Personally I probably like R.W.Julian's work the best overall. His articles are readable and ery well researched. There's not much fluff and often new revelations based on primary sources. For prose alone I'd probably go with Bowers, at least the old Bowers. He wrote some very readable books. For enterteinment and interest I give the nod to the internet community led by Stujoe who just comes across as a swell, helpful, interesting, and interested guy

Why, thank you Jorg! I think that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me on any forum. Note to the Mods: Delete his post and I will call in an air strike!

For the poll, I chose QDB. I really do enjoy reading his books (as I probably too often state ). They don't always have the 'depth' of some other works but I always find them a good read. But, I really gather so much information from so many forum posters that I would like to vote for that option too.

I would never do any such thing. You made me what I am today. (Though I think it was an evil plot.)

If I am not wrong, Julian was the author who wrote about some interesting aspects of Russian coins... and I am tempted to read his works too... too bad his books cost like a bomb...

I read RWJ for Russian stuff and have kept in email contact, but since my primary interests of late have been ancients it was a toss between Sear and Sayles.

You are welome, you certainly deserve it. Especially since you post on RCC also and yet maintain a very positive persona

Ah RCC... that takes me back a long time ago. I haven't been there in ages.

Tough call, but I went with Walter Breen.

The Breen Encyclopedia changed the landscape of American numismatics. Before this book was published, the most authoritative research appeared in auction catalogs. There, the assertions, however right they might be, were seldom backed by documentary proof. Walter Breen changed that. The Breen Encyclopedia brought academic scholarship to American numismatics. Breen footnotes his claims with supporting evidence from primary sources. This is how we learned to write term papers -- and the Breen Encyclopedia is nothing if not a 750-page term paper (with 4000 illustrations). Breen completed a four year degree in one year at Johns Hopkins University. He was brilliant. His genius shines through this work. He does have his prejudices and quirks. He saw paranoia and conspiracies in other people quite readily. However, his editorial assertions are easy to cull. If anything, they enliven the undisputabled facts.

The Breen Encyclopedia came out in 1988. In the last 12 years, some new facts have surfaced. For instance, we now believe that among the Shield Nickels, Judd 417 and 419 are back-dated fantasies and Breen 2466 may be a mule fantasy. These little amendments cannot detract from the overpowering value in the Breen Encyclopedia, but instead, prove that all numismatists must continually search for truth rather than relying on authority. That is the one lesson Breen would have liked us all to learn.

"Three Books You Need," http://www.coin-newbies.com/articles/3_books_need.pdf

(There is nothing like an evening with Q. David Bowers, the fireplace, a little music, some hot tea and Oreos, the wife, a couple of cats. It is a tough call. Bowers rules and has been called the dean of American numismatics for good reason.)

R. W. Julian?

High Plains Writer Apr 28 2003, 11:58 pm hide options
Newsgroups: rec.collecting.coins
From: mike1949maro...@aol.com (High Plains Writer)
Date: 28 Apr 2003 20:58:45 -0700
Local: Mon, Apr 28 2003 11:58 pm
Subject: Re: R.W. Julian

f...@frankcoins.com (Frank Provasek) wrote

> Got an email from R.W. Julian accusing me of being ...

WHICH one do you mean? Was that the R. W. Julian whose article about
William Henry Harrison's medal was the cover story for the December
2000 NUMISMATIST. Did you mean the Robert Julian who lives in
Logansport, Indiana and is well known for his massive interest in
documentation of the U.S. Mint??

Do you mean the one who was bioed by Ed Reiter? Was this the one from
"Who's who in the hobby : Robert W. Julian." (Robert W. Julian 1939-
). Numismatic News Vol. 29, no. 38 (Sept. 19, 1981). We might assume
that the elder Robert W. Julian is the one inducted into the ANA's
Numismatic Hall of Fame along with
Harry W. Bass, Jr., in 1998. But was it Robert W. or R.W. who was
bestowed a Clemy?

You need to be clear on this, Frank. Reputations are at stake.

See for instance, in Rec.Collecting.Coins archives
From: Michael Edward Marotta (merc...@well.com)
Subject: Julian Confusian
Date: 2000-12-28 17:14:21 PST
JULIAN DAZE by Michael E. Marotta

A couple of years ago, I was chatting up the rec.collecting.coins
newsgroup to a literary numismatist. I dropped a few names. "Even
Robert Julian participates," I said brightly. "Uh, that's R. W.
Julian," came the reply. "They are different."
---------------------------
Michael

I know that feeling, and bid good riddance to the nonsense of said group.

I mean the one who is currently writing fairly regularly for Numismatic News and occasionally the Numismatist. His byline is R.W.Julian so that's good enough for me.