing tool, CDN Exchange, and the Greysheet mobile app. The layout of the guide is designed to be user-friendly, catering to both novice and experienced collectors.

Since its debut in 1990, the Cherrypickers’ Guide series has become a staple in the coin-collecting community. The series educates collectors on how to “cherrypick”—identifying coins that appear ordinary at first glance but possess unique characteristics like doubled and tripled dies, overdates, and repunched mintmarks, which can transform a common coin into a rare and valuable find.

The all-new third volume, spanning 328 pages, adds over 120 new varieties. It includes special attention to “Long Nock” Morgan-dollar VAM varieties, additional text for Presidential dollar edge varieties, and new chapters on Draped Bust half dollars and dollars, Capped Bust half dollars, and Philippine coins. Co-author Bill Fivaz expressed his excitement about the new release, stating, “We are thrilled to bring the latest Cherrypicker’s Guide to the numismatic community. The goal has always been to equip collectors with the best possible resources, and this volume is a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation in numismatic literature.”

Volume editor Larry Briggs, who invested significant effort into the project, shared, “The second volume was bursting at the seams with so much new material, we knew early on we would need another volume. Cherrypicking enthusiasts everywhere should be duly excited!” Fivaz and Briggs were joined by Ohio-based numismatist and major contributor Robert Lawson, who coordinated inputs from over 15 die-variety specialists across the country.

For the first time, all three volumes of the Cherrypicker’s Guide, covering half cents through double eagles and everything in between, will be available simultaneously. A large second print run of the sixth edition, Volume 1, initially published in 2015, will also be released. This volume includes 680 varieties, more than 1,000 images, and detailed information on popular U.S. coin series, such as the Indian Head cent, Flying Eagle cent, Lincoln cent, two-cent pieces, Buffalo nickel, Jefferson nickel, Shield nickel, and Liberty Head nickel series.

Whitman Brands CEO and Publisher John Feigenbaum commented, “Behind The Guide Book of United States Coins (Red Book) and some other select titles, Cherrypicker’s Guide is one of the most asked-about titles we publish at Whitman. We are super thrilled to have all three volumes available to the collector community at the same time later this summer. But the truth is, there are always new die varieties and information surfacing, so the work is never done.” He also mentioned that preparations for a new, revamped seventh edition are already underway.

Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties, sixth edition, Volumes I and III can be pre-ordered for $39.95 online at Whitman.com and Amazon.com, and will be available in Whitman’s eBay Store, bookstores, hobby shops, and other online retailers nationwide in August 2024. The sixth edition, Volume II remains available for purchase at all retail outlets. Additionally, all sixth editions will be available electronically in the Kindle Store for $14.95 per title.

In its early days, the Confederate Treasury made a significant decision that set it apart from the U.S. Treasury: requiring Treasury officials to hand-sign every Treasury note and bond. Initially, this seemed reasonable under the expectation of a short war. However, as the conflict extended over four years, the Confederacy eventually printed over $1.5 billion in notes and more than $700 million in bonds. This required 80 million notes to be hand-signed by the Register and Treasurer, and nearly 1 million bonds to be hand-signed by the Register, initialed by two clerks as Recorder and Enterer, with coupons signed by another clerk.

The enormity of this task necessitated additional clerical help, leading to the hiring of clerks to assist with the signing. By the war’s end, 371 Treasury employees had hand-signed Treasury notes, and nearly 100 employees signed and initialed bonds and their coupons.

In their 2022 book, Confederate Treasury Notes: The Signers and Their Stories, the authors explored the origins of Treasury notes and shared the stories of their signers. While the workforce was initially male, by the end of the war, all Treasury note signers were women. Overall, two-thirds of the note signers were women, many of whom were young, privileged, educated, and possessed excellent penmanship. Employing women as Treasury clerks had significant social implications, providing them with experiences and opportunities that paved the way for post-war employment and new societal roles.

The authors’ new book, The Signers and Issuers of Confederate Bonds, continues this narrative by detailing the Treasury’s operation in issuing bonds. Like the Treasury notes, the bonds were signed by numerous employees: six men served as Register or Assistant Register, 32 women and 22 men signed bond coupons as clerks, and nearly 40 men initialed bonds as Recorders or Enterers to verify the bonds in the Treasury’s registers. This book includes biographies of these individuals and features a section that pairs each signer’s or initialer’s name with an image of their signature or initials, allowing readers to identify the signers and initialers of any bond or coupon easily. The book also describes the Treasury Department’s operations and the professional activities of these employees, including the bond issuance process.

Many of the bond signers and initialers led remarkable lives. For instance, Martha “Mittie” Morris, a signer of bond coupons and notes, became a prominent figure in the Richmond art scene into the 20th century. Sarah Pumphrey, a coupon signer, owned an estate as a “feme sole” with her husband as trustee, an uncommon arrangement at the time. Margaret Bronaugh, another coupon signer, served as a U.S. government clerk before and after signing Confederate bond coupons. Monimia Cary, an affluent single mother, signed bond coupons and notes while also working as a hospital nurse. William W. Dennison, who signed coupons, was a controversial U.S. agent for the Pawnee and Otoe-Missouria tribes in Nebraska before the war and the father of Eliza Dennison, who signed Confederate Treasury notes. George Dabney, a coupon signer, and James M. Boyd, an Enterer who initialed bonds, were respected university professors. Henry D. Capers, Chief Clerk of the Treasury who initialed bonds as Enterer, had a multifaceted career as a physician, soldier, lawyer, financial officer, entrepreneur, professor, and biographer. William R. Teller, a coupon signer, worked as a coal merchant in Cuba with former Confederate General Fitzhugh Lee. Robert Tyler, the Register of the Treasury who signed bonds and coupons, was the son of former U.S. President John Tyler.

Together, these two volumes bring to life the financial documents of the Confederate Treasury, which are highly valued by collectors. They place the documents and the people who created them in their historical and societal context, providing a personalized perspective on Treasury bonds and notes and offering numismatists new ways to appreciate and collect these artifacts.

To order The Signers and Issuers of Confederate Bonds, the cost is $29.95 plus $5 for domestic postage. Payments can be made electronically via Venmo to @Charles-Derby-1 or Zelle to charlesderbyga@yahoo.com. Alternatively, checks can be mailed to Charles Derby at 204 Sycamore Ridge Drive, Decatur, GA 30030.

Whitman announces the upcoming release of the newest edition of A Guide Book of United States Paper Money, by Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg. Paper-money collectors and American history buffs alike will appreciate the depth of the research, the fascinating narrative, and the wealth of data provided. The fully updated eighth edition builds on the critically acclaimed first through seventh editions, which have firmly established this book’s reputation as a best-selling collector’s price guide and history of U.S. federal paper currency from the Civil War era to date.

New features in this edition include the “Top 100 U.S. Paper Money Prices Realized at Auction, 2022 and 2023.” Coauthor Ira Friedberg notes that this appendix “shows how the upward movement of United States currency prices, especially for rarities and pieces in top condition, is continuing unabated—fueled not only by the entry of new collectors at all levels, but also by the realization that compared to United States coins, currency remains a relative bargain.”

The 420-page softcover A Guide Book of United States Paper Money, eighth edition, can be pre-ordered now for $24.95 online at Whitman.com and Amazon.com, and will be available July 2024 at bookstores, hobby shops, Whitman’s eBay Store, and other online retailers nationwide.

“The Friedbergs have once again expertly improved upon a stalwart in the paper currency community,” said Whitman editorial director Diana Plattner after sending the book to press in March. “Just as the book’s subtitle asserts, this guide book continues to be a definitive source for history, grading, and values of U.S. paper currency.”

A Guide Book of United States Paper Money provides a catalog and price guide for federal notes from $10,000 down to $1 face value, Treasury notes of the War of 1812, encased postage stamps, Fractional Currency, error notes, and uncut sheets. It also covers hobby topics such as signatures on U.S. currency; grading standards; star notes; the Bureau of Engraving and Printing; how cash is designed, printed, and distributed; and how to collect, store, and care for collectible paper money.

Authors Arthur and Ira Friedberg are well known in the numismatic world, having been professional numismatists for more than 30 years. Both joined their father’s family firm, Coin & Currency Institute, after college. Since then, they have established themselves as award-winning authors, coin dealers, researchers, and numismatic consultants to numerous governments and organizations.

The Smithsonian is excited to announce the release of a captivating digital book that delves into the rich history of American paper money as a form of artistic expression. Authored by William L. Pressly, “America’s Paper Money: A Canvas for an Emerging Nation” offers readers a fascinating exploration of the evolution of paper currency in the United States.

Dating back to 1690, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony became the first government in the Western world to issue paper money, this book highlights how the imagery on these early banknotes sparked an indigenous American art form characterized by dynamism and originality. From the post-Revolutionary War period to the pressures of the Civil War, the narrative traces the trajectory of American currency design, revealing how it mirrored the nation’s evolving identity and aspirations.

Intriguingly, the book sheds light on the shift in responsibility for currency issuance—from government authorities to private institutions like state-chartered banks—and the subsequent proliferation of banknotes adorned with a myriad of captivating images. Moreover, it explores the pivotal moment in 1861 when the federal government assumed control over the paper-money supply, leading to the creation of a national currency. Simultaneously, the Confederate States of America embarked on a parallel journey, using bank-note vignettes to craft its own self-image amidst the turmoil of the Civil War.

A highlight of the narrative is the collaboration between government engravers and renowned artists in the creation of the 1896 Silver Certificates, representing the pinnacle of U.S. currency design. Through meticulous research and insightful commentary, Pressly unravels the intricate relationship between American creativity, technical innovation, and the imagery adorning paper money—a relationship that played a crucial role in shaping the nation’s collective identity over two centuries.

Published on December 20, 2023, this digital book offers readers an opportunity to delve into a lesser-known aspect of American history and appreciate the artistry embedded within the nation’s currency. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, an art aficionado, or simply curious about the cultural significance of paper money, “America’s Paper Money: A Canvas for an Emerging Nation” promises to be a captivating read.

To download your free copy of this illuminating publication, visit Smithsonian’s website today. Don’t miss out on the chance to embark on a journey through the captivating intersection of art, history, and finance woven into the fabric of America’s currency.