A Guide Book Of United States Paper Money

This book begins with an overview and history of United States paper money by Q. David Bowers, who continues with information about grading, the market, and other aspects of collecting, all in fascinating detail, written to be a "good read" in addition to imparting a lot of useful information. All varieties of federal notes from 1861 to date are illustrated and described in this 440-page book, which includes an eight-page portfolio of full-color photos. Current market prices, in multiple grades, were compiled from leading currency specialists.

Arthur and Ira Friedberg have been professional numismatists for more than thirty years. Their firm, The Coin and Currency Institute, Inc., is a founding member of the elite International Association of Professional Numismatists (I.A.P.N.). In June, 2001 in Rome, Italy, Arthur Friedberg was elected president of the Association, marking the first time in the fifty-year history of the organization an American has occupied that office. He is also a life member of the American Numismatic Association and has been a member of the prestigious Professional Numismatists Guild since 1977. Both brothers joined Coin and Currency (a family firm) after college. Arthur graduated in 1972 with a BA in history from The George Washington University in Washington, DC He later earned an MBA from New York University, in 1976. Ira received his BS in Journalism from Boston University in 1975. Within a short time they co-authored revisions of Gold Coins of the World (now in its seventh edition) and Paper Money of the United States (now in its 17th edition). They also wrote the new editions of Appraising and Selling Your Coins, the 24th edition of which was released in 1996 by a division of Random House, and which has more than a quarter of a million copies in print. They also published and edited the revisions to R.S. Yeoman's classics, Modern World Coins and Current Coins of the World, new editions of which are now being prepared by Whitman Publishing LLC for release beginning in 2006. Arthur is a contributor to the Standard Catalog of World Coins and has written numerous articles for The Numismatist, the journal of the American Numismatic Association. Arthur Friedberg has been a consultant to the Money and Medal Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy; and has testified as an expert on commemorative coin matters before the United States Senate Banking Committee. He has also been retained by advertising agencies, law firms, insurance companies, and others to provide advice on coins and on international and domestic numismatic marketing. In 1993 the Friedbergs were awarded the Prix d'Honneur of the I.A.P.N. for Gold Coins of the World as the best book of the preceding year. They have also been presented the Medal of Merit of the American Numismatic Association (1992) for "distinguished service to the hobby." Arthur received the first place Heath Literary Award (1994) as author of the article judged best in The Numismatist during 1993, and the Swiss Vrenelli Prize (1999) for "outstanding contributions to numismatics." Q. David Bowers, born in 1938, became interested in coin collecting in 1952 and became a dealer in 1953. Since that time he has gone from one numismatic endeavor and success to another, including serving as president of the Professional Numismatists Guild (1977-1979) and the American Numismatic Association (1983-1985). Bowers is the recipient of the highest awards given by each of these groups: the Founders Award by the PNG, and the Farran Zerbe Award by the ANA. A 1960 graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, with a degree in Finance, he was given the Alumnus Achievement Award in 1976 by its College of Business Administration. At present Bowers is numismatic director of Whitman Publishing, LLC, and is also a principal in the well-known rare coin firm American Numismatic Rarities, LLC, of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. He is the author of more than 40 books, many of which have won the highest honors given by the Numismatic Literary Guild ("Book of the Year Award"), the Professional Numismatists Guild ("Friedberg Award"), and other organizations. His column, "The Joys of Collecting," has appeared in Coin World weekly for more than 40 years-the longest-running feature by any numismatic author in the history of the hobby. Further contributions to the hobby include compiling or contributing to hundreds of important auction catalogs (including the Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, the Norweb Collection, the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, and the Childs Collection), and editing and contributing to hobby periodicals. Dave is a fellow of the American Numismatic Society, the American Antiquarian Society, and the Massachusetts Historical Society. In 1999, he was named as one of only six living people in the roster of 18 "Numismatists of the Century" in a poll conducted by COINage magazine. In the field of currency Dave is a columnist for Paper Money, the magazine of the Society of Paper Money Collectors. He has collected, studied, and enjoyed paper money since the 1950s, with historical and technical information being a particular focus of activity. Currently, he is doing research for a book covering obsolete notes of 1782 to 1866 and, separately, on paper money of New Hampshire, a comprehensive study being conducted with David M. Sundman as co-author. Invited to contribute the collecting, historical, and technical text to the present volume, Dave complied with enthusiasm, drawing upon his experience in combination with extensive historical files and other information.