2016 Greg McDonald

[runway]

Everyone has their own collective interests and I will continue to buy the guide regardless of the fact I have zero interest in Perth Mint product
For varieties buy one of the Renniks specialist books which I have also done

[Greg McDonald]

Thanks Auto and others who have contributed to this thread.  Like you, I don't know "what all the fuss is."  I recognise this section of the book is lacking and that's why I put the "Call out" at the bottom of page 99.  I think I have already demonstrated that I'm keen to improve all aspects of the book [within reason] and acknowledge the help of other people -a lot of authors, of all sorts of publications - often don't do this - and claim the work as they own.

I know these varieties exist.  I've still got the first edition of the 1964 Renniks catalogue and all subsequent editions that did a great job of listing the very same coins we are talking about here. I still have the ones I collected as a ten year old.

Whether rightly or wrongly,  I've used the pocketbook to try and concentrate on issues that have not been published before or just a footnote in other publications.

It might be worth mentioning that my books were the first to publish banknote first prefixes; then first and last for all issues. We were the first to work out a logical reference number system for all the NPA issues and with the assistance of Barrie Winsor,  I think ten years later we still have the most comprehensive listing of all known sovereigns and half sovereigns.

In the current book, we have expanded and improved on the identification of Mintmarks, privymarks and countermarks.  This in itself was mind warping.

Perhaps the area of the new book, I am most proud of, is the expansion of the PNC section.  With the help of a few very supportive forum members, we've doubled the number of known examples and included all variations and overprints.  I have devised a reference number system that includes all these variations and leaves space for new discoveries. Coin fair issues that have different coloured covers are described separately.   It might be only 40 pages of the book, but my helpful "forum friends"  will tell you we spent about three months and over 100 emails to pull this together.

Lastly, it was a bit disappointing that a few people said that only a small section of the book is of any interest to them.  I thought people who became collectors would have had a pretty healthy slice of curiosity nailed into their personality.  Most people cannot afford a Gallipoli banknote, Adelaide ingot or pound, but I would think that just about everyone would be in awe of the way officials solved problems that backed them into a corner.  I must admit that the PNC series didn't float my boat until Pedro offered to give me access to his mindblowing price spread sheets on issues he tracked though ebay and auction catalogues.  I suddenly realised that my own effort in the book was woefully inadequate.  After deciding to chase up the issues I was missing, it almost became obsessive - and a lot of fun.  I can now appreciate what collectors of this series are all about.

Another good reason to read any book from cover to cover is that you can hone the art of "cherry picking."  This is where you look over a dealers entire stock and look for gems that have been overlooked.

If anyone is still unhappy with the evolution of the pocketbook there is another solution and I can explain the process better than most.

You sit in front of your computer screen and start writing your own book...maybe know me right out of the market.

If, after a few minutes, you are still looking for inspiration, just check it's turned on.

[Hercules]

The Vast majority of collectors are Not "Into" errors and varieties and Greg's book covers 99.99% of what they are looking for.
Like Neil said, If you want a detailed book on varieties and errors they are available and to expect all that extra information to be added to Greg"s Pocket book is ridicules.

Maybe... but what happens if this is the only book that someone buys, and they do happen to have rare variety in their collection? Do you really want them to remain in the dark about it, and to potentially give it away or destroy it because they think it's only worth face value? Even the most casual collectors need to know when they have a valuable coin in their collection, so Greg has a responsibility to ensure that that happens.

Lastly, it was a bit disappointing that a few people said that only a small section of the book is of any interest to them.  I thought people who became collectors would have had a pretty healthy slice of curiosity nailed into their personality.  Most people cannot afford a Gallipoli banknote, Adelaide ingot or pound, but I would think that just about everyone would be in awe of the way officials solved problems that backed them into a corner.

My focus is on circulating decimal coins, so that's the only section of the book I regularly refer to, but I find the other sections of the book to be helpful due to my lack of knowledge in those areas. Even the PNC section, which didn't really interest me at all, has taken on a new significance now that I realise that there's a 2005 CoA 50c in there. Simply put, if you don't have all the sections, you don't know what else is out there.

[trout]

Maybe... but what happens if this is the only book that someone buys, and they do happen to have rare variety in their collection? Do you really want them to remain in the dark about it, and to potentially give it away or destroy it because they think it's only worth face value? Even the most casual collectors need to know when they have a valuable coin in their collection, so Greg has a responsibility to ensure that that happens.

It is NOT Greg's responsibility to "Spoon Feed" collectors with knowledge, If a collector has an unusual coin there is always google, coin forums and other means of researching.
Half of the fun collecting is doing your own research and if a collector can't be bothered to put the time and effort into this then why do they bother at all.
Greg's book is a "Guide" and NOT an encyclopaedic book on ALL things numismatic and it has Never been "Touted" as such, It is however a very Very good tool for novice AND seasoned collectors and at $39.95 it is also Bloody good value for money.

It is up to US seasoned collectors to help and educate the novices in our collecting community and this burden lies on our shoulders NOT Greg's :ok:

[autocoupler]

I can only relate to my own experiences, and to be fair, I think the first book purchased by many who are new to collecting Australian coins would possibly be Greg's pocket book. This is what I was advised to do anyway, back in the late nineties when I first got serious about the hobby, and happily went along in my Fathers footsteps of collecting Australian pre decimal.

At the time, I was blissfully unaware of the myriad of important and scarce major varieties that existed in the pre decimal range, simply because they weren't listed in the book I purchased. It wasn't until by chance some years later when I was invited to join a coin forum run by Ken Skinner, that I became aware of this very interesting part of the hobby.

So IMO, I don't think the issue has much to do with responsibility, more with the prevailing circumstances at the point of entry to a hobby, and access to enough information to at least trigger a desire for further research by the individual.

[JeffH]

My copy has just turned up. Had a very quick flick through and looking good.

[Hercules]

It is NOT Greg's responsibility to "Spoon Feed" collectors with knowledge, If a collector has an unusual coin there is always google, coin forums and other means of researching.
Half of the fun collecting is doing your own research and if a collector can't be bothered to put the time and effort into this then why do they bother at all.
Greg's book is a "Guide" and NOT an encyclopaedic book on ALL things numismatic and it has Never been "Touted" as such, It is however a very Very good tool for novice AND seasoned collectors and at $39.95 it is also Bloody good value for money.

It is up to US seasoned collectors to help and educate the novices in our collecting community and this burden lies on our shoulders NOT Greg's :ok:

Trout, you seem to have forgetten that if someone passes a valuable coin off as junk, then we are the ones who suffer if it ends up in landfill or a smelter. If people don't realise they have a valuable coin in their collection, then they won't put it on the market for us to buy, which means fewer coins for those who do want them, and ultimately, higher prices.

Although this may suit the older members of this forum who have already completed their predecimal collections, it certainly does not suit those of us who are just starting out. For the sake of us young ones, please do everything you can to keep the current pool of predecimal varieties from getting smaller. The 1930 penny is already out of reach for most of us, so please don't let that happen to other predecimal coins. :beg:

[trout]

Trout, you seem to have forgetten that if someone passes a valuable coin off as junk, then we are the ones who suffer if it ends up in landfill or a smelter. If people don't realise they have a valuable coin in their collection, then they won't put it on the market for us to buy, which means fewer coins for those who do want them, and ultimately, higher prices.

Firstly, It is usually a piece of Junk that is passed off as a valuable coin and secondly I seriously doubt that collectors will be throwing pre decimal coins down the tip or selling them to a scrap merchant.
As for coin values and prices, If you have been taking any notice of the values of coins over the last few years you would have noticed a marked decline in values as a whole :ok:

Oh and BTW very few of us "Older" members have a 1930 penny or a 1923 halfpenny in our collections either

[robbiegal]

Hercules wrote

Trout, you seem to have forgetten that if someone passes a valuable coin off as junk, then we are the ones who suffer if it ends up in landfill or a smelter. If people don't realise they have a valuable coin in their collection, then they won't put it on the market for us to buy, which means fewer coins for those who do want them, and ultimately, higher prices.

Firstly, It is usually a piece of Junk that is passed off as a valuable coin and secondly I seriously doubt that collectors will be throwing pre decimal coins down the tip or selling them to a scrap merchant.
As for coin values and prices, If you have been taking any notice of the values of coins over the last few years you would have noticed a marked decline in values as a whole :ok:

Oh and BTW very few of us "Older" members have a 1930 penny or a 1923 halfpenny in our collections either

Yeah the baby boomers have drawers full of 1930 pennies and 1923 halfpennies - didn't you know that Trout?
I do believe those coins are catalouged in Maccas
Don't know how much else the older members here and Greg can be held responsible for how other collectors put their collections together.
I assume that they do what i have done, buy reference books, seek out mentoring,  join a coin club and go to auctions - for me it's a hobby and not an investment portfolio
My "complete set" includes copies of the rare years. I feel no anger towards the collectors before me who have sourced those coins. I don't come from a generation of blame I suppose as i have never felt any animosity towards collectors who have those coins. Envy yes ' I stand guilty but never thinking that i have been robbed of something that isn't there. Do the figures - a rare coin is thus because it has low prevalence - not because the "older"members here all have one in their back pocket! Ha ha

[JeffH]

I have several 1930 pennies!
Not in my back pocket but just in a container, in the drawer, with a heap of others.
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All English of course. Boom tish! :tease:

[robbiegal]

yes - the usual suspect for a pre-dec set

My first 'set'has one of those
they are better looking than the boring old Comm coins

the King of the coins is common knowledge - nearly everyone knows to look for them & Downies makes sure that the man on the street knows about them!!!

[nealeffendi]

Trout, you seem to have forgetten that if someone passes a valuable coin off as junk, then we are the ones who suffer if it ends up in landfill or a smelter. If people don't realise they have a valuable coin in their collection, then they won't put it on the market for us to buy, which means fewer coins for those who do want them, and ultimately, higher prices.

Firstly, It is usually a piece of Junk that is passed off as a valuable coin and secondly I seriously doubt that collectors will be throwing pre decimal coins down the tip or selling them to a scrap merchant.
As for coin values and prices, If you have been taking any notice of the values of coins over the last few years you would have noticed a marked decline in values as a whole :ok:

Oh and BTW very few of us "Older" members have a 1930 penny or a 1923 halfpenny in our collections either

Plenty of novice or non hard core collectors don't know that they have a valuable coin and even dealers don't realise what rarities they have. Just these past 3 months I purchased for under $10 a group of ten 1920 pennies that included 2 Dot above Top scroll coins from one seller, a Dot Above English (probably the third finest example known) from another seller (cost me a weeks wage instead of a few hours wage as another person bid on it) and from a top US dealer a BUnc 1926 Serif Sixpence for a days wage. 2 months ago I purchased a bulk lot of threepences from a dealer that included a nice blobby 8 and a 1964 threepence that is better than my MS67 examples.  I've also picked up over the years in bullion lots a 1953 large denticle florin that is ChUnc (better than MS64) and several proof sixpences.

[fred lever]

Hi Guys, I read all the posts about what a book should have in it, is it an encyclopedia or is it a price book and pretty much agree with what is said, its what individuals want it to be. The one thing that stuck out to me was the notion that the information about what to collect for a pre decimal set restricted to date and die pairing does not exist. Now, I agree that you can go mad trying to collect coin errors although I have a large collection of those!  To keep sane you CAN restrict your pre decimal to a certain set that is easily, or, no so easily collected according to complexity and just date and die varieties!
That is precisely WHY I did essays on filling Dansco albums with a representative date set and for the more interested did the Ulitmate Set listings with as many die varies that I think can be easily collected. Those were fitted into those upmarket ring binders with 2x2 pages. These all appeared in that magazine the nobody buys "because it does not have anything about Australian coins in it" (ok i'm being a bit crabby there ) the CAB. That was a series from about November 2012  through to July 2015 or so and I guess the amount of effort both myself and the editor put in was a waste of time since nowhere do I ever see a reference to that work on this forum. I'm not trying to sell a book here, i'm over all that, a book is just an Albatross to make,  i'll let Greg go mad doing that which was entirely the reason for doing the magazine essays to help people and not have to print a book!. I wonder how many of you coin collectors have a full set of the CAB to refer to? I have most issues of ACR and CAB and they are a mine of information When you want to research some subject. Honestly any one that professes to be a coin collector should have a library of every book, CD, coin Journal, paper, magazine, sale brochure like Downies that you can lay your hand on. I don't claim to be a real dedicated coin collector but I have the information around me if I need it and yes that includes Greg Macs handbook and Renniks both from the 1st ed onwards. So if you are wondering what I am talking about check on those back issues, CAB, volume 15-06, 15-10, 16-04, 17-05, 1707, 17-08, 17-10 and 18-06 or photocopy the pages out of my book that's what its there for!
Cheers, Fred Lever.

[trout]

Greg's book is a "Pocket Guide" and is about the size of any small paperback novel and despite its size it holds a heap of useful information.
To have EVERYTHING pertaining to Australian numismatics included in it would be similar to putting the complete works of Wilber Smith into a single paperback book, Good lord even the Lord of the Rings was published in 4 books.

[Unicorn]

Good points Fred! .... I wish I had the funds to be able to buy CAB all the time as even the two local libraries don't stock it. I always bought ACR from when it first came out ..... they'd be in the shed somewhere, but I can't afford to buy it now .......

Geez .....  I remember correcting Mick Vort-Ronald as to appropriate serial numbers back when the $20 papers changed from Gothic to OCR-B ..... I don't think he "published" a correction, but he did send me a reply at the time.