Buy the Book Before the Coin

[SMS]

I just wanted to remind everybody of one of the basic addages of the hobby:

 

"Buy the Book Before the Coin"

 

Simply put, educate yourself about what it is you are going to be making purchases on. It really alleviates a lot of the heartache and headache involved in coin purchases.

 

I have been spending the past several weeks cataloging and listing our personal numismatic library for insurance purposes. I have only recently obtained quite a few of the books/issues and have not read a lot of them, but they are in our library and available to us when we need to research information. Many of these books/issues are good for relaxing and enjoying a (sometimes) quiet afternoon of reading.

 

There is so much information out there from the centuries our hobby has been in existence. None of us can be experts on many subjects related to numismatics, and we are always in a state of learning. Numismatic resources are a must for anybody truly serious in the hobby.

 

I have found that our library value far exceeds that of our personal coin collection, and that's really not such a bad thing. Numismatics is not only about buying coins, it's about learning, discovery, and contentment with the (usually) shiny round things.

 

I also encourage everyone to consider adding your numismatic library to your insurance policy in case of fire, smoke, or water damage. Even if your library only contains a bunch of price books and magazines, the value could add up quickly. In our case, the library is valued at over $15k. And, some things are simply irreplaceable like a 3rd Edition signed copy of Overton's Early Half Dollar Die Varieties.

 

Our coin collection is pathetically small in comparison.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to jab the jaw a bit after finally finishing this tedious project.

[Art1.2]

It's always a good idea to keep your library up to date and to make sure that you're spending some time reading these valuable resources. Nice reminder SMS.

[rsraghead]

Since I'm new to collecting I haven't the privilege of making many mistakes yet. I do know that thanks to the knowledge from the more experienced available on the internet I hope to avoid many costly ones. Let me take the time now to thank y'all all in advance. Thanks for all the help to come!!!