Coin World mentioned the 18th edition of the Friedberg book on US paper money was released recently.

Does anyone out there have this book or an earlier edition? What are your comments? Would it be worth the $43?

I'll have to take a look at it next time I'm at a bookstore. I just wanted some other more experienced opinions.

Thanks,

George

If all you want is the basic reference material on note issues of the US, you could probably find an earlier edition at a much lower price. If you need up-to-date pricing info, there are other sources that would be more current than Friedberg.

It is a 'must have' paper reference, in my opinion. Having said that, I'd advise you to consider what you want from it. Get some edition of it for your library. I have 3 of'em, a first edition, an eighth edition and a 14th edition.

I found the 1st edition in a used book store and couldn't pass it up for the $5 price. The others I bought after a suceeding edition had come out so I got those for 'way less than a new edition price.

Unless we have some major change in our currency [such as a whole new type of currency], you would probably be ok with an older edition.

Like Jay said, an older version is just fine since the prices really don't reflect reality anyway. As reference material, it is definitely a must-have for US currency collectors.

Thanks fellas. I'll be on the look out for an earlier edition. I have other price guides to give me an idea. But i should probably find something a little more up-to-date than a annually reissued book.

Friedberg isn't issued every year; however, in the past 20 years or so I recall that there have been 6 or so editions. Comparisons between editions will give one a good idea of market trends for historical purposes. I can't say that the market has been rising geometrically but it has trended 'up' over the last 30 years.

I remember that at a Memphis show in the late 1980's, I was offered a 100-note lower grade circulated pack of 1928 $10.00 Gold Certs for $13.00 each [$1,300.00 for a $1,000.00 face value pack]. Too bad I was small-potatoes then as now...

Man. That would have been quite a purchase. My dad noticed he received sequential crisp silver certificates from the bank. He realized it too late to go back and ask for the rest of the pack.


BTW, I use the black book for year to year pricing. Its not as good for descriptions but its good for giving an idea of what a dealer may ask.