Any Good Currency Books That Combine Inventory/Pricing with good stories ? 0

[GoldFinger1969]

I have the Standard Guide to Small Size US Paper Money book (9th Ed) and the Standard Catalog of U.S. Paper Money (27th Ed.).  Both are pretty much inventories of printed bills with (outdated ?) pricing.

Does anybody have any recommendation on OTHER books that might be more up-to-date and/or have little stories on select bills ?  For instance, the Standard Guide has a couple of 1/2 page interesting bits on the Series 1933A Blue Seal Silver Certificates and a few pages earlier on the 1964 removal of the prohibition on holding Gold Certificates.  I really like books that give you stories about some or all of the bills (can't do all of them, I get that).  For instance, Bowers includes select stories (esp. on shipwrecks) in some of his Whitman Red Books.

For instance, I'd love to know who used, bought, or was involved with some of the Large Denomination bills like the $5,000 and $10,000 bill...maybe early auctions of them ?....the stories about whether to print them and/or how many (they had to realize that no more than few dozen people could use bills that big)...etc.

Anyway, I find stuff like that very fascinating and it makes a book that is otherwise pretty much listings of bill types more interesting...breaks up the drudgery of it being just a glorified price guide.

Anybody else share this interest in currency books ? 

Edited March 2 by GoldFinger1969

[Fenntucky Mike]

On 3/2/2024 at 12:25 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

I have the Standard Guide to Small Size US Paper Money book (9th Ed) and the Standard Catalog of U.S. Paper Money (27th Ed.).  Both are pretty much inventories of printed bills with (outdated ?) pricing.

Does anybody have any recommendation on OTHER books that might be more up-to-date and/or have little stories on select bills ?  For instance, the Standard Guide has a couple of 1/2 page interesting bits on the Series 1933A Blue Seal Silver Certificates and a few pages earlier on the 1964 removal of the prohibition on holding Gold Certificates.  I really like books that give you stories about some or all of the bills (can't do all of them, I get that).  For instance, Bowers includes select stories (esp. on shipwrecks) in some of his Whitman Red Books.

For instance, I'd love to know who used, bought, or was involved with some of the Large Denomination bills like the $5,000 and $10,000 bill...maybe early auctions of them ?....the stories about whether to print them and/or how many (they had to realize that no more than few dozen people could use bills that big)...etc.

Anyway, I find stuff like that very fascinating and it makes a book that is otherwise pretty much listings of bill types more interesting...breaks up the drudgery of it being just a glorified price guide.

Anybody else share this interest in currency books ? 

It be nice if I could find a book as you describe for currency I collect, and it be in English.!. 

I think Q.D.Bowers wrote several books about U.S. currency that might be right up your alley, 100 Greatest American Currency Notes and the Whitman Encyclopedia of U.S. Paper Money might be ones to look into. I know that QDB wrote specialized books on Continental Currency and Obsolete Banknotes, I've been thinking about picking up his Obsolete Banknotes book but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have not read any of these but they look like they might be a good fit for you. 

These are not in your wheelhouse necessarily, nor mine, but I will be picking up the Forging Secrets: Faces and Facts Inside the Nazi Operation Bernhard Scheme book soon (it's about the Nazi counterfeiting ring where they forged mainly English banknotes if I remember correctly), and good book on either the making of banknotes or one specifically focusing on the designing and engraving of a note. One more, I'll probably pick up one or more of the histories of De La Rue.

Edited March 2 by Fenntucky Mike

[GoldFinger1969]

On 3/2/2024 at 5:15 PM, Fenntucky Mike said:

It be nice if I could find a book as you describe for currency I collect, and it be in English.!.  I think Q.D.Bowers wrote several books about U.S. currency that might be right up your alley, 100 Greatest American Currency Notes and the Whitman Encyclopedia of U.S. Paper Money might be ones to look into. I know that QDB wrote specialized books on Continental Currency and Obsolete Banknotes, I've been thinking about picking up his Obsolete Banknotes book but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have not read any of these but they look like they might be a good fit for you. 

I forgot that QDB also has written about currency and bills, thanks for the reminder.   Will investigate and report back.

On 3/2/2024 at 5:15 PM, Fenntucky Mike said:

Forging Secrets: Faces and Facts Inside the Nazi Operation Bernhard Scheme book soon (it's about the Nazi counterfeiting ring where they forged mainly English banknotes if I remember correctly), and good book on either the making of banknotes or one specifically focusing on the designing and engraving of a note. 

Didn't Colonel Hogan and his men put an end to that counterfeit ring ?    I wasn't really worried about it too much, they had this guy -- Schultz -- and let me tell you....HE...KNEW....NOTHING !!! 

Edited March 2 by GoldFinger1969

[Lance A D]

There are only two publications that I subscribe to that touch on paper currency. One is Bank Note Reporter. I only collect small-size currency, so that's the pricing I look at. Unfortunately, pricing on small-size notes hasn't been updated in five or six years - it's pretty ancient. The articles are pretty interesting, so you might consider this magazine.

The second publication is the monthly issue of Coin World. Prices of large- and small-size currency are listed on a revolving basis. It's current, but I'm not qualified to say whether the prices are accurate. They seen to sync pretty much with eBay items. Currency articles are sparse, but interesting.