RCC/The Auction Catalog as an Inexpensive Reference Book

The Auction Catalog as an Inexpensive Reference Book

If you're like many collectors, it is likely that you enhance your appreciation of the coins, currency, and/or medals you collect by purchasing reference books about your areas of interest. But how often do you venture beyond your immediate collecting interests and purchase books on other series?

If you answered "not very often," you're not alone! Many collectors stay within the confines of the series they collect when it comes to purchasing reference books. Part of the reason is no doubt tied to the cost of purchasing other specialized resources. It is often difficult to justify spending $30.00, $40.00, or more on a book that does not deal with your main collecting interests. But what if you could obtain tremendous reference books for $5.00 or $10.00?

One way to build a library with such low-cost reference works is to purchase auction catalogs of major collections on the secondary market. These catalogs can often go begging in online auctions or at coin shows, and can often provide an incredible wealth of information.

For example, I recently acquired - for a paltry $6.00- a near mint copy of The Harry W. Bass Collection - Part II auction catalog prepared by Bowers and Merena. The catalog contains more than 450 pages, and describes more than 2,000 U.S. gold coins in 1,968 lots. Bass put together an amazing collection of U.S. gold, with high-grade pieces dating back to the early Mint issues of the late 1790s! To say that this catalog of U.S. gold is incredible would be a gross understatement!

The treatment given to Bass' collection by Bowers and Merena is superlative. In addition to providing informative introductions to each U.S. gold series, the catalog also provides historical notes about many of the lots and traces the pedigrees of many of the more notable offerings. Add in the fact that terrific photographs (some in color!) are included for most lots and you can begin to see the educational value of this catalog. Combine this catalog with a copy of the "Red Book" (for year-by-year rnintages) and it's hard to imagine a better reference on U.S. gold for the non-specialist.

Interested in learning more about the gold coins recovered from the wreck of the S.S. Brother Jonathan but don't want to spend $40.00 or more on the Bowers book about the ship and its last voyage? Look for the very informative auction catalog from the sale. I've seen them sell for as little as $4.00!

There are many other examples that can be cited, but suffice it to say that there is probably no series of U.S. coinage that does not have an information-rich auction catalog available. And it's probably waiting for you for just a few bucks!

Until next month, Happy Collecting!

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