Red Book (R.S. Yeoman)

Red Book (R.S. Yeoman)
Name	Red Book (R.S. Yeoman)
Author	R. S. Yeoman; editors including Kenneth Bressett
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Numismatics; United States coinage
Publisher	Whitman Publishing
Pub date	1946–present
Media type	Print

Red Book (R.S. Yeoman) is a standard price guide and reference work for United States coins compiled originally by R. S. Yeoman and published by Whitman Publishing. The guide documents United States coinage, providing mintage data, retail values, and historical notes that have informed collectors associated with institutions such as the American Numismatic Association, Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution. It has influenced market reporting in outlets like Coin World, Numismatic News, and auction houses including Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers Galleries.

History

The Red Book emerged after World War II amid renewed interest in coin collecting that mirrored trends seen in Hobby Industry expansions and postwar collecting movements documented by Theodore Roosevelt era numismatic societies. R. S. Yeoman, affiliated with Whitman Publishing and correspondent to figures from the American Numismatic Association and curators at the Smithsonian Institution, compiled the first edition to synthesize mintage figures and circulating patterns paralleled in studies from the U.S. Mint and collectors active in New York Coin Club. Early editions reflected collecting practices influenced by events such as the Great Depression hoarding of coinage and legislative changes overseen by the Coinage Act debates in the 20th century.

Publication and Editions

Published by Whitman Publishing since 1946, successive editions incorporated new research from numismatists like Kenneth Bressett, Jack Collins, and Q. David Bowers. The book’s chronology parallels the careers of curators at the National Numismatic Collection and the scholarship produced through collaborations with auctioneers such as B. Max Mehl and firms like David Lawrence. Special editions, anniversary printings, and large-print formats have appeared alongside companion works like A Guide Book of United States Coins supplements and thematic volumes addressing issues that involved agencies including the U.S. Treasury and legal frameworks stemming from the Coinage Act of 1792 lineage.

Content and Features

The Red Book compiles coin listings by denomination and series from early colonial issues through modern commemoratives, drawing on mintage reports from the United States Mint, archival holdings at the Smithsonian Institution, and sale records from dealers like F. C. C. Boyd and auction houses including Heritage Auctions, Sotheby's, and Christie's. Each entry typically includes date, mintmark data from facilities such as Philadelphia Mint, Denver Mint, San Francisco Mint, mintage figures, and retail price guides used by collectors who also consult resources like Numismatic Guaranty Company and Professional Coin Grading Service. Sidebars and appendices reference grading standards developed by panels including representatives from American Numismatic Association and grading services associated with figures like John Albanese.

Impact on Coin Collecting

The guide standardized pricing and collecting vocabulary that shaped hobby marketplaces frequented by members of American Numismatic Association, Young Numismatists programs, and local clubs like the New York Coin Club and Chicago Coin Club. Auction records and dealer inventories reported in Coin World and Numismatic News often cited Red Book valuations, affecting collector behavior at major shows such as the ANA World's Fair of Money and events organized by Florida United Numismatists. The book influenced institutional collecting policies at the Smithsonian Institution and informed legal appraisals in cases involving estates and the Internal Revenue Service.

Format and Design

The Red Book retained a compact hardcover format favored by publications from Whitman Publishing and typographic conventions similar to collectors’ guides distributed through bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble and specialty outlets. Design elements include color-coded sections, tables for mintages and survival estimates, and photographic plates analogous to plates found in monographs from the American Numismatic Society and illustrated guides by Q. David Bowers. Changes in layout tracked shifts in print publishing practices exemplified by competitors such as Krause Publications and cataloguing norms upheld by libraries including the Library of Congress.

Notable Contributors and Editorial Changes

Beyond R. S. Yeoman, long-term contributors and editors such as Kenneth Bressett, Don Taxay, Q. David Bowers, and staff from Whitman Publishing made substantive revisions, integrating research from numismatists associated with the American Numismatic Association and auctioneers like Bowers and Merena. Editorial changes often reflected new findings reported in periodicals like Coin World and institutional discoveries from collections at the Smithsonian Institution and the American Numismatic Society, while standards for grading and valuation aligned with practices from Numismatic Guaranty Company and Professional Coin Grading Service.

Reception and Criticism

Collectors, dealers, and librarians praised the Red Book for accessibility and comprehensiveness, with positive commentary appearing in trade outlets such as Coin World, Numismatic News, and journals published by the American Numismatic Association. Critics within numismatic scholarship, including commentators in forums tied to the American Numismatic Society, have questioned reliance on retail values for academic study and noted occasional discrepancies with auction realizations from houses like Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers Galleries. Debates have paralleled discussions on pricing transparency advanced by organizations such as the U.S. Mint and regulatory scrutiny in financial appraisals overseen by the Internal Revenue Service.

Category:Numismatic literature Category:American books