Table Of Content

THE OFFICIAL RED BOOK® A GUIDE BOOK OF UNITED STATES COINS R.S. YEOMAN SENIOR EDITOR JEFF GARRETT RESEARCH EDITOR Q. DAVID BOWERS EDITOR EMERITUS KENNETH BRESSETT 73rd Edition Fully Illustrated Catalog and Retail Valuation List—1556 to Date A Guide Book of United States Coins™ THE OFFICIAL RED BOOK OF UNITED STATES COINS™ THE OFFICIAL RED BOOK and THE OFFICIAL RED BOOK OF UNITED STATES COINS are trademarks of Whitman Publishing, LLC. Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 47-22284 Printed in the United States of America. © 2019 Whitman Publishing, LLC 1974 Chandalar Drive • Suite D • Pelham, AL 35124 No part of this book may be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from the publisher. Prices listed in this book may not be used in any form of computer database or program without written permission from the publisher. Whitman Publishing, LLC, does not deal in coins; the values shown here are not offers to sell or buy but are included only as general information. Descriptions of coins are based on the most accurate data available, but could contain beliefs that may change with further research or discoveries. Whitman® CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Contributors to This Edition How to Use This Book Welcome to Numismatics PRE-FEDERAL ISSUES Colonial Issues Post-Colonial Issues FEDERAL ISSUES Contract Issues and Patterns Half Cents (1793–1857) Large Cents (1793–1857) Small Cents (1856 to Date) Two-Cent Pieces (1864–1873) Three-Cent Pieces (1851–1889) Nickel Five-Cent Pieces (1866 to Date) Half Dimes (1794–1873) Dimes (1796 to Date) Twenty-Cent Pieces (1875–1878) Quarter Dollars (1796 to Date) Half Dollars (1794 to Date) Silver and Related Dollars (1794 to Date) Gold Dollars (1849–1889) Quarter Eagles (1796–1929) Three-Dollar Gold Pieces (1854–1889) Four-Dollar Gold Pieces (1879–1880) Half Eagles (1795–1929) Eagles (1795–1933) Double Eagles (1849–1933) Commemoratives (1892 to Date) Proof and Mint Sets (1936 to Date) BULLION Silver Bullion (1986 to Date) Gold Bullion (1986 to Date) Platinum and Palladium Bullion (1997 to Date) UNITED STATES PATTERN PIECES U.S. Patterns OTHER ISSUES Private and Territorial Gold Private Tokens Confederate Issues Hawaiian and Puerto Rican Issues Philippine Issues Alaska Tokens APPENDICES Appendix A: Misstrikes and Errors Appendix B: Collectible Red and Blue Books Appendix C: Bullion Values Appendix D: Top 250 Coin Prices Realized at Auction GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX INTRODUCTION CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS EDITION Senior Editor: Jeff Garrett. Research Editor: Q. David Bowers. Editor Emeritus: Kenneth Bressett. Special Consultants: Philip Bressett, Maxwell Gregory, Robert Rhue, Troy Thoreson, Ben Todd, Jake Walker Gary Adkins Buddy Alleva Mitchell Battino Lee J. Bellisario William Bugert H. Robert Campbell Elizabeth Coggan Gary and Alan Cohen Stephen M. Cohen Steve Contursi Adam Crum Steven Ellsworth Gerry Fortin Pierre Fricke John Frost Mike Fuljenz Dennis M. Gillio Ronald J. Gillio Rusty Goe Kenneth M. Goldman Thomas Hallenbeck James Halperin Stephen Hayden Brian Hendelson John W. Highfill Brian Hodge Jack Howes Steve Ivy Amandeep Jassal Joseph Jones Donald H. Kagin Jim Koenings Julian M. Leidman Denis W. Loring Dwight N. Manley Syd Martin David McCarthy Lee S. Minshull Charles Morgan Paul Nugget Mike Orlando Joseph Parrella Robert M. Paul Robert Rhue Steve Roach Maurice Rosen Gerald R. Scherer Jr. Harry Schultz Jeff Shevlin Roger Siboni James Simek David M. Sundman Barry Sunshine Anthony Terranova Troy Thoreson Frank VanValen Fred Weinberg Mark S. Yaffe Special credit is due to the following for service and data in this book: Frank J. Colletti, Charles Davis, David Fanning, George F. Kolbe, Christopher McDowell, and P. Scott Rubin. Special credit is due to the following for service in past editions: Stewart Blay, Scott Barman, Roger W. Burdette, Tom DeLorey, Bill Fivaz, Chuck Furjanic, James C. Gray, Charles Hoskins, R.W. Julian, Richard Kelly, David W. Lange, G.J. Lawson, Andy Lustig, J.P. Martin, Eric P. Newman, Ken Potter, Paul Rynearson, Mary Sauvain, Richard J. Schwary, Robert W. Shippee, Craig Smith, Jerry Treglia, Mark R. Vitunic, Holland Wallace, Weimar White, John Whitney, Raymond Williams, and John Wright. Special photo credits are due to the following: Al Adams, David Akers, James Bevill, Heritage Auctions (ha.com), Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Ron Karp, Massachusetts Historical Society, Christopher McDowell, Tom Mulvaney, Ken Potter, John Scanlon, Roger Siboni, the Smithsonian Institution, Stack’s Bowers Galleries, Richard Stinchcomb, and the U.S. Mint. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Coin values shown in this book are retail prices figured from data from the listed contributors approximately two months prior to publication. The coin market is so active in some categories that values can easily change during that period. Values are shown as a guide and are not intended to serve as a price list for any dealer’s stock. A dash appearing in a price column indicates that coins in that grade exist even though there are no current sales or auction records for them. The dash does not necessarily mean that such coins are exceedingly rare. Italicized prices indicate unsettled or speculative values. A number of listings of rare coins lack prices or dashes in certain grades, indicating that they are not available or not believed to exist in those grades. Prices rise when (1) the economic trend is inflationary and speculators turn to tangible assets as a hedge, or when the number of collectors increases, while coin supplies remain stationary or decrease through attrition or melting; (2) dealers replace their stocks of coins only from collectors or other dealers, who expect a profit over what they originally paid; (3) speculators attempt to influence the market through selective buying; or (4) bullion (gold and silver) prices rise. Prices decline when (1) changes in collecting habits or economic conditions alter demand for certain coins; (2) speculators sell in large quantities; (3) hoards or large holdings are suddenly released and cannot be quickly absorbed by the normal market; or (4) bullion (gold and silver) prices decline. Those who edit, contribute to, and publish this book advocate the collecting of coins for pleasure and educational benefits. A secondary consideration is that of investment, the profits from which are usually realized over the long term based on careful purchases. The Handbook of United States Coins (commonly called the Blue Book), by R.S. Yeoman, Whitman Publishing, contains average prices dealers will pay for these coins, and is obtainable through most coin dealers, hobby shops, bookstores, and the Internet. ABBREVIATIONS COMMONLY USED IN THIS BOOK Abbreviation Meaning Arr Arrows Cl Close CN Copper-Nickel Dbl Doubled Dbln Doubloon Drap Drapery Dt Date FR Flat Rim HE Heraldic Eagle Horiz Horizontal HR High Relief Inv Inverted Knbd Knobbed LE Lettered Edge Lg Large Lib Liberty Ltrs Letters Med Medium