Standard Catalog Of World Coins 19th Century 1801-1900 (Standard Catalog of World Coins 19th Century Edition 1801-1900)

Rating:
Summary: One of these things is needed if you collect world coins
Review: Actually I've just seen the 97 edition & usu buy these every few years or so. Well, if you are interested in World Coins then buy a Krause WC book. They do it differently every couple of years. For example my 1985 ed. comes boxed in 2 volumes vol1=A-F, vol2 =G-Z, from about 1800 to present in ea volume. Before then they used to have one massive volume covering from about 1760 to present. Please realize you'll have to buy both the 1801-1900 and then the 1900 to present volumes and it's a real pain to start following a listing in a country & then have to dig out the other volume when you pass 1899. Also you'll probably need the 1701-1800 and the 1600-1700. There's a really nasty tendency for Krause to only show part of the back of a coin design. However the book has good points: e.g. nothing else lists all world coins by date & grade & mm & you can see what's been made & what you want. Also prices usually don't change rapidly, even for rarer 1800's crowns in mint state so you can get away with an older (& MUCH cheaper) volume.

Rating:
Summary: simply the best
Review: Granted, with today's technology, the Krause catalog could have better images for many coins. It could also have at least five basic gradings and prices for each coin instead of three or four. But all in all, it is still the best and the most complete catalog in the market. It is the reference of choice for every numismatic afficionado and every profesional. I even did see it used by European dealers who were not fluent in English. I am just an amateur, and I cannot do without it.